(Qatar World Cup) Tournament Preview: "Group of Death" Debuts Super "Dark Horse" Appears Again
China News Agency, Beijing, November 22 (Reporter Wang Zumin) On the 23rd local time, the Qatar World Cup will have 4 games in Group E and Group F.
The "Group of Death", which brought together the two champion teams Germany and Spain, made its debut, and the two super "dark horses" in the history of the cup, Croatia and Costa Rica, made their debut on the same day, both of which were highlights of the event.
Morocco VS Croatia (18:00 on the 23rd, Beijing time)
In the World Cup, there are dark horses every year, but only the "dark horse" of the Croatian team is the best.
In the 1998 World Cup, this team from a "small country" with a population of more than 4 million won the third place in its debut, refreshing the outside world's perception of dark horses.
Four years ago, the Croatian team went one step further and finished second.
In this World Cup cycle, as many veterans have retired one after another, the overall strength of the Croatian team has declined.
But there is a famous saying in the World Cup that "there is a spirit called Croatia". Whether it won the third place 24 years ago or entered the final 4 years ago, the "Grid Army" has never relied on pure competitive strength.
What's more, the Golden Globe winner of the last cup, the 37-year-old Real Madrid midfielder Modric still sticks to the team.
As long as the "Magic Flute" is still there, the "Croatian spirit" will not dissipate.
The Morocco team participated in the World Cup for the sixth time. The best result in the World Cup was entering the knockout round in 1986.
The team's 26-man roster shows that its players are playing all over the world. Although there are many stars such as Chelsea midfielder Ziyech and Paris Saint-Germain defender Ashraf, a major drawback is that the national team is not running well enough.
In fact, what the Moroccan team needs to run in with the team is the new coach Regeraj.
After the former coach dismissed get out of class due to conflicts with the players, the local coach took office hastily, which became one of the variables for the Moroccan team to play in this cup.
At present, the Moroccan team ranks 22nd in the world. It is clear that Regraji needs luck if he wants to lead the team to an upset over the last runner-up.
Germany VS Japan (21:00 Beijing time on the 23rd)
Reaching the World Cup finals 8 times, winning the championship 4 times, and advancing to the semi-finals 13 times... Germany's World Cup glory is dazzling.
But what makes this honorable team unforgettable now is probably the shame 4 years ago.
In the World Cup in Russia, Germany, the defending champion, was last out of the group, breaking the biggest upset of the current cup.
In this World Cup cycle, the German team still failed to recover, with many players injured and a lack of successors for the striker.
Even so, facing the first opponent of this cup, the Japanese team, the German team is "a skinny camel is bigger than a horse".
The Japanese team is the most stable team in the World Cup in Asia. Since its debut in the World Cup in 1998, it has never been absent for 7 consecutive times and has entered the top 16 three times.
At present, as many as 20 members of the team are playing for European clubs. The strength of the three lines is balanced. It is difficult to become a shield to block its attack.
But 4 years ago, the defending champion Germany team completely missed the round of 16 after losing 0:2 to the South Korean team.
Whether the German team, which is no longer at its peak, will be upset by the Asian teams has also become a highlight of the group stage.
Spain VS Costa Rica (0:00 on the 24th, Beijing time)
The Spanish team and the German team, which are also in the "group of death", share the same disease.
Both were eliminated in the group stage as the defending champions, but they are no longer at their peak.
The difference is that the South African World Cup champion has basically completed the replacement of old and new.
Compared with the past, this Spanish team is younger and more civilian. Most of the players have never participated in the World Cup before.
Although the team still has problems such as lack of leaders and unfavorable strikers, this young team has entered an upward period.
I am afraid that only the Costa Rica team can feel "kind" to the "group of death".
In the 2014 World Cup, the three cup champions Italy, England, and Uruguay formed a veritable death group, and the Costa Rica team that joined them was unanimously considered a super foil.
But in the end, the "foil" became the protagonist, and the Costa Rica team qualified as the top of the group, and finally advanced to the quarterfinals, becoming the biggest dark horse of the year.
Today's Costa Rica team is somewhat aging.
The "goal god" Navas, who became a nightmare for many shooters eight years ago, and the striker Ruiz are still in the team. There are more than ten players over the age of 30.
And now, the dark horse has become a "white horse", and "sneak attack" is no longer effective.
Therefore, in the face of the revived "Matador", it is not easy for the Costa Rica team to be upset again.
Belgium VS Canada (3:00 on the 24th, Beijing time)
After missing two consecutive World Cups in 2006 and 2010, the "golden generation" of the Belgian team has grown up and reached the quarter-finals in the 2014 World Cup.
In the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the "golden generation" reached its peak. Although the Belgian team failed to reach the top, it won the third place and created its best record in the cup.
Going to this cup, old faces such as De Bruyne, Hazard and Lukaku are still on the list.
Obviously, this is the last World Cup of the golden generation.
Maturity and old age coexist, experience and slowness coexist. Although this "double-edged sword" can hurt others and oneself, it should have enough lethality when facing the Canadian team, which can be called the "new army".
In 1986, the Canadian team, which entered the World Cup stage for the first time, lost all three games and failed to score a goal. They bid farewell to the World Cup ignorantly.
Today, the "Maple Leafs", which returned after 36 years, is a young team on the rise. It is currently ranked 41st in the world.
As one of the hosts of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, the Canadian team is mainly training the team for 4 years.
It is obviously a good opportunity to compete with the "golden generation".
(Finish)