Who Is Out Of The World Cup 2022?

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Is Argentina out of World Cup 2022

Find out Argentina’s results, scores and group standing at the FIFA World Cup 2022. Who scored for the Albiceleste in Qatar? (2022 Getty Images) Argentina are world champions for the third time after a heart-stopping final at FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. Lionel Messi scored twice in the final as he claimed the one trophy missing from his collection in his stellar career. Messi put Argentina ahead from the penalty spot to become the first man to score in each of the knockout stages since the first round of 16 at Mexico 1986.

• Angel Di Maria made it 2-0, but Mbappe scored twice in the space of two minutes late in the second half – the first from the spot – to force extra time.
• Messi scored in the second half of extra time, but France won a penalty with Mbappe converting again to make it 3-3 and take the game into penalties.

Mbappe and Messi both scored their respective team’s openers in the shoot-outs, but Emiliano Martinez was the hero again for ‘La Albiceleste’. The Aston Villa goalkeeper saved from Kingsley Coman before Aurelien Tchouamani shot wide with Paulo Dybala and Leandro Paredes both successful.

Is South Korea out of World Cup 2022

Find out Team South Korea’s results, scores and group standing at the FIFA World Cup 2022. Who scored for the Taegeuk Warriors in Qatar? (2022 Getty Images) The Republic of Korea’s run at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar has ended. Despite a late goal from Paik Seung-ho, the Koreans could not complete what would have been a comeback for the ages against a Brazilian team that scored four times in the first half of their game in the round of 16.

The final score was 4-1 Brazil. Their march to the knockout rounds started with a 0-0 draw against Uruguay in their opening Group H match. The South Koreans, then, shook off a 3-2 loss to Ghana in their second game to score a 2-1 win over Portugual in their third and final game of group play and advance.

FIFA World Cup 2022: Records and stats

Which team is out of World Cup?

Germany beat Costa Rica 4-2 in their final Group E game but it wasn’t enough to qualify for the football World Cup knockouts due to Japan’s shock win over Spain. (Getty Images) The German national football team was knocked out of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar despite a 4-2 win over Costa Rica in its final Group E match on Friday. This was the second successive time that Germany, four-time champions, crashed out of the FIFA World Cup in the group stage – a big surprise considering their superpower status in the game and the abundance of talented players in their team.

Who has been knocked out of the World Cup 2023?

When and where is the 2023 Women’s World Cup? – This year’s tournament is taking place in Australia and New Zealand, making it the first co-hosted Women’s World Cup. The tournament began on July 20, with the final taking place on August 20 in Sydney at the Accor Stadium. The USA are the defending champions but were knocked out by Sweden in the round of 16.

Is Senegal knocked out of World Cup?

KEY STATS –

Qatar could become the first ever host nation to exit the World Cup finals after two games, should Netherlands win or draw against Ecuador in the other Group A match on Friday.This was the first meeting between the two nations in international football.

: Qatar 1-3 Senegal: World Cup hosts eliminated from tournament in record time despite scoring historic goal in Group A

Is Portugal out of World Cup?

Find out Team Portugal’s results, scores and group standing at the FIFA World Cup 2022. Who scored for the A Seleção in Qatar? Did we see Cristiano Ronaldo’s (GETTY IMAGES) Cristiano Ronaldo’s dream to win the elusive World Cup title is over. The Portuguese superstar and his national side were eliminated on Saturday (10 December) in the quarter-finals at the FIFA World Cup 2022. Morocco shocked the 2016 European champion 1-0 and became the first African country ever to reach the World Cup semi-finals.

• And CR7? Have we seen the last big match of the football icon for his national team? The 37-year-old leaves Qatar without the coveted trophy.
• Portugal made the semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup and were hoping to do better this time around but it was not meant to be despite having enough opportunities to score against Morocco’s defensive wall Portugal never found their rhythm and flair which they displayed in the round of 16.

Portugal hammered Switzerland 6-1, with CR7 starting that game on the bench. He came on in the 73rd minute for Gonçalo Ramos who scored a hattrick. Pepe, Raphaël Guerreiro, and Rafael Leão added a goal each. The Portuguese began their chase for their first ever title with a 3-2 win over Ghana then defeated Uruguay 2-0 confirming their slot in the round of 16, before losing 1-2 to the Republic of Korea in group play.

Who knocked Portugal out of World Cup

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal squad has been eliminated from the 2022 FIFA World Cup in a shocking upset to Morocco.

Is Japan out of the World Cup 2022

FIFA World Cup 2022: Group E points table and standings –

Position	Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Goal Difference	Points
1	Japan	3	2		1	1	6
2	Spain	3	1	1	1	6	4
3	Germany	3	1	1	1	1	4
4	Costa Rica	3	1		2	-8	3

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Can Messi win World Cup?

Has Lionel Messi won a World Cup before? Is Qatar 2022 his last World Cup? How many did Diego Maradona win? ‘It was epic!’ – Expert breakdown of thrilling World Cup final as Argentina triumph over France Lionel Messi is a World Cup champion for the first time in his illustrious career, after Argentina beat France at Qatar 2022 in one of the greatest World Cup finals ever seen.

1. Messi scored twice as Argentina won 3-3 AET (4-2 on penalties), despite France roaring back having been 2-0 down with under ten minutes to go.
2. On their route to the trophy, Messi was the man to help Argentina take the lead in their 3-0 semi-final win over Croatia, firing home an emphatic penalty to break the deadlock.

The game’s final goal was the best, though, with Messi tormenting Josko Gvardiol before squaring for Julian Alvarez to tap in. It was just the, And in the final it did not take long for Messi to get on the scoresheet in the final against France from the penalty spot after a dubious spot-kick was awarded to Argentina early in the first half.

Why did 15 Spanish players quit?

Jorge Vilda Recalls Players Who Resigned Back Into His Spanish World Cup Squad IBIZA, SPAIN – APRIL 11: Jorge Vilda, head coach of Spain reacts during the Women’s International, friendly match between Spain and China at Palladium Can Misses on April 11, 2023 in Ibiza, Spain.

(Photo by Cristian Trujillo/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images) Getty Images Following months of recrimination and rumour, three of the fifteen players who said they would never again play for the Spanish women’s national team under Jorge Vilda have been included in his preliminary squad for the FIFA Women’s World Cup announced today.

The MVP in this season’s UEFA Women’s Champions League, is among those who return in time for the Women’s World Cup. Two others, Ona Batlle and Mariona Caldentey, who have not played for Vilda since September are back in. Also returning is the two-time Ballon D’Or winner, Alexia Putellas who, out injured for most of the season, was not one of the fifteen who refused to play but is believed to have shared their misgivings.

