Early Battle Of Superstars In Qatar 2022 World Cup

Luis Suarez Vs Cristiano Ronaldo (Twitter @ToqueSPorts)

JAKARTA - The draw for the 2022 World Cup held in early April resulted in the battle of football icons in the group stage. Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski as well as Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suarez, are among those who will face each other early in Qatar.

The club's team-mates are also preparing to battle it out at the world's biggest football party, which will be held from November 21 to December 18. To whet your appetite, we took a look at some tantalizing individual encounters to watch out for during the group stage in Qatar.

Who are they? This is a list that we compiled from the official FIFA website.

Group A: Sadio Mane vs Virgil van Dijk

Liverpool team-mates since 2018, Senegal's Sadio Mane and Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk will be foes in Qatar 2022 as they look to help their respective countries reach the knockout stages.

During their time together on Merseyside, Mane and Van Dijk have won the FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, Premier League and League Cup. But who will come out victorious in the World Cup fight?

Sadio Mane of Senegal and Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk (Photo: FIFA)

Group B: Christian Pulisic vs Harry Kane

Two influential strikers for London rivals Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, Christian Pulisic of the United States and England talisman Harry Kane will battle it out in Qatar.

Both players shone in previous FIFA tournaments, where Pulisic helped Chelsea lift the FIFA Club World Cup and Kane played a major role in England's run to the semi-finals at Russia 2018 World Cup.

Group C: Lionel Messi vs Robert Lewandowski

Goalkeepers and defense will be working hard in Group C, especially with two of the world's deadliest goalscorers on the run – Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski.

In 2021, Lewandowski was named the FIFA Men's Player of the Year, while Messi won the Ballon d'Or. With their countries going head-to-head in the final round of group matches, will the showdown between these two superstars decide who advances to the knockout stages at the expense of the other?

Group D: Christian Eriksen vs Paul Pogba

Christian Eriksen's potential return to World Cup action will be one of the biggest stories in Qatar 2022. Should he feature for Denmark in November and December, he will face one of the best midfielders on the planet: France's Paul Pogba.

A World Cup winner with Les Bleus in 2018 and a Manchester United star since 2016, the Frenchman has often met Eriksen, who played for Tottenham Hotspur between 2013 and 2020.

Group E: Cesar Azpilicueta vs Thomas Muller

Germany's Thomas Muller, one of the biggest goalscorers in World Cup history, will face a tough game against Spanish defender Cesar Azpilicueta in Qatar. Hence, the Germany vs Spain match will pit two former FIFA Club World Cup winners, since Muller's club Bayern Munich were crowned world champions in 2020, while Azpilicueta's Chelsea lifted the same a year later.

Group F: Kevin De Bruyne vs Luke Modric

Belgium vs Croatia is one of the most eagerly awaited group matches in Qatar 2022, mainly due to the tantalizing match between midfield maestro Kevin De Bruyne and Luka Modric.

Modric and De Bruyne were among the star players at Russia 2018, when Croatia and Belgium finished second and third respectively.

Luka Modric and Kevin de Bruyne duel at club level (Photo: FIFA)

Group G: Neymar vs Xherdan Shaqiri

If you like the art of dribbling, then you won't want to miss the action in Group G, especially Brazil vs Switzerland. This extraordinary match will pit Neymar, one of the most skilled players of his generation, against one-on-one supremo Xherdan Shaqiri.

Brazil and Switzerland also met in the group stage at Russia 2018, drawing 1-1.

Neymar vs Xherdan Shaqiri (Photo: FIFA)

Group H: Cristiano Ronaldo vs Luis Suarez

One of the greatest goalscorers of all time, Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo will show his worth in Group H, which also features Uruguay's all-time marksman, Luis Suarez.

Their team meeting will evoke memories of past El Clásico, with Ronaldo having played for Real Madrid between 2009 and 2018, and Suarez having worn the Barcelona colors from 2014 to 2020.