Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022

England National Football Team

The England team's home ground is Wembley Stadium and the team's manager is Gareth Southgate. England is one of just eight countries to have won the World Cup. However, they haven't managed this feat since 1966, which was the same year they hosted the tournament.

The England national team has participated in 15 out of the 18 World Cups. Their most recent World Cup achievement was reaching fourth place in 2018. The England national team has participated in 15 out of the 18 World Cups. Their most recent World Cup achievement was reaching fourth place in 2018. Things are looking positive for the team in the run-up to the 2022 tournament after they secured a place in the final at the 2020 Euros.

France National Football Team

The French national team dates back to 1904 when they played their first game against Belgium. The team, which is also known as Les Bleus (The Blues), has won two UEFA European Football Championships, most recently in 2000.

All eyes will be on France at the 2022 World Cup as they are the defending champions, having won in 2018. This was their second win after they were also victorious back in 1998. The team has qualified for and appeared in 15 out of 18 World Cups, making the 2022 tournament their 16th appearance.

Spain National Football Team

Governed by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, Spain’s national football team played its first official game in the 1920 Olympics, ultimately winning silver at the event. The team plays its home game at various major stadiums around Spain, usually at the homes of the country’s biggest clubs, Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Nicknamed the Red Fury, Spain is the only international team to win three consecutive international competitions, being crowned champions of Euro 2008, World Cup 2010, and Euro 2012. The team is also the only European team to win a World Cup outside of Europe, doing so in South Africa in 2010.

Germany National Football Team

The German national football team played its first match back in 1908. They have walked away with three European Championship wins in their history. The team has won an impressive four World Cup titles, most recently in 2014, and has taken part in every World Cup since 1954.

Following Germany's disappointment at the 2018 World Cup, where the team didn't make it past the group stages, the manager Joachim Löw stepped down. This was the first time that Germany had not advanced beyond the group stages, and they will be hoping to redeem themselves in the 2022 World Cup.

Belgium National Football Team

Belgium was one of the first mainland European countries to play association football, doing so in 1863, but the national team wouldn’t play its first game until 1904, a draw against France, twenty days before the two countries were among the seven founders of FIFA.

Ranked second in the world going into the 2022 FIFA World cup, Belgium is riding the momentum of a third place finish at the 2018 tournament in Russia, the team’s first big tournament result since reaching the final of the 1980 European Championship. Belgium also has an Olympic gold medal in soccer from the 1920 Antwerp games.

Netherlands National Football Team

The Dutch national team has been around since 1905 and has always been somewhat successful in the World Cup. The team has made an appearance in three World Cup finals, finishing second in all of them and so far failing to walk away with the trophy.

The Dutch team didn't manage to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, so the team's last appearance was back in 2014. They have competed in 10 World Cups and have displayed a solid performance in the European Championship too, walking away with a win in 1988.

Croatia National Football Team

Known as Kockasti, or The Chequered Ones on account of their kit, Croatia is one of few top-flight international teams that plays out of various stadiums instead of having a set home ground. Croatia played its first official international game post-independence from Yugoslavia in 1992 against Australia.

Previously ranked in the world’s top five, Croatia has qualified for six FIFA World Cups since become eligible before the 1998 competition. The team’s best result was a loss in the tournament finals to France in 2018, which far outranks the team’s best European Championship finishes, quarter final exits in 1996 and 2008.

Poland National Football Team

Poland's national football team played its first match in 1921 and its home stadium is the National Stadium in Warsaw. The team's colours are white and red to reflect the Polish flag and they are nicknamed "The Eagles". They first qualified for the European Championship in 2008.

Poland has appeared in eight World Cup tournaments but has never walked away with the trophy. The team's biggest success was reaching third place in both 1974 and 1982. They did qualify for the 2018 World Cup but were knocked out in the group stages.

Portugal National Football Team

Having no official national stadium, and instead playing across the home grounds of the likes of Benfica and Porto, the Portuguese national team played its first game in 1921, a 3-0 defeat to long-time rival Spain. Portugal was not invited to the inaugural World Cup and then failed to qualify until 1966.

