Last Updated on November 7, 2022 by
This article is part of the Guardians World Cup 2022 Experts’ Network, a collaboration between some of the top media organizations from the 32 countries that qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from two countries each day in the run-up to the tournament, which starts on November 20.
Contents
The plan
It is the first time Argentina has arrived at a World Cup in peace. Tense, yes, but also calm. The biggest strength is the team’s collectivity, the fact that everyone works hard for each other, and that has been highlighted time and time again over the past four years. Everyone on the team – indeed the squad – knows their role: this is a well-oiled machine.
The current cycle began at the end of 2018 after Jorge Sampaoli’s disastrous spell in charge, which included a last-16 exit from the World Cup in Russia and problems off and on the pitch. Lionel Scaloni, who had been Sampaoli’s assistant, took over on a temporary basis – alongside Pablo Aimar – and the former Deportivo La Coruña and Lazio player never looked back.
His contract was extended to include the 2019 Copa América, where Argentina finished third, and finally to include the same tournament two years later as well as the World Cup. Argentina have not always performed well under Scaloni and there were times when the team looked unsure of how to play, confused even, but slowly things came together.
Scaloni discarded some players who were nearing the end of their careers and stood by his decisions to form a cohesive unit that goes unbeaten at the World Cup in 35 games, just two short of the record set by Roberto Mancini’s Italy between 2018 and 2021 .Scaloni was criticized in the beginning, but that noise has disappeared now.
Part of that Argentina run included winning the 2021 Copa América, the country’s first major title in 28 years. Beating Brazil in the final at the Maracanã made the triumph even sweeter. In June, Argentina won the “Finalissima” against Italy 3-0 at Wembley with a completely dominant performance.
The team has a mix of experience and youth and of course Lionel Messi. Argentina goes to Qatar with the aim of winning the World Cup, it is a dream for the whole country and above all “La Pulga”. There are many in Argentina who feel that football owes Messi a World Cup.
The coach
Lionel Scaloni is an outlier. He had only ever been an assistant coach before taking charge of Argentina, which was partly why he was so heavily criticized early on. However, he surrounded himself with figures he trusted from his playing days – Aimar, Roberto Ayala and Walter Samuel – and changed the narrative. Winning the Copa América and making Messi smile made Scaloni pretty immune to criticism and the fans love him. They call the team “La Scaloneta”, which is a kind of bus that everyone rides on towards Qatar 2022.
Star player
Lionel Messi is the captain and emblem of the team, who at the age of 35 and going to his fifth World Cup still hopes to fulfill his dream of becoming world champion. He has lost a bit of speed and explosiveness, but has instead found a comfortable place in the national team. He is happy and that bodes well for him and the nation. Winning the Copa América lifted a weight of international failure off his shoulders and there is a feeling he will have his best World Cup.
Unsung hero
For many years, Argentina looked for a defensive leader to give them the stability and confidence to thrive in attack. Then came Cristian Romero, “El Cuti”, and suddenly everything seemed fine. He is only 24 but has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water following his move to Tottenham from Atalanta last year. He was one of the last pieces in Scaloni’s jigsaw, arriving at the team just before the 2021 Copa América, and he has yet to lose a game with Argentina.
Probable lineup
Qatar stance
As is the case with other South American countries, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) has been silent on the issues surrounding the host nation, be it LGBTQ+ rights or the plight of migrant workers, by the players and coaching staff. It’s pretty rare for players to take a stand on political issues, so don’t expect anyone to break ranks – the country is focused on bringing home the World Cup.
National anthem
Himno Nacional Argentino was written by the clearly multi-talented politician Vicente López y Planes and the music composed by Blas Parera and approved by the General Constituent Assembly in 1813. Initially it contained a strong anti-Spanish sentiment which was taken out in 1924 It begins: “Hear, mortals, the holy cry: ‘Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!’ Hear the sound of broken chains. Behold the throne of noble equality.” However, due to the length of the anthem, often at sporting events only the instrumental intro is played.
All-time cult hero
Diego Armando Maradona, who else? “El Pelusa” won the World Cup for Argentina in Mexico 1986, with the quarter-final against England particularly memorable. Four years after the Falklands War, this win was huge for Argentina, immortalising Maradona, his Hand of God goal and one of the most brilliant individual strikes the tournament has ever seen. Argentina went on to beat Belgium in the semi-finals and West Germany in the final. Make no doubt about it – this was Maradona’s World Cup.
