Explainers

THIS year’s host nation, Qatar, will compete in the World Cup for the first ever time and we’ve been taking a look at what the team will sing before games.The Middle Eastern country will be joined by the likes of Netherlands and Senegal in Group A.
Players of Qatar line up for the national anthem prior to the AFC Asian Cup semi final match between Qatar and United Arab EmiratesCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Almoez Ali is expected to be responsible for scoring the goals in QatarCredit: AP
Whilst they are not favourites for the competition, Qatar’s recent win of the 2019 Asian Cup will give the team confidence of progressing to the knockout stages.
Their campaign gets underway against Ecuador in the opening game of the tournament.
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What are the lyrics to Qatar’s national anthem?
The anthem, named as-Salam al-Amiri, translates to ‘Peace to the Amir’ in English, meaning prince.
Here’s what the whole anthem means.
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Verse 1
Swearing by God who erected the sky,
Swearing by God who spread the light,
Qatar will always be free,
Sublimed by the souls of the sinceres,
Proceed thou on the manners of the ascendants,
And advance on Prophet’s guidance
Chorus
In my heart,
Qatar is an epic of glory and dignity,
Qatar is land of the early men,
Who protect us at a time of distress,
Doves they can be at times of peace,
Warriors they are at times of sacrifice
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GIANNI INFANTINO has been in charge of FIFA since 2016, when he took over from Sepp Blatter.The Italian, who was re-elected in 2019, will be the face of Qatar and responsible for making sure the tournament runs smoothly in the Middle East.
Britain Prime Minister Rishi Sunak meets Gianni Infantino during a working lunch at the G20 SummitCredit: Reuters
The 52-year-old is the ninth president of FIFA, rising to the position 16 years after joining UEFA.
Despite former president Blatter labelling the Qatar World Cup as a mistake, Infantino insists that the tournament will be a success when it all gets underway in a few days time.
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Who is Leena Al Ashqar?
Infantino is married to Leena Al Ashqar, a woman of Lebanese heritage.
The pair are thought to have met in the early 2000s when Leena worked for the Lebanese Football Federation.
Gianni Infantino is congratulated by his wife after winning the FIFA presidential election in 2016Credit: AFP – Getty
The couple share four daughters together, and live in Qatar’s capital Doha, after relocating last year.
Their youngest daughter, Dhalia Nora, became ill at the 2018 Russia World Cup.
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It was reported that she needed to have an emergency operation to treat her appendicitis.
Infantino, who was with his wife at the time, is said to have been very grateful to the hospital in St Petersburg.

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THE biggest tournament in football is upon us where 32 countries will battle it out for World Cup glory, yet some household names won’t feature in Qatar.One of those is Manchester City star Erling Haaland who will be watching the action from home.
Haaland broke the Premier League record for most goals scored in the first 10 Premier League matches, with two games to spareCredit: Getty
He has scored three Premier League hat-tricks already this seasonCredit: Reuters
Haaland has hit the ground running in Manchester, scoring 18 goals since his arrival in the Premier League, including a hat-trick against rivals Manchester United.
The 22-year-old has also netted 21 goals in 23 matches for his national side, but won’t be able to extend that record at the World Cup.
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Why isn’t Haaland playing at the World Cup?
Haaland is unable to play in Qatar because Norway did not qualify for the tournament.
The Scandinavian side finished third in their group, five points behind leaders Netherlands, who they were unable to beat in their final qualifying bout.
Haaland finished joint top scorer of Norway’s Nations League groupCredit: Reuters
Haaland was unavailable for the game which ultimately proved costly.
Despite their failure to qualify, the ex-Dortmund man still managed to notch five goals for his country, which he insisted was below par.
Fellow Norwegian Martin Odegaard will also miss out, with the Arsenal captain getting a well earned rest.
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An optimistic loan approach for Haaland by non-league Ashton United sent social media into frenzy recently.
But the offer was promptly turned down by the reigning Champions, meaning Haaland will have to wait until Boxing Day to get back on the pitch.

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QATAR is just around the corner and Wales fans will be getting ready to cheer on their nation at a World Cup for the first time in 64 years.The Dragons’ campaign gets underway against USA with plenty of supporters expected to wear their eye-catching bucket hats.
The bucket hats have become a symbol of Welsh prideCredit: Darren Fletcher – The Sun
Wales beat Ukraine 1-0 to qualify for the World CupCredit: Reuters
Despite success at the Euros, reaching the semi-finals in 2016, Qatar marks a new territory for many Welsh fans, having never seen their country compete at the World Cup.
