Spain
Spain vs Japan FIFA World Cup 2022 LIVE Streaming: Where and how to watch online and on TV Channel, predicted XI
Here you can get all the details as to When, Where, and How you can watch the FIFA World Cup 2022 between Spain vs Japan Live Streaming
Spain and Japan will compete in the last Group E fixture with their chances of moving on to the World Cup knockout rounds still in doubt.
La Roja only needs to avoid losing; a victory would assure them first place in Group E. Japan must win in order to advance, but if the other fixture between Germany and Costa Rica ends in a draw, a draw would be sufficient.
So on Thursday, everything is set up for a tight but captivating final-night match to decide who proceeds to the round of 16.
Where and how to watch FIFA World Cup 2022 Spain vs Japan live in Bangladesh?
Bangladesh viewers can watch the match live on all of these channels: BTV, T Sports, PTE LTD and Viacom 18.
Spain vs Japan match on Toffee apps live-The digital platform powered by Banglalink
Bangladesh viewers can also enjoy live stream online the World Cup games on Toffee, the digital platform powered by Banglalink.
Spain vs Japan Match Live on Facebook and Youtube
Many Facebook pages and YouTube channels also live the match
How to watch Spain vs Japan live stream in India
In India, the World Cup is being televised on Sports18, but every game is being shown for free and in 4K via the JioCinema app. You can live stream Spain vs Japan on Friday night.
Coverage is available in Hindi, English, Malayalam, Bengali and Tamil, and the JioCinema app is compatible with Chromecast, so you can get a big-screen experience.
Anyone outside of India who wants to watch their home World Cup coverage can just pick up a good VPN and follow the instructions above to safely live stream the action.
How to watch Spain vs Japan live stream in Australia
Football fans in Australia can watch Spain vs Japan, along with every World Cup 2022 game, on free-to-air SBS. You can tune in on TV or live stream Spain vs Japan using SBS On Demand.
Read more: Brazil vs Switzerland FIFA World Cup 2022 LIVE Streaming: Where and how to watch online and on TV Channel, predicted XI
SBS on Demand is free to use and works on a range of smart devices including mobile phones, smart TVs and web browsers.
How to watch Spain vs Japan live stream World Cup 2022 soccer in the US without cable
Soccer fans in the US can watch Spain vs Japan on FS1 and Peacock TV, with kick-off set for 11am ET / 8am PT on Sunday morning.
FS1 shares TV rights to the 2022 World Cup group stage with Fox, but Fox will be showing every game of the knockouts.
Spain vs Japan live stream without cable
If you don't have cable TV, a cord-cutting service is what you need for instant access to Fox and FS1. Sling Blue is the cheapest option. It's $40 per month but you can get your first month half-price with this discount.
FuboTV is another good option. It carries both Fox and FS1, and over 100 channels besides, and allows you to watch the World Cup 2022 in 4K HDR. It's more expensive at $69.99 a month, but first there's a FREE FuboTV trial.
Every game of the World Cup is also being shown on Peacock TV, but the catch is that commentary will be in Spanish. To make up for that, Spain vs Japan and a few other games are being shown for FREE. The Peacock price comes in at $4.99 a month and the service also offers live coverage of the NFL, EPL and WWE.
If you subscribe to Sling, Peacock or any other US streaming service, and find yourself unable to access coverage because you're out of the country, consider using a VPN – we rate ExpressVPN as the best of the best.
How to watch Spain vs Japan live stream in UK
Football fans in the UK can watch Spain vs Japan live stream for free on BBC iPlayer, along with many more World Cup 2022 games, as coverage of the tournament is split evenly between the BBC and ITV.
Every BBC game will be on BBC TV channels in HD and also live streamed on BBC iPlayer in glorious 4K HDR. Just make sure you possess a valid TV license and that your device is 4K-compatible with iPlayer.
Away from home in the UK right now? No worries:
Use ExpressVPN to watch BBC iPlayer from abroad.
BBC iPlayer is free to use and works across a wide range of devices including smart TVs, laptops, games consoles, mobile phones, tablets and streaming sticks. You can watch all the other World Cup 2022 live streams for free on ITV Hub.
How to watch Spain vs Japan live stream in Canada
TSN is the place to watch every 2022 World Cup soccer game in Canada. If you get the channel as part of your cable deal, you'll be able to log in with the details of your provider for access Spain vs Japan live stream.
If you don't have cable, you can subscribe to TSN on a streaming-only basis for $19.99 a month or $199.90 per year.
If you decide to subscribe, or already have, remember you can take your favorite sports streaming service with you wherever you go – just try our No. 1 overall rated VPN 100% risk-free for 30-days and follow the instructions
How to watch live Spain vs Japan Match live from Iran and others country?
If you're abroad during World Cup 2022, and want to tune into your usual home coverage, you'll most likely find yourself geo-blocked and will need to use a VPN to unlock your access.
Read more: Argentina vs Saudi Arabia live stream, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 watch LIVE: Where and how to watch online and on TV Channel, predicted XI
A VPN is a piece of software that allows you to change your apparent location and World 2022 live streams from any country and streaming service you need. They're easy to use and super-secure. We rate ExpressVPN as the best VPN for streaming.
