The 2022 World Cup is upon us and 32 teams across the globe will battle it out for their shot at ultimate glory in Qatar. Here at the Hard Tackle, we look at the teams from Group H and their prospects in the upcoming mega-event.
Group H comprises of heavyweights like Portugal, Uruguay, Ghana and South Korea.
While the likes of Portugal and Uruguay have one of the best teams in the world and they will be expected to go all the way, South Korea and Ghana have the quality to pull off an upset on their day and they will look to make their mark in the group stages.
Group H: Portugal, Uruguay, Ghana and South Korea
Matches
24th November: Uruguay vs South Korea, Portugal vs Ghana
28th November: South Korea vs Ghana, Portugal vs Uruguay
2nd December: South Korea vs Portugal, Ghana vs Uruguay
Portugal
Fernando Santos guided Portugal to the Euros and he will be hoping to guide them to World Cup glory now.
They have an exceptional squad at their disposal packed with talent across the pitch.
Furthermore, they will have a proven winner like Cristiano Ronaldo leading them in the tournament.
Despite injuries to players like Diogo Jota, Portugal have the depth to battle it out against any team on their day. They have experienced stars like Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Joao Cancelo, Rafael Leao, and Ruben Dias apart from Ronaldo at their disposal.
Key Players: Cristiano Ronaldo
The 37-year-old will be desperate to win the World Cup this time. This is his last chance to win the marquee event and Ronaldo will look to give it his all.
It has been a difficult season for the Manchester United star at the club level and he has been a squad player for Erik ten Hag. On the split side, the lack of action at Old Trafford has left him fit and fresh for the World Cup. He has the pedigree to win matches all on his own and he will be Portugal’s go-to man in Qatar.
Uruguay
The South American outfit have always been strong competitors in major international events and they will look to make their mark in the World Cup as well.
The Uruguayan squad is full of top-class talents who are key players for major clubs across Europe. They have a nice balance of experience and youth. Although they are not considered as the favourites to win the tournament, they have the quality to surprise a fair few.
Key Player: Darwin Nunez, Rodrigo Bentancur, Federico Valverde
The absence of Luis Suarez from this list can be a bit surprising but he is not the player he used to be. He could still impact the game heavily with his experience and quality, but the likes of Nunez, Valverde and Bentancur will be the main pillars for Uruguay.
Nunez has done reasonably well at Liverpool and he has been prolific over the past year. With Suarez and Edinson Cavani past their peak, he will be the one leading Uruguay’s attack.
Bentancur and Valverde have been exceptional at the club level and he will be the engine of the side in Qatar.
Ghana
The Ghanaians will be the underdogs in the group and it remains to be seen whether they can pull off a few upsets in the World Cup.
Otto Addo’s squad have an average age of 25.3 and they have a number of exciting young talents at their disposal. They have the tenacity and determination to of well in a major tournament like this.
With the tag of underdogs, Ghana will be able to play without pressure here.
Key Players: Mohammed Kudus
The Ajax attacker has been in impressive form this season. The 22-year-old will be starting for Ghana in the World Cup and he will be looking to make his mark in the major event.
Kudus has five goals and three assists for his country in 18 caps and his pace, quality and finishing could cause all sorts of problems for the opposition.
South Korea
Another team that is capable of pulling off an upset on their day. South Korea have quality players who are plying their trade at top European clubs.
They will look to battle it out for a place in the knockout rounds and it will be interesting to see if they can do better than the likes of Uruguay and Ghana in the group.
Paulo Bento likes to play free-flowing attacking football and South Korea will look to take the game to the opposition. Their fearless approach makes them a force to be reckoned with.
Key Players: Son Heung-Min, Kim Min-Jae
Son is one of the best players in the world and he has been a key player for Tottenham over the years. South Korea will need him firing on all cylinders if they are to do well in the World Cup.
Meanwhile, Kim Min-Jae has done exceedingly well since his move to Napoli and he will look to organise the back four and contain the opposition here.
Likely to qualify: Portugal and Uruguay
They are the two most experienced teams in the group and they have one of the best squads in the tournament.
It is no surprise that they are the top two picks from Group H to go through.
With players like Ronaldo, Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Nunez, Valverde, and Suarez at their disposal, these two teams should be able to put any opposition to the sword and book their place in the knockouts.