What tactics do Belgium use? What is Canada’s weakness? Which quirk should we look out for from Croatia?
The 2022 World Cup is nearly upon us and The Athletic will be running in-depth tactical group guides so you will know what to expect from every nation competing in Qatar.
Liam Tharme will look at each team’s playing style, strengths, weaknesses, key players and highlight things to keep an eye on during the tournament.
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Expect to see screengrabs analysing tactical moments in games, embedded videos of key clips to watch, the occasional podcast clip and data visualisation to highlight patterns and trends — think of yourself as a national team head coach and this is a mini opposition dossier for you to read pre-match.
We move onto Group F, which contains 2018’s beaten finalists Croatia, Belgium and a golden generation taking a last crack at greatness, a Canada team at their first World Cup since 1986 and a Morocco team that welcome Hakim Ziyech back into the fold.
You can read Group A, Group B, Group C, Group D and Group E here, and groups G and H will be published later this week…
Belgium
- Manager: Roberto Martinez
- Captain: Eden Hazard
- Qualifying record: P8 W6 D2 L0 GF25 GA6
- 2018 World Cup: Semi-finals (third place)
- Average age of squad in qualifying: 29 years 1 month
- Most caps in squad: Jan Vertonghen (141)
- Top scorer in squad: Romelu Lukaku (68)
How they play (tactics and formations)
The 3-4-2-1 formation has been a staple of Belgium under Martinez.
The ‘4-2’ of that formation comprises two wing-backs plus a box midfield (a double pivot with two attacking midfielders ahead).
The box is fluid and at times the No 10s will drop deeper, such as Kevin De Bruyne in the build-up to Christian Benteke’s goal against Estonia. Wing-backs Yannick Carrasco (left) and Thomas Meunier (right) are highlighted by the blue dots, positioned high and wide to stretch opponents and offer passing options — and De Bruyne finds Carrasco with a big diagonal.
It was similar in the build-up to Romelu Lukaku’s goal against Russia…
But there are occasions when they create more intricately, like for De Bruyne’s goal against Wales below.
Meunier is the safe pass option down the right and can thread a pass into the centre-forward Michy Batshuayi…
De Bruyne had already sprinted forwards to try and receive a through ball from Meunier but recalibrates his movement to score from Batshuayi’s pull-back.
Belgium end the attack with five players around the box, which is typical of this side, particularly with the No 10s and wing-backs flooding the penalty area with late runs — just look at Meunier’s underlap above.
One thing they largely guarantee is goals. They have scored in all but two of their competitive games under Martinez since he was appointed in August 2016 — against France in the 2018 World Cup semi-final and in the Nations League this September against Netherlands. Between his first game on September 1, 2016 and their win against Portugal at the Euros in June 27, 2021, Belgium had the most wins (47) and goals scored (175) of any European nation.
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The yardstick for Belgium’s international success is strange and appears to be very different from within the country compared to outside it.
Compare their population size to other European nations and they are something of a minnow. Spain are five times bigger, Belgium’s population is one-fifth of England and France and one-eighth of Germany. They rightly celebrated a third-place finish at the last World Cup.
Yet many will be quick to point out the shortcomings at recent major tournaments and Belgium having been the only nation to hold the FIFA number one spot without winning silverware. Even Martinez has described the existence of a “big psychological barrier for a national team (that hasn’t won) to win a trophy”.
What’s their weakness?
The age of this current squad is seen as an issue, not just because of possible physical decline but also psychological, with many of this squad having been a part of previous tournament ‘failures’.
Belgium were the oldest team at Euro 2020 and their starting XI in the round of 16 win against Portugal had an average age of over 30 and the back three was 101 years combined.
But more worrying is the lack of athleticism in central defence, with Martinez’s side often conceding chances and goals from passes in behind their high line.
Key player(s)
A strong core has enabled Belgium to consistently compete at the top end of international football — goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is arguably in his prime, Axel Witsel glues the side together, De Bruyne creates an abundance of chances and Lukaku scores goals.