MILTON KEYNES, ENGLAND – JULY 08: Alexia Putellas, who will miss the match due to an injury; and, Jorge Vilda, Head Coach of Spain look on from the stands prior to the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 group B match between Spain and Finland at Stadium mk on July 08, 2022 in Milton Keynes, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images) UEFA via Getty Images Last autumn, the group of senior internationals known as ‘Las 15’, all sent emails to (RFEF) saying they did not wish to be considered for selection for their women’s national team as the current situation “significantly” affected their “emotional state” and “health”.

They individuals all resigned from the national team “as long as it is not reversed”. The individuals included some of the best players in the world – Patri Guijarro, Aitana Bomnatí, Mapi León, Mariona Caldentey, Sandra Paños and Claudia Pina (all from FC Barcelona), Lola Gallardo and Ainhoa ​​Moraza (Atlético de Madrid), Nerea Eizaguirre and Amaiur Sarriegi (Real Sociedad), Lucía García and Ona Batlle (Manchester United), Leila Ouahabi and Laia Aleixandri (Manchester City) and Andrea Pereira (Club América).

• Jorge Vilda head coach of Spain celebrates victory with his players after the Women’s International,
• Friendly match between Spain and USA at El Sadar Stadium on October 11, 2022 in Pamplona, Spain.
• Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images) NurPhoto via Getty Images In their absence, Spain continued to win matches, including their first-ever victory over the world champions, the United States in October.

Two senior players who also initially withdrew their labor, former captain Irene Paredes and all-time leading goalscorer Jenni Hermoso, returned to play under Vilda this spring. In the meantime there have been meetings between the RFEF’s Director of Women’s Football and the fifteen individuals, some of whom came to the conclusion that it was easier to create change from within the setup than from the outside.

Among the changes made by the federation, to finance the travel of the player’s direct relatives and the caregivers for any of their children to Australia and New Zealand for the duration of the tournament stating that “the RFEF has made an additional effort in order to provide the best possible conditions for the soccer players, and find the best solutions so that the players receive the support of their closest circle during the championship.” It is believed as part of the reconciliation process, Jorge Vilda visited the training camps of the players who had refused to play under him.

The final step came last month when those who wanted to resume playing for Spain once more sent emails to the RFEF, this time formally declaring their availability to play for the national team. Four of the initial fifteen – Mapi León, Patri Guijarro and Claudia Pina of Barcelona and Lola Gallardo of Atlético – did not send the second email and remain unavailable to Vilda for the Women’s World Cup.

• In April, Mapi León, widely acknowledged as one of the best center backs in the world, justified her continued intransigence.
• This is not a tantrum for me and if someone believes it, they do not understand anything about the message that is being sent.
• I have things that are very clear to me, I need some changes, if those changes do not occur, then I have to assess whether I want to or I don’t want to continue with the situation as it is.” Not all of the players who asked to return were included in Vilda’s 30-player preliminary squad.

Former UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year, Sandra Paños was perhaps the most notable omission despite Vilda selecting four players in her position. Speaking to the press after announcing his squad, he said “the important thing is that the players on the list are committed to the selection.” Last week Spain moved up to sixth in the FIFA Women’s World Rankings, equaling their highest-ever position.

Having reached the last sixteen in the 2019 Women’s World Cup, the draw this time appears to have given them a favorable route into the last eight of the competition. They will play all their games up to and including their semi-final in New Zealand minimizing on travel. After a match at home against Panama on June 29, Vilda will name his final 23-player squad for the FIFA Women’s World Cup final on Friday June 30.

They will then play another preparatory match away to Denmark in Copenhagen on July 5 before travelling to New Zealand where they will play their group stage matches against Costa Rica, Zambia and Japan. : Jorge Vilda Recalls Players Who Resigned Back Into His Spanish World Cup Squad

Which Spain players are not at the World Cup

Spain players end boycott after federation commits to change – ESPN play Marsden: A long way to go between federation and Spain players (2:27) Sam Marsden reports the latest as Spain players end boycott after federation commits to change. (2:27) Sep 20, 2023, 08:46 PM Spain’s World Cup winning-squad agreed to end their boycott of the national team on Wednesday after the country’s football federation (RFEF) said it would make “immediate and profound changes”, including reshuffling its top management.

• As part of the deal to end the boycott, between six and nine senior officials of the football federation will be invited to leave their jobs or will be sacked, a source told Reuters on Wednesday, shortly before the federation announced it had relieved its secretary general Andreu Camps of his duties.
• The list of RFEF departures was drawn up during a marathon meeting between the players, their FUTPRO union, members of the Spanish National Sports Council (CSD), and the RFEF’s head of women’s’ football Rafael Del Amo, which ended early on Wednesday.
• Some of the names were put forward by the players themselves, the source added.
• Two players, Mapi León and Patri Guijarro, decided to leave the training camp, saying they are not ready represent Spain at this time, but the other 21 players have stayed and will play in the UEFA Nations League clash against Sweden on Friday.

When asked why she left the camp, Guijarro told reporters: “They are working on changes. It’s a different situation for us. It’s tough, it’s difficult. Being here, after the way everything has happened, mentally we were not ready to stay. That’s the explanation.”

1. León and Guijarro had boycotted the Women’s World Cup after first refusing to play for the national team in March due to the treatment of players.
2. The players had said they would not play for the national team until there were further changes at the federation, deepening a crisis that started after former RFEF boss Luis Rubiales kissed on the lips during the World Cup presentation ceremony.
3. The Spain squad for the Sweden match only includes 15 players for the World Cup-winning squad, most notably omitting Hermoso who accused the RFEF of trying to divide and manipulate the players.
4. “A joint commission will be created between RFEF, CSD and players to follow up on the agreements, which will be signed tomorrow,” CSD President Victor Francos told reporters.
5. “The players have expressed their concern about the need for profound changes in the RFEF, which has committed to making these changes immediately.”

“The players see it as a rapprochement of positions. It is the beginning of a long road ahead of us,” FUTPRO president Amanda Gutierrez told reporters. “Once again, they have shown themselves to be coherent and the vast majority have decided to stay for the sake of this agreement.” Spain won last month’s Women’s World Cup final against England. Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images Later on Wednesday, the RFEF announced the first measure: To remove the adjective “female” from the women’s national team’s official brand to harmonise it with the men’s squad. From now on, both will be known as “Spanish national football team.”

