World Cup Squads 2022

[Ramos]

First definitive World Cup squad has been announced and it's Japan that kicks things off.

Final squads have to be in by 13 November and will consist of 23-26 players. I'll try to post the more interesting ones here.

Japan:

Goalkeepers: Shuichi Gonda (Shimizu S-Pulse), Daniel Schmidt (Sint-Truiden), Eiji Kawashima (Strasbourg)

Defenders: Miki Yamane (Kawasaki Frontale), Hiroki Sakai (Urawa Reds), Maya Yoshida (Schalke), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Arsenal), Shogo Taniguchi (Kawasaki Frontale), Ko Itakura (Borussia Monchengladbach), Hiroki Ito (Stuttgart), Yuto Nagatomo (FC Tokyo), Yuta Nakayama (Huddersfield)

Midfielders: Wataru Endo (Stuttgart), Hidemasa Morita (Sporting CP), Ao Tanaka (Fortuna Dusseldorf), Gaku Shibasaki (Leganes), Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton & Hove Albion), Daichi Kamada (Eintracht Frankfurt), Ritsu Doan (Freiburg), Junya Ito (Reims), Takumi Minamino (Monaco), Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad), Yuki Soma (Nagoya Grampus)

Forwards: Daizen Maeda (Celtic), Takuma Asano (Bochum), Ayase Ueda (Cercle Brugge)

 

[Lay]

Japan's strikers are poor as usual. Wish they could figure out that position because they usually play good football but lack a goal scorer.

 

[SparkedIntoLife]

Surprised there’s no Furuhashi or Hatate. They seemed really good from what I’ve seen. I’m gathering they are having poor seasons and are barely getting into the Celtic team?

 

[Chief123]

First definitive World Cup squad has been announced and it's Japan that kicks of things.

Final squads have to be in by 13 November and will consist of maximum 26 players. I'll try to post the more interesting ones here.

Japan:

Goalkeepers: Shuichi Gonda (Shimizu S-Pulse), Daniel Schmidt (Sint-Truiden), Eiji Kawashima (Strasbourg)

Defenders: Miki Yamane (Kawasaki Frontale), Hiroki Sakai (Urawa Reds), Maya Yoshida (Schalke), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Arsenal), Shogo Taniguchi (Kawasaki Frontale), Ko Itakura (Borussia Monchengladbach), Hiroki Ito (Stuttgart), Yuto Nagatomo (FC Tokyo), Yuta Nakayama (Huddersfield)

Midfielders: Wataru Endo (Stuttgart), Hidemasa Morita (Sporting CP), Ao Tanaka (Fortuna Dusseldorf), Gaku Shibasaki (Leganes), Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton & Hove Albion), Daichi Kamada (Eintracht Frankfurt), Ritsu Doan (Freiburg), Junya Ito (Reims), Takumi Minamino (Monaco), Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad), Yuki Soma (Nagoya Grampus)

Forwards: Daizen Maeda (Celtic), Takuma Asano (Bochum), Ayase Ueda (Cercle Brugge)

I’ve bought a few of these. OLED 72 inch.

 

[P-O]

I will go with Canada.

I believe we will play a 4-3-3. In bold are the starters & we have 4 spots left. Hopefully (Zach Breault-Guillard, Fraser, Nelson & Cavallini)

GK: Borjan, Crépeau & St-Clair

LB: Adekugbe, Laryea

DC: Miller, Cornelius

DC: Vitoria, Waterman

DMC: Hutchinson, Piette

MC: Eustachio, Wotherspoon (Arfield if I dream)

MC: Kone, Osorio

LW: Davies, Hoilett

RW: Buchanan, Corbeanu

St: David, Larin, Ugbo

 

[Ramos]

Costa Rica the second team to announce their final squad. That's quite an old team with a lot of players from that 2014 QF.

