There will be no group of death at the 2022 World Cup but excitement is guaranteed with former champions Spain and Germany pitted against each other while World Footballers Lionel Messi of Argentina and Robert Lewandowski of Poland will also lock horns.
Friday’s draw in Doha also resulted in a politically charged Group B featuring England, the United States, Iran and possibly Ukraine.
Title holders France should be up against Christian Eriksen if he is picked for the Denmark squad the year after his cardiac arrest at the Euros.
Hosts Qatar were drawn to open the November 21-December 18 tournament against Ecuador before facing African champions Senegal and the Netherlands in Group A.
Owing to delays related to the coronavirus and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine only 29 of the 32 finalists are known, with the remaining three spots to be decided in June.
France head Group D and will only know their first opponent once the United Arab Emirates have played Australia and that winner has met Peru, with the Danes and Tunisia in the same pool.
Germany won their fourth title in 2014 and don’t have good memories of Spain who beat them in the semis en route to their 2010 trophy and 6-1 in the last Nations League two years ago, which contributed heavily to the downfall of coach Joachim L?w.
“It is an exciting group and not easy. But we have big ambitions and it is an exciting challenge,” L?w’s successor Hansi Flick told broadcasters ARD.
The two heavyweights are favoured in Group E which also features Japan and the winner of a Costa Rica v New Zealand play-off.
Group B will also only be complete in June with England, the US and Iran to be joined by the winner of the play-off between Wales and the winner of Scotland v Ukraine.
Political foes US and Iran already met in 1998 while Euro runners-up England could play another member of the Home Nations or Ukraine.
“We’ve got to get out of the group. Out first objective is to get out of the group and then we build from there,” England manager Gareth Southgate told the BBC.
“In this situation all of our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine, so when that tie is played out is irrelevant really.”
In Group C, Argentina and Poland are joined by Mexico and Saudi Arabia; Group F brings together Belgium, Canada, Morocco and 2018 runners-up Croatia; and Group H sees Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal up against Ghana, Uruguay and South Korea.
Record winners Brazil will meanwhile have a feeling of deja vu when they face Serbia and Switzerland as four years ago and Cameroon as in 2014 in Group G.
Teams were drawn from four pots based on the latest world rankings at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center in front of some 2,000 invited guests, with hosts Qatar however in pot one along with the top seeded teams led by number one Brazil.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said the first World Cup in the Arab world would be the “best World Cup ever” – amid ongoing criticism on the host nation’s human rights record.
Without mentioning 2018 hosts Russia by name in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine which also led to its team being kicked out of qualifying for Qatar, he made a call for peace.
“We face some turbulences, our world is aggressive and we need some occasions to bring people together. To all the leaders, stop the conflicts and the wars,” he said
Qatar open World Cup v Ecuador; holders France v play-off winner
Hosts Qatar were on Friday drawn to open the 2022 World Cup against Ecuador on November 21 while France will start their World Cup title defence against a play-off winner.
The draw in Doha also possibly pitted England against Wales or Scotland who are in another delayed play-off along with Ukraine; and the group stage will also see a meeting of World Footballers Lionel Messi of Argentina and Robert Lewandowski of Poland.
England’s Group B also includes Iran and the United States; while Former winners Spain and Germany face off in Group E along with Japan and the winner of the third play-off between Costa Rica and New Zealand.
Record winners Brazil start Group G against Serbia and also face Switzerland and Cameroon.
Group H sees Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal up against Ghana, Uruguay and South Korea; and Group C features Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Poland.
France head Group D and will only know their first opponent at the November 21-December 18 tournament once the United Arab Emirates have played Australia and that winner faced Peru, with Denmark likely with Christian Eriksen and Tunisia the other teams.
Qatar play the opening match against Ecuador and then also face African champions Senegal and the Netherlands in Group A; while Belgium are in Group F along with Canada, Morocco and 2018 runners-up Croatia.
Teams were drawn from four pots based on the latest world rankings at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center in front of some 2,000 invited guests, with hosts Qatar however in pot one along with the top seeded teams led by number one Brazil.
Germany face Spain in World Cup duel of ex-champs but aim to progress
Germany have a chance for redemption when they face Spain at the World Cup in a mouth-watering group stage duel of former champions in Qatar.
The game against Spain on November 27 will come four days after an opener against Japan, with the final opponent in the group on December 1 the winner of a June play-off between Costa Rica and New Zealand.
Having been placed in Pot 2 owing to modest results in recent years, Germany captain Manuel Neuer told Magenta TV “it was clear that we would get a very good opponent from pot one.
“Now it is Spain. We have negative experiences against them in the past. But I don’t think this will happen twice to us,” he said.
“I have only one aim, and that is the world title. We haven’t exactly done well at recent tournaments and want to make up for it.”
Spain beat Germany in the Euro 2008 final and two years later in the semis en route to their lone World Cup triumph before thrashing the Germans 6-0 in the Nations League two years ago.
The heavy defeat contributed to last year’s exit of long-serving coach Joachim L?w who won Germany’s fourth World Cup title in 2014 but went out in the group stage in 2018 and in the last 16 at last year’s Euros – that after Germany had reached at the least the semis at the previous three World Cups and Euros.
His successor Hansi Flick, L?w’s assistant in 2014, has steadied the ship and wants a new-look team to play for the title.
After being drawn by 1990 World Cup winning captain Lothar Matt?us into the group with the Iberians he and Spain helmsman Luis Enrique – who spoke of “a great group” – posed together for photographs.
“It is an exciting group and not easy. But we have big ambitions and it is an exciting challenge,” Flick told broadcasters ARD.
He named Spain “a top contender for the title” as the two European giants are tipped to advance from the group.
But he would also not underestimate Japan against whom he had initially planned a pre-tournament friendly.
“Japan are among the teams that always take part. They have many players in the Bundesliga. Therefore they have a lot of quality. We wanted to play a friendly against them, that is now off. We must make sure that we prevail,” Flick said.
Who the other opponent is remains to be seen but Germany beat Costa Rica 4-2 in the opener of their home World Cup and also won their only previous meeting against New Zealand, 2-0 at the 1999 Confederations Cup.
Flick, who has won eight games and drawn the other in his unbeaten start into the job, will aim to get the team ready for the World Cup in summer meetings against Euro champions Italy, runners-up England and Hungary.
And once in Qatar, he will take nothing for granted.
“All teams have developed, all teams have something special. We must see that we prevail,” he said.