Spain vs Japan Match live on TV Channels
Bangladesh: BTV, Gazi TV, T-Sports
India: Sports18, Sports18 HD, Sony TV Networks
Pakistan: ARY Digital Network
Nepal: Media Hub Private Limited
Malaysia: Astro GO
Singapore: Singtel TV GO, CAST, StarHub TV+, MeWatch
New Zealand: Sky Go, Sky Sport NOW
Indian Subcontinent: Sony Network
What time and date will the FIFA World Cup 2022 Spain vs Japan match are played?
The Spain vs Japan match is set to play at the Khalifa International Stadium on Friday in the group stage of the FIFA World Cup 2022 at 1.00 am IST
Spain vs Japan lineups: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
Spain squad & team news
For Spain, star talent Gavi's presence in the starting lineup is doubtful due to an injury as he has missed a training session ahead of the game.
Veteran midfielder Sergio Busquets could also be given a rest as the midfielder is one booking away from a suspension.
Spain predicted XI: Simon; Carvajal, P. Torres, Laporte, Alba; Koke, Rodri, Pedri; F. Torres, Morata, Olmo
Position Players
Goalkeepers: Sanchez, Raya, Simon
Defenders: Azpilicueta, Guillamon, P. Torres, Garcia, Carvajal, Laporte, Balde
Midfielders: Busquets, Llorente, Pedri, Rodri, Koke, Gavi, Soler
Forwards: Morata, Pino, F. Torres, Asensio, Sarabia, Olmo, Williams, Ansu Fati
Japan squad & team news
Takehiro Tomiyasu, Hiroki Sakai and Wataru Endo are doubtful for the crucial group stage clash against due to injuries.
Skipper Maya Yoshida, who is set to pick up his 125th cap for Japan, will want to make the occasion memorable with an important win.
Japan predicted XI: Gonda; Yamane, Itakura, Yoshida, Nagatomo; Tanaka, Morita; Doan, Kamada, Kubo; Maeda
Position Players
Goalkeepers: Kawashima, Gonda, Schmidt
Defenders: Yamane, Taniguchi, Nagatomo, Tomiyasu, Sakai, Itakura, Yoshida, Ito
Midfielders: Endo, Shibasaki, Minamino, Morita, Kamada, Tanaka, Doan, Soma
Forwards: Maeda, Kubo, Ueda, Asana, Ito, Mitoma
Spain vs Japan Head-to-head record
These two have never met at a World Cup and only have one prior meeting, a friendly in 2001.
Former Atletico Madrid midfielder Rubén Baraja got the only goal of the game.
Qatar World Cup: Spain has some work to do vs Japan to guarantee spot in the round of 16
After conceding late to miss out on a victory against Germany, Spain finds itself with some work left to do against Japan to guarantee its spot in the round of 16 at the World Cup.
It doesn’t need much, though, as a draw on Thursday will be enough, and even a loss may allow La Roja to advance depending on the other Group E result between Germany and Costa Rica.
Japan doesn’t have it as easy, but a win will guarantee the Japanese a place in the knockout stage for a second straight time. It would be the first time Japan advances past the group stage in back-to-back tournaments. If Japan loses, though, it will head home no matter what. The Japanese opened their campaign with a surprising win over four-time champions Germany before losing to Costa Rica. They were eliminated by Belgium in the last 16 in Russia.
Spain, which conceded an 83rd-minute equalizer against Germany, may also go home with a loss if Costa Rica beats Germany or if the Germans win big to overcome Spain’s goal difference after La Roja's 7-0 opening win over Costa Rica.
Read more: FIFA World Cup 2022: Young Spain rout experienced Costa Rica 7-0
A victory at Khalifa International Stadium will guarantee Spain first place in the group, and keep it on track for a possible matchup with five-time champions Brazil in the quarterfinals. Spain enters the final round with four points, one more than both Japan and Costa Rica. Germany has one point.
“We are not thinking about our opponents in the knockout rounds,” Spain midfielder Koke Resurrección said. “We need to beat Japan first and then we’ll see which team we’ll have to play against. If it’s Brazil in the quarterfinals, so be it, and we’ll try to prepare for it as best as possible.”
Germany’s chances of staying alive in Qatar will largely depend on Spain winning its match against Japan. Then a victory over Costa Rica would be enough for the Germans.
What may not help Germany is the fact that Spain coach Luis Enrique is expected to rotate some of his players after making only one change from the first to the second game — Dani Carvajal coming in for César Azpilicueta in the right back position.
Teenager Gavi, who started in the first two matches, trained separately from the group after the 1-1 draw with Germany because of a knock on a knee. He was expected to be available for Thursday’s match but was not likely to start.
Another midfielder expected to be rested is 34-year-old Sergio Busquets, the only remaining player from Spain’s World Cup-winning squad in 2010. Striker Álvaro Morata, who scored a goal in each of the first two matches after coming off the bench, could get a spot in the starting lineup against Japan.
Read more: Germany pin hopes on Spain match to avoid early FIFA World Cup exit
Japan could see Ayase Ueda and Junya Ito playing together in attack from the start for the first time.