Those fortunate enough to have been in Sweden during 1958, will recall their last appearance in the competition.
The match saw them fall short against five-time winners Brazil in the quarter finals. A certain teenager named Pele got the winner that day.
Fast forward to 2022, Wales are back and fans won’t go unnoticed in Qatar.
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Why do Wales fans wear bucket hats?
The vibrant yellow, green and red bucket hat has become an iconic symbol of Welsh football, worn by thousands of fans across the country.
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The hat was originally created by Tim Williams, a small shop owner from Bala, Gwynedd.
His company, named Spirit of 58′, referencing Wales’ last appearance at the tournament was created in order “to bring a bit of colour and fun” to matches.
Following Wales’ qualification for Euro 2016, sales sky-rocketed and Williams had to quit his day job, donating all of his time to the hats’ production.
A giant bucket hat has been put on display in Cardiff ahead of the World CupCredit: Getty
Today, the company sells all sorts of clobber, including socks depicting cult-hero Hal Robson-Kanu.
The hats can be spotted at every Wales game, and represent the teams’ bold and defiant attitude.
They are particularly useful for fans to recognise fellow Welsh supporters from a mile off.
In addition to their striking appearance, the headgear will also provide some valuable protection from the Qatar heat.

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SOME of football’s most talented superstars are set to go up against each other THIS MONTH at the Qatar World Cup – but a few won’t be on the flight.Winter’s blockbuster event is edging closer with the opener scheduled to get underway on Sunday, November 20.
Japan were the first side to announce their World Cup squadCredit: Getty
All eyes were on the managers beforehand as they had to rack their brains to select their squads for the huge tournament in Qatar.
Japanese head coach Hajime Moriyasu wasted no time by becoming the first manager to name his full team.
And Gareth Southgate can finally focus on England’s opening match against Iran now that he has officially named his squad for Qatar.
SunSport have ALL of the confirmed 32 squads below.
When was the deadline for the World Cup squads?
Managers had until Friday, October 21 to submit their 55-player release list to FIFA.
Find out more info on the World Cup squads below…
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However, FIFA gave managers up until Monday, November 14 to decide on their final 26-player squad.
And once confirmed, each final listing was made public before the World Cup begins.
Given the possibility of Covid-19 or injuries, each team is able to replace affected players up to 24 hours before their first encounter but they have to be selected from the initial 55-man list.
What are the confirmed World Cup squads?
Group A
Ecuador
Dangerous attacking duo Enner Valencia and Kevin Rodriguez have made the cut.
But Ecuador boss Gustavo Alfaro decided not to include Byron Castillo due to previous legal restrictions.
Ecuador take on hosts Qatar in the very first game of the tournamentCredit: Reuters
Goalkeepers: Alexander Dominguez, Hernan Galindez, Moises Ramirez.
Defenders: Pervis Estupinan, Angelo Preciado (Gent), Piero Hincapie, Xavier Arreaga, Diego Palacios, Jackson Porozo, Robert Arboleda, Felix Torres, William Pacho.
Midfielders: Moises Caicedo, Jose Cifuentes, Alan Franco, Jhegson Mendez, Carlos Gruezo, Gonzalo Plata, Angel Mena, Ayrton Preciado, Romario Ibarra, Jeremy Sarmiento
Forwards: Enner Valencia, Michael Estrada, Djorkaeff Reasco, Kevin Rodriguez.
Netherlands
The Premier League trio of Virgil van Dijk, Nathan Ake and Tyrrell Malacia have made the cut.
Frenkie de Jong and former Tottenham attacker Steven Bergwijn will be on the plane to Qatar too.
And they’ll be joined by promising PSV youngsters, Cody Gakpo and Xavi Simons.
Netherlands have a tough encounter against Senegal in their opening group gameCredit: Getty
Goalkeepers: Justin Bijlow, Remko Pasveer and Andries Noppert.
Defenders: Daley Blind, Stefan de Vrij, Virgil van Dijk, Matthijs de Ligt, Denzel Dumfries, Nathan Ake, Jurrien Timber, Tyrell Malacia and Jeremie Frimpong.
Midfielders: Frenkie de Jong, Steven Berghuis, Davy Klaassen, Marten de Roon, Teun Koopmeiners, Kenneth Taylor and Xavi Simons.
Forwards: Memphis Depay, Luuk de Jong, Steven Bergwijn, Vincent Janssen, Wout Weghorst, Cody Gakpo and Noa Lang.
Senegal
Chelsea duo Eduoard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly have both made the cut for Senegal.
But the AFCON champions are reportedly set to be without talisman Sadio Mane who sustained a tendon injury against Werder Bremen.
However, Mane is still named in the squad with the Senegal boss prepared to take a gamble.
Senegal will be looking for more international glory after winning AFCON in FebruaryCredit: AP
Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy, Alfred Gomis, Seny Diang
Defenders: Bouna Sarr, Saliou Ciss, Kalidou Koulibaly, Pape Abou Cisse, Abdou Diallo, Ibrahima Mbaye, Abdoulaye Seck, Fode Ballo Toure, Cheikhou Kouyate
Midfielders: Pape Matar Sarr, Pape Gueye, Nampalys Mendy, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Moustapha Name, M. Loum Ndiaye, Joseph Lopy
Forwards: Sadio Mane, Ismaila Sarr, Bamba Dieng, Keita Balde, Habib Diallo, Boulaye Dia, Famara Diedhiou, Mame Babe Thiam
Qatar
Pedro Miguel is in the squad and he’ll be joined by top strikers Almoez Ali and Hassan Al-Haydos who scored in their last outing against Chile.
Qatar will start the World Cup tournament against EcuadorCredit: Reuters
Goalkeepers: Saad Al Sheeb, Meshaal Barsham, Yousuf Hassan
Defenders: Pedro Miguel, Musaab Khidir, Tarek Salman, Bassam Al Rawi, Khoukhi Boualem, Abdelkarim Hassan, Ismael Mohammed, Homam Al Amin
Midfielders: Jassim Jabir, Ali Asad, Mohammed Waad, Salem Al Hajri, Assim Modibo, Mustafa Meshaal, Karim Boudiaf, Abdulaziz Hatim, Naif Alhadhrami
Forwards: Hassan Al-Haydos, Akram Afif, Almoez Ali, Mohammed Muntari, Ahmed Alaa, Khalid Muneer
Group B
England
Kyle Walker and Kalvin Philips have both battled through their injuries to make it on the plane to Qatar.
Arsenal duo Ben White and Bukayo Saka get the call up following their sensational starts to the season.
But the two major talking points is James Maddison who gets hasn’t made an England appearance since 2019.
And Callum Wilson, who was picked over the likes of Jadon Sancho and Ivan Toney.
England start their World Cup journey against Iran on November 21Credit: Getty
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope, Aaron Ramsdale
Defenders: Luke Shaw, John Stones, Eric Dier, Harry Maguire, Ben White, Conor Coady, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Trent Alexander-Arnold
Midfielders: Mason Mount, James Maddison, Conor Gallagher, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Kalvin Phillips
Forwards: Harry Kane, Callum Wilson, Raheem Sterling, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka
Iran
The ‘Iranian Messi’ Sardar Azmoun has been called up to the Iran side who feature in the same World Cup group as England.
Iran will take on the mighty England in their first World Cup matchCredit: EPA
Goalkeepers: Alireza Beiranvand, Hossein Hosseini, Payam Niazmand, Amir Abedzadeh.
Defenders: Ramin Rezaeian, Abolfazl Jalali, Hossein Kananizadegan, Shoja Khalilzadeh, Mortza Pouraliganji, Majid Hosseini, Sadegh Moharrami, Milad Mohammadi, Ehsan Hajisafi.
Midfielders: Saeid Ezatolahi, Ahmad Nourollahi, Ali Karimi, Rouzbeh Cheshmi, Vahid Amiri, Mehdi Torabi, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Ali Gholizadeh, Saman Ghoddos.
Forwards: Sardar Azmoun, Karim Ansarifard, Mehdi Taremi.
United States
Arsenal’s second choice goal keeper Matt Turner has been included in the squad despite some recent injury issues.
He’ll be joined by Leeds duo Brenden Aaaronson and Tyler Adams as well as Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic.
United States open their World Cup account against WalesCredit: AFP
Goalkeepers: Ethan Horvath, Sean Johnson, Matt Turner
Defenders: Cameron Carter-Vickers, Sergino Dest, Aaron Long, Shaq Moore, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson, Joe Scally, DeAndre Yedlin, Walker Zimmerman
Midfielders: Brenden Aaronson, Kellyn Acosta, Tyler Adams, Luca de la Torre, Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Cristian Roldan
Forwards: Jesus Ferreira, Jordan Morris, Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Josh Sargent, Tim Weah, Haji Wright.
Wales
Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey will be both on the plane to Qatar this winter.
And they’ll be joined by Premier League duo Dan James and Brennan Johnson.
Wales will take on United States in their first World Cup group matchCredit: Rex
Goalkeepers: Wayne Hennessey, Danny Ward, Adam Davies.
Defenders: Ben Davies, Ben Cabango, Tom Lockyer, Joe Rodon, Chris Mepham, Ethan Ampadu, Chris Gunter, Neco Williams, Connor Roberts.
Midfielders: Sorba Thomas, Joe Allen, Matthew Smith, Dylan Levitt, Harry Wilson, Joe Morrell, Jonny Williams, Aaron Ramsey, Rubin Colwill.
Forwards: Gareth Bale, Kieffer Moore, Mark Harris, Brennan Johnson, Dan James.
Group C
Argentina
Lionel Messi will be captain of this Argentinian side for potentially his last World Cup.
And under his guide, the legendary footballer has the likes of Lisandro Martinez, Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez.
Argentina won the Copa AmericaCredit: AFP
But there was no space for Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnarcho in the side.
Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez, Geronimo Rulli, Franco Armani
Defenders: Nahuel Molina, Gonzalo Montiel, Cristian Romero, German Pezzella, Nicolas Otamendi, Lisandro Martinez, Juan Foyth, Nicolas Tagliafico, Marcos Acuna
Midfielders: Leandro Paredes, Rodrigo De Paul, Guido Rodriguez, Alexis Mac Allister, Alejandro Gomez, Enzo Fernandez, Exequiel Palacios
Forwards: Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez, Julian Alvarez, Angel Di Maria, Paulo Dybala, Joaquin Correa, Nicolas Gonzalez
Mexico
Wolves striker Raul Jimenez will be on the plane to Qatar this winter despite lack of game time for his club due to ongoing injuries.
Mexico open their World Cup campaign against PolandCredit: EPA
Goalkeepers: Guillermo Ochoa, Rodolfo Cota, Alfredo Talavera
Defenders: Nestro Araujo, Jesus Gallardo, Gerardo Artega, Hector Moreno, Jorge Sanchez, Johan Vazquez, Cesar Montes, Kevin Alvarez.
Midfielders: Erick Gutierrez, Orbelin Peneda, Hector Herrera, Carlos Rodriguez, Andres Guardado, Roberto Alvarado, Edson Alvarez, Luis Chavez, Uriel Antuna, Luis Romo
Forwards: Hirving Lozano, Rogelio Fuenes Mori, Henry Martin, Raul Jimenez, Alexis Vega
Poland
Robert Lewandowski could be featuring in his final World Cup as he gets the call-up for Qatar.
Poland start their World Cup tournament against Saudi ArabiaCredit: Reuters
Goalkeepers: Wojciech Szczesny, Bartlomiej Dragowski, Lukasz Skorupski
Defenders: Jan Bednarek, Kamil Glik, Robert Gumny, Artur Jedrzejczyk, Jakub Kiwior, Mateusz Wieteska, Bartosz Bereszynski, Matty Cash, Nicola Zalewski.
Midfielders: Krystian Bielik, Przemyslaw Frankowski, Kamil Grosicki, Grzegorz Krychowiak, Jakub Kaminski, Michal Skoras, Damian Szymanski, Sebastian Szymanski, Piotr Zielinski, Szymon Zurkowski.
Forwards: Robert Lewandowski, Arkadiusz Milik, Krzysztof Piatek, Karol Swiderski
Saudi Arabia
Dangerous duo Firas Al-Buraikan and Saleh Al-Shehri will be on the plane to Qatar.
Salman Al-Faraj has also been selected to captain the squad.
Saudi Arabia start their World Cup campaign with a tough opener against ArgentinaCredit: AP
Goalkeepers: Mohammed Al-Owais, Nawaf Al-Aqidi, Mohammed Al-Yami
Defenders: Hassan Tambakti, Abdulelah Al-Amri, Ali Al-Bulaihi, Abdullah Madu, Saud Abdulhamid, Sultan Al-Ghanam, Mohammed Al-Breik, Yasser Al-Shahrani, Ali Al-Hassan
Midfielders: Abdulellah Al-Malki, Riyadh Sharahili, Abdullah Otayf, Mohamed Kanno, Nasser Al-Dawsari, Salman Al-Faraj, Sami Al-Najei, Salem Al-Dawsari, Hattan Bahebri
Forwards: Fahad Al-Muwallad, Abdulrahman Al-Aboud, Haitham Asiri, Firas Al-Buraikan, Saleh Al-Shehri
Group D
Australia
Experienced central defender Trent Sainsbury was a surprise omission while wonderkid Garang Kuol and former Scotland international Jason Cummings have been called up.
