BRAZIL
How did they get here?
Brazil topped the South American section of qualifying, winning 14 and drawing three of their games. They qualified without completing their entire schedule, mind: the home meeting with Argentina, sensationally abandoned when health officials came onto the pitch to deport four visiting players they accused of flouting Covid quarantine rules. With both sides already qualified, there was a rare outbreak of common sense in not bothering to play the game at all.
Who is their manager?
Most Brazil managers seem to succeed Dunga – including Dunga – and Tite took over in 2016 after a poor showing at the Copa America. Virtually all of his management career has been in Brazil, the highlight being the 2012 Club World Cup win over Chelsea with Cortinthians. He took a year’s sabbatical shortly after to travel Europe and broaden his mind, and has done a fine job with Brazil since taking over in 2016. They lost narrowly to Belgium in a brilliant quarter-final in 2018, and then won the 2019 Copa America. This is his final stand: he intends to stand down after the World Cup.
How do they play?
Brazil play a pretty fluid system with a back four and an attack with Neymar as its central focal point. Casemiro and Fred form the base of the midfield, allowing Neymar to be supported by wide attackers – likeliest to be Vinicius and Richarlison, though Brazil have remarkable depth in these positions – with West Ham’s Lucas Pacqueta the link between midfield and attack.
Who is their key player?
It is, once again, Neymar. The weight on his shoulders and the hysteria in his absence in the 2014 World Cup was absurd, but Brazil have since built a much, much stronger supporting cast since. He remains their main attacker, however, with almost all of the other forwards in the squad better suited to playing out wide. He is in sparkling form for PSG and this World Cup is happening before his traditional, pre-carnival injury so if Neymar is ever going to dominate a World Cup, this will be it. He needs it for reasons other than the legacy he leaves behind: his public support for deposed strongman Jair Bolsonaro has been mocked by vast swathes of a very divided country, so the World Cup offers him a chance to heal some of those wounds.
Who might be their breakout star of this World Cup?
Dani Alves, anyone? In all seriousness, the young attackers in Brazil’s squad are already well-known, including Gabriel Martinelli, who has been brilliant at Arsenal for years at this point. So let’s pick one of the trio of home-based players in the squad: 25-year-old Flamengo striker Pedro, who has been included at Roberto Firmino’s expense. He won’t start but as a target-man centre-forward, he offers Brazil something else off the bench, which may well be needed across a World Cup’s many challenges. He has already had one stint in Europe, at Fiorentina, and at 25, this competition offers him his last realistic route to one of Europe’s big leagues.
Have they any injury concerns?
Not many, as Richarlison has recovered just in time. Philippe Coutinho is sidelined with injury, though his recent form was hardly an argument for inclusion.
What are their realistic ambitions?
Victory. Brazil are pre-tournament favourites and have a squad of frightening depth in almost all positions: Ireland are perhaps the only other country in the world with such options at goalkeeper. They only realm in which they are perhaps lacking is at full-back, but their attacking quality means they won’t be needed in an attacking sense. Their only gnawing unease is the fact they haven’t been tested against European opposition in years, owing to the twin advents of the pandemic and the calendar-squeezing Uefa Nations League. Bar a 2019 friendly against Czech Republic, Brazil haven’t faced European opposition since losing to Belgium at the 2018 World Cup.
What should I say if I draw them in the office sweepstake?
‘Tite has built a squad capable of building a World Cup, but the only question mark is whether they are ready to face the best Europe has to offer having not played any of them in four years.’
SERBIA
How did they get here?
You will need little reminding: Serbia topped Ireland’s group, doing so in dramatic fashion by beating Portugal away from home on the final day, courtesy of a last-minute Aleksander Mitrovic goal.
Who is their manager?
Dragan Stojković, a star of the Yugoslavia side that went to the quarter-finals of Italia ‘90, has made the lesser-seen transition from playing to administration to coaching. He became president of the Serbian FA when he retired, but went on to coach in Japan and China, taking charge of Serbia for the first time against Ireland in 2021.
