The opening game of the World Cup is on Nov. 20th when the host nation takes on Ecuador.
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All the 32 finalist are hoping that their star players don't get injured and go into the World Cup in good shape. There are a lot of players who are desperate to break into the country's squad.
We look at the favorites to see how they are shaping up and also check in with other nations to see how their players are doing.
There's a World Cup finals schedule.
The United States, France, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Wales and Australia are some of the countries to jump to.
Fixtures: IR Iran (Nov. 21), United States (Nov. 25), Wales (Nov. 29)
The squad announcement is on November 10.
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The attempt to prove a backup to Harry Kane took another turn this week. Tammy Abraham scored a goal last Thursday as Roma beat HJK Helsinki to advance to the next stage of the competition. The only goal was scored by Manchester United against West Ham on Sunday, 24 hours after Wilson scored a pair of goals in the same game.
The coach watched the two players in person, and he also saw Trippier extend his fine form in the defensive side of the ball. With Trent Alexander-Arnold struggling for form, Trippier is likely to start for England against Iran in November.
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The injury that forced him off in the first half of Sunday's win over Forest is so close to the tournament that it is a worry for the England boss. The hope is that the initial diagnosis is correct and that a quick return is possible for Saka, who is seen as an important member of the squad.
Fixtures: Wales (Nov. 21), England (Nov. 25), IR Iran (Nov. 29)
The squad announcement will take place on November 9.
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One of the few players to come out of the September international window with their reputations improved. Since the beginning of the season, Scally has started all 14 of the club's games. Even with the rosters expanded to 26 players, the U.S. manager still has a need for depth at the outside back positions.
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It has been difficult for Luca de la Torre to get playing time since he moved to Celta from Heracles. He has only been on the field five times this season. He's going to be out for two weeks because of his injury. It's very close to being ready for the World Cup, which may force Berhalter to look for a different set of players.
The country are looking at something.
The players were healing up last week. Berhalter's squad was hit by a number of injuries. In addition to De la Torre, Weston McKennie is out for 15 days with a quad injury, Josh Sargent is out with a calf injury, and Matt Turner missed out on the game with PS Chris Richards is also out. The only good news was that Tyler Adams was back in the lineup for the team.
If Weston McKennie can't play in the World Cup, Herculez Gomez has a debate about who should take his place.
Fixtures: Australia (Nov. 22), Denmark (Nov. 26), Tunisia (Nov. 30)
The squad announcement will take place on November 9.
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If not the very best, the defender is one of the best in the league. He is almost perfect in his first year in England. The Paris-born centre-back has been scoring points in the coach's mind this season.
Another centre-back and a piece of good news for DesChamps. The player will be back in action soon. Deschamps loves his mentality and fighting spirit and was hoping that he would be fit and ready to go for the tournament, which seems to have happened now.
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On Monday afternoon, the news was that Paul was not going to be fit for the World Cup. His place at the tournament has been lost after he was injured in training on Monday. N'Golo Kante is also out so it's a huge blow for the team.
Matteo Guendouzi was not happy to come off early in the second half against Frankfurt in the European competition last week and he was frustrated with his own performance on Saturday at Strasbourg.
The country are looking at something.
It's bad news for DesChamps. There are many more French players who are back in training, as well as Jules Kounde and Raphael Varane.
Fixtures: Japan (Nov. 23), Spain (Nov. 27), Costa Rica (Dec. 1)
The squad announcement will take place around November 11.
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The 29-year-old forward from Werder Bremen is not well known outside of Germany, but his 9 goals in 12 league games this season has catapulted him into contention for a spot in Hansi Flick's team. Germany lacks a physical No. 9 who can be used in certain situations. His lack of international experience could diminish his chances, but more and more fans want to see the man who has a missing front tooth.
After being dropped from the national team, the veteran made it his goal to convince the coach to take him to the World Cup. In the last few weeks, he has looked very motivated and performed very well for the team in the match against Manchester City. Hummels' biggest issue in previous seasons was an inflammation of his patellar tendon which forced him to take breaks and sit some games out, though it seems he and the medical staff have been able to figure out a healing method.
Musiala is always hype up. One showcase performance after another. He has the creativity and excitement that the national team needs. If he is able to maintain his form until the World Cup, we may see a breakthrough performance similar to James Rodriguez's.
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If Muller is fully fit, he will be in Germany's starting lineup. If has grown bigger. Muller said last week that his body has been in what he called "start-and-stop-mode" meaning he has not been able to stay free of injuries for long periods. The player has been given another couple of days off to recover from an injury that has been bothering him for a long time. Muller's body is showing signs of aging and he may not make it to the World Cup.
