The Dutch national team is definitively not a group head in the draw for the World Cup in Qatar. Germany was not beaten, while Portugal advances to the global finals and takes the last spot in the first pot.
In the World Cup draw, 32 countries are divided into eight groups. The countries come from four pots, each consisting of eight countries. Host country Qatar and the seven highest placed countries in the FIFA world rankings – