MANAGER: Lionel Scaloni
Parachuted into the job after Jorge Sampaoli failed to get Argentina beyond the last-16 at the 2018 World Cup and burned any sort of goodwill he had with his players, Scaloni has turned Argentina into a force again.
For years they were billed as Lionel Messi + 10 but, after lifting the Copa America last year, Argentina have some pedigree coming into a tournament and with Cristian Romero, Rodrigo De Paul, Lautaro Martínez among others as the support cast.
Argentinian hopes will be higher than they have been for many a year following their last-16 elimination at the hands of France at Russia 2018.
The outlook was bleak for a side that had to replace the generation that finished runners-up at Brazil 2014 and embark on a transitional period, the duration and outcome of which were shrouded in uncertainty.
FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Lionel Messi | Position: Forward | Age: 35
• The World Cup is the one major trophy the Argentinian has never had his hands on.
• La Pulga (’The Flea’) will now go in search of the biggest title of them all as the icon of a rejuvenated side and still one of the best players in the world, despite the passage of time and the fact he is now midway through his 30s.
• Though he might lack the pace and stamina he once had, Messi has modified his game and remains a matchwinner thanks in great part to his ageless left foot.
Emiliano Martinez | Position: Goalkeeper | Age: 29
• Argentina’s first-choice keeper had to wait while before getting an opportunity that he seized with both hands.
• After joining Arsenal in 2010, he was farmed out on loan six times before an injury to the then Gunners No. 1 Bernd Leno in June 2020 gave the Argentinian a long-awaited chance to show what he could do.
• He got his chance in the lead-up to last year’s Copa America, where he went on to perform wonders. “We’ve got Dibu and he’s amazing,” said Messi of Martinez after the trophy had been won.
• It had taken Martinez less than two years to convince Scaloni and his coaching staff of his qualities and have the fans singing his name.
Cristian Romero | Position: Defender | Age: 24
• The Cordoba-born defender playing for his beloved Belgrano only for a disagreement with the club’s directors to throw his future in jeopardy.
• He ended up moving to Italian club Genoa, the first step in his development into a mainstay of Scaloni’s side.
• Voted the best defender in Serie A, he was then whisked off to the Premier League by Tottenham.
• Nicknamed Cuti and a player of many attributes, he has become the defensive leader Scaloni has been looking for, the kind of player who can change the course of a game with his interventions, the kind of player that defences can be built around.
Rodrigo de Paul | Position: Midfielder | Age: 28
• De Paul started his career as a playmaking No. 10
• The Atletico Madrid man has become something of a multi-purpose player, supplementing his natural talent with commitment, endless running, and determination.
• Udinese is where he began producing his best football, finally establishing himself in the European game and becoming a leading light at the Italian club.
• A driving force in the Albiceleste midfield, he nailed his place down in the team and made a telling contribution to Argentina’s biggest achievement of the last few years.
Lautaro Martinez | Position: Forward | Age: 25
• Argentina’s main goal threat of the Scaloni era.
• Having now re-established his partnership with Romelu Lukaku at Inter Milan, the ever-improving Martinez should be at the peak of his powers when Qatar 2022 comes around.
• Aside from his attacking attributes, El Toro (“The Bull”) has an important role to play in Scaloni’s system as a hard-running first line of defence, helping to conserve Messi’s energy by freeing him of any defensive duties.
MANAGER: Herve Renard
The Frenchman – who has previously coached Morocco, Lille and Ivory Coast – took over in 2019 as the Saudis looked to qualify for their second consecutive World Cup.
For many observers, Saudi Arabia’s involvement at FIFA’s global showpiece has become something of the norm.
In reality, the 2006 World Cup marked the end of a golden era for the Green Falcons with the likes of Muhammad Al-Deayea, Sami Al Jaber and Saeed Al-Owairan hanging up their boots.
Renard was the chosen successor of Juan Pizzi following his two Africa Cup of Nations triumphs with Zambia and Côte d’Ivoire respectively, as well as his experience coaching Morocco at the 2018 Russia World Cup.
The 53-year-old coach went to work immediately. He oversaw an overhaul, integrating established stars and young talent.
The strategy had an immediate impact as evidenced in Saudi Arabia’s successful 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign.
FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Abdulelah Al-Amri | Position: Centreback | Age: 25
• The talented Al-Nassr defender has established himself as one of Saudi Arabia’s standout performers and participated in all but one of The Greens’ World Cup qualifiers. He played a large part in the team securing five clean sheets out of nine.