Vanesa Valenti writes for La Nacion. Follow her here on Twitter.
How many countries qualify for World Cup from Asia?
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Team | 46 (from 1 association) |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 229 |
| Goal scored | 676 (2.95 per game) |
How many teams from Asia are going to the 2022 World Cup? FIFA World Cup 2022: With a record six teams, Asia resets soccer goals. Hosts Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Iran, South Korea and Australia will represent Asia in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
How many teams qualify for World Cup from each continent?
CONCACAF (North, Central America and the Caribbean): 3 or 4. CONMEBOL (South America): 4 or 5. OFC (Oceania): 0 or 1. UEFA (Europe): 13.
How many countries from each region qualify for World Cup?
After each team plays each other home and away, the top four teams qualify for the World Cup. The fifth-placed team advances to an intercontinental playoff with a team from the AFC or Asian Football Confederation.
How many teams will qualify for World Cup 2022 from each continent?
Asia (AFC): 4 (plus 1 playoff qualification) Europe (UEFA): 13. North/Central America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF): 3 (plus 1 playoff qualification) Oceania (OFC): 1 playoff qualification.
How many countries from each region qualify for World Cup?
After each team plays each other home and away, the top four teams qualify for the World Cup. The fifth-placed team advances to an intercontinental playoff with a team from the AFC or Asian Football Confederation.
How many teams qualify for World Cup each region?
Asia (AFC): 4 (plus 1 playoff qualification) Europe (UEFA): 13. North/Central America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF): 3 (plus 1 playoff qualification) Oceania (OFC): 1 playoff qualification.
How many from each World Cup group qualify?
The 16 teams that finished in the top two from each group are placed in a bracket, with group winners facing the runners-up in the Round of 16. The teams play single-elimination matches for each round (round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals). -finals and finals) until a champion is crowned.
Which teams have qualified to Qatar?
The 32 countries qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup are Qatar (hosts), Argentina, Brazil, England, France, Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Germany, Netherlands, Uruguay, Croatia, Denmark, Mexico, USA, Senegal, Wales , Poland, Australia, Japan, Morocco, Switzerland, Ghana, Republic of Korea, Cameroon, Serbia, …
How many countries qualify for Qatar? The 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifying was the qualification process that determined the 31 teams that would join hosts Qatar in receiving an automatic place at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
How many teams are going to Qatar 2022?
In addition, the tournament is slated to be the last with a 32-team field; the field is slated to increase to 48 teams for the 2026 tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
How many countries are going to Qatar 2022?
The 2022 Men’s World Cup in Qatar will feature 32 teams before the field expands to 48 teams for the 2026 World Cup.
What teams have qualified for Qatar World Cup?
Complete list of 2022 World Cup teams
- Qatar.
- Germany.
- Denmark.
- France.
- Belgium.
- Croatia.
- Spain.
- Serbia.
How many teams qualify for World Cup in Qatar?
The 2022 World Cup begins with 32 teams in eight groups of four: Group A: Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands. Group B: England, Iran, USA, Wales. Group C: Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland.
Is Qatar prepared for World Cup?
All seven new buildings are ready and match-tested for the World Cup, while the stunning design of Al-Bayt Stadium and Al Janoub, shaped like a pearl, will ensure Qatar scores 10 out of 10 for aesthetics and style.
How is Qatar preparing for the World Cup? Between May 31 and June 22, FIFA held three seminars to thoroughly prepare the 36 referees, 69 assistant referees and 24 video match officials from all six confederations selected to officiate at the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022â¢.
How will the 2022 World Cup affect Qatar?
The tournament will benefit the regional economy significantly (Siddiqui, 2022). The investment in projects by the government of Qatar to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup made the country resilient. Qatar successfully survived the challenges of the blockade and COVID-19.
What will happen to Qatar stadiums after 2022?
After the tournament, Lusail Stadium will be transformed into a community center with schools, shops, cafes, sports facilities and health clinics as part of Qatar’s commitment to sustainable development.
Will Qatar be closed due to World Cup?
Qatar’s Ministry of Interior has announced the suspension of entry into Qatar for all visitors not participating in the FIFA World Cup tournament from November 1, 2022 to December 23, 2022.
How much did Qatar spend preparing for World Cup?
World Cup costs reach ‘fantasy levels’ as Qatar’s polarizing $300 billion showpiece approaches. The bill Qatar is paying for the most expensive World Cup ever hosted will rise to fantasy levels in the one month left to the November 20 kickoff.
