The 2022 World Cup is almost upon us but, for Irish supporters, it is once again to be played without Ireland present.
Fans will be counting down the days to November 20 and kick-off of the biggest football tournament in the world, but it may be hard to decide which (if any) of the 32 teams to get behind when the tournament gets underway.
We've taken it upon ourselves to go through all 32 teams and find the reason that Irish fans should support each one. We'll admit, some of them were rather tricky to nail down, and a few countries were a bit of a stretch, but we've managed to find at least something obscure for each team - and a few that are surefire winners.
Read on to discover which team you should support at the 2022 World Cup...
2022 World Cup: The Irish reason to support all 32 teams
2022 World Cup Group A
Qatar: We smashed them 4-0, so we'll look great if they do well
What a fantastic goal! Callum Robinson slides home to complete his hat-trick after a lovely Ireland move.
Television https://t.co/JYf06csaIG
Personal computer https://t.co/ji74HIr1GO
Radio https://t.co/k385JrUVqr #RTEsoccer pic.twitter.com/fxedbnyqYw— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) October 12, 2021
Last year's 4-0 win over the hosts of the 2022 World Cup was the biggest of the Stephen Kenny era so far, so it will bode well for Ireland if the champions of Asia can make their mark on the tournament.
Of the teams in the World Cup, Qatar are also closest to us in world rankings (one place behind), so they will give us the best indication of how we may have fared if we had qualified.
Netherlands: The home nation of Vera Pauw
11 October 2022; Republic of Ireland players and staff celebrate with manager Vera Pauw after the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 Play-off match between Scotland and Republic of Ireland at Hampden Park in Glasgow, Scotland. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
After achieving the monumental task of bringing Ireland to the Women's World Cup for the first time ever, surely the least we can do is back Vera Pauw's home nation in the men's tournament this year? Especially when they have a decent chance of progressing deep into the tournament...
Senegal: Like us, they're still dreaming of a return to 2002
Senegal's debut at the #WorldCup was unforgettable 👏🇸🇳
Full video 👉 https://t.co/rG5L49Dv3N pic.twitter.com/b8RCs5D24c— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) May 20, 2018
Senegal are one of the genuine underdogs for this tournament. The African champions, they have a star-studded team including Chelsea's Kalidou Koulibaly, and Edouard Mendy. They may have been dreaming of a quarter-final run, but the potential loss of Sadio Mané through injury will have significantly hurt their chances.
They will hope that they do not end up like us, harking back to the glory days of their last great World Cup run, when they shocked champions France in the opening game before progressing to the quarter-finals.
Ecuador: Moises Caicedo could open up opportunities for Irish players
26 September 2022; Evan Ferguson during a Republic of Ireland U21 training session at Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv, Israel. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Moises Caicedo is one of the brightest young talents at Brighton and one of the standout players in this Ecuadorian team. Somewhat surprise qualifiers, they have nothing to fear going into this tournament as a result, and Caicedo could be the one to help them make their mark. If he can catch the eye of teams ahead of the transfer window in January, it could open up some opportunities for the likes of Aaron Connolly and Evan Ferguson at Brighton.
2022 World Cup Group B
England
USA: They're in England's group
Christian Pulisic in action for the USA against Ben Chilwell of England (Photo: Shutterstock)
The United States also have the strong Irish diaspora in their favour, as well as a young and likeable team who will hope to at least reach the knockout stages in Qatar.
Wales: The birthplace of St Patrick
Gareth Bale will play in his first ever World Cup for Wales (Photo: Shutterstock)
Forget Gareth Bale, forget Tom Jones, forget Nigel Owens, forget Shirley Bassey. The most famous person to hail from Wales is of course our very own patron saint, Saint Patrick himself.
Iran: The British Embassy in Tehran
During a period of tensions between the countries in the 1980s, Iran made a choice to change the name of the street on which the British Embassy in Tehran lay, in an attempt to piss off the British authorities. They renamed the street "Bobby Sands Street", in a move which forced the Brits to change the entrance location to the building, so as not to have the address of the building include the name of Sands.
