German football team, who is facing a second consecutive World Cup first-round exit, will take on its arch-rival Spain on Monday on day eight of the FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar Group E fixture.
The four-time champions Germany, which suffered a 2-1 loss to Japan in their Group E opener, fear a repeat of 2018 when they crashed out in the first round.
Spain, on the other hand, is in red-hot form as they thrashed Costa Rica 7-0 in their opening match.
FIFA World Cup 2022: Spain vs Germany squad
Spanish squad
Goalkeepers: Unai Simon, Robert Sanchez, David Raya.
Defenders: Cesar Azpilicueta, Dani Carvajal, Eric Garcia, Hugo Guillamon, Pau Torres, Aymeric Laporte, Jordi Alba, Alejandro Balde.
Forwards: Ferran Torres, Nico Williams, Yeremi Pino, Alvaro Morata, Marco Asensio, Pablo Sarabia, Dani Olmo, Ansu Fati.
German squad
Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Kevin Trapp
Defenders: Matthias Ginter, Antonio Rudiger, Niklas Sule, Nico Schlotterbeck, Thilo Kehrer, David Raum, Lukas Klostermann, Armel Bella-Kotchap, Christian Gunter.
Midfielders: Ilkay Gundogan, Jonas Hofmann, Leon Goretzka, Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sane, Jamal Musiala, Joshua Kimmich, Thomas Muller, Julian Brandt, Mario Gotze.
Forwards: Kai Havertz, Youssoufa Moukoko, Niclas Fullkrug, Karim Adeyemi
Where and when will Spain vs Germany take place:
The FIFA World Cup 2022 match between Spain and Germany will take place on November 28, Monday at Al Bayt Stadium. The match will begin at 12:30 AM IST.
FIFA ranking: Spain (7), Germany (11)
Head-to-head record: 25 games since 1935 (including 12 matches between Spain vs West Germany) — nine wins for Germany, eight wins for Spain and eight draws.
Which TV channels will broadcast live and where to watch live streaming online:
Those looking to live stream and watch Spain vs Germany FIFA World Cup 2022 match online can do so on Jio Cinema App, Sports 18 and Sports 18 HD, VI Movies and TV, VI App, Tata Play Web, and Tata Play app.
FIFA World Cup 2022 kicked off in Qatar, on Sunday, with a grand opening ceremony that saw international celebrities perform. The event started with American actor Morgan Freeman’s dulcet voice and an Arabian theme with camels.
Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani arrived at the stadium flanked by FIFA president Gianni Infantino to a roaring crowd. Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was also present at the opening ceremony and inaugural match of the tournament.
The opening show also saw the performance of a new tournament song called ‘Dreamers’ featuring singer Jungkook of K-pop boy band BTS, alongside Qatari singer Fahad Al-Kubaisi. Interestingly, Qatar is also the smallest nation to host soccer’s biggest global event. Crowd control will be key with some 1.2 million visitors expected – more than a third of its population.
A ban on sale of beer was imposed two days before the opening ceremony of the World Cup.However, at the FIFA Fan Festival in central Doha, visitors were seen sipping beers. But the conditions outside the city’s edges were different as hundreds of workers gathered in a sports arena in an industrial zone, without alcohol.
Thousands of attendees were turned away from a Saturday night concert in the official fan zone because of overcrowding. According to the reports, around 1.2 million visitors are expected to begin arriving this week in the tiny nation on the Arabian Peninsula.
Qatar – which is home to 3 million people, mostly migrant workers – has spent more than $200 billion on improvements across the country for the tournament. Among the additions are seven new purpose-built venues, including the 60,000-seat Al Bayt Stadium that hosted Sunday’s opening ceremony and the first match.
Visitors pose for photos with a FIFA World Cup sign in Doha on October 30, 2022. (Photo by GABRIEL … [+] BOUYS/AFP via Getty Images)
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Soccer fans are counting down the days until the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup. But off the pitch, content creators are busy preparing to flood social media with statistics, highlights, and graphics showing every aspect of the tournament. It’s not just Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe trying to win in Qatar; brands and sponsors will also be competing to have a successful World Cup.
But while it provides a huge commercial opportunity, the 2022 World Cup has its unique challenges for brands looking to engage their customers. There is a need to be associated with the World Cup, while in some markets trying to avoid association with the hosts. There is a need to appeal to non-soccer fans, tuning in for the first time in four years rather than following a team every week. And there is a need to keep fans engaged once their team gets knocked out.
Paul Every from Stats Perform says one way to keep casual fans engaged is through storytelling. Stats Perform has been using artificial intelligence to gather historical data from every World Cup since 1966. This allows them to work out statistics like the expected goals for that year’s final when England beat Germany, or how the Netherlands’ “Total Football” side of the 1970s compares to teams of today.
