The 2022 World Cup is only a day away, and in anticipation of the spectacle, we are taking a look at the groups in the tournament. In this article, we’re taking a look at Group E, compirising Costa Rica, Spain, Japan and Germany.
World Cup 2022: Group E preview
Costa Rica
Keylor Navas (PSG), Esteban Alvarado (Herediano), Patrick Sequeira (Club Deportivo Lugo), Francisco Calvo (Konyaspor), Juan Pablo Vargas (Millonarios), Kendall Waston (Saprissa), Óscar Duarte (Al-Wehda), Daniel Chacón (Colorado Rapids), Keysher Fuller (Herediano), Carlos Martínez (San Carlos), Bryan Oviedo (Real Salt Lake), Ronald Matarrita (Cincinnati), Yeltsin Tejeda (Herediano), Celso Borges (Alajuelense), Youstin Salas (Saprissa), Roan Wilson (Grecia), Gerson Torres (Herediano), Douglas López (Herediano), Jewison Bennette (Sunderland), Álvaro Zamora (Saprissa), Anthony Hernández (Puntarenas), Brandon Aguilera (Nottingham Forest), Bryan Ruiz (Alajuelense), Joel Campbell (León), Anthony Contreras (Herediano), Johan Venegas (Alajuelense).
Analysis – Keylor Navas might be the only player that you would recognise from the squad. But all things considered, the team has a slim chance of making it out of a very competitive group.
Japan
Shuichi Gonda (Shimizu S-Pulse), Daniel Schmidt (Sint-Truiden), Eiji Kawashima (Strasbourg), 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 Town), Wataru Endo (Stuttgart), Hidemasa Morita (Sporting Lisbon), Ao Tanaka (Fortuna Dusseldorf), Gaku Shibasaki (Leganes), Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton), Daichi Kamada (Eintracht Frankfurt), Ritsu Doan (Freiburg), Junya Ito (Stade Reims), Takumi Minamino (AS Monaco), Takefusa Kubo Real Sociedad), Yuki Soma (Nagoya Grampus), Daizen Maeda (Celtic), Takuma Asano (Bochum), Ayase Ueda (Cercle Bruges).
Analysis – Players like Takefusa Kubo, Kaoru Mitoma, Daichi Kamada Takehiro Tomiyasu could surprise us in this group. However, they will be heavily challenged in their World Cup group involving Spain and Germany too.
Germany
Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona), Kevin Trapp (Frankfurt), Armel Bella-Kotchap (Southampton), Matthias Ginter (Freiburg), Christian Gunter (Freiburg), Thilo Kehrer (West Ham), Lukas Klostermann (Leipzig), David Raum (Leipzig), Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Niklas Sule (Borussia Dortmund), Julian Brandt (Borussia Dortmund), Niclas Fullkrug (Werder Bremen), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Mario Gotze (Frankfurt), Ilkay Gundogan (Manchester City), Jonas Hofmann (Borussia Monchengladbach), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Karim Adeyemi (Borussia Dortmund), Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich), Kai Havertz (Chelsea), Youssoufa Moukoko (Borussia Dortmund), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sane (Bayern Munich)
Analysis – Hansi Flick’s line-up will be without Marco Reus and Timo Werner due to injuries. However, there are plenty of exciting players in the squad who could implement Flick’s all-out attack style.
Spain
Unai Simon (Athletic Bilbao), Robert Sanchez (Brighton), David Raya (Brentford), Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea), Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid), Eric Garcia (Barcelona), Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City), Pau Torres (Villarreal), Jordi Alba (Barcelona), Jose Luis Gaya (Valencia), Hugo Guillamon (Valencia), Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Rodri (Manchester City), Gavi (Barcelona), Pedri (Barcelona), Carlos Soler (PSG), Koke (Atletico Madrid), Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid), Pablo Sarabia (PSG), Dani Olmo (Leipzig), Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao), Marco Asensio (Real Madrid), Alvaro Morata (Atletico Madrid), Ferran Torres (Barcelona), Yeremy Pino (Villarreal), Ansu Fati (Barcelona)
Analysis – David De Gea, Sergio Ramos, Thiago and Jose Gaya have missed out on the national team. And this time, Luis Enrique has chosen a younger squad who could really perform well.
World Cup 2022: Who makes it to the last 16 from Group E?
Spain and Germany are the two favourites to make it through to the last 16 from this group. However, it is anybody’s guess as to who takes top spot from Group E considering that Japan are there too.
