World Cup 2022 Group D
GROUP D
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
| France | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 6 |
| Australia | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 |
| Tunisia | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Denmark | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
Mike Tuckerman
[Team Jersey Images © Soccerphile]
France
They may be the defending champions, but all is not well for Les Bleus.
Injuries, squad fractures and a star man in Kylian Mbappe who causes as many problems as he solves for his club side mean coach Didier Deschamps has got his work cut out for him in Qatar.
Deschamps has never been the most popular of leaders, despite being one of just three men to lift the World Cup trophy as both player and coach, and after 10 years in charge there's a feeling a winter World Cup in the Gulf will mark his swansong.
He's got some major injury concerns to contend with heading into the finals, with midfield dynamo N'Golo Kante and the controversial Paul Pogba already ruled out, while back-up goalkeeper Mike Maignan and key defender Raphael Varane are both under serious injury clouds.
It means Deschamps is likely to rely heavily once again on old timers Hugo Lloris, Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud - a problematic approach given that age is clearly catching up with all three.
Then there's Mbappe. Many would argue he's the best player in the world, but the 23-year-old continues to cause headaches for his club side Paris Saint-Germain with his endless list of complaints. Mbappe's club side is effectively owned by the Qatari government - meaning his form and attitude will be closely scrutinised in the Gulf.
Still, if Deschamps can coax some decisive performances out of exciting newcomers like Jonathan Clauss, Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni, Les Bleus will once again expect to go deep into the tournament.
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France Kit 1 |
France Kit 2 |
France v Australia 22 November; Al Wakrah, (Al Janoub)
France v Denmark 26 November; Doha (Stadium 974)
Tunisia v France 30 November; Al-Rayyan
Coach
Coach: Didier Deschamps
Record
Best World Cup: Winners in 1998, 2018
Formation
3-4-1-2
Men to watch
Aurelien Tchouameni has had an impressive start to his Real Madrid career.
France will make it out of the group along with probably Denmark, but the quarterfinals or semis seem the limit of their chances this time out.
How they qualified
France breezed through qualifying in UEFA Group D, six points clear of runners-up Ukraine.
On the sidelines
Karim Benzema is back in the French squad* after missing out in 2018 due to the "sex tape" incident with Mathieu Valbuena back in 2015. *Benzema misses the tournament with a thigh inury.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola (West Ham), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Steve Mandanda (Rennes)
Defenders: Axel Disasi (Monaco), Lucas Hernandez (Bayern Munich), Theo Hernandez (AC Milan), , Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Jules Kounde (Barcelona), Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich), Raphael Varane (Manchester United)
Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid), Youssouf Fofana (Monaco), Matteo Guendouzi (Marseille), Adrien Rabiot (Juventus), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid), Jordan Veretout (Marseille)
Strikers: Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich), Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona), Olivier Giroud (AC Milan), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid), Kylian Mbappe (Paris St-Germain), Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig)* replaced by Randal Kolo Muani (Eintracht Frankfurt), Marcus Thuram (Borussia Monchengladbach)
Australia
Last one in and invariably first one out is how most Aussies rate the Socceroos' chances.
Coach Graham Arnold pulled off the mother of all miracles in the intercontinental playoff against Peru, substituting in unheralded Sydney FC goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne just before the penalty shoot-out.
Redmayne subsequently saved the decisive spot-kick - sending Australia to a fifth successive World Cup - but the good news arguably stops there for an Aussie side clearly lacking in class.
Virtually none of the squad play for big clubs in Europe, and those who do - like captain and first-choice goalkeeper Mat Ryan and impressive winger Awer Mabil - struggle for game time.
Still, the Socceroos have punched above their weight for years now and could potentially boast some X-factors - the most obvious of which is teenage attacking tyro Garang Kuol, who recently signed for English Premier League side Newcastle United before he'd even played a full game of professional football.
Yet some glaring issues remain. Playmaker Tom Rogic was mysteriously absent from Australia's two sudden death playoff fixtures, citing personal reasons, and there's no guarantee the new West Bromwich Albion man will board the flight to Doha.
Rogic's ready-made replacement Ajdin Hrustic is fighting to be fit for the tournament, while Australia's fruitless search for an effective number nine goes on - with Mitch Duke, who plays his club football in Japan's second division, potentially getting the nod in the Gulf.
Arnold himself is not exactly universally popular in Australia. The only way that will change is if he can pull off another miracle and steer the Socceroos into the knock-out stage.
