Qatar 2022: Teammates who will be rivals in the upcoming FIFA World Cup

A World Cup brings together the elite of world soccer. Many of the best players from the best teams in the world compete in it with the sole intention of bringing glory to their countries. It is natural then that those who defend the same jersey daily can become, momentarily but with incomparable intensity, rivals. Which teammates will have to face each other in Qatar 2022?

With the Qatar 2022 Final Draw already underway, and with the first great moment of drama and excitement that the upcoming FIFA World Cup provides, the lucky ones whose National Teams have qualified are already well aware of who they will face from November 20 to December 18: whether they are just professional colleagues playing for any other team or the same players with whom they fight for the same common goal week in and week out.

The eight groups of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will feature some memorable clashes, all of which are already known, at least in the Group stage. Many of these exquisite matches awaiting soccer fans will feature players who share the same dressing room, such as Portugal vs. Uruguay with Cristiano Ronaldo clashing with Edinson Cavani, both Manchester United stars.

Teammates and rivals: teammate clashes at the group stage of Qatar 2022

Of all the 8 groups already formed for Qatar 2022, it is group B that could cause the most teammates to face each other now wearing the jerseys of their National Teams. The reason is very simple: the aforementioned group could include three countries related by the same language and history and two of them with a close geographical relationship such as England, the United States, and Wales.

On the other hand, group A, which includes Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, and the Netherlands, is the group where the least cordiality is expected because there are few clashes between clubmates. This is one of the two Qatar 2022 groups made up of countries from different continents, together with Group H, the last one, which contains Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, and South Korea.

Group A (Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands)

Quite possibly one of the most accessible groups of the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. In this section there is one representative from Asia (the host country), one from South America, one from Africa and one from Europe. Interestingly, it is the one in which the fewest teammates will meet.

-Arnaut Danjuma (Netherlands); Pervis Estupiñan (Ecuador), Boulaye Dia (Senegal) - Villarreal CF

Group B (England, Iran, USMNT, Wales)

If circumstances fall into place, England could meet either Wales or Scotland in Group B at Qatar 2022. However, it could also be Ukraine that clashes with the English, the USMNT and Iran. In terms of clashes between teammates, the Chelsea boys Mount, James, Chilwell and Pulisic stand out.

-Nick Pope (England); Wayne Hennessey, Connor Roberts (Wales) - Burnley

-Jude Bellingham (England); Giovanni Reyna (USMNT) - Borussia Dortmund

-Mason Mount, Reece James, Ben Chilwell, Raheem Sterling (England); Christian Pulisic (USMNT) - Chelsea

-Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, John Stones, Kyle Walker (England); Zack Steffen (USMNT) - Manchester City

-Harry Kane (England); Joe Rodon, Ben Davies (Wales) - Tottenham Hotspur

-James Sands (USMNT); Aaron Ramsey (Wales) - Rangers

-Ethan Horvath (USMNT); Brennan Johnson (Wales) - Nottingham Forest

-Antonee Robinson, Tim Ream (USMNT); Neco Williams, Harry Wilson (Wales) - Fulham

Group C (Argentina, Saudia Arabia, Mexico, Poland)

A serious contender for the Qatar 2022 title, two very competitive teams, and one more that looks like a very possible victim make up Group C. However, this is enough for some teammates like Napoli's Hirving Lozano and Piotr Zielinski to clash for one of the two tickets to the Round of 16.

Nicolás Tagliafico (Argentina); Edson Alvarez, Jorge Sanchez (Mexico) - Ajax

Gonzalo Montiel, Lucas Ocampos, Marcos Acuña, Alejandro Gomez (Argentina); Jesus Manuel Corona (Mexico) - Sevilla

German Pezzella, Guido Rodriguez (Argentina); Andrés Guardado (Mexico) - Real Betis

Alexis Mac Allister (Argentina); Jakub Moder (Poland) - Brighton & Hove Albion

Manuel Lanzini (Argentina); Łukasz Fabiański (Poland) - West Ham United

Emiliano Martínez (Argentina); Matty Cash (Poland) - Aston Villa

Hirving Lozano (Mexico); Piotr Zielinski (Poland) - Napoli

Group D (France, Denmark, Tunisia, Australia)

Fate did not want to bring back together several of those who met in Group C at Russia 2018 four years ago. France and Denmark and are settled in Qatar 2022, but Peru failed on its attempt and Australia has joined the group. For starters, the clash between Tottenham teammates Lloris and Hojberg is already assured but more could follow.