• “Beyond it being a symbolic step, we want it to be a change of concept, and the recognition that football is football, no matter who plays it,” RFEF President Pedro Rocha said, adding this would promote a more egalitarian concept of the sport.
• The remaining changes have yet to be made public though the federation issued another statement on Wednesday evening pledging to give the players a “safe environment.”
• After most of the Women’s World Cup winners were selected for upcoming games, the players said in a joint statement they would take the “best decision” for their future and health after they studied the legal implications of being included in a squad list they had asked to be left out.
• They argued the federation cannot require their presence because they alleged the call-up was not issued within FIFA’s parameters in terms of timings and procedure.
• The players could have faced sanctions including fines of up €30,000 ($32,000) and the suspension of their federation licence for two to 15 years according to Spain’s Sports Act if they had refused the call-up.
• “The first thing they have been told here has been: whoever is not at ease, does not feel strong enough, should know that neither the federation nor the CSD was going to apply a sanctioning process,” Francos said.
• The revolt by the players was triggered after former RFEF chief Rubiales kissed forward Hermoso on the lips following Spain’s World Cup victory.
• She disputed his insistence the kiss was consensual, sparking a national debate about macho culture in sport and eventually led to Rubiales’s resignation.

Spain are set to make their debut in the Women’s Nations League against Sweden in Gothenburg on Friday before playing against in Cordoba on Sept.26. The Nations League will determine which teams from Europe qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The RFEF said the players would have a late breakfast after resting and will hold their first practice on Wednesday afternoon before travelling to Gothenburg on Thursday morning.

Why is Uruguay out of World Cup

AL WAKRAH: Uruguay’s bitterly disappointed manager and players blamed penalty decisions against them for their exit from the World Cup on Friday after they beat Ghana 2-0 but were pipped to a last 16 spot by South Korea due to an inferior number of goals scored.

• Uruguay finished Group H on four points, the same as South Korea, and would have qualified on the next deciding criteria of goal difference had they conceded one goal less or scored one goal more during their three games in Qatar.
• Coach Diego Alonso pointed to a controversial late penalty awarded to Portugal in their second group game, a 2-0 loss.

At the end of the win over Ghana, his players confronted the referee complaining about several unsuccessful penalty appeals. ” FIFA told us that the Portugal penalty was not a penalty, there you have the proof of what happened,” said a stoney-faced Alonso.

The team did everything they could to get into the second round, we’re going home with a bad taste in our mouth.” Aggrieved striker Luis Suarez was blunter, saying football ‘s governing body had an agenda against his nation. “FIFA is always against Uruguay,” said Suarez, complaining that Darwin Nunez and Edinson Cavani should both have been given penalties for fouls by Ghana.

“After the match, I wanted to go and hug my family and people from FIFA come and tell me ‘no’, but you see a Frenchman with his children on the substitutes’ bench,” he added. SUAREZ’S TEARS Suarez was substituted when his team was 2-0 up and had appeared to be going through to the knockout stage, before South Korea scored their late winner to beat Portugal 2-1. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images) The veteran, in his fourth and probably final World Cup, wept when the final whistle went at the Al Janoub Stadium. “We gave our best, every one of us, the situation hurts. We were full of hope. It was not possible. We apologise for not getting through to the next round,” he said.

• Giorgian de Arrascaeta, who scored both of Uruguay’s goals on Friday, struck a calmer note in the aftermath of the game.
• We are sad because we left our all, we scored goals and the outcome didn’t depend on us,” he said, adding that it was best not to comment about the referee in the heat of the moment.

“We’d have to analyse it, but what’s done is done, and there’s nothing left to do.” Alonso said his team was unlucky not to score a third goal against Ghana, which would have taken them through, as they poured forward at the end. Instead, they went out because they only scored two goals in their three tournament games, compared to South Korea’s four.

We had several chances to score the third goal. At 80 minutes, we were qualified. We had four or five chances in the last minutes but unfortunately we didn’t score,” he said. “Today I very much liked our national team. We found our way. We were brave, we had ball possession, we had no fear in the centre backs, in the goalkeeper.

Of course I would have liked to see this version of Uruguay before, but this is what happened. My players broke their backs, they gave their all. “We are out because of Portugal’s penalty that was awarded in extra time that, according to FIFA, was not a penalty.

Is Japan still in the World Cup 2023?

The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup continued Friday ( on FOX and the FOX Sports app ) with Sweden eliminating Japan in the quarterfinal round at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand. Japan and Sweden checked in at Nos.1 and No.7, respectively, in our latest World Cup power rankings,

Who knocked Japan out of the World Cup

Caitlin Murray, ESPN Aug 11, 2023, 04:51 PM Close

Caitlin Murray is a general editor for ESPN.com. She has reported on and written about soccer for The New York Times, The Guardian, Yahoo Sports, Fox Sports, the Associated Press, and others. She authored a book about the history of the U.S. women’s national team called “The National Team: The Inside Story of the Women Who Changed Soccer,” which made “best of” lists in Vanity Fair, The Financial Times, NPR and The Los Angeles Times. On Twitter and Instagram, she’s @caitlinmurr.

AUCKLAND, New Zealand – As Abba’s “Mamma Mia” rang out around Eden Park, the Swedish players walked around the perimeter of the stadium, waving, smiling, dancing. Sweden had knocked out the last remaining former Women’s World Cup champion, Japan, out of this tournament, clearing the way for a new winner.

1. It was a smart and gritty 2-1 win on Friday, too, with Sweden’s press and physicality wilting the beautiful possession football Japan had displayed up to this point.
2. But as much as this Sweden team is about tactics and execution, it’s also about the vibes.
3. We push each other at practice, and we really have fun outside the field,” said forward Sofia Jakobsson,

“I just think we have a good chemistry in the group.” – Women’s World Cup : Landing page | Schedule | Rosters | News – Stream on ESPN+: LALIGA, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Sweden, of course, have done well in tournaments before – they were runners-up at the past two Olympics, and runners-up at the 2003 Women’s World Cup.

• But this group seems to just seeming to be clicking at the right time.
• This is one of the first tournaments that I’m really enjoying off the pitch and also mentally,” said defender Magdalena Eriksson,
• There is a lot of pressure; you want to perform, you want to be at your best, but this tournament I’ve tried to be in the moment and be happy.

That has helped me a lot, enjoying it, and I think many of us are. “It’s so important: We do like each other’s company and we do only get these rare moments to be in these kinds of tournaments. We have to be present. We shouldn’t focused on the negative things about being in a tournament – it’s an amazing experience and so many people would want to be in our shoes.” It’s a positive vibe that (forgive the comparison) feels a bit like the 2019 United States team that won the Women’s World Cup.

