LAST UPDATE | 10 Nov 2022
BORUSSIA DORTMUND CAPTAIN Marco Reus bas been omitted by head coach Hansi Flick from Germany’s squad for the World Cup, while 2014 World Cup hero Mario Goetze makes a shock return.
“We’re looking forward to seeing him,” Flick said of 30-year-old Goetze, who last played for Germany five years ago.
“We have a very good squad we can take with us” Flick said on Thursday in Frankfurt.
Flick also selected uncapped duo Werder Bremen striker Niklas Fuellkrug and 17-year-old Dortmund forward Youssoufa Moukoko. While Moukoko has represented his country at junior level, this is the first time Fuellkrug, 29, will don a Germany shirt.
Alongside Reus, there were several high-profile absences in the squad, including Reus’ Dortmund teammate Mats Hummels and Inter Milan wing-back Robin Gosens.
Southampton centre-back Armel Bella-Kotchap, 20, was named ahead of Hummels.
Former Chelsea striker Timo Werner was ruled out in early November due to a leg injury.
Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has overcome recent shoulder issues to be named captain, while his veteran Bayern Munich teammate Thomas Mueller has been included despite a back issue which has restricted his appearances since late September.
Flick confirmed Reus would miss the tournament due to an ankle problem he suffered in September.
Reus, 33, missed the 2014 World Cup due to a foot injury picked up in the last friendly before leaving for South America, while he was also cut for the 2016 Euros due to fitness issues.
Germany Squad
- Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (captain) (Bayern Munich), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona), Kevin Trapp (Eintracht Frankfurt).
- Defence: Armel Bella Kotchap (Southampton), Matthias Ginter (Freiburg), Christian Guenter (Freiburg), Thilo Kehrer (West Ham United), Lukas Klostermann (RB Leipzig), David Raum (RB Leipzig), Antonio Ruediger (Real Madrid), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Niklas Süle (Borussia Dortmund).
- Midfield and Forwards: Karim Adeyemi (Borussia Dortmund), Julian Brandt (Borussia Dortmund), Niclas Fuellkrug (Werder Bremen), Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Mario Goetze (Eintracht Frankfurt), Ilkay Gundogan (Manchester City), Kai Havertz (Chelsea), Jonas Hofmann (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Youssoufa Moukoko (Borussia Dortmund), Thomas Mueller (Bayern Munich), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sane (Bayern Munich).
Romelu Lukaku was selected in the Belgium squad for the World Cup despite coach Roberto Martinez admitting the Inter Milan striker was “medically unfit”.
Lukaku has played just twice for Inter since the end of August because of a hamstring injury. He returned briefly in October but suffered a recurrence of the problem.
“Romelu is medically unfit, I think that’s quite clear,” Martinez said as he revealed his 26-man squad for Qatar.
“Romelu is at the moment receiving treatment and is entering that period that until the 22nd of November — 24 hours before our first game– he has the opportunity to get himself fully fit.”
Fifa will allow teams to replace players unable to compete because of injury or Covid-19 up to 24 hours before their first match at the World Cup.
Belgium, who finished third at the last tournament in Russia, start their campaign against Canada on 23 November. They will also face Morocco and 2018 runners-up Croatia in Group F.
Belgium Squad
- Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), Simon Mignolet (Club Brugge), Koen Casteels (Wolfsburg).
- Defenders: Toby Alderweireld (Royal Antwerp), Jan Vertonghen (Anderlecht), Zeno Debast (Anderlecht), Leander Dendoncker (Aston Villa), Wout Faes (Leicester City), Arthur Theate (Rennes).
- Midfielders: Thomas Meunier (Borussia Dortmund), Timothy Castagne (Leicester City), Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Dortmund), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Axel Witsel (Atletico Madrid), Youri Tielemans (Leicester City), Amadou Onana (Everton), Hans Vanaken (Club Brugge), Yannick Carrasco (Atletico Madrid).
- Forwards: Eden Hazard (Real Madrid), Leandro Trossard (Brighton), Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan), Michy Batshuayi (Fenerbahce), Charles De Ketelaere (AC Milan), Lois Openda (Lens), Jeremy Doku (Rennes), Dries Mertens (Galatasaray).
South Korea’s coach Paulo Bento said on Thursday that the injured Son Heung-min would “of course” be selected in his World Cup squad — but could not say whether his captain would be fit for the country’s first match in Qatar.
The Tottenham forward had successful surgery to repair an eye socket fracture suffered in the 2-1 Champions League win over Marseille nine days ago. Son wrote on his Instagram page Wednesday that playing in the World Cup was his childhood dream and that he “can’t wait to represent our beautiful country”.
Bento dismissed concerns about Son missing the World Cup, with South Korea’s first Group H game against Uruguay on 24 November just two weeks away. South Korea also face Ghana on 28 November and Portugal on 2 December in Group H.
Meanwhile several selections in Gregg Berhalter’s USA World Cup squad have been influenced by the fact that the USA face both Wales and England in Group B along with Iran.
Berhalter said England-based players such as Norwich’s Josh Sargent and Fulham’s Tim Ream were chosen due to their familiarity with the physicality of British football.
Sargent, who has scored eight goals in 18 games for Norwich in the English Championship this season, was included among a contingent of forwards which had no place for the 19-year-old striker Ricardo Pepi, who plays in Holland for FC Groningen.