2022 World Cup Group C
Argentina: Home of (maybe) the only ever Irish World Cup winner
The brilliantly named José Luis Brown was born #OnThisDay in 1956. Classic breed of hard Argentinian central defender, mainly of Estudiantes fame. Scored the opener in the ‘86 WC Final. pic.twitter.com/yGNN7NfefF
— The Culture of Football Classics (@CFclassics) November 10, 2022
One of the scorers in the 1986 FIFA World Cup final, Jose Luis Brown, has been rumoured for decades to be of Irish heritage, with rumours of Carlow and Kerry lineage in the past.
We're yet to see concrete proof of this but, given there is a history of Irish descendants in Argentina going by the name of "Brown", we feel we can at the very least claim him as an honorary World Cup winner on Ireland's behalf.
Saudi Arabia: Stronghold of Newcastle fans?
Look, we'll admit this one is a bit of a stretch, and we're not sure we'll see many Irish fans supporting Saudi Arabia in the tournament. Maybe if you're a Newcastle fan of a particular ilk, you can justify it.
Mexico: Historical political and military links between the countries
1 June 2017; Conor Hourihane of Republic of Ireland in action against Carlos Vela of Mexico during the International Friendly match between Republic of Ireland and Mexico at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, USA. Photo by David Maher/Sportsfile
When the US invaded Mexico in the 1840s, it culminated in the Battle of Churubusco, where a group of Irish soldiers who chose to desert the US Army ultimately formed a crucial part of St. Patrick's Battalion - known natively as the Batallón San Patricio. They were renowned for their bravery, despite the ultimately horrific end for the defending Mexican forces which they joined.
In the 1920s, Álvaro Obregón of Irish descent (family name O'Brien) served as president of the country in the immediate aftermath of the Mexican revolution.
They're tenuous links in this day and age, but there is a strong Irish presence in some of the biggest moments in Mexican history.
Poland: The craic will be 90 in Dublin if they do well
29 March 2015; Poland fans celebrate their side's first goal. UEFA EURO 2016 Championship Qualifier, Group D, Republic of Ireland v Poland. Aviva Stadium, Lansdowne Road, Dublin.
The Polish community in Ireland is ever-growing, and they have always shown terrific support for their team - as seen when the teams played each other in Dublin during EURO 2016 qualifying. With Robert Lewandowski on their side, they will hope to progress from the group stages - and the craic will be 90 if they progress deep into the tournament.
2022 World Cup Group D
France: Home to a fellow Celtic nation
28 May 2018; Kylian Mbappe of France in action against Shane Duffy of Republic of Ireland during the International Friendly match between France and Republic of Ireland at Stade de France in Paris, France. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
One of the regions of France, Brittany, is listed as one of the six Celtic nations of the world by Explore France. Alongside Brittany are Wales, Scotland, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, and, of course, Ireland.
Australia: The huge Irish diaspora down under
Crowds in Sydney celebrate St Patrick's Day (Photo: Shutterstock)
We've seen countless stories of Irish sporting success down under, most notably in the AFL where, just this year, Zach Tuohy and Mark O'Connor were crowned champions with the Geelong Cats. The Irish community in Australia is one of the largest overseas in the world, so there's every reason to root for the underdogs in Group D.
Denmark: They're the team we know the best
18 November 2019; Christian Eriksen of Denmark and Ciaran Clark of Republic of Ireland during the UEFA EURO2020 Qualifier - Group D match between Republic of Ireland and Denmark at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
Look, if you want to know the ins and outs of the team you choose to support at the World Cup, it's hard to argue that Irish fans will know any team better than the current Danish side. The EURO 2020 semi-finalists have played Ireland Ireland six times in the past five years and - though those games do throw up some painful memories - you will, at least, know the team inside out if you choose to go for the Danes.