The under-23 squads of Spain and Japan met in the semifinals of the Tokyo Olympics last year, when Spain advanced before eventually losing to Brazil in the final. Several players from those squads made their senior teams in Qatar, including Marco Asensio, who scored Spain’s winner in extra time in the semifinal against Japan, and Japan’s Takefusa Kubo, who plays for Real Sociedad in the Spanish league.
FIFA World Cup 2022: Germany earn crucial late draw against Spain
Germany forward Niclas Füllkrug salvaged a 1-1 draw against Spain on Sunday at the World Cup.
The Germans still need to win their last group match to have a chance of advancing to the knockout stage. The four-time champions were eliminated in the group stage four years ago in Russia.
Germany will next face Costa Rica, which defeated Japan 1-0 earlier Sunday. Even a win may not be enough for the Germans, who are in last place in Group E and need the other result to go their way.
Read more: World Cup: Costa Rica beat Japan 1-0 making things easier for Spain, Germany
Spain can reach the last 16 with a draw against Japan.
Álvaro Morata put Spain ahead in the 62nd minute and Füllkrug equalized for Germany in the 83rd.
The match between the pre-tournament favorites was one of the most anticipated in the group stage.
Spain tried to control the pace of the game with ball possession but wasn’t able to create many opportunities, while Germany was able to threaten sporadically with breakaways and set pieces.
Read more: Young Spain bring back 'tiki-taka' at World Cup
FIFA World Cup 2022: Young Spain rout experienced Costa Rica 7-0
Spain's young squad got off to a high-scoring start at the World Cup, routing an experienced Costa Rica 7-0 at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha on Wednesday night.
Not long after Japan surprised Germany 2-1 in the other Group E match, Spain avoided any chance of an upset with Dani Olmo, Marco Asensio and Ferran Torres scoring a goal each in the first 31 minutes.
Torres, Gavi, Carlos Soler and Alvaro Morata added to the lead in the second half.
Read more: Luis Enrique more than just a coach for Torres
Olmo's goal was the 100th at World Cups for Spain, who became the sixth nation to score more than 100 times in the tournament. Also, it was the first time Spain had scored seven goals in a World Cup match.
With 18-year-old Gavi and 19-year-old Pedri starting, Spain became the first European nation with two teenagers in the starting lineup of a World Cup match in 60 years, according to statistics platform Opta. "Gavi then became the youngest goal scorer at the World Cup since Pelé in the 1958 final."
Gavi and Pedri were among the many youngsters picked by Spain coach Luis Enrique in a revamped squad in Qatar – the third-youngest team among the 32 nations, after the US and Ghana. The young duo helped Spain control the pace of the match from the start at the Al Thumama Stadium.
Costa Rica looked overwhelmed from the start in its third straight World Cup campaign. They came to Qatar hoping to repeat their surprise run to the quarterfinals in 2014 in Brazil, and avoid a repeat of their participation four years ago in Russia when they were eliminated in the group stage after not winning any matches.
Spain, which did not get past the round of 16 in Russia, are trying to break through with a major title after making it to the final of the Nations League and the semifinals of last year's European Championship. This year the team also qualified for the Final Four of the Nations League for a second straight time.
Spain's last major triumph came at Euro 2012, two years after they had won their lone World Cup title in South Africa.
Only five countries scored more goals than Spain at the World Cup – Brazil, Germany, Argentina, Italy and France.
After this match, Spain are at the top of the points table of Group E and Japan are right behind them.
Read more: Spain Squad analysis for 2022 World Cup
Spain Squad analysis for 2022 World Cup
After winning their first World Cup in 2010, the next two seasons were a tale of failure for Spain. In the 2014 Brazil World Cup, they left the group stage. Four years later, the team lost in a tiebreaker against the hosts in the last sixteen at the World Cup in Russia. However, under coach Luis Enrique, Spain has changed a lot in the last few years. He has brought back the style of playing with possession of the ball in the team of many young footballers, including Pedri and Gavi. Let's take a look at Spain Squad in this year's FIFA World Cup.
Spain team announced for FIFA World Cup in Qatar
Intending to win the 2022 World Cup, Spain coach Luis Enrique announced the 26-member squad on November 11.
Table: Players of Spain Team in 2022 World Cup
Role
Players
Goalkeepers
Unai Simon (Athletic Club), Robert Sanchez (Brighton), David Raya (Brentford)
Defenders
Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid), Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea), Eric Garcia (FC Barcelona), Pau Torres (Villarreal), Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City), Jordi Alba (Barcelona), Alejandro Balde (Barcelona), Hugo Guillamon (Valencia)
Midfielders
Sergi Busquets (Barcelona), Rodri (Manchester City), Gavi (FC Barcelona), Carlos Soler (PSG), Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid), Pedri (Barcelona), Koke (Atletico Madrid)
Forwards
Ferran Torres (Barcelona), Nico Williams (Athletic Club), Yeremy Pino (Villarreal), Alvaro Morata (Atletico Madrid, Marco Asensio (Real Madrid), Pablo Sarabia (PSG), Dani Olmo (RB Leipzig), Ansu Fati (Barcelona)
Source: CBS Sports
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Enrique has kept quite a surprise in this squad. As a result, Liverpool midfielder Thiago and Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga were dropped from the team along with Ramos. Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea has been left out of the World Cup squad. Also missing out were Leeds United defender Diego Llorente and Real Betis striker Borja. However, Barcelona striker Ansu Fati got a chance in Spain's World Cup team for the first time.
