World Cup 2022 Power Rankings: Robin Bairner orders all 32 nations

European club football has come to a halt as the start of the Qatar World Cup gets ever closer - Robin Bairner ranks each international side ahead of the tournament.

32. Australia 

Australia don’t have the strongest selection of players to choose from and they have been drawn in a tough Group D, so their prospects of progress look minimal. Manager Graham Arnold will look to their match against Tunisia as their best chance of getting points. 

31. Costa Rica

Costa Rica are still reliant on former Arsenal striker Joel Campbell, while star goalkeeper Keylor Navas will have to overcome rustiness after failing to feature for PSG this season. It would be a massive upset if the Central Americans were to achieve anything of note.

30. Iran

A squad of players largely unknown in Europe, Iran has a good mixture of experience and quality with the likes of Mehdi Taremi and Sardar Azmoun in the squad. They will benefit from a familiar climate, but a lack of top-level experience complicates matters. Iran should not be taken for granted by Wales or the USA.

29. Qatar

The host nation typically performs above expectations at a World Cup, even when their squad is as weak as Qatar. However, they remain unlikely to make it out of the group stage despite targeting their opening match of the competition against Ecuador for points.

28. Cameroon

Cameroon is traditionally one of Africa’s powerhouses - this is their eighth World Cup, two more than any other country from their continent - but they don’t possess the strongest group of players at the moment. Despite boasting experienced strikers Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Vincent Aboubakar, they will do well to take anything from Group G.

27. Ghana

The Black Stars would have hoped to progress to the last 16 before being drawn in a testing group with Uruguay and Portugal, which makes that target unlikely. They possess some promising players - Mohammed Kudu, Abdual Fatawu and Kalamdeen Sulemana stand out - but this tournament might come a couple of years too soon. 

26. Saudi Arabia

Considered notable outsiders in Group C, Saudi Arabia should be respected given that they qualified ahead of Japan and Australia with a very strong home record. They will be playing on familiar territory and shouldn’t be treated too lightly.

25. Ecuador

Ecuador are the weakest of the South American nations that have qualified for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Just to make life tougher, they have also been placed in a tough group with Senegal and Netherlands, so they will do well to progress into the knockout phase.

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24. Tunisia

This is not a vintage Tunisia squad by any means with a lack of players featuring at the top level across the globe. However, they will be highly motivated for their match against France and should be too good for Australia. If they can’t take points from both games, their chances of progression from Group C are limited. 

23. Japan

Japan’s 2022 World Cup squad is weaker than we have seen from the Asian nation in the recent past. They have alternated group stage exits with last-16 defeats in the last six competitions and are likely to keep the pattern going by crashing out in the pools as they have a nightmare draw.

22. Mexico

A nation that always seems to negotiate the group phase but struggles to go any further, it promises to be touch-and-go for the Mexicans to negotiate a potentially hazardous group. This might be one tournament too far for their ageing squad.

21. USA

Often hyped but rarely deliver, USA only scraped through qualification for the World Cup and will lean heavily on young players that includes Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic, who has a knack of reserving his best form for his country. Getting out of the group would be an achievement.

20. Canada

There’s been a good deal of buzz surrounding Canada as striker Jonathan David enters this tournament in exciting form, but it’s worth remembering that key player Alphonso Davies has been injured. Furthermore, they have been placed in a devilish group and could easily go out at the first hurdle.

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19. South Korea 

Heung-Min Son is fit, which is a vital boost for South Korea, a side that has crashed out at the group stages in seven of the last nine tournaments. Expect this group to follow a similar trajectory despite attracting the eye of some pundits.

18. Morocco

Morocco don’t boast a strong midfield, but there is quality elsewhere in the squad courtesy of Paris Saint-Germain’s Achraf Hakimi and Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech. Afternoon kick-off slots against Croatia and Belgium in the group stages play in their favour, so don’t count out an upset or two.  

17. Poland

Regular finalists in major competitions over the last 15 years, Poland have generally struggled to impress on the big stage. They will lean on Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski, and a place in the last 16 is a viable objective if he can find the back of the net on more than one occasion.

16. Senegal

Injury doubts over Sadio Mane cloud Senegal’s preparation for the tournament - how far they go likely hinges on the Bayern Munich star’s fitness. A squad drawn largely from the lower reaches of Europe’s top leagues, the Lions of Teranga may be Africa’s best hope at this World Cup – but that’s not saying much.

