Spain and Germany don’t carry their usual aura heading into this World Cup.
Recent form, a changing of the guard in terms of roster composition and, the rest of the soccer world catching up to the heights reached by Die Mannschaft and La Roja in the 2010s could be the reasons why.
France, Belgium and Croatia may have taken their place temporarily, but a new era is being ushered in by the likes of Pedri and Jamal Musiala.
However, these young stars do not guarantee a trip to the knockout stage and a return to the game’s upper echelon. Japan is relentless physically and technically gifted, and Costa Rica has been here before, emerging from a group that featured England, Italy and Uruguay to make the last 16 in 2014. The favourites should get through, but this will not be a cakewalk.
GROUP E SCHEDULE
Nov. 23: Germany vs. Japan (8 a.m. ET)
Nov. 23: Spain vs. Costa Rica (11 a.m. ET)
Nov. 27: Japan vs. Costa Rica (5 a.m. ET)
Nov. 27: Spain vs. Germany (2 p.m. ET)
Dec. 1: Japan vs. Spain (2 p.m. ET)
Dec. 1: Costa Rica vs. Germany (2 p.m. ET)
THE TEAMS
SPAIN
FIFA world ranking: 7
Top scorer in qualifying: Ferran Torres (4 goals)
Odds to win the World Cup: +486 (via Sports Interaction)
Previous World Cup appearances: 15
Best showing: Champions in 2010
2018 World Cup: 10th place (Round of 16)
Manager: Luis Enrique
Probable formation: 4-3-3
Probable starting XI: Unai Simón (Athletic Bilbao) — Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid), Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City), Pau Torres (Villarreal), Jordi Alba (Barcelona) —Gavi (Barcelona), Rodri (Manchester City), Pedri (Barcelona) — Ferran Torres (Barcelona), Alvaro Morata (Atletico Madrid), Pablo Sarabia (PSG).
The Big Question: Spain is loaded with talent, boasting players of generational calibre in their midfield, but will they have enough firepower in the final third?
The Pulse: Gone are the days of Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique and Iker Casillas and the lone member from the World Cup winning side of 2010 that has held on, Sergio Busquets, is no longer among the best in the world at his position. Yes, times certainly have changed, but Spain’s next wave of stars led by one of the best managers in the sport signals they may be ready to lay another marker down.
Luis Enrique is being chased by the top clubs in the world, and should he want the job at PSG or Atletico Madrid, it’s probably his. Players want to run through a wall for him and his lack of concern regarding what the merciless Spanish press thinks of his team selection has proven salient. Barcelona’s Gavi and Pedri, two starlets who have been thrown into Camp Nou’s deep end only to swim successfully, will be the engine for years to come in the midfield. Nico Williams, Ansu Fati and Yeremy Pino are talented attackers that have become must-watch in La Liga.
The youth in this squad have Spain set up extremely well for the future, but the few veterans that are coming could be the key to unlocking their potential in Qatar.
The X-factor: Alvaro Morata might be the most contentious soccer player of the last 20 years. Despite not scoring at a rate befitting of a top-level striker, the 30-year-old has been paid handsomely by some of the biggest clubs in the world. He needs to score for this Spain team to make waves.
The Breakout Candidate: The Kopa Trophy is relatively new, but the list of past winners is impressive, nonetheless. Mbappe, De Ligt and Pedri were the first three to take home the honours. The latest? Pedri’s teammate Gavi. Both midfielders have already broke out, but they will breakthrough into the sports world’s consciousness this winter.
COSTA RICA
FIFA world ranking: 31
Top scorer in qualifying: Celso Borges, Joel Campbell, Anthony Contreras, Bryan Ruiz (2 goals each)
Odds to win the World Cup: +45,300 (via Sports Interaction)
Previous World Cup appearances: 5
Best showing: Quarterfinals in 2014
2018 World Cup: 29th place (Group Stage)
Manager: Luis Fernando Suárez
Probable formation: 4-4-2
Probable starting XI: Keylor Navas (PSG) — Keysher Fuller (Herediano), Óscar Duarte (Al-Wehda), Francisco Calvo (Konyaspor), Bryan Oviedo (Real Salt Lake) — Jewison Bennette (Sunderland), Celso Borges (Alajuelense), Bryan Ruiz (Alajuelense), Gerson Torres (Herediano) — Anthony Contreras (Herediano), Joel Campbell (Leon).
The Big Question: Los Ticos didn’t set the world on fire during their Concacaf World Cup qualifying campaign, but they did defend well. Will that continue against the heavyweights in their group?
The Pulse: It isn’t always pretty in Concacaf. Costa Rica’s path to the 2022 World Cup serves as damning proof.
Luis Fernando Suarez’s side grinded through the final round of qualifying, only managing to score 13 goals. Because of their resolute defensive record — they allowed just eight goals in 14 games — that impotency on offence didn’t derail their campaign. After securing fourth in Concacaf qualifying with a win over the United States, Costa Rica then beat New Zealand in their intercontinental playoff thanks to Joel Campbell’s goal in the third minute.
Once again, that match wasn’t pretty, but it worked. That may as well be the calling card for a group of veterans on Costa Rica who are almost assuredly competing in their last big international tournament. Keylor Navas, Celso Borges, Bryan Ruiz and Kendall Waston deserve their flowers for the shifts they’ve put in for Los Ticos.
