Cristiano Ronaldo, Robert Lewandowski and Sadio Mané can breathe... After unbearable dams in Europe and Africa, the Portuguese, Polish and Senegalese football stars have won this precious sesame: a ticket for the 2022 World Cup, from November 21 to December 18 in the emirate.

The international break in March offered several peaks of choice, from this remake of the CAN final between Senegal and Egypt to this opposition of center-forwards between Lewandowski and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who remained at the dock with Sweden.

It was also the scene of major disappointments, such as the surprise elimination of the recent Italian European champion, struck down by North Macedonia and absent from the world gratin for the second time in a row.

Meanwhile, the French world champions, qualified for a long time like many European and South American cadors, have engaged the preparation mode, far from the cold sweats of the playoffs.

The football planet, finally fixed on the majority of the participants in the World Cup-2022, is already turning its eyes to Qatar where the draw on Friday will suddenly make concrete an atypical and decried winter competition Kurt SCHORRER FIFA / AFP / Archives

With two controlled friendly matches, against Côte d'Ivoire (2-1) and South Africa (5-0), the Blues have extended their momentum and consolidated the status of their jewel Kylian Mbappé, always more sparkling with nine goals in his last five appearances for the national team.

This last World Cup with 32 teams, before a decried transition to 48 in 2026, has the merit of injecting flavor into the qualifications, the requirement of which has once again been proven, particularly in Africa, where several big names (Nigeria, Algeria , Egypt...) fell along the way.

Doha opens its doors

The 2022 edition certainly retains a traditional format that suits the most romantic, but it does not escape criticism, far from it.

From investigations into its attribution to accusations relating to working conditions on stadium sites, the gas country has a lot to do to reassure the world, alongside Fifa and its president Gianni Infantino.

The latter keeps repeating that the event will be “the best” ever organized, “but also the healthiest World Cup”, as he promised recently against the backdrop of the health crisis.

The Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and FIFA President Gianni Infantino during the Qatar Amir Cup final on March 18, 2022 in Doha KARIM JAAFAR AFP/Archives

Doha is therefore warned, when welcoming on its soil the representatives of 29 nations already qualified, for a gala draw on Friday (6:00 p.m.), where eight groups of four will be formed.

Three participants will still be missing and will maintain a part of the unknown in the procedure: two winners of intercontinental play-offs to come, as well as a European qualifier in the Ukraine part of the table, whose meetings have been postponed in due to the Russian invasion.

Russia was quickly excluded.

Friday's ceremony, preceded by a Fifa Congress on Thursday, certainly promises great displays from the first round, with several major nations placed outside the N.1 hat, that of the seeds.

World Cup 2022: the procedure for drawing lots for groups Vincent LEFAI AFP

This will be the case for the Netherlands, Germany and Croatia, three teams having appeared in turn in the final of the last three editions.

Neymar's Brazil and Lionel Messi's Argentina are firmly attached to the first hat, alongside France, England, Belgium, Portugal, Spain... and Qatar, countries- host who is playing his first World Cup.

© 2022 AFP