• There, the players in France took to calling their teammates “22 best friends” and talked of enjoying each other’s company even when they weren’t required to hang out.
• It’s perhaps fitting, then, that Sweden’s statement win came against a Japan team that was at a tournament-best 14 goals scored and one conceded followed a difficult and emotional penalty-shootout win over the Americans.

Perhaps the baton has been passed. “In Sweden, we are really, really good at learning from our experiences and turning it into a positive experience,” said Eriksson after beating Japan. “We fought to the bitter end against the U.S., we won on penalties against such an experienced team, and that is something we took a lot of strength from.

1. It shows the professionalism across the squad that we managed to have this kind of performance today with having one less day of recovery, and also 120 minutes on our legs, and a long flight.” This Japan side posed a unique challenge for Sweden.
2. The Nadeshiko have been as good on the ball as they’ve been off of it: they held just 24% possession in their stunning 4-0 over Spain, but almost 60% in their 5-0 win over Zambia,

Yet Sweden gave Japan a challenge they hadn’t yet faced. The Swedes were smothering, pressing aggressively to win the ball and then breaking the other way. Sweden also promised before the game that they’d play physically against Japan, and they did, delivering crunching tackle after crunching tackle.

1. In the 20th minute, for instance, Eriksson shoved Mina Tanaka to the ground.
2. A minute later, Elin Rubensson took down Aoba Fujino,
3. It was a ruthless game plan that robbed Japan of the beautiful possession they preferred to play with.
4. When Japan found opportunities on the counter to break, they couldn’t.

At halftime, Japan’s expected goals, or xG – a measure of shot creation and quality – was zero. Sweden’s xG was 1.57. “We didn’t want them to have a lot of time on the ball because that’s when they’re best,” said forward Kosovare Asllani, “We went up high in the pressure, we were aggressive in the duels.” Meanwhile, Sweden played exactly how they like to play.

In the 32nd minute, they scored on a set piece, as usual. (They now have the most set-piece goals of any team in the tournament.) Asllani lofted a free kick into the box that goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita punched away. What followed was four blocked shots until the ball fell fortuitously in front of Amanda Ilestedt, who stepped in front of the Japanese defense to slot it past Yamashita.

A harsh ball-to-hand penalty on Fuka Nagano allowed Sweden to double their lead in the the 51st minute. Japan had their own opportunity for a penalty in the 74th minute, when Riko Ueki had been determined to have been fouled in the box. Video replays, however, showed clearly that it was a dive and no Swedish player had touched her, but there was no video review of the call from the referees.

Perhaps with a hint of karma, Ueki stepped up and missed the shot even as Sweden goalkeeper Zecira Musovic was beaten. It was just a bit cynical and ugly from a Japan team that had otherwise been a joy to watch during this tournament. By the time Japan’s Honoka Hayashi pulled a goal back in the 87th minute on a failed clearance from Eriksson, Japan didn’t look poised for a comeback.

You could practically picture the behind-the-scenes sound engineers teeing up their Abba song of choice. If Sweden felt the pressure against Japan, it was imperceptible here at Eden Park. This is a Sweden team that apparently knows how to keep the mood light – in between games, the players started a team cornhole tournament they’ve dubbed “The Alternative World Cup.” They’ve also played table tennis and video games together while at the World Cup.

“The chemistry in the team is crucial for us,” said Asllani. “We really, really enjoy being together. If you’re happy outside the pitch, it shows on the pitch. You trust each other off the pitch, you trust each other on the pitch. “You need to work on these kind of things and we do it daily. That is a big strength of the team.” Now, Sweden must face Spain in the semifinals for a chance to reach the final, and it’s once more a chance to hear Abba playing in the stadium after the game.

The players, by the way, love hearing Abba whenever they win. Asllani does have a request, however, if Sweden wins again. “I love ‘Lay All Your Love on Me,'” she said, smiling.

Did Qatar get out of world cup 2022

Qatar eliminated at World Cup; earliest host nation exit in 92-year tournament history – ESPN play What the World Cup fan village in Qatar looks like (1:56) Mark Ogden has a look around Ras Abu Fontas fan village ten miles south of downtown Doha. (1:56) Nov 25, 2022, 01:31 PM ET

became the first team eliminated at the 2022 World Cup after suffering defeats in their opening two fixtures, the earliest exit by a host nation in the tournament’s 92-year history.Qatar, who were controversially awarded the hosting rights in 2010, became the first host country to lose the opening game of the tournament when they were beaten 2-0 by on Sunday before losing 3-1 to on Friday. – Their hopes of advancing to the knockout stages were ended on later on Friday when draw 1-1 to Ecuador.Qatar face an uphill task of achieving a win in their final group game as they face Netherlands on Friday, with the European nation needing a win to guarantee qualification to the round of 16.South Africa (2010) are the only other host team to be eliminated in the group stage, although the African side at least went out with a win and a draw from their three games.

“If you expected us to go very far in this tournament, then it will be a disappointment,” Qatar coach Félix Sánchez said before his team was officially out. “Our goal was to be competitive. “We have to forget about today, move on and play the Netherlands.” The writing was on the wall from the very start for the Qatar.

The team may be the 2019 Asian champion, but looked nervous and was overwhelmed in the 2-0 loss to Ecuador last weekend straight after a glittering opening ceremony put on by the wealthy Gulf emirate and meant to showcase it to the world. Friday’s performance by Qatar was a little, but not much better for a squad that all plays in the local league and is missing the kind of top talent that is present in almost every World Cup team now.

Qatar had never qualified for the World Cup before FIFA’s highly-contentious decision in 2010 to give it the tournament. That gave its team automatic entry. But although the oil- and gas-rich nation spent around $220 billion of its vast riches on building stadiums, roads and even a new city for the World Cup, it couldn’t put together a solid defense for the team.

Which of these countries did not qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup

Countries that have failed to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar

• A t the end of the final round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, all teams for the showpiece event in Qatar have been confirmed.
• Follow the draw here LIVE:
• The qualifiers also proved to be a tough bridge to cross for several big teams, who will not be part of the World Cup later this year.

Only three of the 32 teams remain to be confirmed for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, with them to be decided through the inter-confederation playoffs and the eliminator between Wales and the winner of Scotland vs Ukraine. Qualified-teams-FIFA-World-Cup-2022

2. RELATED |
3. Italy (UEFA)

European champion Italy will not play in the 2022 World Cup after being beaten by North Macedonia in its play-off in Palermo. Italy has now failed to qualify for a second consecutive World Cup. Federico Chiesa, Marco Verratti and Giorgio Chiellini will not take the big stage in Qatar.

