World Cup 2022 Group G
GROUP G
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
| Brazil | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| Switzerland | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 6 |
| Cameroon | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Serbia | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 1 |
Joji Imamiya, Sean O'Conor and Mike Tuckerman
[Team Jersey Images © Soccerphile]
Brazil
It is the World Cup so Brazil must be favourites.
No surprise there, but the Seleçao, as synonymous with the sport as the All Blacks are with rugby, have not won the biggest prize for 20 years.
What makes them a hot tip this time are their world No.1 ranking thanks to a 15-game unbeaten streak, a breeze of a qualification and the lack of an outstanding opponent in the run-up to the finals.
The last three World Cups have seen Brazil eliminated by North Europeans - the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium, but neither they nor France or England seem to be firing on all cylinders heading into Qatar, while Italy missed the boat.
There is also the fact this World Cup is not in its traditional summer slot or in a familiar football nation, giving it the feel of the now defunct FIFA Confederations Cup, which the Seleçao won three times in the noughties, despite failing to win the World Cup the following years.
Add to that detailed recipe a sound and experienced defence, a decent goalie and a typically flair-filled attack and it is all pointing to a Brazilian triumph this year.
And yet the twenty years of failure on the biggest stage, particularly the humiliating 7-1 thrashing by Germany in the Maracana in 2014, have injected some realism into the fan base, who are not all convinced the yellow and green will be victorious in Qatar.
The side is well-drilled and well-balanced. Tite's Brazil will play a four-man defence where the full backs can swiftly join the three midfielders. They use two wide men and a centre-forward and press high with as many as five in attack in order to monopolise the ball. This side plays on the front foot and are not used to being under the cosh, as an easy qualification showed.
Liverpool's Alisson is first-choice custodian and a reliable pair of hands, although the cast-iron back line he has ahead of him has meant he has not had a lot to do for Brazil.
The defence oozes experience although some eyebrows were raised when 39-year-old Dani Alves, now at UNAM Pumas in Mexico, was picked, but Danilo will probably start at right back with Juventus' teammate Alex Sandro on the opposite flank. Thiago Silva, another veteran at 38, is in good enough form for Chelsea to play at centre back beside PSG's Marquinhos, keeping out Real Madrid's Eder Militao.
Casemiro is the anchor and Fred the other man in the middle with strength, solidity and canny distribution; Neymar will float ahead of them and work between the lines.
Then when it comes to the attack, take your pick from a Rio carnival of talent - Anthony, Vinicius Junior, Lucas Paqueta, Raphinha and the two Arsenal Gabriels - Jesus and Martinelli, all of whom will frighten any defence in Qatar. Tite has christened this elite group "as perninhas rápidas" (the quick little legs). Raphinha on the right and Paqueta on the left seem the most likely starters.
Yet Martinelli has forced his way into the 26 with his exciting displays for the Gunners this season, at the expense of Roberto Firmino, whose omission has divided opinion in the process.
Then there is the man to apply the coup de grace. Richarlison, who despite failing to shine much at Tottenham, is still the fox in the box for his nation, with seven in his last six outings.
Flamengo's Pedro, one of only three domestically-based players, could be an eye-catching supersub with his quick feet and striking prowess, despite a lack of pace.
Most eyes will be on Neymar though, with an expectation that after disappointment he will rub shoulders with the biggest prize, as Ronaldo did in Japan in 2002.
But Neymar has been yellow-carded in his last two Brazil games, which in the World Cup would entail suspension, and the squad does not have a ready-made replacement for his false nine role, now that Firmino has been dropped.
The PSG star could also fall injured as he did in 2014 after an attritional quarter-final with Colombia, leaving Tite to change the formation and game plan. Real Madrid's Rodrygo could deputise, but it seems Tite will concentrate on wide play, with Anthony and Martinelli protagonists.
With such an amazing selection on the bench, even losing Neymar would not be tragic. It is hard to see Brazil taking anything other than maximum points from Group G and they will probably not be tested in the Round of 16 or last eight either.
Then the going will get tougher and Brazil's achilles heel could be exposed - they have not been tested against European powerhouses since the last World Cup. Astonishingly, in the 50 games they have played since Russia 2018, only one was against UEFA opposition, a 3-1 win over the Czech Republic in 2019.
