SOME of football’s most talented superstars are set to go up against each other THIS MONTH at the Qatar World Cup – but that’s if they are selected.
Winter’s blockbuster event is edging closer with the opener scheduled to get underway on Sunday, November 20.
But all eyes will be on the managers beforehand as they rack their brains to select their squads for the huge tournament in Qatar.
Japanese head coach Hajime Moriyasu wasted no time by becoming the first manager to name his full team.
And Gareth Southgate can finally focus on England’s opening match against Iran now that he has officially named his squad for Qatar.
Find out more info on the World Cup squads below…
When is the deadline for the World Cup squads?
Managers had until Friday, October 21 to submit their 55-player release list to FIFA.
However, FIFA have given managers up until Monday, November 14 to decide on their final 26-player squad.
And once confirmed, each final listing will be made public before the World Cup begins.
Given the possibility of Covid-19 or injuries, each team is able to replace affected players up to 24 hours before their first encounter but they have to be selected from the initial 55-man list.
What are the confirmed World Cup squads?
Australia
Experienced central defender Trent Sainsbury was a surprise omission while wonderkid Garang Kuol and former Scotland international Jason Cummings have been called up.
Goalkeepers: Mat Ryan, Danny Vukovic, Andrew Redmayne
Defenders: Harry Souttar, Milos Degenek, Bailey Wright, Thomas Deng, Fran Karacic, Nathaniel Atkinson, Aziz Behich, Kye Rowles, Joel King
Midfielders: Aaron Mooy, Jackson Irvine, Ajdin Hrustic, Cameron Devlin, Riley McGree, Keanu Baccus
Forwards: Jamie Maclaren, Mitchell Duke, Jason Cummings, Garang Kuol, Awer Mabil, Mathew Leckie, Craig Goodwin, Martin Boyle
Belgium
Romelu Lukaku, Kevin de Bruyne and Leandro Trossard make it on the plane to Qatar for the Red Devils.
Former Chelsea attacker Eden Hazard takes up his spot too but no place ex-Liverpool star Divock Origi.
Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois, Simon Mignolet, Koen Casteels
Defenders: Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld, Leander Dendoncker, Zeno Debast, Arthur Theate, Wout Faes
Midfielders: Hans Vanaken, Axel Witsel, Youri Tielemans, Amadou Onana, Kevin De Bruyne, Yannick Carrasco, Thorgan Hazard, Timothy Castagne, Thomas Meunier
Forwards: Romelu Lukaku, Michy Batshuayi, Loïs Openda, Charles De Ketelaere, Eden Hazard, Jeremy Doku, Dries Mertens, Leandro Trossard
Brazil
Arsenal’s attacking duo Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli were both selected for the Brazilian squad.
However, their defensive teammate Gabriel Magalhaes has been left out and so has Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino.
Goalkeepers: Alisson, Ederson, Weverton
Defenders: Bremer, Eder Militao, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Alex Sandro, Alex Telles, Danilo, Dani Alves
Midfielders: Bruno Guimaraes, Casemiro, Everton Ribeiro, Fabinho, Fred, Lucas Paqueta
Forwards: Antony, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Neymar, Raphinha, Richarlison, Pedro, Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr
Cameroon
Experienced captain Vincent Aboubakar will feature in yet another World Cup for the African giants.
And he’ll be supported up top by Bayern Munich’s Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting and Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo.
Goalkeepers: Devis Epassy, Simon Ngapandouetnbu, Andre Onana
Defenders: Jean-Charles Castelletto, Enzo Ebosse, Collins Fai, Olivier Mbaizo, Nicolas Nkoulou, Tolo Nouhou, Christopher Wooh
Midfielders: Martin Hongla, Pierre Kunde, Olivier Ntcham, Gael Ondoua, Samuel Oum Gouet, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa
Forwards: Vincent Aboubakar, Christian Bassogog, Eric-Maxime Choupo Moting, Souaibou Marou, Bryan Mbeumo, Nicolas Moumi Ngamaleu, Jerome Ngom, Georges-Kevin Nkoudou, Jean-Pierre Nsame, Karl Toko Ekambi
Costa Rica
Paris Saint-Germain veteran Keylor Navas makes the cut and so has former Arsenal forward Joel Campbell.