• Scotland (UEFA)
• Scotland lost to Ukraine 1-3 in the UEFA World Cup Qualifying playoffs to get eliminated in the race to Qatar 2022, failing to make it to the tournament since 1998.
• Ukraine (UEFA)
• Ukraine lost to Wales 0-1 in the final playoff of the World Cup Qualifiers as Wales qualified for the first time in the FIFA World Cup since 1958.
• Nigeria (CAF)

Among the powerhouses in African football, Nigeria suffered a stunning elimination at home at the hands of Ghana. Leicester City trio Kelechi Iheanacho, Wilfred Ndidi and Ademola Lookman, and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen are the big names who will not feature at the World Cup.

3. Algeria (CAF)

The 2019 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) winner Algeria has failed to qualify for a second successive World Cup. Manchester City winger and Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez will be missing in action in Qatar. Egypt (CAF) It was a double blow for Egypt in the space of two months.

After losing the AFCON final to Senegal in a penalty shootout last month, the Pharaohs suffered a similar fate against the same opponent in the third round qualifiers. Mohamed Salah, arguably among the most feared forward in world football at the moment, will not feature on the grandest stage of international football this year.

RELATED | Colombia (CONMEBOL) After a quarterfinal exit and round-of-16 finish in the previous two editions, Colombia has failed to make a third successive World Cup appearance. Luis Diaz, James Rodriguez and Davinson Sanchez are among the star Colombian players to miss out on the World Cup.

• Peru (CONMEBOL)
• Peru lost to Australia in the penalty shooutout to get eliminated from the race for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
• New Zealand (Oceania)
• The All Whites, came into the intercontinental playoff with a win over Solomon Islands, but was beat by Costa Rica, thanks to an early goal by Joel Campbell, to crash out of the race for Qatar 2022.

: Countries that have failed to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar

Who knocked England out of the 2022 World Cup?

World Cup: France Knocks England Out of the World Cup After Harry Kane’s Missed Penalty Harry Kane of England failed on his second penalty kick as France kept a 2-1 lead. Credit. Noushad Thekkayil/EPA, via Shutterstock AL KHOR, Qatar — For England, it ended as it always does, as it always seems like it must: with a penalty missed or an opportunity wasted, a fallen hero holding his head in his hands, replaying that moment, the one when it all fell apart, over and over in his mind, wanting nothing more than a chance to rewind, to do it all again, to make it right.

There will, in the days to come, be plenty of recrimination as England picks over the bones of its 2-1 defeat to France on Saturday in the quarterfinals of the World Cup, as it comes to terms with another exit, another disappointment, another few years of hurt. It is, or at least it has become, a natural part of the cycle, a chance for catharsis, collective therapy or just some good, old-fashioned bloodletting, depending on the circumstances.

A little of that will find its way, inexorably, to Harry Kane, the team’s captain, the most prolific goal-scorer in his country’s history, and inevitably, then, the player who missed the penalty that might have taken the game to extra time, that might have kept England in Qatar for a little longer.

He will not be alone. Gareth Southgate, the manager, will attract his share of criticism, too, as the country’s most successful manager for half a century weighs whether he has the “energy” to continue into a fourth major tournament, to do it all again. Much of it, though, will be directed at Wilton Sampaio, the Brazilian referee, a man who achieved the rare feat of becoming England’s anointed villain despite awarding Southgate’s team two penalties.

The principal accusation centered on France’s first goal, a whistling, fizzing laser of a shot from the midfielder Aurélien Tchouámeni that capped a move England very clearly felt started with a foul on Bukayo Saka. Sampaio waved away the protestations; his video assistants did not see enough of an error to intercede.

• France’s Olivier Giroud after he scored his team’s second goal to go ahead of England, 2-1. Credit.
• Gabriel Bouys/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images There were, however, other apparent offenses: a penalty claim from Kane, in particular, which was certainly a foul but was not, on more detailed review, actually in the penalty area; a succession of hairsplitting free kicks awarded against England; an array of French transgressions that seemed to pass by unnoticed.

With each one, England’s fury and frustration mounted, Southgate and his staff growing more and more agitated on the sideline. Once the critiques have subsided, though, once culpability has been assigned and internalized, another emotion will come to the fore.

More than anything, England will look back on this game with regret. Over the last three weeks, France — and France alone — has seemed to be on cruise control in Qatar. Argentina’s campaign has been conducted exclusively on a fraught, emotional knife-edge. Brazil seemed somehow giddy right up until the point that it was dumped out by an obdurate, unyielding Croatia.

Portugal faced the existential angst of dropping Cristiano Ronaldo. Morocco has been backed by a gathering swell of pride from across Africa and the Middle East. The Dutch faced no little domestic opprobrium for their uncharacteristic conservatism. Even England, largely unflustered during its stay, teetered a little after enduring the apparently unbearable indignity of drawing with the United States.

France’s progress, by contrast, had been ominously serene: two straightforward wins in the group phase, a defeat against Tunisia that nobody seemed to notice — at least in part because French television cut away after what appeared to be a late equalizer, neglecting to show the audience that it was subsequently ruled out — and then a breezy victory against Poland in the round of 16.

Against England, though, that sang-froid almost proved France’s undoing. Tchouámeni’s goal seemed to lull his team into a torpor. Gradually, it stripped any urgency from its play, any impetus, as if expecting England simply to succumb. The reigning champion, France ceded first territory and then control.

It sat back, rested on its laurels, rode its luck. Eventually, it was made to pay: Tchouámeni tripping Saka, Kane sending the subsequent penalty past his opposing captain and Tottenham teammate, Hugo Lloris. At that point, the wind seemed to be at England’s backs. France’s vaunted attacking line, spearheaded by Mbappé, had been peripheral to the game; its midfield was being overwhelmed; Deschamps seemed curiously reluctant to try to wrestle back control.

That was England’s chance: not just to prove, as Southgate said, that it could “go toe to toe” with an elite team, a champion team, but to beat one; to claim a place not just in a third straight tournament semifinal, but to set up a meeting with Morocco, spirited and inspired but an indisputable underdog; to glimpse a path to the World Cup final, open and inviting, at its feet.

That it did not take it will haunt Kane, Southgate and the rest of his players for some time. France mustered no more than a few seconds of menace — Olivier Giroud denied by Jordan Pickford, the subsequent corner worked out to Antoine Griezmann, a flashing, perilous cross, Giroud offering no second chances — to seize the lead once more.

