Group F heavyweights Belgium, Croatia aim to improve on their 2018 World Cup success

By Selcuk Bugra Gokalp

ANKARA (AA) - FIFA World Cup Group F heavyweights Belgium and Croatia are vowing to go beyond the call of duty at this winter's top football tournament.

In the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Belgium bagged a bronze medal, while Croatia, who were not among the favorites, returned home with a silver medal to the amazement of the country’s football authorities.

Although they were praised for their achievements in Russia, both teams aim to accomplish more than they did four years ago when they step on the pitch in Qatar.

It seems that the Belgians and Croatians will be locked in a tough struggle against each other for Group F's top position in the 2022 World Cup, which will begin on Nov. 20.

- Belgium

Having perhaps the strongest looking squad of Group F on paper, the Belgian national team may be regarded as one of the contenders for the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The Red Devils are still looking for their maiden FIFA World Cup triumph after their bronze medal at Russia 2018.

There are several world-class stars among the team squad, including national team skipper and Real Madrid winger Eden Hazard; goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and Manchester City attacking midfielder Kevin De Bruyne.

Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans, Everton's young defensive midfielder Amadou Onana, Atletico Madrid winger Yannick Carrasco and AC Milan midfielder Charles De Ketelaere are other notable names to watch in Qatar.

Two Turkish Super Lig players -- Fenerbahce striker Michy Batshuayi and Galatasaray's veteran attacker Dries Mertens -- are among the players called for national duty in Qatar.

But AC Milan attacker Divock Origi was left out of the World Cup squad.

Anderlecht's veteran defender Jan Vertonghen is Belgium's most capped player, with 141 appearances, while Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku is the all-time top scorer, with 68 goals.

- Belgium’s World Cup squad:

Koen Casteels (Wolfsburg), Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), Simon Mignolet (Club Brugge), Toby Alderweireld (Royal Antwerp), Zeno Debast (Anderlecht), Leander Dendoncker (Aston Villa), Wout Faes (Leicester City), Arthur Theate (Rennes), Jan Vertonghen (Anderlecht), Yannick Carrasco (Atletico Madrid), Timothy Castagne (Leicester City), Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Dortmund), Thomas Meunier (Borussia Dortmund), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Amadou Onana (Everton), Youri Tielemans (Leicester City), Hans Vanaken (Club Brugge), Axel Witsel (Atletico Madrid), Michy Batshuayi (Fenerbahce), Charles De Ketelaere (AC Milan), Jeremy Doku (Rennes), Eden Hazard (Real Madrid), Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan), Dries Mertens (Galatasaray), Lois Openda (Lens), Leandro Trossard (Brighton & Hove Albion)

- Croatia

The runners-up of the previous World Cup in 2018, Croatia are expected to be Belgium’s biggest rivals for the Group F lead.

The Croatian squad has some quality midfielders including Chelsea's Mateo Kovacic, Inter Milan's Marcelo Brozovic and Atalanta's Mario Pasalic.

Twenty-year-old defender Josko Gvardiol of Leipzig, who will compete in his maiden World Cup, is one of the promising players on the team.

Thirty-seven-year-old Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric, who is the most capped Croatian player with 154 appearances, is the national team captain.

There are several veterans on the Croatian squad as well.

Tottenham's 33-year-old midfielder Ivan Perisic is one of the notable names, while Zenit St. Petersburg defender Dejan Lovren and former Besiktas defender Domagoj Vida of AEK are among the experienced names to play in the World Cup.

Former Real Madrid and Arsenal forward Davor Suker is the top Croatian goal scorer of all time, with 45 goals.

Croatia also bagged a bronze medal in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, which was won by the host nation France.

- Croatia's World Cup squad:

Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Ivica Ivusic (Osijek), Ivo Grbic (Atletico Madrid), Domagoj Vida (AEK Athens), Dejan Lovren (Zenit Saint Petersburg), Borna Barisic (Rangers), Josip Juranovic (Celtic), Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig), Borna Sosa (Stuttgart), Josip Stanisic (Bayern Munich), Martin Erlic (Sassuolo), Josip Sutalo (Dinamo Zagreb), Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea), Marcelo Brozovic (Inter Milan), Mario Pasalic (Atalanta), Nikola Vlasic (Torino), Lovro Majer (Rennes), Kristijan Jakic (Eintracht Frankfurt) Luka Sucic (Salzburg), Ivan Perisic (Tottenham), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim), Bruno Petkovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Mislav Orsic (Dinamo Zagreb), Ante Budimir (Osasuna), Marko Livaja (Hajduk Split)

- Canada

Rare participants Canada bagged a FIFA World Cup ticket after 36 years.

It will be their second appearance in the World Cup.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies is expected to be the Reds' ace in Qatar.

Canadian team CF Montreal right-back Alistair Johnston, midfielder Ismael Kone and defender Kamal Miller are some of the important players on the squad.

Two names who played for Turkish club Besiktas are important in the Canadian national football team’s history. Thirty-nine-year-old Besiktas midfielder Atiba Hutchinson is the most capped Canadian player, with 97 appearances, while former Black Eagles forward Cyle Larin is the all-time top scorer, with 25 goals.

Canada won the Gold Cup (formerly known as the CONCACAF Championship), which determines the continental champion of North America, Central America and the Caribbean and is organized by the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), twice in 1985 and 2000.

- Morocco

African nation Morocco will participate in their fifth World Cup group stage in history.

Paris Saint-Germain right-back Achraf Hakimi is the star of the Atlas Lions.

Bayern Munich right-back Noussair Mazraoui, Chelsea midfielder Hakim Ziyech, Sevilla's goalkeeper Yassine Bounou and forward Youssef En-Nesyri are the other notable names on the team squad.

Three Moroccan players are familiar with Turkish football fans: Besiktas defender Romain Saiss, Hatayspor attacker Ayoub El Kaabi and Adana Demirspor midfielder Younes Belhanda. Saiss was called up to the squad for the upcoming World Cup but El Kaabi and Belhanda were left out.

Former Deportivo defender Noureddine Naybet is the most capped player, with 115 caps, while former striker Ahmed Faras is the all-time Moroccan top scorer, with 36 goals.

Two-time CAF African Nations Champions (2018, 2020) Morocco also bagged the Africa Cup of Nations in 1976.

Their best achievement in FIFA World Cup history is the Round of 16 in 1986.

- Morocco's World Cup Squad:

Yassine Bounou (Sevilla), Munir Mohamedi (Al Wehda), Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti (Wydad AC), Romain Saiss (Besiktas), Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain), Nayef Aguerd (West Ham United), Noussair Mazraoui (Bayern Munich), Jawad El Yamiq (Valladolid), Achraf Dari (Brest), Badr Benoun (Qatar SC), Yahia Attiyat Allah (Wydad AC), Sofyan Amrabat (Fiorentina), Selim Amallah (Standard Liege), Amine Harit (Olympique Marseille), Ilias Chair (Queens Park Rangers), Azzedine Ounahi (Angers), Yahya Jabrane (Wydad AC), Abdelhamid Sabiri (Sampdoria), Bilal El Khannous (Genk), Youssef En-Nesyri (Sevilla), Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea), Sofiane Boufal (Angers), Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Ittihad), Zakaria Aboukhlal (Toulouse), Abde Ezzalzouli (Osasuna), Walid Cheddira (Bari)

- Group F Schedule:

Nov. 23

Morocco-Croatia

Belgium-Canada

Nov. 27

Belgium-Morocco

Croatia-Canada

Dec. 1

Croatia-Belgium

Canada-Morocco