Goalkeepers: Keylor Navas, Esteban Alvarado, Patrick Sequeira
Defenders: Francisco Calvo, Juan Pablo Vargas, Kendall Waston, Oscar Duarte, Daniel Chacon, Keysher Fuller, Carlos Martinez, Bryan Oviedo, Ronald Matarrita
Midfielders: Yeltsin Tejeda, Celso Borges, Youstin Salas, Roan Wilson, Gerson Torres, Douglas Lopez, Jewisson Bennette, Alvaro Zamora, Anthony Hernandez, Brandon Aguilera, Bryan Ruiz
Forwards: Joel Campbell, Anthony Contreras, Johan Venegas
Croatia
Midfield veteran Luka Modric, Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovcic and Tottenham winger Ivan Perisic will all be on the plane to Qatar.
But Rangers’ Antonio Mirko Olak was cut from the preliminary squad.
Goalkeepers: Dominik Livakovic, Ivica Ivusic, Ivo Grbic
Defenders: Domagoj Vida, Dejan Lovren, Borna Barisic, Josip Juranovic, Josko Gvardiol, Borna Sosa, Josip Stanisic, Martin Erlic, Josip Sutalo
Midfielders: Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, Marcelo Brozovic, Mario Pasalic, Nikola Vlasic, Lovro Majer, Kristijan Jakic, Luka Sucic
Forwards: Ivan Perisic, Andrej Kramaric, Bruno Petkovic, Mislav Orsic, Ante Budimir, Marko Livaja
Denmark
Christian Eriksen has been named in Denmark’s squad 17 months after he suffered a cardiac arrest at Euro 2020.
Goalkeepers: Kasper Schmeichel, Oliver Christensen
Defenders: Simon Kjaer, Joachim Andersen, Joakim Maehle, Andreas Christensen, Rasmus Kristensen, Jens Stryger Larsen, Victor Nelsson, Daniel Wass
Midfielders: Thomas Delaney, Mathias Jensen, Christian Eriksen, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
Forwards: Andreas Skov Olsen, Jesper Lindstrom, Andreas Cornelius, Martin Braithwaite, Kasper Dolberg, Mikkel Damsgaard, Jonas Wind
England
Kyle Walker and Kalvin Philips have both battled through their injuries to make it on the plane to Qatar.
Arsenal duo Ben White and Bukayo Saka get the call up following their sensational starts to the season.
But the two major talking points is James Maddison who gets hasn’t made an England appearance since 2019.
And Callum Wilson, who was picked over the likes of Jadon Sancho and Ivan Toney.
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope, Aaron Ramsdale
Defenders: Luke Shaw, John Stones, Eric Dier, Harry Maguire, Ben White, Conor Coady, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Trent Alexander-Arnold
Midfielders: Mason Mount, James Maddison, Conor Gallagher, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Kalvin Phillips
Forwards: Harry Kane, Callum Wilson, Raheem Sterling, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka
France
Manager Didier Deschamps has found room for Raphael Varane in his squad, despite the Manchester United star’s injury.
Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola, Hugo Lloris, Steve Mandanda
Defenders: Lucas Hernandez, Theo Hernandez, Presnel Kimpembe, Ibrahima Konate, Jules Koundé, Benjamin Pavard, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano, Raphael Varane
Midfielders: Youssouf Fofana, Eduardo Camavinga, Matteo Guendouzi, Adrien Rabiot, Aurelien Tchouameni, Jordan Veretout
Forwards: Karim Benzema, Kingsley Coman, Ousmane Dembele, Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud, Kylian Mbappe, Christopher Nkunku
Germany
There’s no place for injured Marco Reus but Manchester City’s Ilkay Gundogan and Chelsea’s Kai Havertz make the cut.
However, the big surprise is that Moukoko, 17, will be on the plane to Qatar.
Goalkeepers:Manuel Neuer, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Kevin Trapp
Defenders: Armel Bella Kotchap, Mathias Gintar, Christian Gunter, Thilo Kehrer, Lukas Klostermann, David Raum, Antonio Rudiger, Nico Schlotterbeck, Niklas Sule
Midfielders: Julian Brandt, Niclas Fullkrug, Leon Goretzka, Mario Gotze, Ilkay Gundogan, Jonas Hofmann, Joshua Kimmich
Forwards: Karim Adeyemi, Serge Gnabry, Kai Havertz, Youssoufa Moukoko, Thomas Muller, Jamal Musiala, Leroy Sane
Japan
Arsenal ace Takehiro Tomiyasu has been selected while Celtic stars Kyogo Furuhashi and Reo Hatate failed to make the cut.