Costa Rica:

Goalkeepers: Keylor Navas (PSG), Esteban Alvarado (Herediano), Patrick Sequeira (Club Deportivo Lugo)

Defenders: Francisco Calvo (Konyaspor), Juan Pablo Vargas (Millonarios), Kendall Waston (Saprissa), Oscar Duarte (Al-Wehda), Daniel Chacon (Colorado Rapids), Keysher Fuller (Herediano), Carlos Martinez (San Carlos), Bryan Oviedo (Real Salt Lake), Ronald Matarrita (FC Cincinnati)

Midfielders: Yeltsin Tejeda (Herediano), Celso Borges (Alajuelense), Youstin Salas (Saprissa), Roan Wilson (Municipal Grecia), Gerson Torres (Herediano), Douglas Lopez (Herediano), Jewison Bennette (Sunderland), Alvaro Zamora (Saprissa), Anthony Hernandez (FC Puntarenas), Brandon Aguilera (Nottingham Forrest), Bryan Ruiz (Alajuelense)

Forwards: Joel Campbell (Leon), Anthony Contreras (Herediano), Johan Venegas (Alajuelense)

 

[do.ob]

It may be a good idea to threadmark the officially confirmed squads.

 

[Ramos]

It may be a good idea to threadmark the officially confirmed squads.

You're right. Done.

 

[awop]

I’ve bought a few of these. OLED 72 inch.

???

For France it's looking pretty bleak in midfield, it will probably be something like:
GK: Lloris, Areola, #3
Defenders: Varane, Hernandez brothers,Pavard, Kounde, Kimpembe, Mendy, Saliba, Konaté
MF: Tchouameni, Camavinga, Rabiot, Guendouzi, Veretout
Attackers: Benzema, Mbappe, Dembele, Griezmann, Coman, Giroud/Nkunku (or both)

That's 24 players but only 5 midfielders and the other options are very average between Ligue 1 players, Kamara from Villa, Soumaré from Leicester or the good old Lemar...
If he can take 26, he should use that option and add Upamecano and a midfielder.
i think we needed at least one of Pogba/Kante to believe France could do something.

 

[NoPace]

Surprised there’s no Furuhashi or Hatate. They seemed really good from what I’ve seen. I’m gathering they are having poor seasons and are barely getting into the Celtic team?

Yeah, Kyogo surprises me because everyone needs a poacher who can grab a goal late in games in a World Cup. Hatate too because he can play left-back so you'd think you might just take him instead of a backup LB, but apparently Nagatomo is hurt so he might go anyways.

It's too bad they got Spain and Germany because a normal quality Japanese team with actually decent CBs this time feels like a knockout team. If they'd gotten South Korea's draw I'd be tempted to pick them to edge past one of Uruguay or Portugal, even though I'm also high on Uruguay because their midfield is genuinely good instead of just hard working cloggers and Nunez can be good with space to run into and you just assume they'll turn up defensively.

 

[NoPace]

???

For France it's looking pretty bleak in midfield, it will probably be something like:
GK: Lloris, Areola, #3
Defenders: Varane, Hernandez brothers,Pavard, Kounde, Kimpembe, Mendy, Saliba, Konaté
MF: Tchouameni, Camavinga, Rabiot, Guendouzi, Veretout
Attackers: Benzema, Mbappe, Dembele, Griezmann, Coman, Giroud/Nkunku (or both)

That's 24 players but only 5 midfielders and the other options are very average between Ligue 1 players, Kamara from Villa, Soumaré from Leicester or the good old Lemar...
If he can take 26, he should use that option and add Upamecano and a midfielder.
i think we needed at least one of Pogba/Kante to believe France could do something.

I'm assuming Griezmann will just play entirely as a midfielder with his workrate. Or maybe have Kounde at RB to step into midfield and just play Mendy instead of Theo to keep a solid defensive 3, with Dembele wide right like how Pep or United now often play with the fullback tucked into midfield to help out.

 

[awop]

I'm assuming Griezmann will just play entirely as a midfielder with his workrate. Or maybe have Kounde at RB to step into midfield and just play Mendy instead of Theo to keep a solid defensive 3, with Dembele wide right like how Pep or United now often play with the fullback tucked into midfield to help out.

I hope Kounde only gets to play the third group game and nothing else. Like Kimpembe, i don't trust them at all and are prone to a big feck-up.
Not sure Deschamps trusts Mendy enough and will stick with Theo and Lucas Hernandez on the flanks. I think he will change the way they play before changing the players.
All in all, i think QF or SF is the best we can get this time.

 

[RaddyRed]

Kyogo not going is a very strange one. So much better than Maeda who makes the squad (granted different type of forward that may suit different tactics)

Hatate is also a big game player, bigger the occasion the better he seems to play so again would have thought he would have been going.

I have a soft spot for Japan since the 1998 world cup and love the way they play football so on based on nothing bar my like of them, e/w bet being placed on the reaching the QF stage.