The No 9 finished as the country’s top scorer at Euro 2020 (four) and topped the charts in qualifying too (five) despite only playing 46 per cent of possible minutes. He is the top Belgian scorer under Martinez, who he played for at Everton, netting 51 goals in 51 appearances, and his 11 goals at Euros and World Cups since 2014 is only bettered by Cristiano Ronaldo (13).
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He boasts an unrivalled ability to pin a centre-back and receive passes back to goal, either setting passes in the late running No 10s or spinning to shoot. Tactically, Belgium’s shape suits his style, with technical wing-backs that can play diagonal passes into his feet but also provide crosses for one-touch finishes.
One concern, however, will be Lukaku’s lack of minutes this season because of a thigh injury that has meant he has not started a game for Inter since August.
One thing to watch out for
De Bruyne’s goals from outside the box.
The 31-year-old is renowned for his ability to assist but is one of the best ball strikers with either foot, particularly from distance. His goal against Wales (analysed above) means that 11 of his last 15 Belgium goals have been scored from outside the box.
🇧🇪 Happy birthday, Kevin De Bruyne 🎉
😍 Enjoy his first EURO goal…#HBD | @DeBruyneKev | @BelRedDevils pic.twitter.com/SdYhmvt1KC
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) June 28, 2022
Canada
- Manager: John Herdman
- Captain: Atiba Hutchinson/Milan Borjan
- Qualifying record: P14 W8 D4 L2 GF23 GA7 (Third round)
- 2018 World Cup: Failed to qualify
- Average age of squad in qualifying: 27 years 1 month
- Most caps in squad: Atiba Hutchinson (97)
- Top scorer in squad: Cyle Larin (25)
How they play (tactics and formations)
They might be at their first World Cup since 1986 but Canada are not just here to make up the numbers.
This is a side that has evolved under Herdman. He has taken them from 94th in 2018 to 41st in just four years and done it with a flexible tactical approach.
They have not only mixed formations but also change playing styles — their opening third round qualifying game was a 1-1 draw against Honduras with 65 per cent possession, directly followed by 28 per cent but the same scoreline versus the USA.
They used a back five in both games and usually opt for this against higher quality opposition, but Canada ended qualifying playing a back four and a box midfield.
The graphic below statistically profiles Canada against the seven other North American teams in third round qualifying. Canada’s varied approach means they naturally lie close to the median in stylistic metrics (such as fourth for attack speed and third for PPDA) but are among the continent’s very best in creating high-quality shots (first for xG per shot) and at preventing opponents from doing the same (second for xG per shot conceded).
Regardless of the system, the attacking principles are consistent. They always play with a degree of verticality and quickly progress the ball forward but through ground passes and dribbles.
At times there are rotations with the central midfielders dropping into the back line to push the wide players further forward.
Fundamentally, this team — particularly its best players — are athletic, so this is playing to strengths by repeatedly hitting teams when they are disorganised in transition. Just four of their 23 goals in qualifying came from sequences lasting longer than 10 seconds.
Canada were CONCACAF top scorers and also boasted the best defence (seven goals against), thus having the best goal difference (+16) and winning the round robin stage (third round qualifying).
Belgium (3-4-2-1) and Croatia (4-3-3) are expected to set up in markedly different shapes but both dominate possession, which provides a variety of problems for Herdman to solve.
What’s their weakness?
It would be easy to underline the collective lack of World Cup experience, but there is such little pressure on Canada to succeed that this is less significant than perhaps expected.
Tactically, there is a serious possibility that they get overrun in central midfield — they use a double pivot regardless of how the back line is constructed. With a group of teams that are not only stacked in this area but also like to play with three or even four central midfielders, Canada could struggle to win this part of the pitch.
Key player(s)
Sam Adekugbe is a guaranteed starter at left wing-back and his athletic, attacking style helps unlock Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies, who often plays as a No 10.
The passage below shows those two combining for Cyle Larin’s goal against USMNT in qualifying.
Canada are building up with a back three and two central midfielders — their wing-backs (blue dots on grabs below) stretch the pitch horizontally.
As soon as Adekugbe receives the ball from Kamal Miller he plays a straight pass for Davies’ diagonal run (partly hidden by the scoreline on the first screengrab)…
… and he can square it to Larin for a tap-in. His six goals (and 6.13 xG) in third round qualifying were the most of any player.