Goalkeepers: Eiji Kawashima, Shuichi Gonda, Daniel Schmidt
Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Maya Yoshida, Hiroki Sakai, Shogo Taniguchi, Miki Yamane, Ko Itakura, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Hiroki Ito
Midfielders: Gaku Shibasaki, Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Takumi Minamino, Hidemasa Morita, Daichi Kamada, Yuki Soma, Kaoru Mitoma, Ritsu Doan, Ao Tanaka, Takefusa Kubo
Forwards: Takuma Asano, Daizen Maeda, Ayase Ueda, Shuto Machino
Morocco
Achraf Hakimi has got the call up and Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech makes his return to the fold.
Goalkeepers: Yassine Bono, Munir, Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti
Defenders: Achraf Hakimi, Noussair Mazraoui, Romain Saiss, Achraf Dari, Jawad El-Yamiq, Yahia Attiat-Allal, Badr Benoun
Midfielders: Sofyan Amrabat, Selim Amallah, Abdelhamid Sabiri, Azzedine Ounahi, Bilel El Khanouss, Yahya Jabrane
Forwards: Hakim Ziyech, Youssef En-Nesyri, Sofiane Boufal, Zakaria Aboukhlal, Ez Abde, Amine Harit, Ilias Chair, Abderrazak Hamdallah, Walid Cheddira
Senegal
Chelsea duo Eduoard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly have both made the cut for Senegal.
But the AFCON champions are reportedly set to be without talisman Sadio Mane who sustained a tendon injury against Werder Bremen.
However, Mane is still named in the squad with the Senegal boss prepared to take a gamble.
Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy, Alfred Gomis, Seny Diang
Defenders: Bouna Sarr, Saliou Ciss, Kalidou Koulibaly, Pape Abou Cisse, Abdou Diallo, Ibrahima Mbaye, Abdoulaye Seck, Fode Ballo Toure, Cheikhou Kouyate
Midfielders: Pape Matar Sarr, Pape Gueye, Nampalys Mendy, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Moustapha Name, M. Loum Ndiaye, Joseph Lopy
Forwards: Sadio Mane, Ismaila Sarr, Bamba Dieng, Keita Balde, Habib Diallo, Boulaye Dia, Famara Diedhiou, Mame Babe Thiam
Switzerland
Granit Xhaka will captain the Swiss team as they go for glory in Qatar and he’ll be joined by former Liverpool attacker Xherdan Shaqiri.
Goalkeepers: Gregor Kobel, Philipp Kohn, Jonas Omlin, Yann Sommer
Defenders: Manuel Akanji, Eray Comert, Nico Elvedi, Ricardo Rodriguez, Fabian Schar, Silvan Widmer
Midfielders: Granit Xhaka, Edimilson Fernandes, Fabian Frei, Remo Freuler, Ardon Jashari, Fabian Rieder, Xherdan Shaqiri, Djibril Sow, Renato Steffen, Denis Zakaria, Michel Aebischer
Forwards: Breel Embolo, Christian Fassnacht, Noah Okafor, Haris Seferovic, Ruben Vargas
United States
Arsenal’s second choice goal keeper Matt Turner has been included in the squad despite some recent injury issues.
He’ll be joined by Leeds duo Brenden Aaaronson and Tyler Adams as well as Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic.
Goalkeepers: Ethan Horvath, Sean Johnson, Matt Turner
Defenders: Cameron Carter-Vickers, Sergino Dest, Aaron Long, Shaq Moore, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson, Joe Scally, DeAndre Yedlin, Walker Zimmerman
Midfielders: Brenden Aaronson, Kellyn Acosta, Tyler Adams, Luca de la Torre, Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Cristian Roldan
Forwards: Jesus Ferreira, Jordan Morris, Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Josh Sargent, Tim Weah, Haji Wright.
Wales
Goalkeepers: Wayne Hennessey, Danny Ward, Adam Davies.
Defenders: Ben Davies, Ben Cabango, Tom Lockyer, Joe Rodon, Chris Mepham, Ethan Ampadu, Chris Gunter, Neco Williams, Connor Roberts.
Midfielders: Sorba Thomas, Joe Allen, Matthew Smith, Dylan Levitt, Harry Wilson, Joe Morrell, Jonny Williams, Aaron Ramsey, Rubin Colwill.
Forwards: Gareth Bale, Kieffer Moore, Mark Harris, Brennan Johnson, Dan James.
