The 2022 World Cup kicks off this Sunday with Qatar and Ecuador getting the tournament underway.
For the first time in history, the FIFA World Cup will take place midseason in relation to Europe’s top five Leagues with 32 teams setting their sights on Qatar.
The nature of timing ensures a number of players will miss out while the Republic Of Ireland also failed to qualify.
But with the World Cup approaching, we’ll be taking a deep dive into the nations competing, group by group.
We look ahead to Group H, which contains Portugal, Uruguay, Ghana and South Korea
Portugal
Manager – Fernando Santos
Best WC Finish – Third Place (1966)
2018 WC Finish – Last 16
FIFA World Ranking – 9th
Tournament Odds – 14/1
The 2022 World Cup may be the final stop internationally for two of the greatest players to play the game, with Cristiano Ronaldo’s future uncertain after the tournament.
The four-time Ballon d’Or winner has played in every World Cup since the 2006 edition but only has a third-place play-off defeat against Germany to show for it, with a couple of last 16 exits on top of their failed group stage in 2014.
And if they’re qualifying form is anything to by, they won’t be reaching serious heights with a second-place finish in a group containing the Republic of Ireland and Serbia. They were subsequently sent to a final against North Macedonia and were 2-0 winners to seal a place in Qatar.
Fernando Santos has been in charge of the Euro 2016 winners for eight years now and it feels as if he’s not maximising the potential of the players he has at his disposal. Not bringing Renato Sanches was a big call but can players like Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes and CR7 fire Portugal all the way?
Or will Ronaldo’s recent interview with Piers Morgan cause unrest in the camp, with the 37-year-old exposing all on his club Manchester United.
Uruguay
Manager – Diego Jose Alonso Carballo
Best WC Finish – Winners (1930, 1950)
2018 WC Finish – Quarter-Finals
FIFA World Ranking – 14th
Tournament Odds – 35/1
Two-time winners Uruguay begin the World Cup as many fan’s surprise package, despite already being one of the World’s elite.
La Celeste are 35/1 to go all the way in the tournament and are currently ranked 14th in the FIFA World Rankings but could be considered as one of the ‘best of the rest’ with the quality of players they possess.
Although, they’ll need to eradicate the form they showed at stages of the qualifiers. Finishing behind Argentina and Brazil is nothing to be ashamed about, but six losses from eighteen could’ve caught the side out but luckily their eight wins and four draw pulled them over the line.
Uruguay ever-presents Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani will don the sky blue for the final time at the World Cup but will be joined by other world class players such as Real Madrid’s Fede Valverde, Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez and Spurs’ Rodrigo Bentancur.
The quality of the players for the side is unquestioned, but can they gel together to give the South American giants a chance at their third title?
Ghana
Manager – Otto Addo
Best WC Finish – Quarter-Finals (2010)
2018 WC Finish – N/A
FIFA World Ranking – 61st
Tournament Odds – 300/1
Despite missing out on Russia 2018 after three consecutive World Cups from 2006 – 2014, Ghana have returned to the world’s biggest stage.
They enter the competition as the lowest ranked side in the tournament with the African side being ranked at a staggering 61st place. For context, the Republic of Ireland sit in 49th place.
A 1-1 draw against Nigeria in their qualifier final second leg gave them qualification for Qatar via away goals earlier this year. Arsenal’s Thomas Partey gave the side the all important goal to return to the World Cup after right years away.
And the Arsenal midfielder is the player with the highest expectations at the tournament with his stalwart performances for the Gunners this season guiding them to first place in the Premier League. Other notable players include the Ayew brothers, Brighton’s Tariq Lamptey and Southampton defender Mohammed Salisu.
They will be destined to get revenge on Uruguay and Luis Suarez in particular, who controversially handballed on the line to deny Ghana a goal in the 2010 quarter-final.
South Korea
Manager – Paulo Jorge Gomes Bento
Best WC Finish – Fourth Place (2002)
2018 WC Finish – Group Stage
FIFA World Ranking – 28th
Tournament Odds – 300/1
South Korea’s last win in the World Cup was possibly their most memorable in recent years. A 2-0 win against the World Champions Germany to send them home in the group stages, although the side failed to qualify themselves.
They went one better at least from their 2014 campaign as they failed to secure a win in any of their group games and crashed out of the tournament with just a single point to their name.
However, a final day qualifier loss to the UAE was their only defeat in their qualification journey as they finished runners-up to Iran who they drew against on their journey to Qatar.
A late fitness scare for Heung-Min Son was cleared last week as they feared he would be absent due to a fractured eye socket. The Spurs winger was named in the 26-man squad and will no doubt be the focal point to their success.
A difficult group awaits South Korea, who will need be at their best if they’re to get the better of any of their three opponents.