Has the distance created unmerited fear in Europe and overconfidence in Brazil heading into the Qatar World Cup?
The one team who would not fear them of course would be Argentina, their last conquerors at the 2021 Copa America, but it is hard to see the pair meeting before the final.
From the semis, when Brazil will probably face a strong European side, and onward it will be all to play for, but it still appears the Seleçao have few excuses for not winning their sixth World Cup this winter.
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Brazil Kit 1 |
Brazil Kit 2 |
Brazil v Serbia 24 November; Lusail
Brazil v Switzerland 28 November; Doha (Stadium 974)
Cameroon v Brazil 2 December; Lusail
Coach
Coach: Tite
Record
Best World Cup: Winners in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002
Formation
4-2-3-1
FIFA Ranking 1st
Men to watch
Neymar - the boy wonder is now 30 with 121 caps and running out of chances to be on top of the world. Being the same age as Pele when he retired is an inevitable comparison but after two unsuccessful World Cups he now has a winning team around him so the stage really is set for him to shine in Qatar.
Lucas Paqueta - the West Ham winger has been the stand-out new face in the team, slotting in smoothly to the left side and linking telepathically with his colleagues, especially Neymar. He can also play more centrally if required. Aged 25 and with 35 caps he is less of a gamble than Martinelli, four years his junior with only three appearances.
Brazil will be tested against top-level European nations for the first time since 2018 but seem to have enough strength in depth to go all the way. The Seleçao are 4/1 to win the World Cup and are universal favourites.
How they qualified
Brazil came first in CONMEBOL qualifiers, unbeaten, winning 14, drawing three and losing none, conceding only five goals.
On the sidelines
Roberto Firmino is the highest-profile omission while Arsenal centre-back Gabriel Magalhães was also left out despite being called up recently. Defender Guilherme Arana and midfielder Arthur are injured. Aston Villa's pair of Philippe Coutinho and Douglas Luiz were not selected.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Alisson Becker (Liverpool), Ederson (Manchester City), Weverton (Palmeiras)
Defenders: Dani Alves (UNAM), Thiago Silva (Chelsea), Marquinhos (PSG), Danilo (Juventus), Alex Telles (Sevilla), Alex Sandro (Juventus), Eder Militao (Real Madrid), Bremer (Juventus)
Midfielders: Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle United), Casemiro (Manchester United), Lucas Paqueta (West Ham United), Fabinho (Liverpool), Fred (Manchester United), Everton Ribeiro (Flamengo)
Strikers: Neymar (PSG), Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal), Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid), Antony (Manchester United), Richarlison (Tottenham), Raphinha (Barcelona), Rodrygo (Real Madrid), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Pedro (Flamengo)
Serbia
After surprisingly topping their group in qualifying, Serbia will be quietly confident of causing a shock or two in the Gulf.
Dragan Stojkovic is a legend of Serbian football, but even the biggest Piksi fans have been surprised by the level of influence the former midfielder has had in his 18 months in charge.
Serbia beat out the likes of Portugal and the Republic of Ireland to top their qualifying group and book a direct place in Qatar, and they did so by playing a breathless brand of attacking football.
Aleksandar Mitrovic is Serbia's all-time top goalscorer with 50 goals in just 76 internationals, and the fiery Fulham front man is clearly the jewel in the crown of an impressive attacking arsenal. He's amply supported by the likes of Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Filip Kostic, Darko Lazovic, Luka Jovic and the exciting Dusan Vlahovic, while captain Dusan Tadic may be getting on in years but remains as wily as ever.
It's in defence where Serbia's problems clearly lie. Mallorca goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic is the incumbent between the posts, but the Serbs kept just one clean sheet in qualifying and towering Fiorentina defender Nikola Milenkovic is the only genuine world-class talent in a defensive unit that leaks goals.
Do the Serbs possess the quality to keep out their opponents? They certainly won't lack motivation, and their final group-stage clash against the Swiss is a reprise of Switzerland's tempestuous 2018 World Cup win when the Alpine nation came from behind to claim a famous 2-1 victory. Both of Switzerland's goal scorers that night - Granit Xhaka and the Kosovo-born Xherdan Shaqiri - made Albanian national salutes after scoring, and the Serbs will be in no mood for forgiveness.