We also have to commend their resolute stance on the human rights abuses in Qatar.
Tunisia: Aymen Ben Mohamed is of Irish descent
20 May 2016; Ayman Ben Mohamed of Bohemians is congratulated by supporters at the end of the game in the Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup Second Round match between Bohemians v Galway United in Dalymount Park, Dublin. Photo by David Maher/Sportsfile
He's unlikely to feature at this World Cup, but there is a Dub in Tunisia's ranks. Ayman Ben Mohamed was born to an Irish mother, and grew up in Dublin. He also plied his trade in the League of Ireland for five years, lining out for UCD, Longford Town, and Bohemians along the way.
2022 World Cup Group E
Spain: The growing diaspora of young Irish footballers in Spain
18 November 2019; Anselmo Garcia McNulty of Republic of Ireland celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the UEFA Under-17 European Championship Qualifier match between Republic of Ireland and Israel at Turner's Cross in Cork. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Anselmo Garcia McNulty is just one of the (fantastic) names from Ireland to be making their mark in Spanish football currently. John Joe Patrick Finn and Caden McLoughlin are also breaking through on the Iberian peninsula, and the opportunities afforded to Irish footballers in Spain would make them worthy of your support.
Germany: They gave Darren Randolph his only ever international assist
7 years to the day that the Germans got Shane Long'ed.
What a night that waspic.twitter.com/89fvgDnrPi— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) October 8, 2022
And what an assist it was.
That's before we even mention Robbie or John O'Shea. Great bunch of lads.
Costa Rica: They also had their dream World Cup start in 1990
There's not too much that Ireland and Costa Rica have in common on the football scene - but we did both burst onto the World Cup scene in 1990.
The Costa Ricans shocked the world by qualifying for the knock out stages ahead of Scotland and Sweden on their first ever appearance at Italia '90, before losing to Czechoslovakia in the last 16.
Japan: They have the vibiest jersey in the tournament (and appreciate a good Ireland kit)
It's true - Adidas kits are looking amazing this World Cup and yes the Japan one is the best of the lot pic.twitter.com/nqsjiVEI7O
— @WomanbySt (@shirtlane) November 5, 2022
Despite leaving out Celtic's Kyogo and Reo Hatate, we simply can't look past Japan - purely for that kit. Just look at it! Absolutely stunning.
They're fond of a good jersey in Japan - as proven by the iconic case of a fashion model wandering around Tokyo wearing Ireland's iconic kit from the 2002 World Cup in Japan. Lovely hurling.
Japanese fashion model goes viral posing in a classic 2002 Ireland jersey on the streets of Tokyo: https://t.co/mgCSv0NcS5 pic.twitter.com/wacz2WOwmN
— The Avoca Clinic (@TheAvocaClinic) August 30, 2018
2022 World Cup Group F
Belgium: Involvement of Anthony Barry on the coaching team
26 March 2022; Belgium coach Anthony Barry and manager Roberto Martinez, left, during the international friendly match between Republic of Ireland and Belgium at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Bit of a touchy one here, given Anthony Barry's decision to depart Stephen Kenny's coaching team earlier this year. Nonetheless, there is now a former member of Ireland's coaching team involved here, giving a reason to at least keep an eye on Belgium's games.
Canada: The underdogs, first time in the tournament in decades
Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies in action for Canada (Photo: Shutterstock)
Canada have never won a World Cup game, nor scored a goal at the finals, and are appearing for the first time in 36 years. Given they are co-hosting the next edition in 2026, they will hope to put in a strong showing in Qatar.
Their underdog status makes them easy to root for at the 2022 World Cup.
Morocco: Martin O'Neill's bizarre Casablanca comments
Humphrey Bogart in the 1942 classic Casablanca
The Humphrey Bogart classic Casablanca, set in the Moroccan city during World War II, is source of some of cinema's most iconic quotes.