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Australia Kit 1
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Australia Kit 2
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France v Australia November 22; Al Wakrah
Tunisia v Australia November 26; Al Wakrah
Australia v Denmark November 30; Al Wakrah
Coach
Record
Best World Cup: Round of 16 in 2006
Formation
4-2-3-1
Men to watch
For the qualification process, Jackson Irvine has been crucial, with his late runs and finishing proving pivotal, especially in Australia's Fourth Round play-off tie vs the UAE to book a famous date with Peru in June in Al Rayyan. Expect to see Irvine performing as an industrial box-to-box operator in contrast to Aaron Mooy's delicate passing at the heart of Socceroos' midfield.
We predict Australia will not get out of the group which should be topped by France and Denmark.
How they qualified
Came through the intercontinental playoff and penalty shoot out with Peru.
On the sidelines
Australia were the first World Cup team to openly criticize Qatar's human rights record. The team released a video message on the team's website and social media raising concerns over the treatment of migrant workers and restrictions on the LGBTQI+ community.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Mathew Ryan (FC Copenhagen), Andrew Redmayne (Sydney FC), Danny Vukovic (Central Coast Mariners)
Defenders: Aziz Behich (Dundee United), Milos Degenek (Columbus Crew), Thomas Deng (Albirex Niigata), Joel King (Odense Boldklub), Nathaniel Atkinson (Hearts), Fran Karacic (Brescia), Harry Souttar (Stoke City), Kye Rowles (Hearts), Craig Goodwin (Adelaide United)
Midfielders: Aaron Mooy (Celtic), Jackson Irvine (St Pauli), Ajdin Hrustic (Hellas Verona), Bailey Wright (Sunderland), Cameron Devlin (Hearts), Riley McGree (Middlesbrough), Keanu Baccus (St Mirren)
Strikers: Awer Mabil (Cadiz), Mathew Leckie (Melbourne City), Martin Boyle (Hibernian), James Maclaren (Melbourne City), Jason Cummings (Central Coast Mariners), Mitchell Duke (Fagiano Okayama), Garang Kuol (Central Coast Mariners)
Denmark
The Danes will feel their status as one of the tournament's dark horses is justified - not least because they recently downed group favourites France 2-0 in the UEFA Nations League.
Denmark cruised through qualifying, topping their group and losing just once in the final game against Scotland. And they did it all playing an attacking, attractive brand of football.
Coach Kasper Hjulmand personifies his team; cool, calm and quietly effective, the one-time Mainz coach has been in charge of his native land since 2020.
Hjulmand led his team to the semi-finals of Euro 2020 - where they were controversially beaten in extra-time by England - and his tactical flexibility leaves him capable of switching comfortably between three at the back and a more traditional 4-3-1-2 formation.
Despite the feel-good factor, there are a few question marks. The first surrounds captain Simon Kjaer. Usually the first name on the teamsheet, Denmark's inspirational skipper has been racing against the clock to return from an ACL injury.
The Danes also lack an out-and-out goal scorer, with Kasper Dolberg not always convincing at the point of an attack which usually includes wingers Mikkel Damsgard and Andreas Skov Olsen. It was marauding left-back Joakim Maehle who top-scored with five goals in qualifying.
Much will depend on the form of midfield talisman Christian Eriksen, who is back and seemingly fully recovered from the cardiac episode he suffered at Euro 2020.
If the Danes can keep their experienced spine intact - goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, defender Andrea Christensen, midfielders Thomas Delaney and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and veteran striker Martin Braithwaite have all won well over 50 caps - they'll fancy their chances of getting out of the group and doing some real damage in the knock-out stage.
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Denmark Kit 1
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Denmark Kit 2
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Denmark v Tunisia 22 November; Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan
France v Denmark 26 November; Doha
Australia v Denmark 30 November; Al Wakra
Coach
Kasper Hjulmand
Record
Best World Cup: Quarter-finals in 1998
Formation
3-4-3
Men to watch
Christian Eriksen, now at Manchester United, has played 117 times for the national team, scoring 39 goals.
Should get out of the group along with France.
How they qualified
Denmark easily won their qualifying group four points ahead of Scotland. The Danes won nine of their 10 games and with a goal difference of +27.
On the sidelines
Denmark is known as De Rød-Hvide ("The Red-White").