Spain lost to Russia on penalties in the 2018 World Cup. Then Julen Lopetegui was sacked from the post of head coach of the national team. Since then, Luis Enrique has been the coach of the Spanish national team. However, Enrique is yet to bag any significant achievement. And this World Cup will be his chance to show his charisma.
This time, Enrique changed the entire squad of the Spanish defense. The new ones replaced the old ones. Along with Ramos, Pique is not on Spain's list. Both Ramos and Pique were part of Spain's World Cup-winning squad. Most of that team will not be seen on the field this time. Only Sergio Busquets will remain. On the other hand, Real Sociedad captain Mikel Oyarzabal did not get a chance in the squad.
Read More: ‘They robbed us with 3 goals disallowed in the first half’
20-year-old Ansu Fati is the face of hope for Enrique and Spain fans in this World Cup, along with Alvaro Morata, Ferran Torres, and Marco Asensio.
Spain team analysis for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar
Spain can easily make two teams for any tournament, as they have plenty of options. Hence, it becomes difficult to build a team from the best of the bests. Among 26 players of Spain's final squad, we picked the best three Spanish players for the 2022 Qatar World Cup who can make a difference at any moment.
Pedri (Midfield)
Pedri is the most talked about Under-19 footballer in the world today, and for a good reason. The young Spaniard has already begun to dominate Barcelona and Spain's midfield using great dribbling, excellent passing, and a mature brain. Constantly reminiscent of Andres Iniesta, the youngster's ability to regain possession of the ball has recently drawn comparisons with Lionel Messi.
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Pedri is also adept at 'nutmeg' the opponent. Pedri Gonzalez is the current winner of the 'Golden Boy Award' for the best young player in Europe, which has previously been won by players like Wayne Rooney, Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland. Seems like Pedri has a bright future like his predecessors!
He will be the main weapon for Enrique in the Spanish midfield, who will surely hold Ferran Torres or Ansu Fati in the attack.
Gavi (Midfield)
Aged just eighteen, he was on Barcelona Juvenile' A' player until last year. He joined Barcelona last year and has already cemented his place in the club's first-team starting XI. The style of play of this talented student of Barcelona's academy La Masia can be said to be a combination of two former students of La Masia, Xavi Hernandez, and Andres Iniesta.
Read More: Germany's Kimmich says World Cup dreams tainted by criticism directed at Qatar
Gavi has already won the hearts of the fans with his excellent vision, outstanding control, rare football talent, and brilliant dribbling-passing. In addition to the attack, he also helps the team's defense and can take away the ball by tackling.
Gavi made his debut in El Clasico debut in October last year. He was 17 years and 80 days old when he got a chance in the starting XI for this match. In the last 80 years, no one could make the starting XI of El Clasico at a such young age.
Gavi became the second-youngest to score against Atletico Madrid in La Liga last February, the youngest since Raul Gonzalez in 1994. Gavi is the youngest footballer to wear the national team jersey in Spain's 100-year football history.
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He has written his name on this record by taking the field against Italy last October. Gavi has won the heart of coach Enrique after playing only six matches, so there is no doubt for now that he will take his place in the midfield in starting XI of the World Cup.
Ansu Fati (Forward)
The promising young footballer Ansu Fati has been in the news since his debut for the Spanish club Barcelona in 2019. This striker has already repeatedly proved his talent. He became the youngest player to score a brace in La Liga, which beat Juanmi's record of two goals for Malaga in 17 years and 115 days.
Read More: Argentines shocked, saddened by loss to Saudis at World Cup
Only 16 years and 304 days of age, he became the youngest goal scorer for Spain. He also broke the record of seven-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi as the youngest. This perfect finisher can be one of Spain's trump cards to win the World Cup for Spain.
Final Words
Spain does not have a big star on the team. Their performances in the last two World Cups have been disappointing. There is little speculation about the former champions at the Qatar World Cup.
In defense and midfield, Spain excels in performance. But this can cause them headaches again. The main concern of Spanish fans with the team is the lack of effectiveness in converting goals. Apart from these issues, Spain can be a silent killer for the big teams. Hopefully, this young and enthusiastic 2022 Spanish World Cup Squad can do better than the 2018 tournament.
Read More: Mexico and Poland play out 0-0 in group thrown open by Argentina’s defeat
Which European teams have the best chances of winning 2022 World Cup?
The World Cup trophy has been in Europe for a long time. Brazil became the champion in 2002. After that, four European countries took the cup in the following four tournaments. From that point, it seems Latin teams are having a bad time in World Cup. In addition to that top four European teams, such as Germany, Spain, France, and Portugal, have an excellent squad at Qatar World Cup. So, there is a good chance that the FIFA World Cup trophy 2022 may remain in Europe.