Australia have a tough opener scheduled against World champions FranceCredit: Reuters
Goalkeepers: Mat Ryan, Danny Vukovic, Andrew Redmayne
Defenders: Harry Souttar, Milos Degenek, Bailey Wright, Thomas Deng, Fran Karacic, Nathaniel Atkinson, Aziz Behich, Kye Rowles, Joel King
Midfielders: Aaron Mooy, Jackson Irvine, Ajdin Hrustic, Cameron Devlin, Riley McGree, Keanu Baccus
Forwards: Jamie Maclaren, Mitchell Duke, Jason Cummings, Garang Kuol, Awer Mabil, Mathew Leckie, Craig Goodwin, Martin Boyle
Denmark
Christian Eriksen has been named in Denmark’s squad 17 months after he suffered a cardiac arrest at Euro 2020.
Denmark kick off their World Cup campaign against TunisiaCredit: Reuters
Goalkeepers: Kasper Schmeichel, Oliver Christensen
Defenders: Simon Kjaer, Joachim Andersen, Joakim Maehle, Andreas Christensen, Rasmus Kristensen, Jens Stryger Larsen, Victor Nelsson, Daniel Wass
Midfielders: Thomas Delaney, Mathias Jensen, Christian Eriksen, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
Forwards: Andreas Skov Olsen, Jesper Lindstrom, Andreas Cornelius, Martin Braithwaite, Kasper Dolberg, Mikkel Damsgaard, Jonas Wind
France
Manager Didier Deschamps has found room for Raphael Varane in his squad, despite the Manchester United star’s injury.
France are the current World Cup holdersCredit: AFP
Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola, Hugo Lloris, Steve Mandanda
Defenders: Lucas Hernandez, Theo Hernandez, Presnel Kimpembe, Ibrahima Konate, Jules Koundé, Benjamin Pavard, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano, Raphael Varane
Midfielders: Youssouf Fofana, Eduardo Camavinga, Matteo Guendouzi, Adrien Rabiot, Aurelien Tchouameni, Jordan Veretout
Forwards: Karim Benzema, Kingsley Coman, Ousmane Dembele, Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud, Kylian Mbappe, Christopher Nkunku
Tunisia
Arsenal defender Omar Rekik failed to make the final 26-man Tunisia squad for the World Cup.
However, Manchester United wonderkid Hannibal Mejibri is included after only swapping allegiances from France in 2021.
Tunisia are scheduled to face Denmark in their opening World Cup group matchCredit: PA
Goalkeepers: Aymen Dahmen, Mouez Hassen, Aymen Balbouli, Bechir Ben Said
Defenders: Mohamed Dräger, Wajdi Kechrida, Bilel Ifa, Montassar Talbi, Dylan Bronn, Yassine Meriah, Nader Ghandri, Ali Maâloul, Ali Abdi
Midfielders: Ellyes Skhiri, Aissa Laidouni, Ferjani Sassi, Ghaylen Chaaleli, Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane, Hannibal Mejbri
Forwards: Seifeddine Jaziri, Naim Sliti, Taha Yassine Khenissi, Anis Ben Slimane, Issam Jebali, Wahbi Khazri, Youssef Msakni
Group E
Costa Rica
Paris Saint-Germain veteran Keylor Navas makes the cut and so has former Arsenal forward Joel Campbell.
Costa Rica are scheduled to face Spain in their first World Cup match this monthCredit: AFP
Goalkeepers: Keylor Navas, Esteban Alvarado, Patrick Sequeira
Defenders: Francisco Calvo, Juan Pablo Vargas, Kendall Waston, Oscar Duarte, Daniel Chacon, Keysher Fuller, Carlos Martinez, Bryan Oviedo, Ronald Matarrita
Midfielders: Yeltsin Tejeda, Celso Borges, Youstin Salas, Roan Wilson, Gerson Torres, Douglas Lopez, Jewisson Bennette, Alvaro Zamora, Anthony Hernandez, Brandon Aguilera, Bryan Ruiz
Forwards: Joel Campbell, Anthony Contreras, Johan Venegas
Germany
There’s no place for injured Marco Reus but Manchester City’s Ilkay Gundogan and Chelsea’s Kai Havertz make the cut.