The FIFA World Cup in England in 1966 was Portugal’s best result to date, finishing third thanks to the play of the golden boot winner Eusebio. 2022 will be Portugal’s eighth World Cup, the team has also qualified for eight European Championships, beating France to win the tournament in 2016. 

Denmark National Football Team

Denmark’s national football team is controlled by the Danish Football Association (DBU) and plays its home games from the Parken Stadium in Østerbro, Copenhagen. One of the oldest teams in Europe, Denmark played its first game in 1896. The nation wouldn’t allow professional players into the national team until 1971.

The current world number 10 has features in six FIFA World Cup tournaments, the first being 1986. To date, Denmark’s best result is a quarter-final exit at the hands of eventual runner-up Brazil in the 1998 competition. Denmark’s national football team also has three Olympic silver medals and one bronze.

Serbia National Football Team

The Serbian national football team is governed by the Football Association of Serbia, the team played its first international as independent Serbia in 2006. Prior to this, the team played as Serbia and Montenegro, and before that as Serbia under Yugoslavia with some breaks from international competition due to conflicts.

The roots of the team can be traced back over 100 years, and Serbia within Yugoslavia was present at the first ever FIFA World Cup in 1930, the fourth place finish remains the team’s best to date. Serbia (as Serbia and Montenegro) reached the quarter finals of the Euro 2000 tournament.

Switzerland National Football Team

Known as the Rossocrociati (red crosses) thanks the team’s kit and the country’s flag, the Swiss national football team played its first official game in 1924 at that year’s Olympics. The silver medal in that event remains the teams highest finish in a major competition to date.

Switzerland has managed to see the quarter final stages of three World Cup tournaments, in 1934, 1938, and 1954. The team has qualified for 12 World Cup tournaments, as well as five European Championships - making it to the quarter finals of the 2020 event before losing to Spain in a penalty shootout.

Wales National Football Team

Wales has the third oldest international football team in the world, having played its first game in 1876, a 4-0 loss to Scotland in Glasgow. Due to UKI teams leaving FIFA over a pay dispute in the 1920s, Wales did not feature in the early World Cups.

Wales’ first foray into the FIFA World Cup came in 1958, where the squad lost in the quarter finals to eventual winners Brazil due to a lone Pele goal. 2022 will be Wales’ second World Cup appearance, although the team did reach the semi-finals of Euro 2016, losing to eventual champions Portugal.

Canada National Football Team

Overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association, Canada played its first international football game in 1924, losing the first of an exhibition series against Australia. Known as Les Rouges, The Maple Leafs, and The Canucks, The Canadian national team has no home stadium, instead playing out of various venues in the country.

Canada’s FIFA World Cup history is limited, having only qualified once before, losing every game and not scoring a single goal in 1986. Canada has fared better in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, winning twice, most recently in 2000. Canada also won the gold medal at the 1904 Olympic Games in St Louis.

Costa Rica National Football Team

The winningest national team from Central America, Costa Rica played its first international game in 1921 - a 7-0 victory over El Salvador - and has been a member of FIFA since 1927. The highest-ranking Costa Rica has achieved is 13th in the world, the team goes into the 2022 World Cup ranked 31st.

Playing its home games out of the Estadio Nacional (National Stadium), Costa Rica has won three Gold Cup titles and has made the quarter finals of the Copa America twice. With six World Cup appearances since 1990, Costa Rica’s best result was in 2014, losing to the Netherlands in the quarter final.

Mexico National Football Team

The Mexican national team competed in the first-ever World Cup in 1930 and has qualified 17 times for the tournament. This puts them high up there with the few other countries that have as many World Cup entries. They have missed out on qualifying just three times.

The team has consistently made it far in the tournament but has never actually walked away with the cup or made it to a final. Most recently they were knocked out by Brazil in the 2018 World Cup, Brazil is the team with the most World Cup wins.

USA National Football Team

The USA is one of the oldest national football teams in the world, having played its first match in 1885, a 1-0 loss against Canada in the first international match ever played outside the UK. The team has featured in 11 World Cups, including seven straight, something only eight countries have accomplished.