As is always the case with one of world football's most combustible sides, the question is whether Serbia can stay united themselves.
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Serbia Kit 1
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Serbia Kit 2
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Brazil v Serbia 24 November; Lusail
Cameroon v Serbia 28 November; Al Wakrah
Serbia v Switzerland 2 December; Doha (Stadium 974)
Coach
Record
Best World Cup: Group Stage in 2006, 2010 and 2018 (as Serbia).
Formation
3-4-3 / 3-4-2-1
Men to watch
Aleksandar Mitrovic has taken his game to spectacular heights over the past few years, but the one to watch might be beanpole Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic. He's long been a revelation in Serie A.
Serbia will fancy their chances of knocking over Cameroon, which means much will hinge on their final group-stage game against Switzerland. Expect the Serbs to exact revenge for that 2018 defeat and book their place in the Round of 16.
How they qualified
There's rarely a dull moment in Serbian football, and Dragan Stojkovic's men qualified in the most dramatic of circumstances.
Needing only a draw in the final round of qualifying to book a direct spot in Qatar, Portugal took the lead in Lisbon after just two minutes. But Dusan Tadic's equaliser put the fright into the home side, and it was left to that man Mitrovic to stun the Estadio da Luz faithful with a 90th-minute winner that saw Serbia top the group and qualify directly at Portugal's expense.
On the sidelines
Serbia have a full-strength squad at their disposal, although key men Mitrovic and Vlahovic go into the tournament carrying groin and ankle injuries respectively.
Goalkeeper Vanja Milinković-Savić is the younger brother of Sergej Milinković-Savić.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Marko Dmitrovic (Sevilla), Predrag Rajkovic (Mallorca), Vanja Milinkovic-Savic (Torino)
Defenders: Stefan Mitrovic (Getafe), Nikola Milenkovic (Fiorentina), Strahinja Pavlovic (Red Bull Salzburg), Milos Veljkovic (Werder Bremen), Filip Mladenovic (Legia Warsaw), Strahinja Erakovic (Red Star Belgrade), Srdjan Babic (Almeria)
Midfielders: Nemanja Gudelj (Sevilla), Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Lazio), Sasa Lukic (Torino), Marko Grujic (FC Porto), Filip Kostic (Juventus), Uros Racic (Braga), Nemanja Maksimovic (Getafe), Ivan Ilic (Hellas Verona), Andrija Zivkovic (PAOK), Darko Lazovic (Hellas Verona)
Strikers: Dusan Tadic (Ajax), Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham), Dusan Vlahovic (Juventus), Filip Duricic (Sampdoria), Luka Jovic (Fiorentina), Nemanja Radonjic (Torino)
Switzerland
Switzerland have solidified their reputation as tournament regulars over the past two decades by only missing the 2012 Euros since the 2004 edition in Portugal.
After a 3-0 hammering at the hands of Italy in Euro 2020, Gli Azzurri were clear favourites to top the qualifying standings but a meek 0-0 draw in Belfast consigned them to the playoffs and Switzerland qualified directly instead. It turned out to be a great escape for the appreciative Murat Yakin, who delivered top-quality Swiss chocolate to the football association of Northern Ireland.
Switzerland rely heavily on their astute defending led by the outstanding goalkeeping of Yann Sommer of Monchengladbach. Becoming famous overnight after saving Kylian Mbappe's penalty in Euro 2020, his agility and reflexes are up there with the very best.
Sommer's club colleague Nico Elvedi is also an underrated centre-back who is more solid than spectacular but he faces stiff competition from Manuel Akanji and Fabian Schär. Akanji has adapted well to Premier League life at Manchester City while Newcastle's Schär's place was under serious threat when Sven Botman joined but he has emerged as a leader for a team excelling in England's top flight.
Veteran left-back Ricardo Rodriguez was underwhelming for AC Milan and PSV Eindhoven but his place for the Rossocrociati has never been in question. On the right flank, Mainz's Silvan Widmer only sat out one qualifying match, making him first choice over Kevin Mbabu, whose move to Fulham has not seen the desired effect he was hoping for.