Table: Power Ranking of Four European teams Participating in FIFA Football World Cup 2022
Team
Power Ranking
Germany
3
Spain
4
France
5
Portugal
10
Source: Goal.com
4 Potential European Teams to Win the 2022 Qatar World Cup Trophy
Among the 32 World Cup teams, 13 of them are from Europe. While one of the favorites, Italy, is out of the tournament, Germany, Spain, France, and Portugal join the tournament as favorites. However, the other 9 teams also have a good chance to surprise the world. But we will focus on these four teams. Let’s see the analysis of the potential of Germany, Spain, France, and Portugal in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Read More: Argentina or Brazil: Which team's prospects look better in Qatar World Cup?
France
Table: France Squad at a glance
Positions
Players Who can Make the Difference
Defend
Rapahel Varane, William Saliba
Midfield
Eduardo Camavinga
Attack
Kylian Mbappe, Antonine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele
French coach Didier Deschamps has announced the final squad for the 2022 World Cup with 11 players from the team that won the World Cup in Russia. The 25-member squad was announced at a press conference in Paris.
Midfielders N’Golo Kante and Paul Pogba are out of the squad due to injuries. However, Karim Benzema, who won the Ballon d’Or this year, returned to the attack. But Benzema is also out of the tournament as he was injured during the training session.
Defending champions France have not performed much better in the Nations League. However, some uniqueness has been noticed in their game. Their previous formation seems to have 4-2-3-1. However, with Benzema’s inclusion, Deschamps might have played a 3-4-1-2 formation. Now that Benzema is out, the manager will have to think of a new formation or use the 4-2-3-1.
Read More: France Squad Analysis for 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar
Mbappe will play completely in the role of striker while Griezmann helps him from behind. As Varane is doubtful, Arsenal defender William Saliba could come in that place. He is also young, which is both positive and negative for the team because of his experience level.
Young players can also be seen in front of the stoppers. Since Pogba and Kante are gone, Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni will play in their place. Both of them are solid midfielders. Deschamps always introduces new tactics using young players. But it must also be said that Deschamps is the kind of coach who decides the formation after seeing the opponent. At this stage, however, there is not much room for experimentation. But they have much more talented footballers.
All 23 of France’s squad are world-class players. There are some of them who have the ability to turn the match at any time. Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele are two of the best young players in the world of football today. Apart from this, there are great players like Nabil Fekir and Antoine Griezmann. Any one of them has the power to influence the outcome of a match in a moment of magic.
Read More: Qatar Squad analysis for 2022 FIFA Football World Cup
Overall, Coach Didier Deschamps is the biggest tonic of the France team who was the captain of France’s winning 1998 World Cup team. He has been the coach of France since 2012. As a result, Deschamps got the opportunity to organize his own team for a long time. And we have seen the outcome of the 2018 World Cup. Hence, France has a great chance to retain the World Cup.
Spain
Table: Spain Squad at a glance
Positions
Players Who Can Make the Difference
Defense
Jordi Alba, Pau Torres
Midfielder
Sergi Busquets, Gavi, Pedri, Koke
Attack
Ferran Torres, Pablo Sarabia, Morata
Spain grabbed their long-deserved World Cup in 2010. There isn’t much history in football that won so many top tournaments within a decade. With Cassius, Iniesta, Puyol, and Xavi, Spain has passed its golden time.
But, they failed miserably in the following two World Cups as they struggled to pass the group stage and second round. However, under the coaching of Luis Enrique, a new group of stars has started to make the Spanish dream of winning the World Cup again. Will they get their second title?
Read More: Messi or Ronaldo: Who has better chance at leading team to FIFA World Cup win?
Time will answer that question. But, the Spain team, built with a mixture of youth and experience, has the ability to do great things.
Goalkeeper Unai Simon will be Enrique’s first choice under the posts. However, the Spain coach has excellent options in the goalkeeper position. Robert Sánchez and David Raya are also capable of playing their own roles if needed.
Spain is also very strong in defense. Cesar Azpilicueta, Pau Torres, Erik García, and Jordi Alba are very effective in adapting to any situation. Pedri and Koke will be upfront with Sergio Busquets in the midfield.
Read More: 5 players who can win the Golden Boot at Qatar World Cup
19-year-old young Pedri is considered one of the surprises in this World Cup. Eyes will be on Rodri too. How Enrique utilizes the Manchester City star, who has great passing ability, could also play a role in shaping the course of Spain’s game.
And in the forward line, Enrique will rely on Ferran Torres, Pablo Sarabia, and Morata. They can be seen in multiple roles, even by changing positions. Apart from this, stars like Dani Olmo, Ansu Fati, Gavi, or Nico Gonzalez will be waiting for an opportunity from the bench as an alternative even if they do not get a place in the eleven.
It can be said that Enrique has all the enviable options in his hands, which can cause this coach to have a lot of trouble in arranging the eleven. All in all, the mix of youth and experience in the Spain team is quite good.
Read More: FIFA World Cup: 5 players who can win the Golden Ball in Qatar
All in all, Spain’s way of attacking may be in a 2-3-5 formation, where the fullbacks come forward as an attacking and possession-based team, and the wingers play inverted roles.
In the recent matches they have won, the results seem to be seen that they have struggled. But Enrique’s team was much ahead of the opponent in possession of the ball in almost all the matches. However, scoring does not reflect such strong football.