Aleksander Mitrovic: has been in fine form for Fulham in the Premier League

15. Serbia

Serbia will fancy their chances of emerging from a ‘group of death’ with Brazil, Switzerland and Cameroon because of their offensive strength. Any team with Dusan Vlahovic, Aleksander Mitrovic and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic will carry a threat, but Dragan Stojkovic’s team looks short defensively.

14. Wales

Wales reached the World Cup finals for the first time since 1958. They have a squad that has the experience of going deep at Euro 2016, although this is liable to be an international swansong for Gareth Bale among others. Rob Page should be eying progress from the group stage, perhaps stealing a point off England along the way.

13. Switzerland

Switzerland quietly boasts a solid squad, as they proved at Euro 2020 when they knocked France out of the competition in the last 16. They lacked the quality to make it to the semis in that tournament, but they certainly have the capacity to go further than many people think.

12. France

The defending champions are beset by injury issues but still possess a squad packed full of quality, not least in attack, where Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema have forged a formidable partnership. The worry is their up-and-down recent form, and they need to go up a level if they are to retain their crown.

Paul Pogba (right): won't feature for France at the 2022 World Cup

11. Germany

There is a sense that this Germany squad is still finding its way under Hansi Flick. The players are his mercy are formidable, but someone will need to step up and provide goals. Maybe that will be 17-year-old Borussia Dortmund sensation Youssoufa Moukoko! If they find a goalscorer, they could go all the way.

10. Netherlands

Benefitting from being drawn in a group with ‘false’ top-seed Qatar, the Netherlands could do some damage this winter. Soon-to-be-retiring manager Louis van Gaal is still undefeated since taking charge of his nation for the third time.

9. England

World Cup semi-finalists last time around and Euro 2020 runners-up, Gareth Southgate’s team is tournament-proven and led by the prolific, but tired, Harry Kane. There are worries, however, over a total lack of recent form plus questions persist over the manager’s tactical nous. Nevertheless, England are in with a genuine shot given the quality at Southgate’s disposal and the fact that they are likely to be in the (much) easier half of the draw if they win their group.

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8. Denmark

Continually underrated, Denmark have been one of the best sides in Europe since 2016. Remember, they went undefeated at Russia 2018 in regular time, where they played both France and Croatia, only to suffer a heart-breaking loss against the latter in the round of 16 via penalties. Denmark beat Les Bleus home and away in the recent Nations League and will face them again in the group in Qatar.

7. Portugal

Cristiano Ronaldo will provide an entirely unwelcome sideshow to Portugal for the duration of the tournament after his interview with Piers Morgan a week before the 2022 World Cup is due to begin. Portugal has a phenomenally talented squad, but their captain has undermined them with this ill-judged move.

6. Uruguay

Uruguay will be licking their lips at the prospects of topping Group H thanks to a potent blend of youth and experience. They boast one of the best players in the world in the form of Fede Valverde, who has been exceptional for Real Madrid in recent weeks, and are likely to be in the easier side of the draw if they top their section. A potential dark horse.

Luka Modric: has made 154 appearances for Croatia since 2006

5. Croatia

Runners-up at the last World Cup, Croatia continue to punch well above their weight on the international scene. They boast an experienced squad that is led by Luka Modric, which could play into their favour. However, they are set for an awkward lunchtime kick-off against Morocco in their first match, so overcoming that awkward hurdle is key.

4. Belgium

Roberto Martinez’s side has long been touted for international success without achieving anything of note. It’s true that Eden Hazard is past his best, but, with Kevin De Bruyne and Youri Tielemans pulling the strings in midfield, they are a force that should not be taken lightly and could go deep.

3. Spain

Luis Enrique has his side playing quite beautifully at present, with up-and-coming stars such as Gavi and Pedri central to La Roja’s hopes in Qatar. While they arrive in form, there is a surprising lack of top-level winners in this squad, which, combined with a lack of experience, counts against them. There is no doubting their quality in every position, though.

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2. Argentina

Packed with quality and boasting a sound team ethic, Lionel Scaloni has surpassed all expectations with the job he has done with the Argentinian national side. Throw an in-form Lionel Messi into the mix, and the reigning Copa America champions have strong claims of winning the 2022 World Cup this winter.

1. Brazil

Brazil are deservedly favourites to go all the way - in truth, there are few who will doubt the Selecao’s chances. If they are to lift the World Cup trophy, they might have to negotiate a difficult string of Uruguay, Spain and Argentina in the knockout rounds, though. Look for Neymar to shine.