However, the big surprise is that Moukoko, 17, will be on the plane to Qatar.
Germany will take on Japan in their World Cup openerCredit: Reuters
Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Kevin Trapp
Defenders: Armel Bella Kotchap, Mathias Gintar, Christian Gunter, Thilo Kehrer, Lukas Klostermann, David Raum, Antonio Rudiger, Nico Schlotterbeck, Niklas Sule
Midfielders: Julian Brandt, Niclas Fullkrug, Leon Goretzka, Mario Gotze, Ilkay Gundogan, Jonas Hofmann, Joshua Kimmich
Forwards: Karim Adeyemi, Serge Gnabry, Kai Havertz, Youssoufa Moukoko, Thomas Muller, Jamal Musiala, Leroy Sane
Japan
Arsenal ace Takehiro Tomiyasu has been selected while Celtic stars Kyogo Furuhashi and Reo Hatate failed to make the cut.
Japan will take on Germany in their opening World Cup matchCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Goalkeepers: Eiji Kawashima, Shuichi Gonda, Daniel Schmidt
Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Maya Yoshida, Hiroki Sakai, Shogo Taniguchi, Miki Yamane, Ko Itakura, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Hiroki Ito
Midfielders: Gaku Shibasaki, Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Takumi Minamino, Hidemasa Morita, Daichi Kamada, Yuki Soma, Kaoru Mitoma, Ritsu Doan, Ao Tanaka, Takefusa Kubo
Forwards: Takuma Asano, Daizen Maeda, Ayase Ueda, Shuto Machino
Spain
Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta and Manchester City’s Aymeric Laporte have made the cut.
Spanish veteran Sergio Busquets will be guiding the likes of Gavi and Pedri in midfield.
But Manchester United’s first-choice keeper David de Gea has NOT been included in the squad.
Spain play Costa Rica in their World Cup openerCredit: Reuters
Goalkeepers: Unai Simon, Robert Sanchez and David Raya.
Defenders: Dani Carvajal, Cesar Azpilicueta, Eric Garcia, Hugo Guillamon, Pau Torres, Aymeric Laporte, Jordi Alba and Jose Gaya.
Midfielders: Sergio Busquets, Rodri, Gavi, Pedri, Carlos Soler, Koke and Marcos Llorente.
Forwards: Alvaro Morata, Ferran Torres, Pablo Sarabia, Dani Olmo, Nico Williams, Yeremy Pino, Marco Asensio and Ansu Fati.
Group F
Belgium
Romelu Lukaku, Kevin de Bruyne and Leandro Trossard make it on the plane to Qatar for the Red Devils.
Former Chelsea attacker Eden Hazard takes up his spot too but no place ex-Liverpool star Divock Origi.
Belgium start their World Cup campaign against Canada in Group FCredit: Reuters
Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois, Simon Mignolet, Koen Casteels
Defenders: Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld, Leander Dendoncker, Zeno Debast, Arthur Theate, Wout Faes
Midfielders: Hans Vanaken, Axel Witsel, Youri Tielemans, Amadou Onana, Kevin De Bruyne, Yannick Carrasco, Thorgan Hazard, Timothy Castagne, Thomas Meunier
Forwards: Romelu Lukaku, Michy Batshuayi, Loïs Openda, Charles De Ketelaere, Eden Hazard, Jeremy Doku, Dries Mertens, Leandro Trossard
Canada
Bayern Munich ace Alphonso Davies will be on the plane to Qatar and John Herdman has registered him as a forward.
Canada find themselves with a tough opener against BelgiumCredit: AFP
Goalkeepers: Milan Borjan, James Pantemis, Dayne St Clair
Defenders: Kamal Miller, Steven Vitoria, Joel Waterman, Derek Cornelius, Sam Adekugbe, Alistair Johnston, Richie Laryea.
Midfielders: Atiba Hutchinson, Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Mark-Anthony Kaye, Sam Piette, Ismael Kone, Liam Fraser, David Wotherspoon
Forwards: Tajon Buchanan, Alphonso Davies, Jonathan David, Junior Hoilett, Cyle Larin, Lucas Cavallini, Liam Millar, Ike Ugbo.