• As he prepares to pit his wits against the considerable talents of Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski, Al-Amri will have to be on his mettle to keep Group C’s sharpshooters at bay.
• In the Saudi Pro League, attackers rarely get past Al-Amri and his ability to win one-on-one duels, both aerially and on the ground, speaks volumes about his defensive qualities.
Yasser Al-Shahrani | Position: Leftback | Age: 30
• He has been a mainstay in the Green Falcons’ backline since earning his first cap in the 2012 friendly meeting with Spain. He is now one of the most capped players in the squad, with 66 international appearances to his name.
• Despite being a naturally right-footed player, he remains the preferred choice at leftback due to his high interception and blocking rates as well as his high-tempo running up and down the flank.
• The versatile defender is equally at home at centreback and has been a virtual ever-present in his nation’s biggest games throughout his international career.
Salman Al-Faraj | Position: Midfielder | Age: 33
• Captain for both club and country, Al-Faraj has performed to a consistently high standard in recent years and is a key cog in Herve Renard’s system.
• The veteran midfielder will need to summon every last ounce of his vast experience in the meetings with Argentina, Poland and Mexico as the Arabs seek to match their display in the tournament’s 1994 edition.
• The left-footed player takes on average one shot per game, produces dangerous passes in behind the defence (including crosses, through balls, and long balls), as well as breaking up attacks.
Salem Al-Dawsari | Position: Winger | Age: 30
• Al-Hilal’s Al-Dawsari is a unique talent in an era in which flair players are at somewhat of a premium.
• He made his international debut ten years ago and continues to deliver eye-catching performances at both club and international level.
• The jet-heeled wideman remains a pivotal figure within the squad due to the number of different roles he can play.
Firas Al-Buraikan | Position: Forward | Age: 22
• Head coach Renard has complete faith in the up-and-coming star, with the Frenchman handing the youngster his first senior cap at the tender age of 19.
• While some may consider Al-Buraikan too young to lead the Green Falcons’ attack, he is a mainstay of the national squad and seizes every opportunity with both hands.
• What really sets apart the young gun is his quality build-up play, with the likes of Salem Al-Dawsari relishing the service.
MANAGER: Gerardo Martino
The 59-year-old has been in charge of Mexico since 2019 and his tenure has largely been defined by results against the United States.
Mexico won the Gold Cup in 2019 but then lost the same tournament and CONCACAF Nations League final to the Americans in 2021.
In July 2013, Martino was chosen as the successor to Tito Villanova at Barcelona after carving out a strong reputation within South America.
While Mexico never turn up to a FIFA World Cup™ without thinking they can win it, their main objective at Qatar 2022 will be to end a 36-wait for a place in the quarterfinals.
In bidding to make history, Martino will line up with his usual 4-3-3 formation and a clutch of well-known names, including the following five mainstays.
FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Guillermo Ochoa | Position: Goalkeeper | Age: 37
• A Mexico and World Cup legend, Ochoa has always delivered for his country on the big stage, regardless of how he has performed at club level.
• With a long-term replacement yet to emerge, he remains a reliable performer and a formidable last line of defence.
Ochoa will be making his fifth world-finals appearance at Qatar 2022.
• An unmistakable figure between the posts thanks to his trademark curls, Ochoa has been a calming voice of experience for El Tri over the last decade and the bane of many an opposition forward thanks to his quick reflexes.
Andres Guardado | Position: Midfielder | Age: 35
• Another leader of the Mexican pack and a decision-maker in the dressing room along with Ochoa.
• Guardado is appearing at his fifth World Cup, equalling Antonio Carbajal’s national record. Since making his world finals debut at the age of 19 at Germany 2006.
• The midfielder has announced that he will retire from international football after Qatar 2022.
• The player they call ‘El Principito’ (The Little Prince) started out as a wide man with the ability to skip past people, Guardado has become a midfield schemer, using his reading of the game, vision and drive to great creative effect.
Raul Jimenez | Position: Forward | Age: 31
• Mexico’s main goal threat, Jimenez earned his place in the elite thanks to his finishing skills.
• The cutting edge of Martino’s front line, the striker is set to make his third World Cup appearance and his first as a first-choice.
• Virtually unbeatable in the air, Jimenez fights for every ball and has the ball skills to link up effectively with his teammates.
Hirving Lozano | Position: Forward | Age: 27
• Nicknamed ‘Chucky’, Lozano is another star of a front line that has been misfiring in the countdown to Qatar 2022.
• The Napoli wide man is at the peak of his powers and has the skills and pace to unlock even the tightest defences.