How many stadiums did Qatar prepare for the World Cup?
Seven new stadiums have been built in and around Doha to host the 64 matches. Know all FIFA World Cup 2022 venues. FIFA World Cup 2022 will be held in Qatar from November 20 to December 18.
How much did Qatar spend on the World Cup?
About $6.5 billion of that was spent building eight stadiums for the tournament, including the Al Janoub stadium designed by the late acclaimed architect Zaha Hadid. Billions were also spent on building a metro line, new airport, roads and other infrastructure ahead of the fighting.
Will Qatar be closed due to World Cup?
Qatar’s Ministry of Interior has announced the suspension of entry into Qatar for all visitors not participating in the FIFA World Cup tournament from November 1, 2022 to December 23, 2022.
Why is Qatar 2022 being boycotted?
Migrant workers, accusations of slavery and deaths. One of the most concerning issues at the Qatar World Cup was the treatment of workers hired to build the infrastructure.
Will the world Cup be taken away from Qatar?
Although Qatar has insisted a summer 2022 FIFA World Cup is viable, thanks to cooling technologies it is developing for stadiums, training grounds and fan zones, there are still widespread concerns about the health of players and visiting supporters.
How many teams are there in World Cup?
What is the World Cup? The FIFA World Cup (soccer) is a quadrennial tournament featuring 32 national teams organized by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).
Which countries are in the WC 2022? The 2022 World Cup begins with 32 teams in eight groups of four: Group A: Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands. Group B: England, Iran, USA, Wales. Group C: Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland.
How many teams are there in the world Cup 2022?
The draw for the World Cup group stage took place in Doha, Qatar on 1 April 2022 to pave the way for the tournament. The final three qualifying spots were filled in June, with Wales, Australia and Costa Rica completing the 32-team line-up. This is a modal window.
How many teams Play in the World Cup 2022?
The draw for the World Cup group stage took place in Doha, Qatar on 1 April 2022 to pave the way for the tournament. The final three qualifying spots were filled in June, with Wales, Australia and Costa Rica completing the 32-team line-up. This is a modal window. There appears to be a playback issue.
How many teams qualify from each group for World Cup 2022?
The top two teams in each group qualified for the World Cup, and the two third-placed teams advanced to the fourth round.
Which country Cannot join FIFA?
Overview. Greenland is not a member of FIFA (from 2022) and therefore cannot play in the FIFA World Cup. Apart from FIFA, Greenland is neither a member of CONCACAF (although they have submitted an application to become a member) nor UEFA.
Why is Monaco not in FIFA? This is because the Monegasque Football Association – which governs all forms of football in the principality – is not a member of UEFA or FIFA. This means that Monaco cannot compete for qualification for the UEFA European Championship or the FIFA World Cup Finals.
Which country has no football team?
On the other hand, UN recognized countries such as Nauru, Vatican City, Monaco and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta do not actually have international football teams that can qualify for the World Cup.
Which country does not have national sports?
there is no official national sport in China, although table tennis is very popular and China is known for this sport. There is no officially declared national sport. Many would consider cricket to be the national sport given its popularity.
Which countries do not have football team?
There are 8 sovereign countries that FIFA does not recognize and they are the following.
- Monaco. Has a population of 38,682 and an area of just over 2 square kilometers.
- The Vatican. Of course, they have their own team, which was established in 1994. …
- Micronesia. …
- Marshall Islands. …
- Tuvalu. …
- Palau. …
- Nauru. …
- Kiribati.
What countries are not allowed in FIFA?
There are 8 sovereign countries that FIFA does not recognize and they are the following.
- Monaco. Has a population of 38,682 and an area of just over 2 square kilometers.
- The Vatican. Of course, they have their own team, which was established in 1994. …
- Micronesia. …
- Marshall Islands. …
- Tuvalu. …
- Palau. …
- Nauru. …
- Kiribati.
How many countries are not part of FIFA?
Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, its membership now includes 211 national associations.
What countries are in FIFA but not the UN?
Three states with limited international recognition and no UN membership are members of both FIFA and an affiliated confederation: the Republic of China (as Chinese Taipei), Kosovo and Palestine.
How many teams are going to Qatar 2022?
In addition, the tournament is slated to be the last with a 32-team field; the field is slated to increase to 48 teams for the 2026 tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
How many countries are going to Qatar 2022? The 2022 Men’s World Cup in Qatar will feature 32 teams before the field expands to 48 teams for the 2026 World Cup.