A German media outlet asked what was wrong with Serge Gnabry. The 27-year-old has not been performing to his full potential. He tends to be detached from the rest of the team. His goal in the win over Mainz is not enough to hide his troubles. He can shine in a functioning side but rarely stand out when his team is in trouble.
The worst-case scenario would see Neuer going into the tournament with his shoulder still acting up, since he has been dealing with a nagging shoulder injury. Concerns are growing because Neuer hasn't played in a long time. He was Germany's No. 1 before the 2010 World Cup when Rene Adler was injured. Neuer is trying to stay in his position. He would be replaced by Barcelona's Ter Stegen.
The country are looking at something.
Earlier in the season, they had a brief slump. The lucky win over the Catalans six weeks before the decisive win against Barcelona underscored how the Germans have been able to get back on track. Not all of the players are in top shape. Some are dealing with injuries while others don't. Germany needs a strong core in order to do well in the tournament.
Fixtures: Costa Rica (Nov. 23), Germany (Nov. 27), Japan (Dec. 1)
The squad announcement will take place around November 10.
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After being ruled out of Spain's Euro 2020 squad due to injuries, the centre-back is still proving his fitness at Paris Saint-Germain. The last of his 180 caps came prior to that tournament, but he still wants to play for his country again. He became the first player in the history of Paris Saint-Germain to go through their first 30 appearances without a loss. Luis Enrique is having a hard time making a call.
Barcelona defeated Valencia on Saturday with four potential Spain left-backs on the field. The natural position for Jordi Alba was at right-back, with Marcos Alonso at centre-back. Valencia's Gaya was the pick of the bunch because he was on his 300th club appearance.
Borja Iglesias scored his eighth goal of the season in a 2-0 win over Real Sociedad. Robert Lewandowski has scored more goals in LaLiga than anyone else. He made his international debut last month and it looks like he's going to keep his place.
Hunter wants to know why Iglesias is in the squad.
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Morata was forced to leave the game with an ankle injury in the second half of the match. He should be fine for the finals even though he has a swollen ankle. He scored two goals in 13 appearances, but his role in the team is much more than that.
He hasn't started a match since returning from injury in October and needs minutes to show he's ready for international duty. He has come off the bench in three of the last four games. There are more games before the World Cup. He could convince Luis to pick him by starting, a goal, or an assist. He made five appearances at Euro 2020 and set up three goals for Spain.
Mikel Oyarzabal thinks that time is against him because he is a Luis Enrique favorite. He's back in training after not playing since March. With just three games left before Luis Enrique names his squad, it is hard to see how he will be included. The Spain coach will give him time to make a case after he was named on the pre- list.
Fixtures: Senegal (Nov. 21), Ecuador (Nov. 25), Qatar (Nov. 29)
The squad announcement will take place on November 13th.
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He has adapted well to life in the premier league The way in which he was able to control Harry Kane and Son Heung- Min in the win over Spurs has impressed the Manchester City manager. He hasn't lost a game at his new club.
He made his first appearance of the season two weeks ago, and as a substitute he made the difference in the home game againstArsenal, and this weekend he scored again.
Mark Flekken has had a clean sheet in all of the competition he has participated in. Ter Stegen and Flekken have the same number of clean sheets.
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Is getting a lot of criticism for his performances this season, as his team struggles in the premier league. The captain of the Dutch national team played very well against the other teams in the competition, but lost against the other teams. It was the first time in 70 games that he had lost.
The country are looking at something.
Fans of Memphis Depay are worried about his injury. The Netherlands play their first match in less than two weeks. Also this weekend, Matthijs de Ligt was injured. He won't play in the competition this week, but he'll be back at the weekend. The World Cup is not in danger because he was not the only Dutch defender who was injured.
Fixtures: Canada (Nov. 23), Morocco (Nov. 27), Croatia (Dec. 1)
The squad announcement is on November 10.
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It was an amazing performance from the Lens forward against Toulouse. Openda scored a hat trick in 30 minutes after starting on the bench. Openda was put in contention for a place in the squad after Romelu Lukaku was injured.
Trossard scores against the big dogs every week. He scored in back-to-back matches against Manchester City and CHELSEA after his hat trick atLiverpool. He was used as a lone forward instead of a wide player, and he excelled against the Blues.
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His move to AC Milan was supposed to be his big break and the chance to take his game to the next level after he delivered for Club Brugge. He was on the bench at the weekend after being taken off early in the competition. He hasn't scored a goal for Milan.
