Germany and Spain will look to dominate

SPAIN and Germany might be favourites to qualify for the World Cup knockout stage from Group E, but Japan and Costa Rica will want to cause an upset.

Here, profiles the four teams, looking at what it might take for each to make an impression at the World Cup.

AFTER winning their first World Cup title in 2010, Spain were tipped to add another crown sooner rather than later, given the talent at their disposal.

But they stuttered, crashing out in the group and knockout stage in 2014 and 2018. Enter Luis Enrique. The 52-year-old has been a breath of fresh air.

Since taking over in late 2019, Enrique has injected new blood into the squad to compliment the senior players, such as Barcelona’s captain Sergio Busquets (34).

But it was Pedri who shone at Euro 2020 for La Roja, who were semi-finalists. And that is why he will be expected to set Qatar alight.

GERMANY

But they made up for it at the next World Cup, as they dominated under coach Joachim Low to win the 2014 title.

But Low’s last major tournaments with Germany were ones to forget as they crashed out of the group stage in Russia and round of 16 at Euro 2020.

Enter Hansi Flick. He brought a fresh energy to the team and they were the first side to qualify for Qatar.

JAPAN

Having qualified for the last seven World Cups, Japan will be eager to make a statement at this edition and try to finish in a respectable spot.

The squad is made of players who are only hitting their peak now, with seniors such as Keisuke Honda, who has enjoyed a decorated career, being put out to pasture.

Their relatively new-look team boasts a wealth of European experience, including Arsenal defender Tekehiro Tomiyaso.

Striker Takumi Minamino will also bring a wealth of experience to the team, after playing time with English giants Liverpool before his move to Monaco.

COSTA RICA

Costa Rica are the underdogs of the group, having only qualified for the finals after winning a playoff against New Zealand.

But their underdog tag could help them spring a surprise, and they can take inspiration from teams like Iceland, who made a name for themselves at the Euros 2016 by beating England.

The Costa Rica squad does not boast well-known players, except for captain and goalkeeper Keylor Navas, who made a name for himself at Spanish giants Real Madrid.

He is now at Paris Saint-germain, where he is rubbing shoulders with the likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.

Group E consists of Spain, Costa Rica, Germany and Japan. This graphic shows a preview of the group at the 2022 World Cup, with matchday dates and previous head-to-head records.