World Cup 2022 Team Guides, Group E: Spain, Costa Rica, Germany, Japan
Two former World Cup winners — Spain and Germany — are the obvious favorites to advance, and their meeting on Nov. 27 is the marquee match of the first round. Stingy Japan has a solid squad and is the more likely of the other two teams to upset the natural order if one of the giants slips up. As for aging Costa Rica, surviving the first round will be an exceedingly tall order.
Coach: Luis Enrique
Highest finish: Winners (2010)
2018 finish: Round of 16
FOX Bet odds: +800
Key players: Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Álvaro Morata
What we're excited to watch: Spain has finally moved past their all-conquering golden generation; Busquets, the captain, is the lone remaining player from their 2010 World Cup winning squad. Enrique's retooled La Roja is now ready for their moment.
What success look like: While capable of winning it all, they're probably four years away from being a legit title favorite. That said, a quarterfinal berth is the bare minimum.
Achilles heel: History. For all their talent and experience, Spain has punched below their weight at World Cups, with 2010 the exception. They've never made it past the quarters in 11 other tournament appearances.
X-Factor: Gavi. The 18-year-old playmaker has been a regular for La Roja since making his debut last year, and he has the potential to be a breakout star on the biggest stage.
Three things you need to know about Spain
Coach: Luis Fernando Suárez
Highest finish: Quarterfinals (2014)
2018 finish: Round of 16
FOX Bet odds: +75000
Key players: Celso Borges, Joel Campbell, Keylor Navas
What we're excited to watch: If Costa Rica is to advance against the odds, they'll almost certainly have to win their second match in Qatar, against Japan on Nov. 27.
What success look like: Getting out of a group this tough would be a triumph.
Achilles heel: Age. There's no getting around how long in the tooth the Ticos are. Borges is 34. Navas is 35. Bryan Ruiz, Costa Rica's all-time top scorer, is 37. Even Campbell is now on the wrong side of 30.
X-Factor: Navas. The three-time UEFA Champions League winner hasn't played a minute for Paris Saint-Germain this season after losing his starting job. That means the best player in Costa Rican history — he singlehandedly led the Ticos to the quarterfinals in 2014 — has something to prove in Qatar.
Three things you need to know about Costa Rica
Coach: Hansi Flick
Highest finish: Winners (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014)
2018 finish: Group stage
FOX Bet odds: +1000
Key players: Joshua Kimmich, Thomas Müller, Antonio Rüdiger
What we're excited to watch: Aside from a surprising loss to Hungary, Germany has been superb since Flick replaced longtime manager Jogi Loew last year. This is the World Cup, though. That match against Spain will tell us where they really stand.
What success look like: Germany goes into every major tournament knowing it can win. As much as just making a deep run would suffice after the shock of their group stage exit four years ago (and the round of 16 loss to blood rival England at last year's Euros), Die Mannschaft will still be disappointed if they don't claim a fifth world title.
Achilles heel: Roster composition. This is a team built to win the 2024 Euros on home soil; the 2022 version is caught between two generations, with 30-somethings Muller, Manuel Neuer and Ilkay Gundogan on one side and teenagers Youssoufa Moukoko and Jamal Musiala on the other.
X-Factor: Moukoko. Just 17, the uncapped striker already has 11 goals in 44 Bundesliga appearances. After making the squad in place of injured veteran Marco Reus, he will be among the youngest participants in World Cup history if he steps on the field.
Three things you need to know about Germany
Coach: Hajime Moriyasu
Highest finish: Round of 16 (2002, 2010, 2018)
2018 finish: Round of 16
FOX Bet odds: +25000
Key players: Daichi Kamada, Takumi Minamino, Takehiro Tomiyasu
What we're excited to watch: Japan relishes the underdog role and tends to exceed expectations. In 2018, they survived a group containing Colombia, Poland and Senegal and then gave Belgium everything they could handle in the second round. Don't be shocked if they upset one of their decorated European foes.
What success look like: Making it out of the first round at consecutive World Cups would be an unprecedented accomplishment for the Blue Samurai. Winning a knockout round match for the first time would be even better.
Achilles heel: Scoring. The four forwards on Japan's 26-man roster have just 10 international goals between them.
X-Factor: Defense. With a back line led by Arsenal center back Tomiyasu and captain Maya Yoshida, Japan is ultra-disciplined and organized defensively, making them extremely difficult for opponents to break down. Teams that don't get scored on can't get beat – even by the likes of Germany or Spain.
Three things you need to know about Japan
MORE GROUP PREVIEWS: GROUP A | GROUP B | GROUP C | GROUP D | GROUP F
Doug McIntyre is a soccer writer for FOX Sports. Before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he was a staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports and he has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at multiple FIFA World Cups. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.