After being out since August and coming back last week, Romelu is injured again. He had an injured thigh. He won't have played much before the start of the World Cup, so there will be a lot of uncertainties over his match fitness.
The country are looking at something.
When he thought he had a new Inter Milan goal scorer, he lost him again. It's another concern for him, but at least there was some good news with the form of Kevin De Bruyne and Trossard. Next week, he will announce his World Cup squad.
Fixtures: Ghana (Nov. 24), Uruguay (Nov. 28), South Korea (Dec. 2)
The squad announcement will take place around November 10.
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Joao Felix has come in for a lot of criticism recently over his commitment as well as his form. At the weekend, he came off the bench to score two late goals, but it wasn't enough for the win. The coach heaped praise on Felix after the game and Portugal must hope the brace adds fire to his game.
Fixtures: Saudi Arabia (Nov. 22), Mexico (Nov. 26), Poland (Nov. 30)
The squad announcement will take place on November 13th.
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Musso made a successful return from a head injury and kept a clean sheet for Atalanta in their victory over Empoli. Exequiel Palacios, one of Lionel Scaloni's most important reserves in the middle of the field, is back in action after a recent injury.
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The problem for Argentina at the weekend was the injury to a regular starter in the middle of the field. There will be more information in the next few days, but this is cause for concern. Argentina will probably wait for Lionel Messi for as long as possible because his passing is so subtle. Another worry is the head injury suffered by Argentina's goalkeeper, who has been superb since making the position his own.
Fixtures: Serbia (Nov. 24), Switzerland (Nov. 28), Cameroon (Dec. 2)
The squad announcement will take place on November 7.
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The new hero in the squad was on target at the weekend and the national team coach was watching from the stands. The goal will make him feel better about himself. It would seem that he could only get into the squad if there were a lot of injuries. The man who picks the team has a better idea of who he is and what he can do.
The only goal in the final was scored by Gabriel Barbosa. In the past four years, he has been on target in all of the finals he has been in. He was thrown out of the Brazil team last year for not performing well. With Brazil's depth of attacking options it seems unlikely that he will make the final 26, but he has reminded the coach of his abilities.
Fixtures: Poland (Nov. 22), Argentina (Nov. 26), Saudi Arabia (Nov. 30)
The squad announcement will take place on November 13th.
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Luis Chavez was once again brilliant for Pachuca and a key figure in last week's run to the Liga MX title. Although he made his debut for Mexico's senior national team in April, his rise might force him to start in the World Cup.
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Gimenez was in the running for a spot on the World Cup roster but cooled off after a great start to the season. The 21-year-old forward has not found the back of the net in his last eight games for his club. Gimenez might be left out of the final roster due to an ongoing injury.
The country are looking at something.
Pachuca's latest title will be good news for Mexico manager Gerardo "Tata" Martino, who has relied on options from the club. Gimenez's poor form since late September will leave serious questions regarding who should be Mexico's starting No.9 at the World Cup.
Fixtures: United States (Nov. 21), IR Iran (Nov. 25), England (Nov. 29)
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A return to form will be crucial if Wales are to have serious firepower at the finals, and Kieffer Moore showed he was doing just that with two goals against Spurs at the weekend. Since the first day of the season, he has not scored a goal.
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Robert Page says that he will definitely be in his final 26 man squad even if Joe Allen is injured. After being out for six weeks due to a leg injury, Allen went to see a specialist. Page is gambling on his fitness for the World Cup because he won't play forSwansea before the tournament.
Fixtures: France (Nov. 22), Tunisia (Nov. 26), Denmark (Nov. 30)
The squad announcement will take place on November 8.
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It inadvertently speaks to the injuries, lack of minutes, or some combination of both afflicting the Socceroos' defensive stocks just weeks out from the opening of the World Cup, but Bailey Wright's first start of the season for Championship side Sunderland. With Harry Souttar and Kye Rowles yet to return to first-team football due to injury, Wright will have two more chances to push his case for selection with the Black.
This week, the Socceroos became the first team in the world to collectively raise their voices and advocate for improvements in human rights. They called for the establishment of a migrant resource centre and for the decriminalisation of same-sex relationships in the host nation of the World Cup. Led by Wright, Mat Ryan, and Jackson Irvine, the initiative was driven by the players and serves as the latest example of athletes using their voices to advocate for causes outside of football.
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One of the Australian football zeitgeist's most prolific culture wars, one which reached a new zenith this week, is the candidacy of Australian-born but representative of Italy at a junior international level, Vol pato.