How do they play?
Serbia are great to watch, playing an attack-minded 3-4-1-2 in which Dusan Tadic roams about and loads the chamber for strikers Dusan Vlahovic and Aleksandar Mitrovic. If they are fit to start, Serbia will be difficult to stop, though will give up opportunities at the other end.
Who is their key player?
Serbia have a pair of brusque, lethal strikers in Vlahovic and Mitrovic along with dynamic creators in Sergej Milinković-Savić and Filip Kostić, but the man who links the team is playmaker Dusan Tadic. Ireland’s defeat in Belgrade in qualifying came after Stojkovic tweaked his system to allow Tadic into the centre and influence the game. No player registered more assists across European qualifying than Tadic: he is an intelligent footballer whose guile pulls Serbia’s attack together.
Who might be their breakout star of this World Cup?
Dusan Vlahovic is only 22 but is well-established at this point, so let’s pick 21-year-old midfielder Ivan Ilić. He and his brother Luka were plucked from Belgrade by Manchester City but Ivan didn’t play a first-team game, having been loaned about before moving permanently to Hellas Verona. A left-footed midfielder who was once a full-back, Ilic, if he plays, will form one half of Serbia’s midfield pivot. The defensive side of his game needs some work yet, but he has an excellent passing range.
What are their realistic ambitions?
Serbia topped their group ahead of Portugal and may be on a collision course with them once again in the last-16. That is far from guaranteed, but Serbia should be confident of getting out of their group, and, if Mitrovic and Vlahovic are fit, have the firepower to go to the quarter-finals. The meeting with Switzerland is key.
What should I say if I draw them in the office sweepstake?
‘I’m calling it: Serbia are the Official Dark Horses of this World Cup. With Mitro to win the Golden Boot.’
SWITZERLAND
How did they get here?
Perennial qualifiers, Switzerland punched their ticket in style this time around, topping their group ahead of European champions Italy.
Who is their manager?
You may remember Murat Yakin, who played alongside his brother Hakan against Ireland in qualifying for Euro 2004. He retired from international duty at that tournament but has now returned as manager, taking over for World Cup qualifying after a nomadic coaching career in Switzerland. He sent the Irish FA 9.3kg of Swiss chocolate as a thank you for holding Italy to a qualifier draw in Belfast, a result which secured his side’s place in Qatar.
How do they play?
Yakin favours a back four and has generally played 4-2-3-1, with Granit Xhaka and Remo Freuler – now at Nottingham Forest – anchoring the midfield. Xherdan Shaqiri is playing in MLS now but is still on the international scene, and will likely play off the right of the attack. What they might lack in attacking spark they should compensate for with defensive resolve: they conceded just two goals across all of qualifying, Europe’s best record. Of slight concern is a 4-0 loss to Portugal in the Nations League during the summer.
Who is their key player?
For years, Arsenal fans wished Granit Xhaka could transfer his international form to his club, which he has done this season. Now, Swiss fans will be happy if he replicates his Arsenal form at the World Cup: his underrated passing range has always found expression most often in a Swiss jersey.
Who might be their breakout star?
Striker Breel Embolo has always felt on the cusp of something significant, without ever quite making the breakthrough. (Irish fans may remember Embolo’s superb performance in a 2-0 Euro 2020 qualifying loss in Geneva three years ago.) Embolo is 25 now and at Monaco, for whom he is averaging a goal every other game. With Haris Seferovic aging, Embolo may be given the responsibility of leading Switzerland’s attack. If he can find form, Switzerland can make it out of this group.
Have they any injury concerns?
There is worry over goalkeeper Yann Sommer, who has an ankle injury but has nonetheless been included in the squad. He was in super form just prior to that problem, making a staggering 19 saves in a one-man resistance against Bayern Munich for Borussia Monchengladbach at the start of the season.