Croatia
Midfield veteran Luka Modric, Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovcic and Tottenham winger Ivan Perisic will all be on the plane to Qatar.
But Rangers’ Antonio Mirko Olak was cut from the preliminary squad.
Croatia got the semi-final in the 2018 World CupCredit: EPA
Goalkeepers: Dominik Livakovic, Ivica Ivusic, Ivo Grbic
Defenders: Domagoj Vida, Dejan Lovren, Borna Barisic, Josip Juranovic, Josko Gvardiol, Borna Sosa, Josip Stanisic, Martin Erlic, Josip Sutalo
Midfielders: Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, Marcelo Brozovic, Mario Pasalic, Nikola Vlasic, Lovro Majer, Kristijan Jakic, Luka Sucic
Forwards: Ivan Perisic, Andrej Kramaric, Bruno Petkovic, Mislav Orsic, Ante Budimir, Marko Livaja
Morocco
Achraf Hakimi has got the call up and Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech makes his return to the fold.
Morocco face Croatia in their first World Cup matchCredit: Reuters
Goalkeepers: Yassine Bono, Munir, Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti
Defenders: Achraf Hakimi, Noussair Mazraoui, Romain Saiss, Achraf Dari, Jawad El-Yamiq, Yahia Attiat-Allal, Badr Benoun
Midfielders: Sofyan Amrabat, Selim Amallah, Abdelhamid Sabiri, Azzedine Ounahi, Bilel El Khanouss, Yahya Jabrane
Forwards: Hakim Ziyech, Youssef En-Nesyri, Sofiane Boufal, Zakaria Aboukhlal, Ez Abde, Amine Harit, Ilias Chair, Abderrazak Hamdallah, Walid Cheddira
Group G
Brazil
Arsenal’s attacking duo Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli were both selected for the Brazilian squad.
However, their defensive teammate Gabriel Magalhaes has been left out and so has Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino.
Brazil come up against Serbia in their World Cup openerCredit: AFP
Goalkeepers: Alisson, Ederson, Weverton
Defenders: Bremer, Eder Militao, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Alex Sandro, Alex Telles, Danilo, Dani Alves
Midfielders: Bruno Guimaraes, Casemiro, Everton Ribeiro, Fabinho, Fred, Lucas Paqueta
Forwards: Antony, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Neymar, Raphinha, Richarlison, Pedro, Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr
Cameroon
Experienced captain Vincent Aboubakar will feature in yet another World Cup for the African giants.
And he’ll be supported up top by Bayern Munich’s Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting and Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo.
Cameroon open their World Cup account against PanamaCredit: Reuters
Goalkeepers: Devis Epassy, Simon Ngapandouetnbu, Andre Onana
Defenders: Jean-Charles Castelletto, Enzo Ebosse, Collins Fai, Olivier Mbaizo, Nicolas Nkoulou, Tolo Nouhou, Christopher Wooh
Midfielders: Martin Hongla, Pierre Kunde, Olivier Ntcham, Gael Ondoua, Samuel Oum Gouet, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa
Forwards: Vincent Aboubakar, Christian Bassogog, Eric-Maxime Choupo Moting, Souaibou Marou, Bryan Mbeumo, Nicolas Moumi Ngamaleu, Jerome Ngom, Georges-Kevin Nkoudou, Jean-Pierre Nsame, Karl Toko Ekambi
Serbia
In form Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic has got the the call-up and he’ll be joined by Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Luka Jovic.
Serbia are scheduled to play Brazil in their first World Cup fixtureCredit: Reuters
Goalkeepers: Marko Dmitrovic Predrag Rajkovic, Vanja Milinkovic-Savic
Defenders: Stefan Mitrovic, Nikola Milenkovic, Strahinja Pavlovic, Milos Veljkovic, Filip Mladenovic, Strahinja Erakovic, Srdjan Babic
Midfielders: Nemanja Gudelj, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Sasa Lukic, Marko Grujic, Filip Kostic, Uros Racic, Nemanja Maksimovic, Ivan Ilic, Andrija Zivkovic, Darko Lazovic
Forwards: Dusan Tadic, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Dusan Vlahovic, Filip Duricic, Luka Jovic, Nemanja Radonji
Switzerland
Granit Xhaka will captain the Swiss team as they go for glory in Qatar and he’ll be joined by former Liverpool attacker Xherdan Shaqiri.
