A look at the teams that will be facing the 38th-ranked Canadian men in Group F at the World Cup in Qatar:
BELGIUM
Ranking: No. 2. The Belgians gave way to Brazil this week, falling to No. 2 after taking over top spot in September 2018.
Nickname: The Red Devils.
Manager: Spaniard Roberto Martinez.
Player to watch. You choose. It's a long list. But Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) is very special. The 30-year-old can make goals or score them, with either foot. His vision and influence on a football pitch are immense.
World Cup Pedigree: Belgium has played in 13 World Cups prior to 2022 (1930, 1934, 1938, 1954, 1970, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2014, 2018).
Qualification: Belgium won UEFA Group E with a 6-0-2 record, outscoring Wales, the Czech Republic, Estonia and Belarus by a combined 25-6.
CROATIA
Ranking: No. 16.
Nickname: Vatreni (the Fiery Ones or the Blazers) or Kockasti (The Checkered Ones).
Manager: Croat Zlatko Dalic.
Player to watch: At 36, midfielder Luka Modric (Real Madrid) can still unlock defences. In 2018, he won the Ballon d'Or, the FIFA Best Player Award and the 2017-18 UEFA Player of the Year award.
World Cup Pedigree: Croatia has played in five World Cups (1998, 2002, 2006, 2014 and 2018) since gaining independence in 1991. Its best result was runner-up in 2018.
Qualification: Belgium won UEFA Group H with a 7-1-2 record, outscoring Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Cyprus and Malta by a combined 21-4.
MOROCCO
Ranking: No. 24
Nickname: The Atlas Lions.
Manager: Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic.
Player to watch: Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain). In November, ESPN ranked the 23-year-old as the best right back in the world.
World Cup Pedigree: Morocco has played in five World Cups (1970, 1986, 1994, 1998 and 2018). Its best result was in 1986, when it reached the round of 16.
Qualification: Morocco won CAF Group I with a 6-0-0 record, outscoring Guinea-Bissau, Guinea and Sudan by a combined 20-1. It then defeated the Democratic Republic of Congo 5-2 on aggregate.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 1, 2022.
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