England, by contrast, was not nearly as unforgiving. There was nobody, Southgate said, who he would rather entrust with a penalty than Kane. “He’s the best,” he said. “He’s the best,” he said again, as if for emphasis. Kane could not, though, deliver again, not this time.

• The psychology was complex, he suggested, the pressure intense.
• It was a second penalty,” Southgate said.
• Against a goalkeeper who knows you well.” Kane’s effort sailed over the bar, England’s hopes for another four years disappearing off into the night.
• He bit his jersey, held his head in his hands.

Lloris punched the air in delight, his teammates flooding to him to congratulate him, presumably for signing for Tottenham a decade ago just so that he could scramble Kane’s thought processes in the Gulf a decade later. France remains on course to become the first team since Brazil, back in 1962, to retain the World Cup title. Dec.10, 2022, 4:16 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 4:16 p.m. ET Matthew Mpoke Bigg Reporting from London The sharp sting of disappointment emptied the pubs fast in Kentish Town, a neighborhood of North London. “Broken,” said Jake Arndt, 18, standing outside and searching for words. “Empty.” Credit. Toby Melville/Reuters Dec.10, 2022, 4:02 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 4:02 p.m. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar FULL TIME: France 2, England 1. The French return to the semifinals with a sudden burst of energy in the second half and with the help of a missed penalty by Harry Kane. He’ll hear about that for a bit. Dec.10, 2022, 4:03 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 4:03 p.m. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar France will face Morocco in Wednesday’s second semifinal. The winner of that will meet the Croatia-Argentina winner in the World Cup final on Dec.18. Almost there now, Dec.10, 2022, 4:01 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 4:01 p.m. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar Rashford curls it, it hits the hit, but on top. The air goes out of the place, and the clock runs out on England. Credit. Hannah Mckay/Reuters Dec.10, 2022, 4:00 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 4:00 p.m. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar 90′ +8 Is this it for England? Rashford wins a free kick in an extremely dangerous place, just outside the D at the top of the penalty area, a little to the left. He and Mount have a loooong talk, but Rashford will take. Dec.10, 2022, 3:57 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:57 p.m. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar 90′ +6 Stones is down holding his foot, and he’s not getting up. Given England’s predicament, that means he’s really hurt himself here, which is bad news for England and potentially worse news for Manchester City. Dec.10, 2022, 3:58 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:58 p.m. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar Grealish on for Stones, but it’s a bit late for him to offer much. Dec.10, 2022, 3:55 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:55 p.m. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar 90′ +5 France just hacking balls up the field now. England just bringing them right back. Dec.10, 2022, 3:53 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:53 p.m. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar 90′ +1 England wins a corner off Lloris’s fingertips, France clears, England recycles, we start again, Dec.10, 2022, 3:50 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:50 p.m. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar 90′ Eight minutes of injury time. Eight minutes for France to kill off. Eight minutes for England to save its World Cup. Dec.10, 2022, 3:50 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:50 p.m.

• ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar 90′ Yellow card for Maguire, for an elbow to the back of Griezmann’s head.
• He’ll take one for the team, though, and for the minute it’ll burn.
• Dec.10, 2022, 3:49 p.m.
• ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:49 p.m.
• ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar 89′ England’s Mount gets a bit of space and a good look at goal and send his shot about 25 rows deep.

Dec.10, 2022, 3:48 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:48 p.m. ET Rory Smith Reporting from Qatar Wilton Sampaio is going to have a rough couple of days, whether England gets out of this or not. An England exit requires a villain, and he’s the leading candidate at this point.

• Dec.10, 2022, 3:46 p.m.
• ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:46 p.m.
• ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar 85′ Marcus Rashford on for Foden.
• England’s chase is on, and the clock is ticking.
• Dec.10, 2022, 3:44 p.m.
• ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:44 p.m.
• ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar 84′ Kane skies the penalty over the bar! France holds its lead, and releases its breath.

Credit. Dylan Martinez/Reuters Dec.10, 2022, 3:44 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:44 p.m. ET Rory Smith Reporting from Qatar From a player of Harry Kane’s quality, and his composure, that is an extraordinarily bad penalty. Dec.10, 2022, 3:46 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:46 p.m.

• ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar Kane and Lloris are longtime teammates at Tottenham Hotspur, of course, and you have to wonder if Kane, having taken his best shot on the earlier penalty, a bit there.
• It was at least a yard over the bar.
• Dec.10, 2022, 3:42 p.m.
• ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:42 p.m.
• ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar 82′ A penalty appeal for England, a peek at V.A.R.

rewind and a, penalty for England! Dec.10, 2022, 3:43 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:43 p.m. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar Theo Hernández absolutely ran down Mount in the area, and it didn’t take a long look for Sampaio to confirm the penalty. Dec.10, 2022, 3:41 p.m.

• ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:41 p.m.
• ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar A flurry of subs after the goal: Sterling and Mount for England replacing Saka and Henderson, and Kingsley Coman for Dembélé.
• Dec.10, 2022, 3:39 p.m.
• ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:39 p.m.
• ET Rory Smith Reporting from Qatar France had played well for roughly one minute of the last hour or so before came.

Giroud had forced Jordan Pickford into a save just a few seconds before. That was the warning; England, caught out by a laser of a cross from Griezmann, did not heed it. England has been the better team here, but it has about 15 minutes to find a goal or it’s going out of the World Cup.

1. FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) Dec.10, 2022, 3:38 p.m.
2. ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:38 p.m.
3. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar 78′ GOAL! France leads, 2-1.
4. It’s Giroud.
5. Dec.10, 2022, 3:39 p.m.
6. ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:39 p.m.
7. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar Denied only a moment ago, Giroud beats Maguire to a header at the near post and France, against the run of play, is ahead.

Credit. Jack Guez/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Dec.10, 2022, 3:37 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:37 p.m. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar 77′ Pickford pushes away a Giroud stab from close range and barely — just barely — keeps it tied. Dec.10, 2022, 3:33 p.m.

• ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:33 p.m.
• ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar 72′ Hernández arrives juusssssst in the nick of time to keep a cross from Foden off Saka’s toe.
• France looks to be in a bit of trouble here.
• England fans reacted after Harry Kane scored a goal on a penalty kick to even the match, 1-1. Credit.

Justin Tallis/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images LONDON — For many England fans, the experience of supporting the team is of wild swings between hope and despair. But mainly despair. The team hasn’t won the tournament since 1966 but has come agonizingly close several times.

