The Qatar World Cup Africa and the North America and the Caribbean region each featured five and four teams respectively, with Mexico, the world's highest-ranked team, ranked 13th, and Ghana, the world's lowest-ranked team, only 61st. Historically, these teams have always been like a "backdrop" for strong teams in the World Cup, and this year they don't want to be runners anymore.
African regional team strength "tough enough"
The World Cup qualifiers in Africa were brutal, with 54 teams competing in three stages of knockout and only five teams making it to the main stage. Therefore, the teams that broke through from the African region are not "good stubble", and they have all experienced layers of "fighting".
Senegal (18) ranked highest-ranking team in the African zone is worth a total of 288 million euros, and the core Mane took him to Qatar despite a pre-match fibula injury, but given his irreplaceable ability, coach Cisse still took him to Qatar, but it is uncertain whether he will be able to play. Senegal's notable stars include Chelsea goalkeepers and defenders Mendy, Koulibaly, Tottenham's Saar, Everton's Gueye, and 19 of the team's 26 players play in the five major leagues.
The World Cup in Qatar is Senegal's third World Cup in history, having won the Africa Cup earlier this year, and it was in the final round of the World Cup that eliminated Salah's Egypt in a penalty shootout to secure their ticket to Qatar. Coach Cisse is a former meritorious captain of Senegal, and his characteristic long braid shape at the 2018 World Cup is impressive, what kind of performance will he lead the team to when he is crowned "King of Africa" this year?
North African powerhouse Morocco is also worth 252 million euros, with 14 players playing in the five major leagues, the most famous of which is Paris Saint-Germain star Ashraf worth 65 million euros. In addition, Sevilla FC Ennesri, Chelsea's Hakim Ziyech and Bayern's Mazraoui are all familiar. Morocco has qualified for the World Cup finals for the sixth time, after reaching the round of 16 at the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. A few months before the start of the World Cup in Qatar, due to the conflict between former coach Khalihodzic and team star Ziyech and others, after negotiations, Khalihodzic chose to leave, and local coach Reglaghi took over in August this year. The 47-year-old has no experience in the top five leagues, and his ability to control the team has been questioned, casting a shadow over Morocco's World Cup prospects.
Moroccan team Ashraf
Tunisian players are worth more than 60 million euros, they have never qualified for the World Cup group stage five times in their history, and have always played the role of "sending points boys". Despite this, Tunisia still has players such as Hazri and Shiri who have played in the five major leagues for a long time, as well as the talented young Mebri, who joined Manchester United at the age of 16 for 10 million euros and made his Premier League debut at the age of 17. In addition, although the Tunisian team is not strong in star brilliance, the overall degree of kneading is high, coach Kadri led the team to participate in the Kirin Cup in June this year, defeating Chile and Japan to win the championship, and the defensive stability and defensive counterattacks shown in the game are eye-catching. Whether he can lead the team to qualify from the World Cup group and make history is worth looking forward to.
In the 2010 World Cup quarter-final, Suarez turned into "Angel and Devil", and the image of saving the opponent's goal with his hand in the final stage of extra time is still vividly remembered, and that "opponent" is Ghana. This year, Ghana is in the same group as Uruguay. Ghana returned to the World Cup after eight years, with Arsenal star Thomas and the long-established Ayow brothers in the five major leagues. Despite its low world rankings, Ghana definitely has the ability to qualify from the group.
Cameroon's players are worth a total of 156 million euros, and the most well-known stars are Bayern striker Shupomotin, Shanghai Shenhua striker Bassogo and Inter goalkeeper Onana. This year marks Cameroon's eighth World Cup appearance, and its all-time best record was reaching the last eight in 1990, when Uncle Mila became a legend in World Cup history. In addition, Cameroon has won the African Cup of Nations 5 times and the gold medal in the 2000 Olympic Games, and is definitely one of the best national teams in African history. Cameroon Football Federation President Eto'o said before the World Cup: "Our purpose in going to the World Cup is by no means to run tricks, but to try to bring the trophy home!" ”
Cameroon team Bassogo
CONCACAF and Caribbean teams are "not soft"
The CONCACAF World Qualifiers were contested by 35 teams and competed in three stages and play-offs to win four World Cup places.
Canada qualified for the World Cup at the top of the World Cup standings, having last competed in the World Cup 36 years ago, and they even reached 122nd place in the world ranking in 2014. The Canadian team took advantage of the opportunity to prepare for the 2026 World Cup, absorbed a group of European and African seedlings, and created a consistent technical and tactical system for the national teams of all ages of men's and women's football, and the Canadian team has reached 41st in the world ranking, with a total value of 188 million euros.
The team's star Alfonso Davies plays for Bayern Munich and is currently worth 70 million euros, and the team also includes stars such as David who plays for Lille, Ostacchio of Porto, Lalin of Brugge and Buchanan. In the World Cup qualifiers, Canada defeated the United States and Mexico in a row to finish at the top of the table with 8 wins, 4 draws and 2 defeats.
The current 16th ranked United States team in the world advanced to the World Cup with the second place in the World Preliminary Round standings, and the stars in the team include Chelsea players nicknamed "Captain America" such as Christian Priestic, Juve McKenney, Dortrenna, AC Milan Dest, etc., with a total value of 275 million euros. The striker Timothy Weah from Lille is the son of legendary star and current Liberian President George Weah. The United States team had good luck in this World Cup, and in addition to England, there were Iran and Wales with equal strength.
Team USA Pulisic
There are only three players over the age of 30 on this U.S. team, and the rest of the players are young and may lack experience, but the U.S. team is playing in the World Cup for the 11th time this year, and as McKennie, the team's midfielder, said: "I don't think youth is our weakness, it's an advantage, it means we're fit." Our goal is to go further, and everyone has that ambition. ”
Veteran Mexican team, currently ranked 13th in the world with a total value of 200 million euros, have reached the World Cup finals 17 times, including seven consecutive successful group stage finishes since the 1994 World Cup, a record that world powers such as France and Germany have failed to achieve. Also since 1994, they have lost in the first round of the knockout round to stop the round of 16 every time, which seems to have become a "curse".
Looking at this Mexican team, "Little Pea" Hernandez has faded, the team is led by Wolves striker Jimenez, Napoli team Lozano, Ajax main midfielder Alvarez, and the goalkeeper is still Ochoa, who shined in the 2018 World Cup. In addition to Argentina, Poland and Saudi Arabia are in the same group as Mexico in this World Cup, and their chances of qualifying from the group are still very high.
Costa Rica, who finished fourth in the World Qualifiers, had only 0.5 places to play, beating New Zealand in the play-offs to advance to the finals. Costa Rica has a population of just over 5 million, but it has more than 200,000 registered players and more than 200 registered clubs, and the domestic football atmosphere is extremely strong. They have qualified for the World Cup six times, with the best result being the last eight, and the team's main goalkeeper Keylor Navas has lifted three Champions League trophies with Real Madrid. Costa Rica had poor luck in this World Cup, being in the same group as Germany, Spain and Japan, and the group qualification was not optimistic. But the team has a "wall", who knows what kind of miracle can be created?
(Original title: A total of 9 teams from Africa, Central North America and the Caribbean participated This time, they don't want to be runners)
Source: Beijing Evening News
Photo courtesy of Deng Fangjia IC photo
Process editor: u008
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