Canada regularly score from this pattern, getting in-behind defences down the left and playing cutbacks into high-quality scoring zones close to goal.
Jonathan David’s attacking versatility personifies the Herdman approach. He is slightly more streaky for country than his club Lille, but can operate as a lone No 9, in a partnership with Larin, or in the No 10 role if Canada are to play a 4-2-3-1.
One thing to watch out for
Atiba Hutchinson. The 39-year-old is set to become the oldest World Cup debutant ever, overtaking David James in 2010 (39 years, 322 days in England v Algeria).
The central midfielder, who has played for Besiktas since 2013, is the most capped player in Canadian history (97) and if he appears in all the group games he will become the first to reach a century.
Croatia
- Manager: Zlatko Dalic (since October 2017)
- Captain: Luka Modric
- Qualifying record: P10 W7 D2 L1 GF21 GA4
- 2018 World Cup: Final
- Average age of squad in qualifying: 28 years 3 months
- Most caps in squad: Luka Modric (154)
- Top scorer in squad: Ivan Perisic (32)
How they play (tactics and formations)
The beaten finalists in 2018 are likely to look similar to last summer’s European Championship.
They may not be as tactically complex as some sides but they will enter Qatar in better form than most teams. Croatia topped their Nations League group, winning their final four games to reach the semi-finals next summer.
| Opponent (venue) | Result | Possession (%) |
|---|---|---|
0-3 | 61 | |
1-1 | 49 | |
0-1 | 51 | |
0-1 | 46 | |
2-1 | 49 | |
1-3 | 54 |
Croatia are a team that like to control possession and play expansively with an organised structure, though they have attacking, athletic full-backs on both sides who will push forward and contribute in the final third.
The coach Dalic almost exclusively sets them up in a 4-3-3 and they are most threatening from wide areas. This shape can be seen in the build-up to their goal against Austria, with their full-backs (black dots) positioned wide to stretch the play.
Left-winger Ivan Perisic crosses to the back post where right-back Josip Stanisic and No 9 Marko Livaja are making runs — and the latter scores.
Their 37 chance-creating crosses in World Cup qualifying was the most of any European side. This continues to build on their success four years ago, where they attempted 141 crosses and completed 20, the most at the tournament.
The graphic below visualises their crosses in qualifying. It is notable how balanced they are at creating from both sides but also have the ability to create chances from both higher and lower positions on either flank.
Most of their shot-ending crosses are dropped centrally into the second six-yard box — the space between the penalty spot and the actual six-yard box — rather than whipping crosses in closer to goal.
Their opening goal against Scotland at Euro 2020 is evidence of this, with right-back Josip Juranovic crossing for left-winger Perisic, who heads it down for Nikola Vlasic to fire in.
Similarly, their late equaliser against Spain, where Mislav Orsic’s inswinging cross meets Mario Pasalic’s run.
Note for the goals how many bodies Croatia have in the final third and pushing into the box, often the opposite winger and full-back, plus central midfielders, are crashing in.
What’s their weakness?
The lack of a goalscorer. They netted 21 in qualifying but Luka Modric and Perisic were joint-top scorer with three goals each.
Arguably this is a problem that has existed since Mario Mandzukic’s retirement, with the current options all bring somewhat good without being great.
Andrej Kramaric is largely a box forward who offers little in build-up play, which is an area that Bruno Petkovic shines, but he is less prolific and has been inconsistent since the Euros.
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Ante Budimir presents another option but is limited as a target man and Livaja does not possess the quality to lead the line.
Solving this problem is essential for Croatia despite their success in Russia. They did not win a knockout game at the last tournament, needing extra-time and penalties twice to beat teams, and that is not a sustainable way to win in tournament football.
Key player(s)
They have arguably the best midfield three in international football even after Ivan Rakitic’s retirement — Modric, Marcelo Brozovic and Mateo Kovacic provide a balance of technical ability, press resistance, ball carrying, athleticism and defensive quality.
But Perisic may well be the difference between success and failure. A right-footed left-winger, who plays as a wing-back for Antonio Conte at Tottenham, he has scored at the last four major tournaments and only Modric (1,620) has played more minutes at those competitions than him (1,537).