Trauma is embedded,” said Rob Dutfield, 31, who watched the game at The Assembly House pub in Camden, a neighborhood of London. For others, the memories of specific defeats are long lasting. For Louis Auld, 27, watching the game at a pub in Kentish Town, North London, it was the defeat against Brazil in 2002 that hurt the most.

He had watched the game in elementary school. Ben Holden, 27, said the semi final defeat against Croatia four years ago “hit me the hardest.” At The Approach, the heaving pub where the two men watched the game, fans cheered and groaned through every tackle and shot, and when Harry Kane equalized early in the second half it exploded with joy.

People sang the team’s unofficial anthem: “Football’s coming home.” The song was composed in another year of international football, 1996. Back then, the trophy nearly came back to England. But not quite. Dec.10, 2022, 3:31 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:31 p.m. ET Rory Smith Reporting from Qatar 70′ Harry Maguire was a whisker — and a Hugo Lloris fingertip, regardless of what the referee says — away from giving England the lead.

Credit. Hannah Mckay/Reuters Dec.10, 2022, 3:31 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:31 p.m. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar The Venn diagram of people who had a late Harry Maguire winner and people who are lying is a circle. Dec.10, 2022, 3:30 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:30 p.m.

• ET Rory Smith Reporting from Qatar France needs something to change, and fast.
• Other than a brief flurry after the goal, the world champion has asked England precious few questions, while both Saka and Foden are starting to prove a real menace at the other end.
• Both Ousmane Dembélé and Olivier Giroud have been passengers, but Didier Deschamps does not have a vast assortment of alternatives.

Kingsley Coman is the most obvious change, but it may be that he looks to Eduardo Camavinga to try to reassert a bit of control in the middle. Dec.10, 2022, 3:29 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:29 p.m. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar 66′ With Saka down at midfield — briefly — it looks like the coaches are in a bit of a staredown substitution-wise.

• But they don’t have great options: France’s injury issues mean Deschamps would be taking off any player for a lesser (if fresher) options.
• For Southgate, the options are better — Rashford, Grealish, Raheem Sterling, Mason Mount — but any change either robs them of Henderson, and weakens their defensive shape and cover, or merely trades tiring legs for fresh.

Dec.10, 2022, 3:17 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:17 p.m. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar 56′ That goal should bring this game to life quite nicely, or condemn us all to the kind of turgid play France has offered the last 20 minutes. At first glance, we may be in for the former: Mbappé scorches Walker down the right and centers, but Dembélé’s touch is too hard and he has to dribble out.

1. Dec.10, 2022, 3:25 p.m.
2. ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:25 p.m.
3. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar Kyle Walker, it should be noted, is not a slow man.
4. He is quite fast in fact.
5. And Mbappé made him look like he was running in work boots.
6. Dec.10, 2022, 3:14 p.m.
7. ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:14 p.m.
8. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar 54′ Mbappé tries to ice Kane a bit by walking in to Lloris for a pep talk before he takes the kick.

Now Kane, standing over it, decides he wants his own reset and walks over to pick up the ball. GOAL! France 1, England 1. Kane buries the penalty in the left-side netting. Dec.10, 2022, 3:15 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:15 p.m. ET Rory Smith Reporting from Qatar That Kane goal is England’s reward for the first five minutes of this half, and probably a substantial part of the first period, too.

1. It has played with far more zip and purpose than France ever since going behind.
2. No surprise that it was Saka who drew the penalty, either, given how lively he’s been.
3. France has looked dangerously tepid for quite a long time now, and that’s rarely a good sign.
4. Once that momentum goes, it can be hard to get it back.

Credit. Annegret Hilse/Reuters Dec.10, 2022, 3:12 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:12 p.m. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar 52′ Penalty to England! Dec.10, 2022, 3:07 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:07 p.m. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar 46′ A quick yellow for Dembélé, for hauling down Bellingham in the buildup to England’s attack, The referee let the play continue, then went for the receipts.

England turns the resulting free kick into a shot, and a corner. Dec.10, 2022, 3:10 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:10 p.m. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar Lloris did a nice job pushing that Bellingham shot over the bar for a corner, by the way. It was headed in under the bar. Credit. Adrian Dennis/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Dec.10, 2022, 3:06 p.m.

ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:06 p.m. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar 46′ Back underway, with no changes for either team. England may have to change something soon, however. Dec.10, 2022, 3:04 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:04 p.m. ET Rory Smith Reporting from Qatar Having seen the two controversial decisions of the first half properly, England has good cause to feel that there was a foul on Bukayo Saka in the build-up to the goal.

1. The penalty appeal from Kane, though, was wrong: it was a foul, but the contact came outside the area.
2. But who knows: maybe England would have scored from the resultant free-kick.
3. Dec.10, 2022, 3:01 p.m.
4. ET Dec.10, 2022, 3:01 p.m.
5. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar Resetting if you have been asleep for 36 hours: This game will complete the semifinals, which will begin Tuesday with Croatia vs.

Argentina (2 p.m. Eastern), and then continue Wednesday with Morocco vs. France/England (2 p.m. Eastern). Trust those kickoff times, not what you see on TV. Aurelien Tchouameni of France scored the team’s first goal past Jude Bellingham of England. Credit.

1. Clive Brunskill/Getty Images France has the lead, but there is plenty in that half to encourage England.
2. Harry Kane has had two genuinely good chances, both of them the consequence of lackadaisical French defending, and Bukayo Saka has been a reasonably regular thorn in the French side.
3. Just as impressively, England has locked France out on the counter-punch impressively, with Kylian Mbappé essentially a peripheral figure in the game after a bright opening ten minutes or so.

The problem, of course, is that Mbappé being quiet is both a positive and a negative — positive because he hasn’t hurt you yet, negative because that means it’s still to come — but as things stand there’s no reason for Southgate to feel his team can’t get back into this.

Dec.10, 2022, 2:51 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 2:51 p.m. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar HALFTIME: France 1, England 0, Atmosphere -12. Tchouaméni’s goal is the difference. Credit. Jack Guez/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Dec.10, 2022, 2:50 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 2:50 p.m. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar 45′ + 2 Theo Hernández goes down in a heap after appearing to roll his ankle in a collision with Bellingham.

That’s effectively the last action of the half. Dec.10, 2022, 2:43 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 2:43 p.m. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar 43′ The first yellow of the night goes to Griezmann, who has absolutely earned it for sheer consistency of fouling if nothing else.

