World Cup 2022 Group A Summary

Check out the latest odds on the winner of Group A 

Netherlands

4/11

Senegal

9/2

Ecuador

9/2

Qatar

14/1

Fixtures

Group A team summary

Click on each team for a form guide and preview of their World Cup chances

• Netherlands will have a World Cup point to prove after failing to qualify for the 2018 finals in Russia. They certainly made short shrift of qualification this time around, bouncing back from a worrying first-game defeat in Turkey to go unbeaten through the rest of the campaign to top their group with room to spare. They have confirmed their resurgence as a major force by winning a difficult Nations League group ahead of Poland, Wales and, most notably, much-fancied Belgium, whom they memorably dismantled 4-1 in Brussels. With Louis Van Gaal back at the helm for his third stint as head coach, and Virgil van Dijk running things on the pitch, the Dutch look a match for anyone going into the tournament.

• Senegal have reached successive World Cup finals for the first time in their history and will be looking to improve on their 2018 showing, when they failed to progress beyond the group stage. They will probably need mercurial talisman Sadio Mane to be fit and produce some magic along the way, but they will also believe they have enough quality in all departments to finish above Ecuador and Qatar and progress to the knock-out phase.

• Ecuador will see automatic qualification to Qatar as a major coup after leaving the likes of Colombia, Chile and Peru in their wake. Draws with the mighty Brazil and Argentina prove that they can hold their own against the big boys, and they come into the competition off the back of just one defeat in 15 games (Won 5, Drawn 9). Five friendlies since June have produced five clean sheets, including goalless draws with fellow World Cup hopefuls Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Japan, so they will enter the competition with serious ambitions of reaching at least the second round.

• Qatar are obviously huge underdogs in this group, but at the same they could be inspired to raise their game in front of fervent home support. Current form and an obvious shortfall in quality is likely to be their downfall and suggests the home nation will struggle, although the fact that they won four straight friendlies in the last month should give them something positive to take into their opening game.

Crunch games

Assuming that Qatar do not punch above their weight in front of their own fans, Ecuador and Senegal's encounter in the last round of games might just prove to be a qualifying decider to see who joins the Netherlands in the second round. Ecuador will be hoping to get all three points from the tournament's curtain-raiser, while the winner of the group's other opening game between Netherlands and Senegal will put themselves very much in the driving seat with Ecuador and Qatar still to play.

• Probable qualifiers   Netherlands & Senegal

• Possible dark horses   Ecuador