Not only can Perisic provide the crossing threat from the left, with either foot, but he is also particularly adept at scoring from these situations — England fans will remember his goal in the semi-final in 2018.
One thing to watch out for
Modric’s set pieces.
The 37-year-old is at his last World Cup but is the footballing equivalent of a fine wine — better with age.
Much is rightly made of his silkiness in open play but his ability from dead-ball situations could be key given the nature of tournament football.
He has scored 19 of his 22 career penalties (excluding shoot-outs), including a recent Nations League winner in France.
Across World Cup 2018 and Euro 2020 only England’s Kieran Trippier (20) has created more chances from set pieces, and in qualifying for Qatar, Modric became the oldest player to score a direct free-kick goal.
🇭🇷 Luka Modrić = _____ 🔥
The Croatia legend claimed the equaliser against Slovakia with this free-kick 🎯@lukamodric10 | @HNS_CFF | #WCQ pic.twitter.com/5OyTUPJQ7l
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) October 15, 2021
Morocco
- Manager: Walid Regragui
- Captain: Romain Saiss
- Qualifying record: P8 W7 D1 L0 GF25 GA3 (second and third round)
- 2018 World Cup: Group stage
- Average age of squad in qualifying: 26 years 6 months
- Most caps in squad: Romain Saiss (65)
- Top scorer in squad: Hakim Ziyech (17)
How they play (tactics and formations)
Walid Regragui replaced Vahid Halilhodzic in August and has turned this Morocco side into something stylistically similar to his CAF Champions League-winning Wydad Casablanca team.
In the two September friendlies, Regragui’s only games in charge, Morocco have played a 4-3-3 with one holding midfielder, inverted wingers and advancing full-backs. They are an exciting, fluid and expansive attacking side who look to build from the back but attack with pace.
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Importantly, their friendlies were against Chile and Paraguay, so a lesser level of opposition than they will face in Qatar, but in both games without the ball they dropped into a 4-1-4-1 with the wingers tucking in.
This mid-block defending approach was consistent from Morocco, who did at times press high — see their second goal against Chile — but mostly controlled the game by sitting off.
Albeit under a different head coach, they were second-top scorers in CAF qualifying (24 goals) and went through the first five rounds of the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations as joint-top shooters.
They can work the ball into dangerous areas in organised patterns, typically down the sides of teams when the full-backs and wingers combine, but the ability to hit sides with fast attacks is a significant strength of this side.
If the opportunity to shoot from outside the box presents itself then Morocco are very prepared to take aim — they showed this in their recent win against Chile, who they out-shot 20 to three.
What’s their weakness?
Central midfield.
There is not a standout ball-playing central midfielder and, more worryingly, they have issues in preventing opponents from breaking the midfield line.
Chile played through them on multiple occasions, most notably when they broke the midfield line into Alexis Sanchez…
… who could turn and this forces centre-back Achraf Dari to jump and vacate space in behind…
… which opens a passing lane beyond the defence…
… and put Ben Brereton Diaz in a one-v-one situation — his shot on target is saved but it is still a big chance conceded.
Key player(s)
Morocco have arguably the best full-back pairing at the entire tournament — Achraf Hakimi on the right and Noussair Mazraoui on the left, who is back with the team after being frozen out by previous coach Halilhodzic.
Both are incredibly athletic and regularly make forward runs to support the attack, providing crossing threats on either side and being the main source of chance creation.
Hakimi has 53 Morocco caps despite being just 24 and also provides a direct free-kick threat. He scored almost identical goals at AFCON against Malawi and Gabon — he would have had another against Chile but an offside ruled it out.
He had the joint-most shots (10) and most tackles plus interceptions (19) of any Moroccan at AFCON, ranking second among his counterparts for passes (241) and ball recoveries (32).
One thing to watch out for
Ziyech is back with Morocco.
Like with Mazraoui, Halilhodzic had frozen Ziyech out but the 29-year-old played in the September friendlies against Chile and Paraguay. They were his first appearances since December 2021 and he has 17 goals and 10 assists in 42 caps.
(Photos: Getty Images/Design: Sam Richardson)