His match-winning appearance off the bench for AS Roma against Hellas Verona in the Italian top flight led to renewed calls for a spot in the national team. Even if he was offered the chance to go to a World Cup with the Socceroos, the 19-year-old's Australian connections said he wouldn't get a chance to play for Italy at a senior level.
Arnold is already juggling the fringe candidacies of several young attacking talents because of these statements. If Australia are to snatch away a young prospect from Italy via a spot on the plane to Qatar it will be a Perth-raised defender who is currently on the books of Parma.
Fixtures: Netherlands (Nov. 21), Qatar (Nov. 25), Ecuador (Nov. 29)
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After Kepa Arrizabalaga was injured, Mendy was called back into action and only conceded their fourth in the last minute of the game. With Kepa's injury not yet known, he may now have an opportunity to make his case, even though he was axed by Graham Potter. Aliou Cisse will be happy to see Mendy get some more game time after being dropped, with the keeper's inactive status becoming an increasing concern for the African champion.
Boulaye Dia is expected to be Senegal's leading man up front at the World Cup because of his recent good form. He was again among the goals for Salernitana as they secured an unlikely 3-1 victory at Lazio, and with five Serie A goals this season, he could yet emerge as a viable option for the problem centre-forward position.
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Opportunities are quickly running out for Kalidou Koulibaly to return to match sharpness before the World Cup. Potter stated on Friday that the centre-back has an "outside chance" of playing against Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday, and if he misses this, he will only have three potential matches to return to top form. He'll make the squad, but will he perform well in the opener against the Netherlands?
The country are looking at something.
Senegal will be hoping that Kepa's absence will allow Mendy an extended run back in the team while hoping for Koulibaly's return as soon as possible. Nampalys Mendy was given a full half against Manchester City and looked comfortable as he watched Kevin De Bruyne score. Will he force his way back into the starting lineup to get some playing time before the World Cup? With Qatar only weeks away, Sadio Mane's performance in the victory over Mainz was a great example of how good he can be.
Fixtures: Denmark (Nov. 22), Australia (Nov. 26), France (Nov. 30)
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On Friday, he had a hand in the hosts' opener and registered one assist, but it was his technical qualities that made him stand out. It was lively and suggested that the Manchester United loanee could offer more to Tunisia. He was withdrawn in the 54th minute after narrowly avoiding a second yellow card, with coach John Eustace urging the youngster not to sail too close to the wind with the officials.
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He made his debut for the Carthage Eagles in September with an eye on getting into the World Cup squad. The ex-Southampton defender's hopes are in jeopardy after he was replaced with an apparent broken nose during Angers' loss to Monaco.
The country are looking at something.
The return of the influential attacker, who had fallen out of favor in recent weeks, was good news for Tunisia. The Carthage Eagles need him to be at his best if they want to escape their group.
Fixtures: Croatia (Nov. 23), Belgium (Nov. 27), Canada (Dec. 1)
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Romain Saiss came back to action for Besiktas after 22 days and played the full 90 minutes as they downed Umraniyespor. It wasn't a perfect showing for the ex-Wolves man, as Besiktas conceded two and he picked up a booking, but Saiss' return is a huge boost for Morocco.
Absent again against Manchester United on Sunday, but the big news of the week was Aguerd's return from injury in West Ham United's 1-0 victory over Silkeborg. It was the centre-back's first match since he signed for £30 million and overcame an ankle injury that required surgery. He needs to force his way into the starting XI of the Hammers after getting through the 90 minutes.
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The keeper was fit enough to sit on the bench, but Sevilla's head coach said it was precautionary. Morocco fans will only be reassured when Bono returns to action.
Things are not as good for Bono's club teammate En- Nesyri, who was injured in the European competition. He did not show up at Sevilla's training on Monday. It is hoped that it will take him a week to recover. We'll see how he progresses.
The country are looking at something.
The return to action of Saiss and Aguerd is a major boost for Morocco, and the news they've been waiting for, while it seems like Bono's absence will be short. Considering he will likely start at left-back as the replacement for injured Adam Masina, Noussair Mazraoui's recent showings for the team are encouraging.
Fixtures: Switzerland (Nov. 24), Serbia (Nov. 28), Brazil (Dec. 2)
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If Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting maintains his form in the World Cup, Samuel Eto'o's ambitions could be realised. The forward registered a goal and an assist as the team put Mainz to the sword and went on to win the game. He's had a hand in eight goals in his last five games, the best form of his career, but can the coach harness the purple patch at the Mondial?