Lionel Messi’s performance at Qatar 2022 could be compared with Diego Maradona’s World Cup … [+] performances for Argentina using artificial intelligence. (Photo by JUAN MABROMATA/AFP via Getty Images)
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From this data, Every says they’ve discovered some interesting trends, such as how the number of passes is increasing from world cup to world cup, the number of shots is decreasing, and shots are generally coming from closer to the goal.
The use of artificial intelligence has made it easier to gather data and generate statistics. The data revolution in soccer might not be observable week-in-week-out, but the difference compared to past world cups is night-and-day due to the four-year gap between tournaments. Some metrics like expected goals were not really known a few tournaments ago, but are now commonplace.
New metrics like line-breaking passes and pressures that lead to a turnover in possession or lead to a chance created will be seen more at Qatar 2022. Paul Every says that managers like Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola have helped bring ideas like pressing to Premier League fans, but now it can be quantified more and used to create narratives.
He also says the changes in the way fans consume content mean that speed is of the essence, especially with so many content creators all competing for eyeballs. “Snackable” content is a must, and programs that can use data to create graphics in seconds mean that content will be coming out almost live.
Content revolving around stars like Lionel Messi or Kylian Mbappe rather than teams could be content … [+] creators’ secret weapon to keep fans engaged after their team gets eliminated. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)
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More and more fans these days follow players rather than teams. This could be content creators’ secret weapon to keep fans engaged should their country get knocked out early. The ability to use AI to compare Lionel Messi to past greats like Diego Maradona, for example, makes it even easier to create narratives around the superstars of today.
Gamification of soccer content, from fantasy World Cup games to competitions like OPTA Million, where fans predict where each team will finish, will also be used by brands to keep fans engaged.
Everyone has their own predictions about who will win the World Cup. Stats Perform have built their own prediction engine, using OPTA’s artificial intelligence technology, to work out live how the odds of winning the World Cup change with every goal, from the very first group-stage game until Harry Kane’s winning penalty for England in the final.
Racegoers watch on a large screen as David Beckham scores for England against Argentina in the World … [+] Cup at Epsom Racecourse in Epsom, England on June 7, 2002. (photo by Julian Herbert/Getty Images)
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The World Cup may be a time for fans around the globe to watch games together and enjoy the “World Cup atmosphere”, but many people say they don’t intend to watch this winter’s World Cup, and most of those who are watching Qatar 2022 will be doing so from the comfort of their armchairs.
Footage of fans watching matches on a big screen or at fan parks have been a feature of recent World Cups. FIFA has a few official fan parks around the world, and this year is holding official FIFA fan festivals in Mexico, Brazil, South Korea, Dubai and London as well as in Qatar. Other big screens will be set up around the world, but they could be quieter this year than at previous tournaments.
More than half of the UK population watched England’s loss to Italy in the final of the UEFA 2020 European Championships, but a consumer survey by adtech company LoopMe found that only 29% of respondents in the UK intend to watch the World Cup.
The survey of more than 4,429 British consumers also found that 84% of those planning to watch the tournament planned to do so from home. Just 8% said they would watch games at a pub or similar venue.
The cold weather might put some people off watching games at an outdoor screen this year. Usually in Seoul, for example, thousands of people watch South Korea’s games on outdoor screens around the city, but with temperatures there during the late-night kickoffs likely dropping to around freezing, watching outside is probably a less attractive option than usual.
Fans of Brazil pose for a selfie while attending the broadcasting of the World Cup 2018 football … [+] match against Switzerland on a big outdoor screen in the Alzirao neighborhood, in Rio de Janeiro on June 17, 2018. (Photo: CARL DE SOUZA/AFP via Getty Images)
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In the UK though, only 4% of those planning to watch the games at home said cold weather was the reason behind their decision. 25% of respondents though did say they preferred a summer world cup because of the weather, with 17% saying they were unhappy with the winter world cup interfering with other sports schedules.
The cost-of-living crisis also only appears to be a minor factor behind British consumers staying home to watch the World Cup, with just 14% saying they were watching at home due to costs. Rather 58% of those watching at home said they planned to do so simply because it was more comfortable.
The World Cup is less popular among consumers in the United States and in Singapore, with just 10% of U.S. respondents and 26% in Singapore saying they plan to watch the tournament.
But they were more likely than UK respondents to get out of the house to watch the games.
While 84% of UK respondents are planning to stay home, just 76% of respondents in the States and 68% of those in Singapore were going to watch the games from the comfort of their armchairs.