Hugo Lloris (France); Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (Denmark) - Tottenham Hotspur

Mike Maignan, Theo Hernandez, Olivier Giroud (France); Simon Kjaer (Denmark) - AC Milan

Raphaël Varane, Paul Pogba (France); Hannibal Mejbri (Tunisia) - Manchester United

Jules Koundé, Anthony Martial (France); Thomas Delaney (Denmark) - Sevilla

Christopher Nkunku (France); Yussuf Poulsen (Denmark) - RB Leipzig

N'Golo Kanté (France); Andreas Christensen (Denmark) - Chelsea

Antoine Griezmann, Thomas Lemar (France); Daniel Wass (Denmark) - Atletico Madrid

Clement Lenglet, Ousmane Dembele (France); Martin Braithwaite (Denmark) - FC Barcelona

Montassar Talbi (Tunisia); Anders Dreyer (Denmark) - Rubin Kazan

Mortadha Ben Ouanes (Tunisia); Awer Mabil (Australia) - Kasimpasa

Anis Ben Slimane (Tunisia); Andreas Maxso (Denmark) - Brondy

Taha Yassine Khenissi (Tunisia); Ryan McGowan (Australia) - Kuwait SC

Issam Jebali (Tunisia); Joel King (Denmark) - OB

Philip Billing (Denmark); Ajdin Hrustic (Australia) - Eintracht Frankfurt

Group E (Spain, Germany, Japan, Costa Rica)

Having two National Teams that already know what it's like to win the FIFA World Cup is a guarantee that there will be players who belong to elite clubs. Thus, it will be possible to witness clashes such as Pedri and Gavi against Ter Stegen, all FC Barcelona players, or Cesar Azpilicueta vs Kai Havertz, both from Chelsea.

César Azpilicueta, Marcos Alonso, Kepa Arrizabalaga (Spain); Kai Havertz, Timo Werner (Germany) - Chelsea

Eric Garcia, Jordi Alba, Gavi, Pedri, Sergio Busquets, Ferran Torres (Spain); Marc-Andre Ter Stegen (Germany) - FC Barcelona

Aymeric Laporte, Rodri (Spain); İlkay Gündoğan (Germany) - Manchester City

Dani Olmo (Spain); Benjamin Henrichs, Lukas Klostermann (Germany) - RB Leipzig

Rodrigo (Spain); Robin Koch (Germany) - Leeds United

Kevin Trapp (Germany); Daichi Kamada (Japan) - Eintracht Frankfurt

Takuma Asano (Japan); Cristian Gamboa (Costa Rica) - VfL Bochum

Group F (Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia)

Despite the fact that there is no world champion in this group, high caliber duels are expected because at least 3 of the four teams in this group showed great form during the World Cup Qualifiers. One of the most anticipated dishes is to see Luka Modric challenge his Real Madrid teammates: Thibaut Courtois and Eden Hazard.

Thibaut Courtois, Eden Hazard (Belgium); Luka Modric (Croatia) - Real Madrid

Jan Vertonghen (Belgium); Adel Taarabt (Morocco) - Benfica

Alexis Saelemaekers (Belgium); Ante Rebić (Croatia) - Milan

Thorgan Hazard, Thomas Meunier, Axel Witsel (Belgium); Marin Pongračić (Croatia) - Borussia Dortmund

Yannick Carrasco (Belgium); Sime Vrsaljko (Croatia) - Atletico Madrid

Leander Dendoncker (Belgium); Romain Saïss (Morocco) - Wolverhampton Wanderers

Dennis Praet (Belgium); Josip Brekalo (Croatia) - Torino

Romelu Lukaku (Belgium); Hakim Ziyech (Morocco); Mateo Kovacic (Croatia) - Chelsea

Hans Vanaken, Simon Mignolet (Belgium); Tajon Buchanan (Canada) - Club Brugge

Michy Batshuayi (Belgium); Atiba Hutchinson, Cyle Larin (Canada); Domagoj Vida (Croatia) - Besiktas