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A change of management at Lyon has led to a change of fortunes for Karl Toko Ekambi, who is still used in a substitute role. Since the ex-France boss was appointed, the forward hasn't started a game and hasn't found the back of the net in over a month. He made a brief appearance against Lille on Sunday.
The country are looking at something.
Supporters of Choupo-Moting are hoping that his stop-start international career can finally come to an end when the Indomitable Lions need him the most. Bryan Mbeumo's first assist of the season suggests he could prove to be an asset, while the return of Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa to action for Napoli is more important than ever.
Fixtures: Portugal (Nov. 24), South Korea (Nov. 28), Uruguay (Dec. 2)
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During the last international break, Inaki Williams made his debut for the country of his choice. It would be difficult for Otto Addo to keep Williams on the bench with his recent form. The attacker made it five goals in 12 games in LaLiga after the forward's strike.
One of the Black Stars' rare success stories during the disastrous Africa Cup of Nations campaign, Paintsil was left out of the squad during the last international break. His recent form should convince the coach to rethink the talented forward, who scored and set up two in Genk's win over Mechelen. He has contributed 10 goals in 12 Pro League outings and can't be overlooked.
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Alexander Djiku was unavailable for Strasbourg's draw with Marseille as he continues his recovery from a minor injury. Both club and country will be eager to see the defender back in action.
The country are looking at something.
The coach won't be complaining to have several in-form attacking options available to him as the World Cup looms, despite the fact that Addo has two different problems. He'll be encouraged by Thomas Partey's goal- scoring performance against Forest, as he slammed home the fourth in their emphatic win.
Fixtures: Germany (Nov. 23), Costa Rica (Nov. 27), Spain (Dec. 1)
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Daichi Kamada opened the scoring in Eintracht Frankfurt's crucial 2-1 win over Marseille last week and followed it up with a long-range strike against the Germans. With 11 goals in 19 games already playing at the highest level of European football, the 26 year old must be in Japan's starting XI.
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The stock fell. Furuhashi, who was brilliant in his first season with Celtic, was not included in the 26 man squad. In Furuhashi's defense, his record of seven goals in nine league games so far this term is hardly a poor record, and it is understandable why eyebrows have been raised at his omission -- especially given the Samurai Blue coach justifying his squad selection as a decision to skip experience for "burning
There is a 26 man squad for the World Cup.
The country are looking at something.
Yuya Osako, arguably Japan's best performer at the previous World Cup, was not included in the 26 man squad. The attacking trio of Takuma Asano, Ayse Ueda and Daizen Maeda have combined for just eight international goals, raising questions over whether the Samurai Blue have enough firepower. The emergence of Kamada as an avenue for goals, even from a deeper position, and whether or not he can perform at the biggest of stages is looming as even more crucial for Japan's prospects.
Fixtures: England (Nov. 21), Wales (Nov. 25), United States (Nov. 29)
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There was never any doubt over Taremi's place in the Iran starting XI, especially since CarlosQueiroz returned as coach, but what he has done this past week was enhance the notion that he could pose a real threat to England, United States and Wales He has time to impress more before the World Cup after earning the Player of the Week award for his two goals against Club Brugge.
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It was not helped by missing a recent training camp that they would have been legitimate options in the Iran defence for the World Cup. Kanaanizadegan might still be feeling secure about his place in the Team Melli lineup, but he could be in a position where he's behind the other two.
The country are looking at something.
The fact that Taremi continues to be in good form is a huge boost for Iran, especially given injury concerns over his strike partner Sardar Azmoun, who has struggled for fitness and form since moving to Germany. Team Melli still look to be building nicely towards a third consecutive World Cup appearance despite the absence of Kanaanizadegan and Khalilzadeh.
Fixtures: South Korea (Nov. 24), Portugal (Nov. 28), Ghana (Dec. 2)
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The build up has been disrupted by injuries. The most serious new injury has been suffered by a reserve player who will not be able to play in the World Cup. Edinson Cavani pulled up in the first half of Valencia's match against Barcelona and had to be taken out of the game. The price may have been paid for trying to get up to full fitness too fast. He will be closely watched by the country of Uruguay. The reserve centre-back will have to train with a mask on after he broke his nose.
Fixtures: Qatar (Nov. 20), Netherlands (Nov. 25), Senegal (Nov. 29)
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Pervis Estupinan made the team of the week for his performance against the Blues. It was his best match since moving to BRIGHTON. The attacking left-back is an important member of the Ecuador side and will be happy to hit top form at the right time.
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