The survey also found that 16% of U.S. respondents watching the tournament were planning to invite friends over to watch the games, while 30% of those in Singapore planned to have friends over. 4% of respondents from Singapore plan to watch the game at an outdoor screen, twice that of the U.S.
WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 15: A dejected Jesse Lingard of Nottingham Forest during the … [+] Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest at Molineux on October 15, 2022 in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom. (Photo by Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images)
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As ever has been the case this season, Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper was refusing to let results get him down.
Rooted to the bottom of the table with just five points and a goal difference of -15 he watched his side lose to fellow strugglers Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0.
Not for the first time this year, the defeat had the added bitterness of Forest throwing away a chance to take something from the game in the form of a missed penalty.
“No blame,” he told the media post-game, “we win and we lose together. Sticking together is going to be really important this season.
“You saw a team that never gave up. You saw a team that was committed to the game and wanted to get something out of it. That’s why there’s a real disappointment in the dressing room.
“We’ve got to support the players with keeping that spirit going because it’s going to have to be a massive part of us improving.”
Cooper knows all about improvement, few managers in English soccer have demonstrated the ability he’s shown to turn a sinking ship around in the last 12 months.
Just over a year ago, the Welshman swept into the club while it was sleepwalking toward relegation and somehow managed to engineer a return to the Premier PINC League instead.
A victim of his own success, Cooper’s issue is now that the fiercely ambitious owners of the East Midlands side are not satisfied with just surviving in the top division.
“We will give all the ammunition to Steve for the new season to be able to be very competitive and to try, not only to maintain the position in the Premier League but also to perform well,” explained owner Evangelos Marinakis amid the promotion celebrations.
The Greek billionaire was true to his word, Forest’s $150 million summer transfer outlay was more than Real Madrid, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City.
In total 22 players have been welcomed through the doors of the City Ground for big fees or, in the case of Jesse Lingard, mega wages.
It’s hard to argue that Forest has not bought quality, players, like Remo Freuler, came with burgeoning reputations and track records of success.
The issue for Cooper has been trying to assemble his vast new array of talent into a coherent unit that can deliver results.
“There are parts of our game where we look like a new team and that’s the sort of stuff you address in pre-season,” Cooper said after a series of back-to-back defeats, “we’re addressing it right in the middle of the Premier League.
‘We have challenged ourselves – how do we become a team? Whether it’s our tactical ideas, our togetherness, our spirit, pushing each other, that comes when you have real trust with each other and trust is built over time.”
The problem was that, up until the start of October, it appeared those in power at Forest didn’t quite agree.
Why Cooper needs the World Cup
WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 15: Steve Cooper, manager of Nottingham Forest, looks on during the … [+] Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest at Molineux on October 15, 2022 in Wolverhampton, England. (Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)
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According to recent reports by The Athletic, the club sounded out the possibility of replacing Cooper with recently-axed former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel or ex-PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino.
Journalists for the outlet claimed that when neither man showed an interest in joining the relegation-threatened side, and other clubs began showing an interest in its current boss Cooper, Forest decided to stick with their lot.
Well, what they did was double down, Cooper wasn’t just retained he was handed a new contract until 2025.
In his comments after putting pen to paper, the Welsh manager alluded to the uncertainty which surrounded the preceding weeks.
“It puts clarity on speculation. No one had ever questioned how much I love it here and want to be here,” he said.
“If there is talk about that it can stop. It doesn’t mean we are going to win the next match and everything is going to be OK. It has put an end to the questioning and that is great.”
However, things haven’t improved on the pitch since then.
A 1-1 home draw against Aston Villa saw the Reds once again surrender a lead and that was followed by a defeat against Wolves.
But here’s the good news: Just five games remain before the Premier League has an unprecedented six-week break for the World Cup.
With less than half of its fixtures fulfilled Nottingham Forest will get a second preseason for Cooper to assess the players he has at his disposal and devise a coherent strategy for results.
Not only that, the club has the added advantage of having relatively few players making the trip to Qatar.
Five first-team players will be heading to the Middle East, which leaves Cooper with more than enough talent to begin shaping a team.
Add into that that three of those, Brennan Johnson, Neco Williams and Remo Freuler, would be surprised to be involved in the latter stages of the competition and it could have an even more complete squad back even sooner.
More than anything though, the mid-season break will allow Cooper and his team to think.
So many new faces have arrived at the City Ground he’s barely had time to learn their names much less analyze their strengths, weaknesses and suitability for a tactical system.
If Forest can do just enough to stay within reach of the teams outside the relegation zone, and that won’t necessarily be easy considering Arsenal and Liverpool are opponents before the break, the East Midlanders have a good chance of survival.
