World Cup draw: Spain to face four-times winner Germany in Group phase

FOOTBALL fans in Spain are feeling somewhat apprehensive now that the draw for the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup has just been announced – La Roja will have to face Die Mannschaft in Group E.

Germany and Spain are tipped as the favourites, given that the former won the 2014 World Cup in Brazil – its fourth, after those of 1954, 1974 and 1990 – and Spain won the previous edition in South Africa in 2010.

But for Spain, this was a first and, sandwiched between two consecutive UEFA Euros titles, happened at a time when 'The Reds' were particularly strong; the nation's performance in Brazil and again in Russia in 2018 fell far short of its four-year honeymoon between 2008 and 2012.

And Hansi Flick's national side remains a force to be reckoned with, having beaten Argentina – with former FC Barcelona whizz-kid Leo Messi, who now plays for Paris Saint-Germain, on the team – at Rio de Janeiro's Maracanã Stadium in the finals eight years ago.

That said, the last time the Spanish and German national teams went head to head - in November 2020, in the final Group 4 match of the UEFA Nations' League at Sevilla's La Cartuja Stadium – saw La Roja wipe the floor with its northern European counterparts, ending on 6-0 for Die Mannschaft's worst-ever defeat in an official tournament match.

And Germany is Spain's only real threat in the Group phase – despite Japan's being one of the most powerful national teams on the Asian continent, the only time it has played against Spain was during a friendly in Córdoba in 2001, when the home team won 1-0.

Of course, that was 21 years ago, and the players involved on either side will have retired from top-flight football by now, so it remains to be seen how the new generations of Spanish and Japanese élite sportsmen fare against each other.

The final side in Group E will whichever country wins the playoff between Costa Rica and New Zealand.

No more than two national teams from any one continent can be in the same group, so with two European sides and one Asian in Group E, the fourth will be either from the Americas or Oceania.

Neither Germany nor Spain will have much to worry about with either, according to commentators.

If Spain's opening match in Qatar is against Costa Rica, La Roja will be up against an old colleague of theirs – ex-Real Madrid, Albacete and Levante goalkeeper Keylor Navas has made the national team for the Central American nation.

This inital match for Spain will be on November 23, since 2022 will bring the first-ever World Cup outside of its usual summer slot; the extreme heat over the 'normal' months of the tournament would be uncomfortable and probably dangerous to play in, and even in November and December, temperatures at the time of the matches could easily exceed 30ºC.

The most nailbiting match of Group E, between Germany and Spain, will be on November 27 at Doha's Al-Bayt Stadium – the same venue as the World Cup début match between Group A teams Ecuador and Qatar, the latter playing at home.

The other Group A teams are The Netherlands and Sénégal.

Spain concludes its Group phase on December 1, against Japan.

As for the remainder of the draw, Group B is England, Iran, the USA and whoever wins the European playoff (Wales, Scotland or Ukraine); Group C is Argentina, Saudi Arabia, México and Poland; Group D is France, Denmark, Tunisia and the winner of the international playoff (Perú, Australia or the United Arab Emirates); Group F is Belgium, Canada, Morocco and Croatia; Group G is Brazil, Switzerland, Serbia and Cameroon, and Group H is Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay and South Korea.