Squad
Goalkeepers: Kasper Schmeichel (Nice), Oliver Christensen (Hertha Berlin), Frederik Ronnow (Union Berlin)
Defenders: Alexander Bach (Benfica), Simon Kjaer (AC Milan), Joachim Andersen (Crystal Palace), Joakim Maehle (Atalanta), Andreas Christensen (Barcelona), Rasmus Kristensen (Leeds United), Jens Stryger Larsen (Trabzonspor), Victor Nelsson (Galatasaray), Daniel Wass (Brondby)
Midfielders: Thomas Delaney (Sevilla), Mathias Jensen (Brentford), Christian Eriksen (Manchester United), Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (Tottenham), Christian Norgaard (Brentford), Jesper Lindstrom (Eintracht Frankfurt), Mikkel Damsgaard (Brentford)
Strikers: Andreas Skov Olsen (Club Bruges), Andreas Cornelius (Copenhagen), Martin Braithwaite (Espanyol), Kasper Dolberg (Sevilla), Jonas Wind (VfL Wolfsburg), Robert Forest (Hoffenheim), Yussuf Yurary Poulsen (RB Leipzig)
Tunisia
The Eagles of Carthage look like they'll battle Australia to avoid bottom spot in the group.
Tunisia are making their sixth appearance at the World Cup finals, but the North Africans have never once progressed beyond the group stage.
Much will depend on their second group-stage game at Al-Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah when they take on a beatable-looking Australian side.
The Tunisians boast few out and out attacking weapons, although one-time Sunderland striker Wahbi Khazri certainly knows his way to goal and is Tunisia's second-top scorer of all time, while skipper Youssef Msakni plays his club football in Qatar and has won almost 90 caps for his national team.
Kadri sets his team up to avoid conceding goals, and after topping their second-round group in African qualifying, the Tunisians needed an own goal to see off Mali in their decisive home-and-away third round tie.
Unfortunately for Kadri, the gulf in class at international level was amply demonstrated when Brazil strolled to a 5-1 win over the Eagles in a friendly at the Parc des Princes in Paris back in September.
The choice of venue for that friendly was deliberate; many of this Tunisian squad were born in France. That makes their final group stage game against Les Bleus in Al Rayyan a potentially fiery affair, with the Eagles no doubt determined to put on a decent showing against their one-time colonial overseers.
But the Tunisians look a little light on in quality - particularly in goal. They'll hope to avoid defeat in their opening game against Denmark and take it from there.
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Tunisia Kit 1 |
Tunisia Kit 2
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Denmark v Tunisia November 22; Al Rayyan
Tunisia v Australia November 26; Al Wakrah
Tunisia v France November 30; Al Rayyan
Coach
Jalel Kadri
Record
Best World Cup: Group stage in 1978, 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2018.
Formation
4-3-2-1
Men to watch
Wahbi Khazri is Tunisia's second-top scorer of all time with 24 goals in 71 appearances behind Issam Jemâa with 36.
Tunisia seem destined to go out at the group stage along with Australia.
How they qualified
The team qualified for the World Cup after defeating Mali (1-0 on aggregate) in the Third Round of the CAF qualifiers.
On the sidelines
This is Tunisia's sixth World Cup but they are yet to progress to the knockout stage. In 2018 in Russia they lost to both England and Belgium but beat Panama 2-1 in Saransk.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Aymen Dahmen (Club Sportif Sfaxien), Mouez Hassan (Club Africain), Bechir Ben Said (US Monastir), Aymen Mathlouthi (Etoile du Sahel)
Defenders: Ali Abdi (Caen), Mohamed Drager (FC Luzern), Ali Maaloul (Al Ahly), Wajdi Kechrida (Atromitos), Nader Ghandri (Club Africain), Yassine Meriah (Esperance), Bilel Ifa (Kuwait FC), Dylan Bronn (Salernitana), Montassar Talbi (Lorient)
Midfielders: Ellyes Skhiri (FC Cologne), Ghaylen Chaalali (Esperance), Aissa Laidouni (Ferencvaros), Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane (Esperance), Ferjani Sassi (Al-Duhail), Hannibal Mejbri (Birmingham City)
Strikers: Youssef Msakni (Al Arabi SC), Seifeddine Jaziri (Zamalek), Naim Sliti (Ettifaq), Issam Jebali (Odense), Taha Yassine Khenissi (Kuwait SC), Anis Ben Slimane (Brondby), Wahbi Khazri (Montpellier)