World Cup 2022 Team Guides: Everything you need to know

After 12 years of mobilization, controversy and debate, there are only a few days left until the 2022 World Cup.

Can Brazil The end of 20 years of harm? Will Lionel Messi finally lead? Argentina To world glory in his last dance? You have England Have you got what it takes to push through after making it to the semi-finals and then the finals of the last two major tournaments? Can the hosts Qatar spring a surprise or two? We’re about to find out…

To help give you the inner path, the athlete Produced team guides by local experts for 32 competing teams in Qatar, profiling each manager involved in this world Cupoutlining each team’s strengths and weaknesses, naming each country’s potential breakout player, and explaining exactly how much pressure each squad will be under from the media and fans back home.

Perhaps most importantly, they will tell you about the manager who always wears a crisp white shirt for luck, and which team has a fan who will walk across the desert to Doha, as the panicked head of state tweeted good wishes to his devastated country. A superstar, any group of fans who inexplicably recreated an ’80s pop song all the way to the finals, and which goalkeeper is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the longest throw in the world…

Find answers to all these questions and more in our 32 Team Guides below.

Group A
Qatar
Ecuador
Senegal
Holland

Group B
England
Iran
United States of America
Wells

Group C
Argentina
Kingdom Saudi Arabia
Mexico
Poland

group d
France
Australia
Denmark
Tunisia

Group E
Spain
Costa Rica
Germany
Japan

Group F
Belgium
Canada
Morocco
Croatia

Group G
Brazil
Serbia
Switzerland
Cameroon

group h
Portugal
Ghana
Uruguay
South Korea

For a detailed group-by-group analysis of each team’s tactics and how to set them up…

Group A Evidence: De Jong keeps the Netherlands going and watches set-pieces in Ecuador
Group B Evidence: England dominate and Iran’s goalkeeper throws in a javelin
Group C evidence: Argentina get off to a fast start, with Mexico getting older and Poland shying away from possession
Group F guide: France’s high-pressure, upside-down Danish wingers and Australian giants
Group E guide: Spain’s young midfield stars and watch out for Germany’s triangles
Group F guide: Free goals scored Belgium, crossed Croatia and Canada
Group G evidence: Tadic’s corner, Swiss pressure and more complete Neymar
Group H Guide: Bernardo Silva Orchestra Arranger and The Last Dance of Uruguay

(Interior artwork: Images: Getty Images / Design: Sam Richardson. Top image: Getty Images)