Apparently, Spain is heading a team like the 2010 World Cup. After France, they have a huge chance to win the World Cup.
Read More: Argentina Squad analysis for 2022 World Cup in Qatar
Portugal
Table: Portugal Squad at a glance
Positions
Players Who cCanMake the Difference
Defense
Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo
Midfield
Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes
Attack
Rafael Leao, Cristiano Ronaldo
Portugal’s best success at the World Cup is two semi-final appearances. However, this year Portugal has a young, energetic team under Cristiano Ronaldo’s captaincy.
This may be the last World Cup for the 37-year-old star, Ronaldo. He will definitely want to grab the desired trophy. However, in addition to Ronaldo, there are a few other stars in the Portugal team who can change the game.
Read More: Portugal Squad Analysis for 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar
With Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva, Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias, Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes, and AC Milan’s Rafael Leao, this time Portugal has a promising team. All these players have been in great form in their club matches. Although the squad is good, Portugal has never played a World Cup final before.
Overall, team Portugal mostly depends on Ronaldo. Other players’ lack of experience in big tournaments may hold the team back. Also, Portugal’s knockout against Belgium in Euro 2021 also portrays a poor team performance.
However, they have easy opponents in the group stage. Despite being a good squad, Portugal has a 50-50 chance.
Read More: Why Maradona's 'Hand of God' goal is priceless -- and unforgettable
Germany
Table: German Squad at a glance
Positions
Players Who can Make the Difference
Goalkeeping
Manuel Neuer
Defense
Antonio Rudiger
Attack
Jamal Musiala, Thomas Muller
Germany, the 2014 World Cup champions, was eliminated in the first round in Russia four years ago. Never since World War II has Germany been eliminated before the quarter-finals of two consecutive international football tournaments. There is not much optimism about Germany in this year’s World Cup in Qatar.
Even the German team doesn’t have much hope for themselves. This is evident from the words of Antonio Rudiger, one of the most important stars of the team. The German defender of Real Madrid thinks that it will be a big ‘shock’ if Germany becomes the champion in Qatar World Cup.
Read More: Germany Squad Analysis for 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar
This time, such a Germany is going to play the World Cup in Qatar, about whom the British media, The Guardian says, “The Germany team are at a historic low.”
Germany was knocked out in the group stage at the FIFA World Cup in Russia four years ago and failed to make it past the second round after losing to England at the Euros.
After winning the World Cup in 2014, many of their golden generations quit the game. In those places, the replacement was not really done that way. Muller is still their hope in scoring goals. The team did not do well in the Nations League either. All in all, nothing big can be expected from them. But it is also true Hansi Flick will try to build a combination with this team.
Read More: 5 rising stars to watch for in FIFA World Cup 2022
Apart from Muller, 19-year-old midfielder Jamal Musiala is another hope for the team. Musiala’s big strength is his build, and he can move through defenses quickly because of his physical build. Another special thing about Musiala is that he is good with both feet; his shot power is quite good at this age.
Overall, Germany has almost zero chance of surviving in this World Cup unless any miracle happens.
Final Words
This is the World Cup stage, and anything can happen. Though several countries from Europe-America are making strong claims for the championship, it is difficult to say which country will win. So far, we have analyzed the potentials of four European squads including Germany, Spain, France, and Portugal in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. However, as per the analysis, if we have to pick from Europe, France has the ultimate chance.
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Luis Enrique more than just a coach for Torres
Luis Enrique is more than just a coach for Spain forward Ferran Torres. He is also the father of the Barcelona player’s girlfriend — and that’s no problem for them at the World Cup.
Torres dates the 20-year-old daughter of Luis Enrique, Sira Martínez, and says he and the coach have done well, separating work and family.
“The coach and I are being able to separate when we are family and when we are coach and player,” the 22-year-old Torres said Sunday in Qatar, where Spain will play in Group E.
He and Sira have not hidden their relationship, but the forward has not often spoken publicly about it.
“You have to deal with it naturally,” Torres said. “It is what it is, and we have been dealing with it very well.”
Read more: Barcelona joins Qatar World Cup boycott; will not host public viewings
Luis Enrique brought up Torres’ relationship with his daughter in one of his appearances as a streamer on Twitch. When asked about which player he felt was the most similar to him when he used to play, Luis Enrique — a former midfielder for Spain’s national team and for Barcelona — had a long pause and then said, laughing: “This one is very easy for me. It’s Ferran Torres. Because if not, my daughter will get me and cut my head off.”
Torres hinted he was watching the stream when Luis Enrique made the joke.
“I’m a fan of his streams. Every night we are waiting to watch him and we have a good time with it,” Torres said. “He jokes a lot. It was something that came up live, it was a joke.”
Torres is one of the many youngsters Luis Enrique picked for Spain’s revamped squad. He hasn’t played many minutes with Barcelona under coach Xavi Hernández, but started for Spain in the two Nations League matches in September. He also came off the bench in the World Cup warmup against Jordan last week.
Torres plays more on the sides but can also be used at the top of the attack at the striker position, where Luis Enrique only brought Álvaro Morata to his squad.