What are their realistic ambitions?
The Swiss have made the last-16 in three of their last four World Cups (the exception, bizarrely, being 2010, in which they beat winners Spain in the opening game.) If they can get through the group, the last-16 tie is not as daunting as it might have been. Beating Cameroon is a must, meaning they can go to a winner-takes-qualification finale with Serbia.
What should I say if I draw them in qualification?
‘The group may be decided on the final day in the ultimate clash of styles: Switzerland’s mean defence against Serbia’s freewheeling attack.’
CAMEROON
How did they get here?
Cameroon’s route to Qatar was tough: first they topped a group ahead of Ivory Coast, and then knocked highly-rated Algeria out on away goals in the play-offs.
Who is their manager?
Former Liverpool and West Ham manager Rigobert Song is in charge, having served in a caretaker capacity after the 2018 World Cup. He wanted the job on a permanent basis but didn’t get it, instead handed the U23s job. He’s in the top job now, though, taking over from Toni Conceição after the AFCON semi-final loss to Egypt on home soil. His first job in coaching was with the home-based Cameroon ‘A’ squad, whom he stepped away from in 2016 after a life-threatening brain aneurysm. He has recovered and will now lead Cameroon at what will be his fifth World Cup, having played at the 1994, 1998, 2002, and 2010 tournaments. Such longevity means he holds an unwanted record as being the only player ever to have been sent off at two separate editions of the World Cup.
How do they play?
Song used a 4-4-2 for the qualification play-off win against Algeria and a recent experiment with 3-4-3 ended in a defeat to Uzbekistan, so we might be seeing a back four at the World Cup. He has also recently tried a 4-3-3, but none of his systems have yet incorporated Bayern and former Stoke forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting who, genuinely, arrives into the tournament as one of the most in-form strikers in the world.
Who is their key player?
With Choupo-Moting not yet integrated on a regular basis, Song has handed the goalscoring burden to Vincent Aboubakar, the former Porto striker now playing in the Saudi league. He’s still only 30 and was the top scorer at the most recent Africa Cup of Nations. He is also polishing a long-running, one-sided beef with Mohamed Salah, saying he doesn’t “give a toss” who disagrees with him. “’I'm not impressed by him. I can do what he does. I just don’t have the opportunity to play in a big club.” Unlike Salah, he does have the chance to play at the 2022 World Cup.
Who is their potential breakout star of this World Cup?
Napoli are arguably the hottest team in Europe at the moment, partly in thanks to midfielder André-Frank Zambo Anguissa, whom Premier League-watchers may remember from his time at Fulham. England did not see the best of him: he is an excellent, all-round midfielder who may use this World Cup as a platform for greater things to come.
Have they any injury concerns?
Nothing of note.
What are their realistic ambitions?
New FA president Samuel Eto’o has declared that Cameroon expect to reach the final but, in a flourish of modesty, hasn’t said whether they will win it or not. The fulfillment of his prophecy would mark one of the greatest World Cup upsets ever, but if they can find a role for Choupo-Moting and coax his club form from him, they are in contention to at least make the knockout stages.
What should I say if I draw them in the office sweepstake?
‘Samuel ‘Ally MacLeod’ Eto’o says Cameroon are aiming for the final – they’ll struggle to make it out of the group.’
Group G Fixtures
Thursday 24 November
- Switzerland vs Cameroon; Al Janoub Stadium; kick-off 10am
- Brazil vs Serbia; Lusail Iconic Stadium; kick-off 7pm
Monday 28 November
- Cameroon vs Serbia; Al Janoub Stadium; kick-off 10am
- Brazil vs Switzerland; Stadium 974; kick-off 4pm
Friday 2 December
-
Cameroon vs Brazil; Lusail Iconic Stadium; kick-off 7pm
Serbia vs Switzerland; Stadium 974; kick-off 7pm
Read all of our group previews here
For the latest news coverage on the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022, see here >