When is the England squad announced?

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

Brazil looking strong. Arsenal's Martinelli and CB Gabriel miss out

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[Lay]

Dani Alves still going strong

 

[peridigm]

I wonder how much of a break ETH will give returning players that are knocked out early stages. Should they have to report back right away for post WC conditioning or do the national teams have their own post WC conditioning. The fact that it's in the middle of the season should dictate when they return.

Antony, Casemiro, Fred (BRA)
Maguire, Shaw (ENG) Rashford, Sancho ?
Bruno, Dalot, Ronaldo (POR)
Eriksen (DEN)
Pellistri (URU)
Varane (FRE) Martial ?
Martinez (ARG) Garnacho ?
Malacia (NET) van de Beek ?

 

[awop]

Brazil looking strong. Arsenal's Martinelli and CB Gabriel miss out

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Tough one for Gabriel, he was supposedly in as the 4th CB. Juventus have been very bad but no idea if Bremer managed to perform during their crisis.
Martinelli was pretty much impossible without injuries. Their depth and quality on the wings is insane but he's only 21, he'll get there.

 

[relx]

Brazil looking strong. Arsenal's Martinelli and CB Gabriel miss out

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Martinelli in instead of Firmino

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[Big Ben Foster]

Brazil looking strong. Arsenal's Martinelli and CB Gabriel miss out

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Martinelli made the final list ahead of Firmino. All the other selections are accurate.

There's no way we win the World Cup with those fullbacks. Yet again it's our weak spot.

 

[Bwuk]

Allison
Militao - Marquinhos - Silva - Telles
Casemiro - Fred - Paqueta
Antony - Neymar - Vini Jr​

something like that,

 

[Wayne's World]

Cracking squad for the world cup that is for Brazil. Full-backs a weak spot but the rest of the squad is top quality

 

[V.O.]

Wait, Telles still gets games for Brazil?

Must be the worst bunch of fullbacks they've had since long before I started watching football.

 

[Ramos]

Official Brazil Squad:

Brazil:

GK: Alisson (Liverpool), Ederson (Manchester City), Weverton (Palmeiras)

DF: Danilo (Juventus), Dani Alves (Pumas UNAM), Alex Sandro (Juventus), Alex Telles (Sevilla), Thiago Silva (Chelsea), Éder Militão (Real Madrid), Marquinhos (PSG), Bremer (Juventus)

MF: Fabinho (Liverpool), Fred (Manchester United), Casemiro (Manchester United), Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle), Lucas Paqueta (West Ham), Everton Ribeiro (Flamengo)

FW: Neymar (PSG), Vinicius Jr. (Real Madrid), Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal), Antony (Manchester United), Raphinha (Barcelona), Richarlison (Tottenham Hotspur), Rodrygo (Real Madrid), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Pedro (Flamengo)

 

[Canagel]

Tough one for Gabriel, he was supposedly in as the 4th CB. Juventus have been very bad but no idea if Bremer managed to perform during their crisis.
Martinelli was pretty much impossible without injuries. Their depth and quality on the wings is insane but he's only 21, he'll get there.

All 3 of the Juventus Brazilians have been very good this season. They actually have the best defensive record in the Serie A, problems have been elsewhere.

This Brazil squad is complete, there is no real weakness from front to back.

 

[mu4c_20le]

Martinelli made it at Firmino's expense

 

[DJ_21]

Allison
Militao - Marquinhos - Silva - Telles
Casemiro - Fred - Paqueta
Antony - Neymar - Vini Jr​

something like that,

Going of form I think he’d prefer Bruno guimaraes to Fred.

 

[V.O.]

I don't rate him, but I think """Bobby""" has a right to feel aggrieved. He's been about the only thing holding Liverpool's attack together at times this season, while Richarlison is yet to score a league goal for Spurs - and I can't see any other options up top for them if Jesus goes down.

 

[sun_tzu]

Going of form I think he’d prefer Bruno guimaraes to Fred.

and probably jesus through the middle letting neymar play off the wing

 

[DJ_21]

and probably jesus through the middle letting neymar play off the wing

Ye most likely, they’ve got ridiculous options upfront.

 

[Ish]

I don't rate him, but I think """Bobby""" has a right to feel aggrieved. He's been about the only thing holding Liverpool's attack together at times this season, while Richarlison is yet to score a league goal for Spurs - and I can't see any other options up top for them if Jesus goes down.

