League: World Cup 2022

The Netherlands

Pedigree As a rule, the Dutch tend to do pretty well when they get to international tournaments these days. Getting there has proved to be the hard part: After reaching the final in 2010 and the semifinals in 2014, the Netherlands was not even present in Russia four years ago. Coach Louis van Gaal’s team is trying to make up for lost time.

Ambition Van Gaal was in charge in 2014, too, when his tactical acumen managed to take a far less well-equipped squad within a penalty shootout of reaching a second final in four years. This time, he has a defense built around Virgil van Dijk and a midfield orchestrated by Frenkie de Jong. And he is Louis van Gaal, so he will see no reason that he cannot win the whole thing.

Key Question The players left behind — Sven Botman, Ryan Gravenberch, Arnaut Danjuma — indicate the quality of the Dutch squad. If there is a weakness, it is up front, where Memphis Depay remains the only proven scorer. It would be a good time for Cody Gakpo, the PSV Eindhoven sensation, to come good on his promise.

Senegal

Pedigree Africa has not produced a quarterfinalist since Ghana’s encounter with Uruguay’s Luis Suárez in 2010. Senegal — which made it that far in its World Cup debut in 2002 — has the quality to break that streak. Coach Aliou Cissé’s team arrives in Qatar not just as the continent’s champion, but its standard-bearer.

Ambition Cissé’s squad is arguably as well balanced as any in the competition, the traditional favorites apart. Édouard Mendy is an elite goalkeeper, Kalidou Koulibaly has been one of the game’s finest defenders for a decade, there is an abundance of industry in the midfield, and the attack will be led — in theory — by Sadio Mané. The last 16 should really be the minimum.

Key Question Everything hinges on Mané. He was subbed out during Bayern Munich’s penultimate game ahead of the World Cup after taking what his coach described as “a blow to the head of his shin.” If he is healthy, Senega

Goalkeepers Edouard Mendy (Chelsea) Alfred Mendy (Stade Rennais) Seny Dieng (Queens Park Rangers)

Defenders Youssouf Sabaly (Real Betis) Abdou Diallo (RB Leipzig) Kalidou Koulibaly (Chelsea) Fode Ballo-Toure (Milan AC) Pape Abou Cisse (Olympiakos) Ismail Jakobs (AS Monaco) Formose Mendy (Amiens SC)

Midfielders Idrissa Gana Gueye (Everton) Cheikhou Kouyate (Nottingham Forest) Nampalys Mendy (Leicester City) Krepin Diatta (AS Monaco) Pape Gueye (Olympique de Marseille) Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham) Pathe Ciss (Rayo Vallecano) Moustapha Name (Paphos FC) Loum Ndiaye (FC Porto)

Forwards Sadio Mane (Bayern Munich) Ismaila Sarr (Watford FC) Boulaye Dia (Villarreal) Bamba Dieng (Olympique de Marseille) Famara Diedhiou (Alanyaspor) Nicolas Jackson (Villarreal) Iliman Ndiaye (Sheffield United)

Aliou Cisse: “I chose a team that can meet the demands of this competition. We gained experience in 2018 and through our continental championships. We are going to Qatar, aware of our qualities and above all with high ambitions.”

Ecuador

Pedigree Ecuador has quietly established itself as something of a force in South American soccer in recent years, qualifying for four of this century’s six World Cups. With a pipeline of young talent starting to flood into Europe, Ecuador may supplant Colombia and Uruguay to become the continent’s third force behind Brazil and Argentina.

Ones To Watch Midfielder Moisés Caicedo will be familiar to those who follow the English Premier League — his form for Brighton has seen him linked with moves to Liverpool and Chelsea — but the defenders Angelo Preciado and Piero Hincapié are well regarded, too.

Qatar

Pedigree It is not just that Qatar had never qualified for a World Cup. Qatar had never really come close to qualifying for one. For all the work the country has done to ensure it has a team capable of at least competing, in theory there has never been a more overmatched host.