“We have eight forwards and that helps,” said Torres, who feels like good performances in Qatar may help his case at the club level with Barcelona. “The World Cup may work as a trampoline for me and many other players.”
Spain is trying to win a second World Cup title after lifting the trophy for the first time in 2010 in South Africa. The team’s first match in Qatar is on Wednesday against Costa Rica. The team will then face Germany and Japan.
Read more: Real Madrid show Barcelona still have a long way to go
Brothers end up on different teams at Qatar 2022
Brothers, teammates and, now, World Cup rivals.
Athletic Bilbao forwards Iñaki and Nico Williams are set to become the latest brothers to play for different countries in a World Cup.
Iñaki Williams was selected by Ghana on Monday, and his younger brother Nico Williams had been picked by Spain last week.
They will be repeating the feat of the Boateng brothers, who played for different nations in 2010 in South Africa and in 2014 in Brazil. Jerome Boateng was a central defender with Germany, while the older Kevin-Prince Boateng was an attacking midfielder with Ghana.
The Boatengs, who played against each other in both tournaments, were born to a Ghanaian father and were raised by separate mothers in Germany. The Williams brothers were born in Spain from Ghanaian parents who made the long journey to Europe looking for a better life.
To make it to Spain, they had to ride on the back of a crowded truck and walk barefoot through the Sahara desert, according to Iñaki Williams. His mother was already pregnant with him when the couple were detained while trying to enter Spain. They eventually received political asylum after taking advice from a charity worker who told them to say they had fled a civil war in Liberia.
The couple moved to the Basque Country region where both boys were born. It didn’t take long before Iñaki Williams, now 28, joined the youth academy of first-division club Athletic. Nico, now 20, eventually did the same.
“I always say that everything we do is for our parents, for everything that they did for us,” Iñaki Williams told the Spanish daily Marca. “It’s like being able to somehow give it back to them for their sacrifice, to let them see their kids fulfil their dreams.”
The brothers are among the few Black players to ever play for Athletic, the traditional Spanish club that signs local-born players or those who have come through the soccer academies of teams in the Basque region.
Iñaki Williams last season broke the Spanish league record for most consecutive appearances with 203. He hadn’t been called up for Spain since making an appearance in a friendly in 2016, so he decided to accept the call from Ghana as the African nation aggressively recruited players in the run-up to the World Cup in Qatar.
The speedy forward made his debut with Ghana in September against Nicaragua, and later played in a friendly against Brazil.
Nico Williams, who was raised in part by Iñaki because their parents often had to be out working, was a surprise late addition by Spain coach Luis Enrique, with his first call-up coming in September. He made his debut in a Nations League match against Switzerland, and in his second appearance coming off the bench, the youngster set up a goal by teammate Álvaro Morata to send Spain into the last four.
Teammate brothers
There are a few examples of siblings playing for the same national team in World Cups, including the three Palacios brothers with Honduras in the 2010 tournament.
Ghana had brothers Andre and Jordan Ayew — sons of three-time African player of the year Abedi Pele — play together at the 2014 World Cup, and they will be back to play in Qatar this month.
Ivory Coast played with Yaya and Kolo Toure in 2010 and in 2014, while Jonathan and Giovani dos Santos played for México in 2018, as did Eden and Thorgan Hazard for Belgium.
Twins Frank and Ronald de Boer were in the Dutch team in the 1994 and 1998 World Cups, reaching the semifinals in 1998. Another pair of Dutch twins — Rene and Willy van de Kerkhof — made the final twice, in 1974 and 1978, both times coming up short of the title. Erwin and Ronald Koeman were not twins but in 1990 also played with the Netherlands.
The Danish national team had Brian and Michael Laudrup in the 1998 tournament, while England counted on Jack and Bobby Charlton in the 1966 and 1970 World Cups.
Spain and Ghana are in different groups in Qatar, so the Williams brothers won’t be able to play against each other at least until the quarterfinals.
“Hopefully it will happen,” Iñaki Williams said, “and that Ghana wins...”
“We’ll see about that,” Nico Williams said. “But for sure we will be exchanging shirts after the match.”
Read more: Players who will be absent from Qatar World Cup including Haaland, Salah
Spain: 10 injured while leaving stopped train near wildfire
An approaching wildfire in eastern Spain caused a train driver to stop and prepare to change directions to avoid the flames, and several passengers were injured when they got off rather than wait, authorities said.
The train was traveling in the Valencia region on Tuesday night when the driver decided to reverse course because of the wildfire advancing from around the town of Bejís, further east.
Some passengers got off the train when it stopped in the countryside, including ones who broke windows to escape, officials said. Ten people were injured, Spanish state news agency Efe reported.
The government of Castellón province on Wednesday tweeted a video of firefighters running for their lives as towering flames from the Bejís fire roared behind them.
Read: Wildfire in southwestern France: 8,000 people evacuated
The wildfire is one of two still raging out of control in eastern Spain. South of Valencia city, a bigger fire around the Val d’Ebo area has forced more than 1,500 people to evacuate towns and villages since the weekend.