Switzerland open their World Cup campaign with a fixture against CameroonCredit: EPA
Goalkeepers: Gregor Kobel, Philipp Kohn, Jonas Omlin, Yann Sommer
Defenders: Manuel Akanji, Eray Comert, Nico Elvedi, Ricardo Rodriguez, Fabian Schar, Silvan Widmer
Midfielders: Granit Xhaka, Edimilson Fernandes, Fabian Frei, Remo Freuler, Ardon Jashari, Fabian Rieder, Xherdan Shaqiri, Djibril Sow, Renato Steffen, Denis Zakaria, Michel Aebischer
Forwards: Breel Embolo, Christian Fassnacht, Noah Okafor, Haris Seferovic, Ruben Vargas
Group H
Portugal
Cristiano Ronaldo has been called up for what could be his last World Cup.
And the Portuguese legend will be joined by the likes of Joao Cancelo, Rafael Leao and his Manchester United teammate, Bruno Fernandes.
Cristiano Ronaldo will lead his side out against Ghana in their first group gameCredit: AFP
Goalkeepers: Jose Sa, Rui Patricio, Diogo Costa
Defenders: Joao Cancelo, Diogo Dalot, Pepe, Ruben Dias, Danilo Pereira, Antonio Silva, Nuno Mendes, Raphael Guerreiro
Midfielders: William, Ruben Neves, Joao Palhinha, Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, Otavio, Matheus Nunes, Bernardo Silva, Joao Mario
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo, Joao Felix, Rafael Leao, Ricardo Horta, Andre Silva, Goncalo Ramos
Ghana
The Black stars have a whole host of Premier League players featuring in their 26-man World Cup squad.
Mohammed Salisu, Tariq Lamptey, Daniel Amartey and Jordan Ayew have all made the cut.
And Arsenal talisman Thomas Partey has made the cut too.
Ghana’s first World Cup fixture will be against PortugalCredit: AFP
Goalkeepers: Danlad Ibrahim, Manaf Nurudeen, Lawrence Ati-Zigi.
Defenders: Mohammed Salisu, Tariq Lamptey, Daniel Amartey, Baba Abdul Rahman, Alexander Djiku, Alidu Seidu, Gideon Mensah, Denis Odoi, Joseph Aidoo.
Midfielders: Thomas Partey, Elisha Owusu, Salis Samed, Daniel-Kofi Kyereh, Mohammed Kudus.
Forwards: Inaki Williams, Kamal Sowah, Osman Bukari, Daniel Afriyie Barnieh, Jordan Ayew, Andre Ayew, Antoine Semenyo, Fatawu Issahaku, Kamaldeen Sulemana.
South Korea
Tottenham ace Son-Heung-min has battled through his fractured eye injury to make it on the plane to Qatar.
Son Hueng-min and co will be taking on Uruguay in their first World Cup matchCredit: AP
Goalkeepers: Kim Seung-gyu, Jo Hyeon-woo, Song Bum-keun
Defenders: Kim Min-jae, Kim Jin-su, Hong Chul, Kim Moon-hwan, Yoon Jong-gyu, Kim Young-gwon, Kim Tae-hwan, Kwon Kyung-won, Cho Yu-min
Midfielders: Jung Woo-young, Na Sang-ho, Paik Seung-ho, Son Jun-ho, Song Min-kyu, Kwon Chang-hoon, Lee Jae-sung, Hwang Hee-chan, Hwang In-beom, Jeong Woo-yeong , Lee Kang-in
Forwards: Hwang Ui-jo, Cho Gue-sung , Son Heung-min
Uruguay
The deadly striking trio of Luis Suarez, Darwin Nunez and Edinson Cavani have all got the phone call for the trip to Qatar.
Darwin Nunez and Luis Suarez are among the dangerous strikers union for UruguayCredit: Reuters
Goalkeepers: Sergio Rochet, Fernando Muslera, Sebastián Sosa.
Defenders: Diego Godín, José María Giménez, Ronald Araujo, Sebastián Coates, Martín Cáceres, Mathiás Olivera, Guillermo Varela, José Luís Rodríguez, Matías Viña.
Midfielders: Federico Valverde, Rodrigo Betancour, Matías Vecino, Lucas Torreira, Manuel Ugarte, Nicolás de la Cruz, Giorgian De Arrascaeta, Facundo Pellistri, Facundo Torres, Agustín Canobbio.
Forwards: Luis Suárez, Darwin Núñez, Edinson Cavani, Maximiliano Gómez. More