The X-Factor: Navas was sensational in qualifying, and certainly the biggest reason Costa Rica find themselves at the World Cup for the sixth time. The 35-year-old’s heroics in 2014 helped his nation shock England, Italy and Uruguay. They’ll need a repeat of that Navas performance to replicate that stunning run.
The Breakout Candidate: Unlike most of his peers on the national team, Jewison Bennette plies his trade outside the Costa Rican domestic league. The Sunderland winger is also just 18, and a key member of the future for an aging team that will require a squad refresh after this tournament.
GERMANY
FIFA world ranking: 11
Top scorer in qualifying: Serge Gnabry, İlkay Gündoğan, Timo Werner (5 goals each)
Odds to win the World Cup: +608 (via Sports Interaction)
Previous World Cup appearances: 19
Best showing: Champions in 1954, 1974, 1990, 2014
2018 World Cup: 22nd place (Group Stage)
Manager: Hansi Flick
Probable formation: 4-2-3-1
Probable starting XI: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) — Benjamin Henrichs (RB Leipzig), Niklas Süle (Borussia Dortmund), Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid), Thilo Kehrer (West Ham United) — Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), İlkay Gündoğan (Manchester City) — Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sané (Bayern Munich) – Kai Havertz (Chelsea).
The Big Question: Can Hansi Flick bring back the swagger for a team still feeling the effects of back-to-back disappointments in 2018 and 2021?
The Pulse: Only Brazil can match Germany when it comes to World Cup trophies. This iteration of Die Mannschaft, however, feels less predictable than ever.
That’s not to say there’s a lack of cohesion or infighting in the camp, it’s just that for so long the Germany we knew was led by its manager Joachim Löw. Back in 2006, Löw, a relative unknown, took over for Jürgen Klinsmann and the rest is history.
Now Flick — who served as Löw’s long-time assistant, including in 2014 when Germany laid waste to Brazil before beating Argentina in the final — is the man in charge. At his disposal is yet another collection of superb players. Because they dominated in qualifying but failed to impress in recent Nations League fixtures, it’s unclear which German team will show up in Qatar.
The X-factor: Timo Werner will miss the World Cup due to injury and though for some fans that’s welcome news given the former Chelsea man’s problems in front of goal, it leaves Flick without many options to lead the line in his 4-2-3-1. Enter Kai Havertz, who has also been sluggish for Chelsea this season. The forward, labelled ‘lazy’ by pundits after his inaction led to Arsenal’s winning goal during league play in November, will need to bag goals for Germany to make a run.
The Breakout Candidate: We’re prone to hyperbole in the soccer world. You’ve done it, I’ve done it, we all have. Overrating the potential of youngsters breaking onto the scene is an age-old story but fear not when I say Jamal Musiala is the real deal. The Stuttgart native moved to England at a young age and was a member of Chelsea’s academy before heading back home to join Bayern Munich. Now, the 19-year-old midfielder has been identified as the next great talent to come out of Germany.
JAPAN
FIFA world ranking: 24
Top scorer in qualifying: Takumi Minamino (9 goals)
Odds to win the World Cup: +608 (via Sports Interaction)
Previous World Cup appearances: 6
Best showing: Round of 16 (2002, 2010, 2018)
2018 World Cup: 15th (Round of 16)
Manager: Hajime Moriyasu
Probable formation: 4-2-3-1
Probable starting XI: Shūichi Gonda (Shimizu S-Pulse) — Hiroki Sakai (Urawa Red Diamonds), Maya Yoshida (Schalke 04), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Arsenal), Miki Yamane (Kawasaki Frontale) — Wataru Endo (VfB Stuttgart), Hidemasa Morita (Sporting CP) — Junya Ito (Reims), Daichi Kamada (Eintracht Frankfurt), Takumi Minamino (Monaco) — Takuma Asano (VfL Bochum).
The Big Question: Will manager Hajime Moriyasu’s decision to leave a handful of veterans at home in favour of younger, hungrier players pay dividends?
The Pulse: Moriyasu pulled no punches when Japan’s squad was unveiled.
“Selecting members with the experience was one option but ultimately we decided to bet on the players who didn’t have that but had the burning ambition to succeed at the World Cup,” he said.
The manager is banking on the “burning ambition” of the 19 players that will make their World Cup debuts in Qatar. In terms of long-term plans, it’s a promising one, but tournaments like these don’t come around often, and the pressure on the players assembled for this daunting task will only intensify with games against Germany and Spain approaching.
The X-factor: Takehiro Tomiyasu endeared himself quickly to Arsenal supporters after arriving on a deadline-day transfer in the Summer of 2021. The defender has been employed in multiple defensive positions, including left and right back, by Mikel Arteta, but he’ll be at the base of the spine alongside captain Maya Yoshida. That’s a reliable, versatile pairing at centre back. At 29, Reims’ Junya Ito is a relative late bloomer and one of the older players on the squad, but he’s become his manager’s beacon of light on the wing.
The Breakout Candidate: Where the goals are going to come from for Japan remains a question mark. Takumi Minamino was great in qualifying, but club life with Monaco hasn’t bore fruit yet. Celtic man Daizen Maeda got the call while his teammates in Scotland, Kyogo Furuhashi and Reo Hatate, did not. Maeda’s incredible work rate may be the reason why, as his ability to pester opposing backlines into mistakes is unique amongst his peers.
THE BOLD PREDICTION FOR GROUP E
Germany and Spain get through to the Round of 16, but Japan makes it especially nervy for La Roja on the final matchday of the group.