• Dec.10, 2022, 2:43 p.m.
• ET Dec.10, 2022, 2:43 p.m.
• ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar 40′ The only thing dragging this game forward is the occasional shot, but it’s now so quiet in here you can hear the players talking from our seats up here in the balcony of the International Space Station. Credit.
• Jack Guez/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Dec.10, 2022, 2:37 p.m.

ET Dec.10, 2022, 2:37 p.m. ET Rory Smith Reporting from Qatar Please add “first-choice tactical fouler” to Griezmann’s list of tasks for the evening. If there’s an England attack that can be stopped at the source by clipping someone’s ankles, he’s your guy.

1. Dec.10, 2022, 2:30 p.m.
2. ET Dec.10, 2022, 2:30 p.m.
3. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar 29′ Great chance for Kane there, probably England’s best yet.
4. Controlling the ball at the right corner of the France penalty area, he takes a crack at Lloris, or rather a tiny bit of space over Lloris’s right shoulder, that is.

The goalkeeper sees the shot blistering toward him in time, though, and dives to his left to parry it away. Credit. Adrian Dennis/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Dec.10, 2022, 2:30 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 2:30 p.m. ET Rory Smith Reporting from Qatar Given that this is the first meeting between two of the tournament’s heavyweights in the knockout rounds — and at all, in fact, since Spain’s encounter with Germany in the group phase — the atmosphere at Al Bayt is distinctly subdued.

European fans do not seem to have traveled in great numbers to Qatar, and compared with the vast, vibrant hordes following Argentina, Brazil and Morocco around, they have been almost conspicuous by their absence. Dec.10, 2022, 2:28 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 2:28 p.m. ET Nadav Gavrielov Reporting from Paris At L’Époque in Paris, French fans erupted into cheers and hugs after seeing Tchouaméni’s goal.

Video Dec.10, 2022, 2:27 p.m. ET Dec.10, 2022, 2:27 p.m. ET Andrew Das Reporting from Qatar 26′ Our Brazilian referee, Wilton Pereira Sampaio, waves for play to resume. No penalty. England disagrees. It strongly disagrees. England’s Jordan Henderson massages his leg during warmups before the match with France.

1. Credit. Frank Augstein/Associated Press Before things get underway, let’s confront the elephant in the room.
2. We’re all grown-ups here, because presumably all of the kids are second-screening on TikTok, so let’s just say the quiet part out loud: no, World Cup knockout games are not pretty.
3. To newcomers, they may seem cagey, attritional.

To older hands, the aesthetic quality of the play pales in comparison to, say, the latter rounds of the Champions League. There are a few reasons for that. One is that these teams have had far less time to develop a cogent style than their club counterparts, who train together all year.

• They are, necessarily, less finely-tuned.
• They are also more obviously flawed.
• Didier Deschamps and Gareth Southgate cannot go out and buy a new midfielder or a better central defender, as Manchester City or Real Madrid might; they have to work with what they have got, and that means thinking as much about concealing their weaknesses as it does emphasizing their strengths.

But the most significant factor is just how much these games mean. World Cups roll around only once every four years. The players are acutely aware, as the England midfielder Jordan Henderson said earlier this tournament, that every game might be their last on this stage.

That is even more true in the knockout stages than it is in the group phase. There are precious few one-and-done games in modern soccer: they feature in some domestic cup competitions, and in major finals. These are not far off the only occasions when teams do not get a return leg, or a chance to meet again later in the season.

Everything can disappear in a puff of smoke. The fact they are rarely pretty, though, is not a drawback. That tension, that pressure, is what makes these games so special. Consider some of the meetings we have seen already: Morocco holding the Spanish at arm’s length, and then resisting Portugal; Argentina having to hold its nerve against Australia, and then that rollercoaster finish against the Dutch.

This is entertainment as exquisite as it is excruciating. And the good news is that the stakes only get higher from here. England’s Jude Bellingham before the match with France. Credit. Dylan Martinez/Reuters France’s Didier Deschamps and England’s Gareth Southgate both kept their round of 16 lineups intact for Saturday’s semifinal at Al Bayt Stadium.

Strength vs. strength. One player to watch is not in the starting lineup: That’s England forward Raheem Sterling, who has returned to Qatar after leaving the team to see his family after a burglary at their home. He is on the bench tonight.

England lineup: Jordan Pickford; Kyle Walker, John Stones, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw; Jordan Henderson, Declan Rice; Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden; Harry Kane (c). France lineup: Hugo Lloris (c); Jules Koundé, Raphael Varane, Dayot Upamecano, Theo Hernandez; Aurelien Tchouameni, Adrien Rabiot; Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembélé, Olivier Giroud; Kylian Mbappé.

Kyle Walker has defended against Kylian Mbappe before in their respective club roles for Manchester City and Paris St. Germain. Credit. Carl Recine/Action Images, via Reuters How to watch: 2 p.m. Eastern. Fox, Telemundo. For a rivalry that dates to the Norman Conquest, England and France have largely avoided each other at the World Cup, playing only twice — in 1982 and 1966, when the Three Lions won the whole bangers and mash.

England’s team in Qatar has the talent, tactics and, perhaps, fortitude to win another — if it can neutralize Kylian Mbappé, who seems to score as often as that New Balance commercial plays on Fox. Short of abducting him, or putting a banana in the tailpipes of the French motor coaches, England may be reduced to outwitting Les Bleus on the field.

Gareth Southgate’s decision, such as it is, pivots on whether he favors four in the back or just three. Opting for the latter, which would enable England to deploy two wingbacks in an effort to defuse France’s speed and crosses from both flanks (hello, Ousmane Dembele), would signal a switch in tactics but not one of desperation.

Either way, Kyle Walker will play a considerable role in muffling Mbappé and, thus, spearheading a defense that has shut out its last three opponents. A fourth, against a team conveying an aura of inevitability, might be unmanageable. Then again, all England — which has scored 12 across its four games — needs to do is finish with one more goal.

Credit. Javier Soriano/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images In an interview this summer, Kylian Mbappé touched on a wide range of topics, but the 2022 World Cup was central among them. He said he is focused on cementing his status as a national icon in France.

1. He wants to win another World Cup.
2. He wants to finally lift the Champions League trophy with Paris St.-Germain.
3. He wants to supplant Messi and Messi’s longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo as world player of the year and can summon — unprompted — the number of Ballon d’Or trophies each has won, perhaps the best example of how much such accolades mean to him, even as he insists collective honors come first.

A championship run here in Qatar would certainly move him further along on that quest. You can read my entire interview with Mbappé, : World Cup: France Knocks England Out of the World Cup After Harry Kane’s Missed Penalty