The midfield is set with Granit Xhaka and Remo Freuler. Xhaka's renaissance under Mikel Arteta's stewardship is something to behold and combined with his usual Switzerland form, there is a good chance for him to have an exceptional World Cup. Nottingham Forest's Freuler has shown that individual quality cannot be masked by his team's deficiencies. Capable of setting the tempo and starting attacks, Freuler's high footballing IQ was instrumental in Atalanta's rise in Serie A over the last few years. Denis Zakaria of Chelsea is unlucky to not see his career rejuvenated in London due to constant injuries.
Ruben Vargas became a hero to zero with his penalty antics in the Euros and will feature heavily once again from the left with his sharp turns and quick dribbling. Xherdan Shaqiri, AKA the "Alpine Messi" is clearly past his best as he failed to cut the mustard at both Liverpool and Lyon and had to accept a step down with a move to Chicago Fire in the MLS. But there is something about Shaqiri's power and unpredictability that makes him essential for the Swiss. Expect him to be the fulcrum of the attack once again.
The lone striker should be Breel Embolo but there is still an opening for Haris Seferovic to take advantage of Embolo's lack of cutting edge. Having said that, Seferovic also had the same problem which condemned him to bench-warming. RB Salzburg's Noah Okafor has been firing on all cylinders in Austria and he is an outside shout to start.
The expectation is for Brazil to make light work of Group G meaning Switzerland will have to battle it out with Serbia for the remaining spot. It will most likely come down to the final matchday against the Serbs to see if the Swiss have the nerve to hold out the likes of Dušan Vlahović and Aleksandar Mitrović. The two teams have bad blood between them. At World Cup 2018 Switzerland beat Serbia 2-1 and ethnic Albanian goalscorers Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri celebrated with a 'double eagle' guesture provoking the Serbs.
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Switzerland Kit 1
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Switzerland Kit 2
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Switzerland v Cameroon 24 November; Al Wakrah (Al Janoub)
Brazil v Switzerland 28 November; Doha (Stadium 974)
Serbia v Switzerland 2 December; Doha (Stadium 974)
Coach
Murat Yakin
Record
Best World Cup: Quarter-finals in 1934, 1938 and 1954
Formation
4-2-3-1
Men to watch
Often maligned but at times mercurial, Granit Xhaka has been tremendous in Arsenal's midfield alongside Thomas Partey.
Switzerland and Serbia will be at it until the final group match to see who will go through.
How they qualified
Switzerland finished above Italy in UEFA Group C to qualify without the need for a playoff.
On the sidelines
Xherdan Shaqiri needs ten more caps to equal Heinz Hermann's record as the player with the most appearances.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Yann Sommer (Borussia Monchengladbach), Gregor Kobel (Borussia Dortmund), Philipp Kohn (Red Bull Salzburg), Jonas Omlin (Montpellier)
Defenders: Manuel Akanji (Manchester City), Eray Comert (Valencia), Nico Elvedi (Borussia Monchengladbach), Ricardo Rodriguez (Torino), Fabian Schar (Newcastle United), Sylvan Widmer (Mainz 05)
Midfielders: Michel Aebischer (Bologna), Edimilson Fernandes (Mainz 05), Fabian Frei (Basel), Remo Freuler (Nottingham Forest), Ardon Jashari (Luzern), Noah Okafor (Red Bull Salzburg), Fabian Rieder (Young Boys), Xherdan Shaqiri (Chicago Fire), Djibril Sow (Eintracht Frankfurt), Renato Steffen (Lugano), Granit Xhaka (Arsenal), Denis Zakaria (Chelsea)
Strikers: Breel Embolo (Monaco), Christian Fassnacht (Young Boys), Haris Seferovic (Galatasaray), Reuben Vargas (FC Augsburg)
Cameroon
Just like most of the African representatives, Cameroon had to do it the hard way. After losing out 0-1 to Algeria in Douala in the playoff first leg, Karl Toko Ekambi scored a last-gasp winner at the end of extra time to secure their berth for the eighth time, an African record. The game was so controversial, in fact, that Algeria asked for a replay. FIFA did not comply.