Former Ireland manager Martin O'Neill rather bizarrely chose to use one of those lines to describe Ireland's draw with Sweden at EURO 2016. The line is initially uttered as a way for Bogart's character to remember a long-gone romance, but O'Neill used it to describe Wes Hoolahan's goal in front of a packed Stade de France.
We'll always have Paris.
Right.
13 June 2016; Wes Hoolahan, centre, of Republic of Ireland celebrates after he scored his side's first goal during the UEFA Euro 2016 Group E match between Republic of Ireland and Sweden at Stade de France in Saint Denis, Paris, France. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Croatia: Smaller population than Ireland, can make us unreasonably dream once again
🇭🇷 @lukamodric10 is sensational #FIFAWorldCup | @HNS_CFF pic.twitter.com/6Pkqr7Zl01
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) September 26, 2022
Croatia, a country with a population of just under 4 million people, did the impossible in 2018, when their golden generation led the team to a World Cup final.
Luka Modric et al have been joined by an influx of youth talent ahead of this tournament, and they should at the very least reach the knockout stages. Cue another World Cup of asking "if they can do it, why not us?"
2022 World Cup Group G
Brazil: The country will be buzzing if they win
Neymar, Vinicius Jr, and co will hope to lead Brazil to a first World Cup in 20 years (Photo: Shutterstock)
Similar to Poland here, the Brazilian population in Ireland is sizeable, and there were great celebrations in Dublin when the Selecao reached the semi-finals in 2014. Just imagine the scenes if they win the whole thing!
Serbia: Similar Celtic roots to Ireland
Similarly to Ireland, Belgrade has Celtic roots (Photo: Shutterstock)
The capital city of Serbia, was settled by the Celts in its infancy, and known as Singidun during its time as a Celtic city in the third century BC.
Switzerland: A fellow neutral European country
Not sure whether to be pro- or anti- Swiss at this World Cup. We'll probably fall somewhere in the middle.
Cameroon: (Specifically for Carlow natives) Representatives of the green, red, and yellow
There are striking similarities between Carlow and Cameroon's kits (Photos: Sportsfile/Shutterstock)
Where else but Carlow and Cameroon would you find such tasteful use of a red-green-yellow colour scheme in a kit? The perfect reason for Carlow natives to support Cameroon at the 2022 World Cup.
2022 World Cup Group H
Portugal: Topped our group, and genuine contenders
11 November 2021; Seamus Coleman of Republic of Ireland in action against Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal during the FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifying group A match between Republic of Ireland and Portugal at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
We put up a good fight against Portugal in our qualifying group, unlucky to lose in Faro, and earning a brilliant draw in Dublin. They are genuine contenders to go deep into the tournament, so there is an outside chance we could say we were knocked out by the eventual winners - and held them to a draw.
Their star man Cristiano Ronaldo also shares a name with the greatest name in Irish sport, young Irish footballer Cristiano Fitzgerald.
Uruguay: One of their all-time greats had Irish roots
Uruguay great Diego Forlan was of proud Irish descent (Photo: Shutterstock)
The great Diego Forlan was of proud Irish descent, with his father's side of the family having emigrated to Uruguay in the 19th century.
They are also the masters of shithousery, and are probably the only team in the tournament we could see surviving a Junior B championship match.
South Korea: Has been called the "Ireland of Asia"
Son Heung-Min is South Korea's star man (Photo: Shutterstock)
The Korea Times recently described South Korea as "the Ireland of Asia", drawing links between the kind nature of people from both countries, and their hospitality - there is also the shared history of partition.
Ghana: Lowest ranked team in the tournament
Ghana players line up ahead of the 2014 World Cup clash with Portugal (Photo: Shutterstock)
Simply put, Ghana are the definition of "underdogs" at this World Cup, as the lowest ranked side in the tournament. We all have fond memories of their run to the quarter finals in 2010, and it would be great to see them progress against the odds.
There you have it, your (slightly tenuous) Irish links to every single team at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Who will you be supporting?
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