NETHERLANDS (FIFA RANKING: 8TH)
Louis van Gaal is in his 3rd stint as Netherlands manager
COACH
Louis van Gaal, 71, was appointed in August 2021 after coming out of retirement to take the national team reins for the third time. He failed to qualify the Dutch for the 2002 World Cup but took them to the semi-finals in 2014 in his second stint.
Much will rest on Frenkie de Jong's shoulders if the Dutch are to go far
KEY PLAYER
Frenkie de Jong burst onto the scene in the 2018-19 season. His creativity and versatility have turned him into an indispensable part of a resurgent Dutch side, where his presence in Qatar will be all the more important following an injury to midfield partner Georginio Wijnaldum.
Best World Cup performance: Runners-up in 1974, 1978, 2010
How they qualified: Finished first in European qualifying Group G
GROUP FIXTURES
Nov 21: v Senegal
Nov 25: v Ecuador
Nov 29: v Qatar
SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Justin Bijlow, Andries Noppert, Remko Pasveer
Defenders: Virgil van Dijk, Nathan Ake, Daley Blind, Jurrien Timber, Denzel Dumfries, Stefan de Vrij, Matthijs de Ligt, Tyrell Malacia, Jeremie Frimpong
Midfielders: Frenkie de Jong, Steven Berghuis, Davy Klaassen, Teun Koopmeiners, Cody Gakpo, Maarten de Roon, Kenneth Taylor, Xavi Simons
Forwards: Memphis Depay, Steven Bergwijn, Vincent Janssen, Luuk de Jong, Noa Lang, Wout Weghorst
SENEGAL (FIFA RANKING: 18TH)
Lions of Teranga tactician Aliou Cisse will be looking at a deep run in the tournament
COACH
Aliou Cisse, 46, wants to atone for an agonizing exit from the 2018 World Cup, where Senegal lost out on a second-round place only because they accumulated more yellow cards than Japan. He was part of the Senegal team that reached the 2002 World Cup quarter-finals.
Kalidou Koulibaly has often spoken of the prospects of an African team winning the World Cup for the first time
KEY PLAYER
Kalidou Koulibaly was born in France, but opted to represent the country where his parents were born. He has been critical of African teams at the World Cup, saying, "We must stop believing getting past the first round is a great achievement - winning the World Cup is a great achievement."
Best World Cup performance: Quarter-finalists in 2002
How they qualified: Defeated Egypt in a play-off
GROUP FIXTURES
Nov 21: v Netherlands
Nov 25: v Qatar
Nov 29: v Ecuador
SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy, Alfred Mendy, Seny Dieng
Defenders: Youssouf Sabaly, Abdou Diallo, Kalidou Koulibaly, Fode Ballo-Toure, Pape Abou Cisse, Ismail Jakobs, Formose Mendy
Midfielders: Idrissa Gana Gueye, Cheikhou Kouyate, Nampalys Mendy, Krepin Diatta, Pape Gueye, Pape Matar Sarr, Pathe Ciss, Moustapha Name, Loum Ndiaye
Forwards: Sadio Mane, Ismaila Sarr, Boulaye Dia, Bamba Dieng, Famara Diedhiou, Nicolas Jackson, Iliman Ndiaye
ECUADOR (FIFA RANKING: 44TH)
COACH
An Argentine in Gustavo Alfaro will be in charge of the Ecuadoreans' World Cup campaign Gustavo Alfaro, 60, hails from Argentina but has been in charge of Ecuador since August 2020. His side held both Argentina and Brazil at home as they edged out Peru to take the last automatic spot for Qatar in the single South American qualifying group.
KEY PLAYER
Enner Valencia is Ecuador's captain and all-time top scorerEnner Valencia, who this month turns 33, is Ecuador's captain and all-time top scorer with 35 goals. He is also a veteran of previous major tournaments, notably scoring all three of his country's goals at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and appearing at four different editions of the Copa America.
Best World Cup performance: Last 16 in 2006
How they qualified: Ecuador finished fourth in the single South American qualifying group to take the final automatic qualifying spot
GROUP FIXTURES
Nov 20: v Qatar
Nov 25: v Netherlands
Nov 29: v Senegal
SQUAD (PROBABLE)
Goalkeepers: Hernan Galindez, Moises Ramírez, Alexander Dominguez
Defenders: Byron Castillo, Angelo Preciado, Luis Fernando Leon, Jackson Porozo, Piero Hincapie, Xavier Arreaga, Pervis Estupinan, Felix Torres
Midfielders: Carlos Gruezo, Jhegson Mendez, Moises Caicedo, Alan Franco, Jose Cifuentes, Gonzalo Plata, Angel Mena, Anthony Valencia, Jeremy Sarmiento, Romario Ibarra
Forwards: Michael Estrada, Enner Valencia, Djorkaeff Reasco, Ayrton Preciado
QATAR (FIFA RANKING: 50TH)
COACH
Spaniard Felix Sanchez will guide the Qataris in their maiden appearance at a World Cup finals Felix Sanchez, 46, moved to Qatar in 2006. The Spaniard guided Qatar to the Asian Cup title in 2019 and now has a mission to get the World Cup hosts past the first round. He helped Qatar win the Asian U-19 title in 2014 and has brought many of the players into the national side for the World Cup campaign.
KEY PLAYER
Akram Afif was born in Qatar to a Tanzanian footballer father and Yemeni mother Qatar are counting on Akram Afif for the goals needed to get the victories required in the group. Afif was born in Doha to a Tanzanian footballer father and Yemeni mother. He played in Belgium as well as in Spain before joining Al-Sadd, who were Qatari champions in 2021 and 2022.
Best World Cup performance: First appearance
How they qualified: Automatic qualification as hosts
GROUP FIXTURES
Nov 20: v Ecuador
Nov 25: v Senegal
Nov 29: v Netherlands
SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Saad Al-Sheeb, Meshaal Barsham, Yousef Hassan
Defenders: Pedro Miguel, Musab Khoder, Tarek Salman, Bassam Al-Rawi, Boualem Khoukhi, Abdelkarim Hassan, Ismaeel Mohammad, Homam Ahmed
Midfielders: Jassem Gaber, Ali Asad, Assim Madibo, Mohammed Waad, Salem Al-Hajri, Mostafa Tarek Mashaal, Karim Boudiaf, Abdulaziz Hatem
Forwards: Naif Al-Hadhrami, Ahmed Alaaeldin, Hassan Al-Haydos, Akram Afif, Almoez Ali, Mohammed Muntari, Khalid Muneer Mazeed