These days, as the president of the Cameroonian Football Federation, Samuel Eto'o has installed many familiar names in charge of important roles. Unsatisfied with the tendency of appointing second-rate foreign managers, Eto'o singled out Rigobert Song as head coach. Despite the euphoria in Algiers, Song's jury is still out and if this tournament ends in catastrophe, he could be sent straight to the chopping block.
Under Toni Conceição, Cameroon finished third in the 2022-held 2021 AFCON, but their performances had hardly set the world alight and were unspectacular. Having said that, there is a handful of great individual quality that the Indomitable Lions can count on.
After a nine-month doping ban, André Onana is steadily rebuilding his career at Inter Milan, where he has usurped Samir Handanović in the pecking order.
The shocking omission of Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui of Gent means it is difficult to predict who will accompany Jean-Charles Castelletto at centre-back. Perhaps it could be Nicolas Nkoulou, whose long absence after the 2017 AFCON did not cost him his place in the squad. Whoever it might be, watch out for Tolo Nouhou at left-back, who is a cult hero at Seattle Sounders after winning the Concacaf Champions League.
The obvious key player in midfield is Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa. After many setbacks at Premier League level with Fulham, Anguissa has finally found somewhere he can call home in Naples. Part of a devastating trio along with Piotr Zieliński and Stanislav Lobotka, Anguissa has been superb with his reading of the game and technical flair.
Cameroon have most of the heavyweights up top, with Eric-Maxime Choupo Moting and Vincent Aboubakar particularly dangerous. There were slight concerns about who will pick up the mantle after Robert Lewandowski's departure from Bayern but for the time being, Choupo Moting seems to be the answer, which is not what most Stoke City fans expected considering his harrowing spell for The Potters in 2017-18. Captain Vincent Aboubakar was inspirational during his home AFCON tournament this year, as he scored eight, winning the Golden Boot by a big margin.
Similar to other African countries, Cameroon have driven late recruits and it has been successful enough to convince Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo and Georges-Kevin Nkoudou of Besiktas to renounce their allegiance to France and join the squad. Cameroonian fans will expect big things from Mbeumo to supplement the two big strikers just like he has been doing in the Premier League for Ivan Toney.
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Cameroon Kit 1
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Cameroon Kit 2
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Switzerland v Cameroon 24 November; Al Wakrah
Cameroon v Serbia 28 November; Al Wakrah
Cameroon v Brazil 2 December; Lusail
Coach
Rigobert Song
Record
Best World Cup: Quarter-finals in 1990.
Formation
4-4-2
Men to watch
Journeyman Eric-Maxime Choupo Moting has unexpectedly become the main man at Bayern Munich.
The lack of quality defenders will be exposed throughout their group-stage campaign. Finishing bottom will be a safe bet, bearing in mind they lost all of their games in 2010 and 2014.
How they qualified
After edging out the Ivory Coast in Group D, they qualified through the playoffs by the skin of their teeth.
On the sidelines
Samuel Eto'o has football academies in Gabon, Kenya and Cameroon. Goalkeeper André Onana is a graduate.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Devis Epassy (Abha Club), Simon Ngapandouetnbu (Olympique de Marseille), Andre Onana (Inter Milan)
Defenders: Jean-Charles Castelletto (Nantes), Enzo Ebosse (Udinese), Collins Fai (Al Tai), Olivier Mbaizo (Philadelphia Union), Nicolas Nkoulou (Aris Salonika), Tolo Nouhou (Seattle Sounders), Christopher Wooh (Stade Rennes)
Midfielders: Martin Hongla (Verona), Pierre Kunde (Olympiakos), Olivier Ntcham (Swansea City), Gael Ondoua (Hannover 96), Samuel Oum Gouet (Mechelen), Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Napoli)
Strikers: Vincent Aboubakar (Al Nassr), Christian Bassogog (Shanghai Shenhua), Eric-Maxime Choupo Moting (Bayern Munich), Souaibou Marou (Coton Sport), Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford), Nicolas Moumi Ngamaleu (Young Boys), Jerome Ngom (Colombe Dja), Georges-Kevin Nkoudou (Besiktas), Jean-Pierre Nsame (Young Boys Berne), Karl Toko Ekambi (Lyon)