Maybe Neymar through the middle with Vini and Antony/Raphinha flanking him?

 

[TheGame]

I don't rate him, but I think """Bobby""" has a right to feel aggrieved. He's been about the only thing holding Liverpool's attack together at times this season, while Richarlison is yet to score a league goal for Spurs - and I can't see any other options up top for them if Jesus goes down.

For me one of the most overrated players in the premier league.

 

[TheGame]

Allison
Militao - Marquinhos - Silva - Telles
Casemiro - Fred - Paqueta
Antony - Neymar - Vini Jr​

something like that,

It will be Dani Alves or Danilo at RB.

 

[Ish]

Costa Rica the second team to announce their final squad. That's quite an old team with a lot of players from that 2014 QF.

Costa Rica:

Goalkeepers: Keylor Navas (PSG), Esteban Alvarado (Herediano), Patrick Sequeira (Club Deportivo Lugo)

Defenders: Francisco Calvo (Konyaspor), Juan Pablo Vargas (Millonarios), Kendall Waston (Saprissa), Oscar Duarte (Al-Wehda), Daniel Chacon (Colorado Rapids), Keysher Fuller (Herediano), Carlos Martinez (San Carlos), Bryan Oviedo (Real Salt Lake), Ronald Matarrita (FC Cincinnati)

Midfielders: Yeltsin Tejeda (Herediano), Celso Borges (Alajuelense), Youstin Salas (Saprissa), Roan Wilson (Municipal Grecia), Gerson Torres (Herediano), Douglas Lopez (Herediano), Jewison Bennette (Sunderland), Alvaro Zamora (Saprissa), Anthony Hernandez (FC Puntarenas), Brandon Aguilera (Nottingham Forrest), Bryan Ruiz (Alajuelense)

Forwards: Joel Campbell (Leon), Anthony Contreras (Herediano), Johan Venegas (Alajuelense)

The missus is Costa Rican so I’ll be supporting them, seen as South Africa never made the cut. Just looking at their squad and it seems “poor” in relation to a few years ago where they had quite a few players playing in Europe.

 

[Rood]

I wonder how much of a break ETH will give returning players that are knocked out early stages. Should they have to report back right away for post WC conditioning or do the national teams have their own post WC conditioning. The fact that it's in the middle of the season should dictate when they return.

Antony, Casemiro, Fred (BRA)
Maguire, Shaw (ENG) Rashford, Sancho ?
Bruno, Dalot, Ronaldo (POR)
Eriksen (DEN)
Pellistri (URU)
Varane (FRE) Martial ?
Martinez (ARG) Garnacho ?
Malacia (NET) van de Beek ?

Sancho and VdB have no chance due to poor form
Martial extremely unlikely since he's barely played
Garnacho I doubt
Varane an injury risk

Rest should be on the planes and you'd expect virtually all of them to make it to the knockouts

ETH will probably give some kind of break but they'll be expected in Spain/Manchester soon after

 

[mu4c_20le]

Allison
Militao - Marquinhos - Silva - Telles
Casemiro - Fred - Paqueta
Antony - Neymar - Vini Jr​

something like that,

Crazy we have four players in there if that's the WC starting lineup.

 

[Maluco]

All 3 of the Juventus Brazilians have been very good this season. They actually have the best defensive record in the Serie A, problems have been elsewhere.

This Brazil squad is complete, there is no real weakness from front to back.

The full backs are a massive problem. Not one of them even close to good enough at this sort of level. He will have to hope that they avoid injuries at the back and keep Militao out on the right, but LB is an obvious weakness for any teams that will play them.

 

[sun_tzu]

Crazy we have four players in there if that's the WC starting lineup.

I forgot telles was still technically one of our players

 

[paraguayo]

Crazy we have four players in there if that's the WC starting lineup.

Antony isn't starting, nothing indicates that. And Fred may lose his spot to Guimarães

 

[Big Ben Foster]

The full backs are a massive problem. Not one of them even close to good enough at this sort of level. He will have to hope that they avoid injuries at the back and keep Militao out on the right, but LB is an obvious weakness for any teams that will play them.

This. Surprised so many are minimizing such a clear deficiency.

 

[TenHagsEmpire]

Allison
Militao - Marquinhos - Silva - Telles
Casemiro - Fred - Paqueta
Antony - Neymar - Vini Jr​

something like that,

Their coach prefer Raphinha starting.