The biggest shock in Berhalter’s squad concerned the omission of goalkeeper Zack Steffen.The 27-year-old has long been regarded as Berhalter’s first choice goalkeeper, but was left out in favor of Arsenal reserve goalkeeper Matt Turner, Luton Town’s Ethan Horvath and New York City’s Sean Johnson.
USA Squad
- Goalkeepers: Ethan Horvath (Luton Town), Matt Turner (Arsenal), Sean Johnson (New York City FC).
- Defenders: Tim Ream (Fulham), Sergino Dest (AC Milan), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville), DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami), Shaq Moore (Nashville SC), Joe Scally (Borussia Monchengladbach), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls).
- Midfielders: Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United), Kellyn Acosta (Los Angeles FC), Tyler Adams (Leeds United), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Yunus Musah (Valencia), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders).
- Forwards: Jesus Ferreira (Dallas), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund), Josh Sargent (Norwich), Timothy Weah (Lille), Haji Wright (Antalyaspor).
Cristiano Ronaldo will lead Portugal into the World Cup after Fernando Santos named the veteran forward in his 26-man squad.
The Manchester United striker, 37, has not been first choice for his club this season but will be part of his country’s bid to win the tournament for the first time in their history.
Ronaldo, the captain and all-time leading scorer in men’s international football with 117 goals, has plenty of younger team-mates in support in attack, including Atletico Madrid’s Joao Felix and AC Milan’s Rafael Leao.
“All the players I have called up come with the hunger to win and make Portugal world champions, Ronaldo included,” said Santos.
Ronaldo will go to his fifth World Cup, having played for his country in every edition of the tournament from 2006 onwards.
The coach, who led Portugal to Euro 2016 glory in France, left Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Renato Sanches out of the squad, bringing Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes instead.
“What is most important are the players who will go to the World Cup,” said Santos, refusing to discuss players who didn’t make the cut. “The 26 (selected) think that justice has been done, and those who don’t go, the opposite.”
Santos called up uncapped Benfica centre-back Antonio Silva, 19, as well as 39-year-old Pepe. The Porto defender has not played since 4 October because of a knee sprain but will be fit for the tournament in Qatar.
“I asked my medical department if there were any unfit players, the answer was no,” said Santos when asked about Pepe.
Liverpool striker Diogo Jota misses out because of a calf injury.
Wolves midfielder Joao Moutinho, 36, who has appeared for his country 146 times, more than any other player apart from Ronaldo, was not included, and nor was his team-mate Goncalo Guedes.
Portugal open their World Cup campaign in Group H against Ghana on 24 November, before facing Uruguay on November 28 and South Korea on 2 December.
Portugal squad
- Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa (Porto), Rui Patricio (Roma), Jose Sa (Wolves)
- Defenders: Diogo Dalot (Manchester United), Joao Cancelo (Manchester City), Danilo Pereira (PSG), Pepe (Porto), Ruben Dias (Manchester City), Antonio Silva (Benfica), Nuno Mendes (PSG), Raphael Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund)
- Midfielders: Ruben Neves (Wolves), Joao Palhinha (Fulham), William Carvalho (Real Betis), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Vitinha (PSG), Otavio (Porto), Joao Mario (Benfica), Matheus Nunes (Wolves), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
- Forwards: Rafael Leao (AC Milan), Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid), Ricardo Horta (Braga), Goncalo Ramos (Benfica), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United), Andre Silva (RB Leipzig).
And Robert Lewandowski will lead Poland‘s World Cup campaign with Barcelona’s goalscoring machine among the 26-man squad named by coach Czeslaw Michniewicz.
The selection process was “the most important decision of my life” Michniewicz said, revealing he had run his picks past Lewandowski.
“None of the 26 are going there for the atmosphere,” he added. “Each one is at such a level and such an ability that I can count on them at any time.”
A lot will be counting on Lewandowski with Poland in a group containing Lionel Messi’s Argentina, Saudi Arabia and Mexico against whom they open their campaign on 22 November.
Michniewicz said nothing had changed in terms of Wojciech Szczesny of Juventus being his number one choice as keeper.
He is among 11 of the squad based in Italy.
The one area where the coach conceded there was an issue was in midfield, which led to a call up for AEK Athens’ Damian Szymanski.
Poland squad
- Goalkeepers: Wojciech Szczesny (Juventus), Lukasz Skorupski (Bologna), Bartlomiej Dragowski (Spezia)
- Defenders: Matty Cash (Aston Villa), Robert Gumny (Augsburg), Bartosz Bereszynski (Sampdoria), Kamil Glik (Benevento), Jan Bednarek (Aston Villa), Jakub Kiwior (Spezia), Mateusz Wieteska (Clermont), Artur Jedrzejczyk (Legia Warsaw), Nicola Zalewski (Roma)
- Midfielders: Grzegorz Krychowiak (Al-Shabab), Krystian Bielik (Birmingham City), Damian Szymanski (AEK Athens), Piotr Zielinski (Napoli), Sebastian Szymanski (Feyenoord), Szymon Zurkowski (Fiorentina), Jakub Kaminski (Wolfsburg), Przemyslaw Frankowski (Lens), Kamil Grosicki (Pogon Szczecin), Michal Skoras (Lech Poznan)
- Forwards: Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona), Karol Swiderski (Charlotte FC), Arkadiusz Milik (Juventus), Krzysztof Piatek (Salernitana)
