The 2022 World Cup is almost upon us with managers frantically finalizing their squads this week. The deadline to confirm the 26-man squads is November 13, a week before the tournament kicks off in Qatar with the hosts facing Ecuador. Brazil confirmed their squad on Monday with Tite including Arsenal strikers Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus but leaving out Roberto Firmino. Australia were the last country to name their 26-man group, while Christian Eriksen was included in Denmark’s qualifying squad. Gareth Southgate has a number of issues to scrutinize over the coming days before the final squad is announced on Thursday, with injuries and performances and form from the likes of James Maddison and Ben White as well as the fitness of Calvin Phillips. Follow all the latest news and team announcements from the following 32 teams:
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England World Cup squad: Our writers pick their 26-man squad for Qatar 2022
Gareth Southgate is set to announce England’s 2022 World Cup squad in Qatar on Thursday. Southgate faces several selection dilemmas on the pitch, with questions over the fitness of right-backs Kyle Walker and Rhys James and Walker’s Manchester City team-mate Calvin Phillips. Ben Chilwell’s hamstring injury leaves England without left-backs, while there is growing clamor for James Maddison to be on the plane and become an option over Harry Kane’s deputies up front. But the increased squad capacity of 26 – up from 23 at the previous World Cup – at least gives Southgate some flexibility as he makes his final decision. We asked 12 members of the Independent Sport team to vote and come up with a joint selection of 26 men. We divided the team by goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders (deep or box to box players), forwards (attacking midfielders and wingers) and strikers (No. 9). Michael Jones November 8, 2022 2:15 p.m 1667916058
Dani Alves: Brazil coach Tite explains defender’s inclusion in World Cup squad
Now aged 39, Alves plays in Mexico for UNAM but has not featured for a month due to a knee problem. Coach Tite has explained exactly why Alves, the oldest and most capped player in the squad, has been retained as Brazil look to end a 20-year wait to win the World Cup again. Michael Jones November 8, 2022 2:00 p.m 1667915518
FIFA tells World Cup teams to avoid ‘ideological or political battles’ in Qatar
Top soccer officials have urged the 32 teams preparing for the most political World Cup in modern times to focus on the game in Qatar and avoid moral lessons. A letter urging teams to “let football take center stage” was sent by FIFA president Gianni Infantino and general secretary Fatma Samoura ahead of intense media focus on coaches and players when the World Cup squads are announced on next week. “Please, let’s focus on football now!” Infantino and Samura wrote, asking the 32 football federations “not to allow football to be drawn into every ideological or political battle that exists”. Qatar’s winning bid to host the World Cup in 2010 sparked scrutiny over its treatment of low-paid migrant workers needed to build projects costing tens of billions of dollars, and its laws criminalizing same-sex relationships. Eight European clubs have pledged their captains will wear heart-shaped armbands – in breach of FIFA rules – to support an anti-discrimination campaign. Michael Jones November 8, 2022 1:51 p.m 1667914858
Jurgen Klopp unhappy with players carrying the burden of taking a stand against Qatar World Cup
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists it is wrong to ask players at the upcoming World Cup to take a stand on issues in Qatar as more scrutiny should have been done beforehand. FIFA has sent a letter to all competing nations in the tournament starting later this month, asking them to focus on football and not get involved in some social and human rights issues that have been raised since the country was awarded the tournament before since 12 years. . Thousands of migrant workers have reportedly died building infrastructure for the World Cup, while homosexuality is banned in Qatar. England captain Harry Kane will wear a OneLove armband to support the LGBTQ+ community at the World Cup, but Klopp said it is wrong to ask participants to make bold statements when he believes not enough questions have been asked about the decision of awarding the World Cup to Qatar in principle. Michael Jones November 8, 2022 1:40 p.m 1667914258
Festa World Cup 2022: Every shirt ranked and rated
The Qatar World Cup is almost upon us, and that means a host of delightful/grotesque international soccer jerseys to enjoy/fight over. What do we think of Portugal’s bold diagonal stripe? Who has chosen an enchanting shade of red? Why are Argentina dressed as if they need 144 off 20 overs? Is this Jafar? Please share your views in the comments below. Here are the 2022 World Cup kits, ranked and ranked from worst to best: Michael Jones November 8, 2022 1:30 p.m 1667913538
Pele, Messi, Moore: Could this be the best World Cup line-up of all time?
A host of the best players on the planet will compete at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. All will be hoping to make a name for themselves alongside some of the greats who have appeared in the showcase tournament over the years. Here is the best World Cup XI of all time: Michael Jones November 8, 2022 1:18 p.m 1667912878
Wales make a mark in Qatar after ending a 64-year wait for a World Cup opportunity
Look out for the bucket hats and expect ‘Yma o Hyd’ to stir the soul. Wales return to the World Cup. It may have taken 64 years – the longest gap for any nation between consecutive finals appearances – but Wales have rejoined the FIFA party and plan to enjoy the ride in Qatar. Back in 1958, the football landscape was unrecognizable to the media-driven and million-pound contract one of today. Sweden hosted the only World Cup in which all four host nations participated, and Pele announced himself in impressive style as Brazil won the first of a record five titles. Wales would welcome Pele’s presence as the 17-year-old settled Gothenburg’s quarter-final with a second-half winner. But, sometimes, the more things change the more they stay the same. Michael Jones November 8, 2022 13:07 1667912338
Antonio Conte is confident Son Heung-min will be fit for the World Cup
The Spurs striker suffered a fracture around his left eye on Tuesday during their 2-1 win in Marseille after a collision with Chancel Mbemba. It has left Son in a race against time to be available for the tournament in Qatar, which starts on November 20. The 30-year-old underwent surgery on Friday and therefore missed Tottenham’s 2-1 defeat by Liverpool. He is also expected to miss next week’s games against Nottingham Forest and Leeds, but the manager has given him a positive update with South Korea to open the World Cup with a Group H game against Uruguay on November 24. Michael Jones November 8, 2022 12:58 1667911738
Which players are out of Qatar 2022 and who are struggling to be fit?
Hosting a FIFA World Cup partway through the domestic seasons of many major leagues was always likely to be problematic for a number of reasons – prominent among which is the tendency to lose players to injury. While a handful of tournament absentees suffering is nothing new, the issue is exacerbated this time around as club competition will continue until a week before Qatar 2022 kicks off, with more games crammed in and less recovery time for players beforehand. Unfortunately, many names are already confirmed to be out – while more are added to the list of those racing against time to rediscover their fitness with each passing round of competition. Here’s a list of players who are definitely out, and a regularly updated list of those facing an uphill battle to get back in time: Michael Jones November 8, 2022 12:48 1667911258
Qatar 2022: A World Cup plagued by controversy from the start
It’s safe to say that no World Cup has generated as much debate and controversy before a ball is kicked as the finals in Qatar, which will finally kick off this month after nearly 12 years in the making. This was a tournament that was “awarded in an unacceptable way, with unacceptable consequences,” the president of the Norwegian Football Association, Lise Klaveness, told the FIFA conference in Doha earlier this year. “Human rights, equality, democracy, the basic interests of football, were not in the starting line-up,” he added. There were immediate calls for a repeat vote and even talk of a boycott when FIFA’s executive committee awarded the tournament to Qatar in December 2010, ignoring warnings from even FIFA’s own bid assessment report about the “potential risk for health” from holding the tournament. in intense desert heat in June and July. Michael Jones November 8, 2022 12:40 p.m