• A first choice in the Mexico line-up, Lozano’s ability to get past defenders, coupled with his intuition and courage, makes him one of El Tri’s main attacking threats. Capable of playing on either flank and even down the centre, he is preparing for his second World Cup.
Edson Alvarez | Position: Midfielder | Age: 24
• Alvarez is a versatile midfielder who has earned some high praise from Alfred Schreuder, his coach at Ajax
• Known as ‘The Machine’, Alvarez has excelled in both the Eredivisie and the UEFA Champions League this season.
• A shrewd tactical operator, he will be Mexico’s main midfield barrier at the World Cup, though his all-round skills have made him a box-to-box operator coveted by some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
MANAGER: Czeslaw Michniewicz
Poland named former Legia Warsaw coach Michniewicz as their new manager in January after parting ways with Portugal’s Paulo Sousa – who asked to be relieved of his duties so he could join Brazilian club Flamengo.
Michniewicz managed nine Polish clubs before he was named the Poland Under-21 coach in 2017. He helped them qualify for the 2019 European Under-21 Championship, becoming the first manager to do so in 25 years.
Michniewicz left the national team duty in 2020 to take over Polish top-flight club Legia, guiding them to a record 15th Polish championship title in 2021 and the group stage of the Europa League.
With experienced players like Robert Lewandowski in his squad, Michniewicz will be looking to strike the ideal balance between both defence and attack, and between old hands and up-and-coming young talents. If he can achieve that, then Poland will be well placed to make a better fist of things than they did four years ago.
Here, we look at five players who are set to play crucial roles for Poland in Qatar as they take on Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Argentina in an attempt to make it through to the knock-out stage at a World Cup for the first time since 1986.
FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Wojciech Szczesny | Position: Goalkeeper | Age: 32
• The experienced keeper has spent most of his career at Arsenal and Juventus, filling his trophy cabinet in the process.
• That kind of big-match calibre will be worth its weight in gold for Poland, for whom made his debut in 2009 and has gone on to win 64 caps. The 32-year-old is very much his country’s No. 1.
• Polish fans will be hoping that Szczesny is back to 100% fitness in time for the World Cup in Qatar.
Jan Bednarek | Position: Centreback | Age: 26
• Jan Bednarek is a lynchpin of Poland’s back line.
• He has become more or less a fixture in the Poland national team, and the expectation is that he and experienced back Kamil Glik will form the central defensive pairing in Qatar. Those two know one another well, and together they managed to keep Sweden’s forward line under wraps and off the scoresheet during their World Cup playoff match.
• Glik is reputed for never backing out of a tackle, leaving the ball-playing to 42-time international Bednarek, who has the speed and intelligence to carry that off side of the game. He is known for his vision out on the pitch, making him a veritable quarterback of the Polish defence and a key figure in build-up play.
Grzegorz Krychowiak | Position: Defensive Midfielder | Age: 32
• Krychowiak has had an interesting career to date that has seen him ply his trade for a host of different clubs.
• Wherever the 32-year-old has played, he has been a fixture on the team-sheet in defensive midfielder.
• He is nearing the century mark for his country, with 91 caps to date – a clear indication of his importance to the team.
• He was known as ‘the lumberjack’ which is a reasonably accurate summary of his playing style, particularly when going in for a tackle – something he never shies away from.
• To reduce his abilities to uncompromising play would be to do him a disservice. He may be tough in the one-on-ones, but as a No. 6, he also knows how to find a teammate with incredible regularity as well as pushing forward to join the attack.
Piotr Zielinski | Position: Attacking Midfielder | Age: 28
• Zielinski has become a pillar of his national side, with 72 caps and nine goals.
• His main task is to pull the strings in the Poland midfield and set up chances for Robert Lewandowski.
• He is the nerve centre of the team, dictating play and using his outstanding footballing IQ to read the game and feed his teammates with clever passes.
• He also knows where the goal is, as he proved with his timely strike to make it 2-0 in the playoff match against Sweden.
Robert Lewandowski | Position: Striker | Age: 34
• Lewandowski scored an incredible 312 goals in 384 Bundesliga matches for Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, before moving ahead of this season to Barcelona. He has already fitted in nicely to La Liga and picked up where he left off in Germany.
• For Poland, he has racked up 132 appearances and 76 goals – records both. And yet there is one thing missing from his resume – in Russia in 2018, which was his only World Cup to date, he failed to find the back of the net.
• Lewandowski is a key figure off the pitch and can always be found talking to younger squad-members to help integrate them into the squad.