Sam Adekugbe (Canada); Munir El Kajoui, Ayoub El Kaabi (Morocco) - Hatayspor

Jonathan David (Canada); Ivo Grbić, Domagoj Bradarić (Croatia) - Lille

Alphonso Davies (Canada); Josip Stanisic (Croatia) - Bayern Munich

Aymen Barkok (Morocco); Kristijan Jakic (Croatia) - Eintracht Frankfurt

Group G (Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon)

This group has only one world champion and is, along with E, the one that boasts the most World Cups won with 5. All this is thanks to Brazil, which will have to deal with three tough opponents that promise to complicate their existence, as Serbian Luka Jovic will try to beat his Real Madrid teammates, Militao, Casemiro, Vinicius and Rodrygo who will defend the Canarinha.

Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, Sasa Lukic (Serbia); Ricardo Rodriguez (Switzerland) - Torino

Danilo, Arthur, Alex Sandro (Brazil); Dusan Vlahovic (Serbia); Denis Zakaria (Switzerland) - Juventus

Lucas Paqueta (Brazil); Karl Toko Ekambi (Cameroon) - Lyon

Bruno Guimaraes (Brazil); Fabian Schar (Switzerland) - Newcastle United

Antony (Brazil); Dusan Tadic (Serbia); André Onana (Cameroon) - Ajax 

Gabriel Martinelli (Brazil); Granit Xhaka (Switzerland) - Arsenal

Everton, Lucas Veríssimo (Brazil); Nemanja Radonjic (Serbia); Haris Seferovic (Switzerland) - Benfica

Strahinja Pavlovic (Serbia); Fabian Frei (Switzerland) - Basel

Mihailo Ristic (Serbia); Jonas Omlin (Switzerland); Ambroise Oyongo (Cameroon) - Montpellier

Filip Kostic (Serbia); Djibril Sow (Switzerland) - Eintracht Frankfurt

Uros Racic (Serbia); Eray Comert (Switzerland) - Valencia

Darko Lazovic, Ivan Ilic (Serbia); Martin Hongla (Cameroon) - Hellas Verona

Noah Okafor (Switzerland); Jérome Onguéné (Cameroon) - Red Bull Salzburg

Edimilson Fernandes, Christian Fassnacht, Ulisses Garcia (Switzerland); Moumi Ngamaleu (Cameroon) - Young Boys

Group H (Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, South Korea)

One of the most anticipated duels of this Qatar 2022 group is undoubtedly the one between Portugal and Uruguay since in Russia 2018 the South Americans eliminated the Europeans in the Round of 16. Cristiano Ronaldo will have to forget that Edinson Cavani is his ally at Manchester United to get revenge. 

Rui Patrício, Sérgio Oliveira (Portugal); Felix Afena-Gyan (Ghana); Matías Viña (Uruguay) - Roma

José Sá, João Moutinho, Nélson Semedo, Rúben Neves, Francisco Trincão (Portugal); Hwang Hee-chan (South Korea) - Wolverhampton Wanderers

Cédric Soares (Portugal); Thomas Partey (Ghana) - Arsenal

Matheus Nunes, João Palhinha, Pedro Gonçalves (Portugal); Abdul Fatawu Issahaku (Ghana); Manuel Ugarte, Sebastian Coates (Uruguay) - Sporting CP

Gonçalo Guedes (Portugal); Maxi Gómez (Uruguay) - Valencia

Joao Felix (Portugal); José Giménez - Atletico Madrid

Ricardo Pereira (Portugal); Daniel Amartey (Ghana) - Leicester City

Joao Mário, Rafa Silva (Portugal); Darwin Núñez (Uruguay) - Benfica

Alfred Duncan (Ghana); Lucas Torreira (Uruguay) - Fiorentina

André Ayew (Ghana); Jung Woo-young (South Korea) - Al-Sadd

Gideon Mensah (Ghana); Hwang Ui-jo (South Korea) - Bordeaux

Iddrisu Baba (Ghana); Giovanni González (Uruguay) - Mallorca

Diego Rossi (Uruguay); Kim Min-jae (South Korea) - Fenerbahce

Rodrigo Bentancur (Uruguay); Son Heung-min (South Korea) - Tottenham Hotspur