In a World Cup, a champion stands at the top while 31 other nations compete for glory. As the group stage unfolds, it becomes clear which teams must bid farewell soon enough.
On the third day of the group phase, the first 16 teams were eliminated from the World Cup in Qatar 2022. Canada was among the early exits, losing its opening two matches to Belgium and Croatia and bowing out of the tournament. Qatar, the host nation, also exited early, finishing as one of the weakest sides in the competition.
One memorable start of the tournament involved Tunisia, which defeated the reigning champion, but despite the spirited performance, the result did not secure a place in the knockout rounds, leaving the squad with a bittersweet exit.
From first to last place, the World Championship standings tallied the outcomes for all participants. Two notable surprises emerged: Belgium, despite playing a tight 0–0 draw with Croatia, failed to advance to the top two in their group, suggesting the decline of a golden generation. The other surprise involved Germany, which despite a 4–2 victory over Costa Rica, failed to progress, ending their campaign earlier than expected.
Uruguay, marked by a modest tally of two goals in the tournament, did not advance, while teams from the southern region of the continent advanced to the knockout stage ahead of them.
- Below is a succinct overview of teams that had already said goodbye to the global spectacle.
THE ELIMINATED TEAMS FROM QATAR 2022
- Qatar
- Canada
- Ecuador
- Wales
- Iran
- Denmark
- Tunisia
- Mexico
- Saudi Arabia
- Belgium
- Germany
- Costa Rica
- Uruguay
- Ghana
- Cameroon
- Serbia
Source attribution: Goal