The 32 teams competing in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar are facing a major challenge in the unusual preparations for a football wedding as they only have a few days between the break in international leagues and the kick-off match and therefore will not play. enough test matches immediately before the event.
The teams participating in the final, scheduled to run from November 20 to December 18, will play their last international window between the 23rd and 27th this year before playing the inaugural World Cup midway through the European season. Teams usually have a period of three weeks to a month before the start of a football wedding to prepare appropriately and play some preparatory matches, but this time they won’t have that luxury because the clubs’ activities will stop at the end of the week on November 12 and 13, and the match The opening of the World Cup between host country Qatar and Ecuador will take place on the 20th. Nicolas Dion, former physical education coach of French clubs Nice, Rennes and Saint-Étienne, believes that the physical preparation of the players will be in the hands of the clubs: “It will be difficult in terms of performance, it is a blow. good luck”.
National team coaches try to downplay the issue as they are all in the same situation, with France coach Didier Deschamps, champion of the latest edition of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, saying: “Not getting a chance to play a match before the tournament starts is a disaster, but concerns everyone.” Or colloquially it says, “We’re all in the air together.” Spain coach Luis Enrique said the same: “It applies to everyone and therefore it is fair.”
If France, the reigning champions, who start their defense campaign against Australia on November 22, does not play a single friendly match, then Germany will have a training camp in the Sultanate of Oman from 14 to 18, during which they will play a match. against Oman on the 16th.
“Preparation for the World Cup is completely different from the previous ones, we have less time than before,” said Germany manager Oliver Bierhoff.
As for Argentina, led by their star Lionel Messi, they will play a friendly match against the Emirates, while Portugal and their star Cristiano Ronaldo will face Nigeria on the 17th.
As for other teams, the Qatari clubs have released their players to the national team, which will go to a long-term camp on the European continent.
Expected surprises
And Nicolas Dion, the former coach of the Qatar PE team, confirms again: “In my opinion, there are huge surprises waiting for us at the World Cup. Teams that were not counted will arrive on time. We’re going to a country with a big question mark about humidity. How will the players cope? Small teams can take advantage of this.”
On the other hand, Brazil coach Tite confirmed that only physically fit players would be included in the Selecao, regardless of their stardom, and Deschamps said the same when he confirmed that his influential midfielder Paul Pogba would not participate if he did not recover. from injury. he suffered in the ranks of his Juventus team. Subsequently, he underwent surgery.
“Our first match will take place just 10 days after the arrival of the players for the rally,” Tite told Brazilian television. Therefore, either you are in full physical readiness, or you will not be on the official list.
On the one positive side, the players will not go through the World Cup tired after a long season, as usual, because this time the tournament is held in the middle of the season.
“The advantage of this World Cup is that the players will be less tired both physically and mentally,” Brazil assistant coach Kléber Xavier told GloboSporte.
Dion agreed, saying: “They can’t say they’ve played 60 matches, but the main condition is to prepare well for the start of the season.”