Valencia regional President Ximo Puig said Wednesday that the Bejís fire had a perimeter of some 50 kilometers (30 miles) and had burned some 4,000 hectares (10,00 acres). He said the Val d'Ebo blaze had a perimeter of 80 kilometers (50 miles) and had scorched some 11,500 hectares (28,000 acres).
The European Forest Fire Information System says 275,000 hectares (679,000 acres) have burned in wildfires so far this year in Spain. That’s more than four times the country’s annual average of 67,000 hectares (165,000 acres) since 2006, when records began.
In neighboring Portugal, authorities said they hoped to bring under control a wildfire that has burned for 12 days and scorched large swaths of pine forest in the Serra da Estrela Natural Park.
However, officials warned a new heat wave forecast for the area could complicate the task.
Smoke from the Portugal fire reached Spain's capital, Madrid, about 400 kilometers (240 miles) to the east, on Tuesday.
Europe broils in heat wave that fuels fires in France, Spain
A heat wave broiling Europe spilled northward Monday to Britain and fueled ferocious wildfires in Spain and France, which evacuated thousands of people and scrambled water-bombing planes and firefighters to battle flames in tinder-dry forests.
Two people were killed in the blazes in Spain that its prime minister linked to global warming, saying, “Climate change kills.”
That toll comes on top of the hundreds of heat-related deaths reported in the Iberian peninsula, as high temperatures have gripped the continent in recent days and triggered wildfires from Portugal to the Balkans. Some areas, including northern Italy, are also experiencing extended droughts. Climate change makes such life-threatening extremes less of a rarity — and heat waves have come even to places like Britain, which braced for possible record-breaking temperatures.
The hot weather in the U.K. was expected to be so severe this week that train operators warned it could warp the rails and some schools set up wading pools to help children cool off.
Also read: 84 die in first 3 days of Spain's heat wave
In France, heat records were broken and swirling hot winds complicated firefighting in the country's southwest.
“The fire is literally exploding,” said Marc Vermeulen, the regional fire service chief who described tree trunks shattering as flames consumed them, sending burning embers into the air and further spreading the blazes.
“We’re facing extreme and exceptional circumstances,” he said.
Authorities evacuated more towns, moving another 14,900 people from areas that could find themselves in the path of the fires and choking smoke. In all, more than 31,000 people have been forced from their homes and summer vacation spots in the Gironde region since the wildfires began July 12.
Three additional planes were sent to join six others fighting the fires, scooping up seawater and making repeated runs through dense clouds of smoke, the Interior Ministry said Sunday night.
More than 200 reinforcements headed to join the 1,500 firefighters trying to contain the blazes in the Gironde, where flames neared prized vineyards and billowed smoke across the Arcachon maritime basin famed for its oysters and beaches.
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Spain, meanwhile, reported a second fatality in two days in its own blazes. The body of a 69-year-old sheep farmer was found Monday in the same hilly area where a 62-year-old firefighter died a day earlier when he was trapped by flames in the northwestern Zamora province. More than 30 forest fires around Spain have forced the evacuation of thousands of people and blackened 220 square kilometers (85 square miles) of forest and scrub.
Passengers on a train through Zamora got a frightening, close look at a blaze, when their train halted in the countryside. Video of the unscheduled — and unnerving — stop showed about a dozen passengers in a railcar becoming alarmed as they looked out of the windows at the flames encroaching on both sides of the track.
Climate scientists say heat waves are more intense, more frequent and longer because of climate change — and coupled with droughts have made wildfires harder to fight. They say climate change will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive.
“Climate change kills,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Monday during a visit to the Extremadura region, the site of three major blazes. “It kills people, it kills our ecosystems and biodiversity."
Teresa Ribera, Spain’s minister for ecological transition, described her country as “literally under fire” as she attended talks on climate change in Berlin.
She warned of “terrifying prospects still for the days to come" — after more than 10 days of temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), cooling only moderately at night.
At least 748 heat-related deaths have been reported in the heat wave in Spain and neighboring Portugal, where temperatures reached 47 C (117 F) earlier this month.
The heat wave in Spain was forecast to ease on Tuesday, but the respite will be brief as temperatures rise again on Wednesday, especially in the dry western Extremadura region.
In Britain, officials have issued the first-ever extreme heat warning, and the weather service forecast that the record high of 38.7 C (101.7 F), set in 2019, could be shattered.
“Forty-one isn’t off the cards,” said Met Office CEO Penelope Endersby. “We’ve even got some 43s in the model, but we’re hoping it won’t be as high as that.”
France’s often-temperate Brittany region sweltered with a record 39.3 C (102.7 F) degrees in the port of Brest, surpassing a high of 35.1 C that had stood since September 2003, French weather service Meteo-France said.
Regional records in France were broken in over a dozen towns, as the weather service said Monday was “the hottest day of this heat wave.”
The Balkans region expected the worst of the heat later this week, but has already seen sporadic wildfires.
Early Monday, authorities in Slovenia said firefighters brought one fire under control. Croatia sent a water-dropping plane there to help after struggling last week with its own wildfires along the Adriatic Sea. A fire in Sibenik forced some people to evacuate their homes but was later extinguished.
In Portugal, much cooler weather Monday helped fire crews make progress. More than 600 firefighters attended four major fires in northern Portugal.