The USA reached the semi-final of the inaugural World Cup in 1930, qualifying again in 1934 and 1950. The team did not feature in another World Cup before 1990, and then for seven consecutive tournaments, peaking with a quarter-final finish in 2002, losing to the eventual World Cup runners-up, Germany.

Argentina National Football Team

Argentina played its first international football match in 1902, a 6-0 win over Uruguay in Montevideo. Argentina has no official home stadium, the team plays most of its home games at Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti, River Plate’s Stadium, but played World Cup qualifiers at Rosario Central and La Bombonera, home of Boca Juniors.

Currently ranked third in the world, Argentina has won two World Cups, both in Latina America, 1978 in Argentina and 1986 in Mexico. The team lost in the final in 930 (Uruguay), 1990 (Italy), and most recently 2014 in Brazil. Argentina has won a record 15 Copa America titles.

Brazil National Football Team

It is believed that Brazil’s first international match took place in 1914, when a combination of players from Sao Paolo and Rio De Janeiro took on Exeter City, winning 2-0. Brazil is one of few national teams with no home stadium, instead the squad plays its games out of various venues across the country.

Brazil is the winningest team in FIFA World Cup history with five titles, most recently in 2002. The team has also won World Cups on four different continents, Europe, Asia, North America, and South America. The top ranked team in the world has also won nine Copa America and four Confederations Cup titles.

Ecuador National Football Team

Ecuador declined an invitation to the first ever FIFA World Cup in 1930 in Uruguay. After this, the team did not play its first official international match until 1938 and would not feature in the World Cup until making its debut in 2002.

Ecuador plays its home games from the Estadio Rodrigo Paz Delgado, and will be making its fourth World Cup appearance in 2022. Ecuador’s best result to date was making the round of 16 in 2006 before being eliminated by England. The Ecuadorian national football team finished fourth in the Copa America tournament in both 1959 and 1993.

The FIFA World Cup in England in 1966 was Portugal’s best result to date, finishing third thanks to the play of the golden boot winner Eusebio. 2022 will be Portugal’s eight World Cup, the team has also qualified for eight European Championships, beating France to win the tournament in 2016

Uruguay National Football Team

Tied with Brazil for the most Copa America titles (15), Uruguay is one of the most successful teams to come out of Latin America. The team plays its home games from the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, and had its first official match in 1902 against Argentina.

After only playing Argentina for 14 years, Uruguay entered and won its first Copa America in 1916, before hosting and winning the inaugural FIFA World Cup in 1930. Uruguay won the World Cup again 20 years later, beating Brazil in Brazil in the final of the 1950 tournament. The team also won Olympic gold in 1924 and 1928.

Australia National Football Team

The Australian national soccer team played its first match in 1922 and spend the next three plus decades competing in exhibition matches against New Zealand and South Africa. The team’s first major tournament was the 1956 Olympics, which Australia hosted. Australia is the only team to be champions of two confederations, the OFC Nations Cup four times and the AFC Asia Cup in 2015.

Australia has qualified for the World Cup five times previously, including the last four tournaments. Australia’s best result is a round of 16 finish in Germany 2006, where the team lost 1-0 to Italy after a penalty in injury time.

Iran National Football Team

The Iran national football team has appeared in the World Cup on six occasions, qualifying for the first time in 1978, and most recently they competed in the last World Cup in 2018. However, the team has never advanced past the group stages.

The team has won three consecutive AFC Asian Cups, most recently in 1976. They are known as "Team Melli" (The National Team), and they played their first-ever match in 1941. Since the 1970's the Iranian team's national stadium has been the Azadi Stadium in Tehran.

Japan National Football Team

Football only became fully professionalised in Japan in the 1990s, so the team has a shorter history than others but it's still a thriving one. They have won the AFC Asian Cup multiple times, making them the most successful team in the tournament, walking away with four titles.

Japan has qualified for the last seven World Cups but so far has never walked away with the trophy. The Japanese team played in the tournament for the first time in 1998. They made it far in the 2018 World Cup, beating Columbia to advance to the first knockout round.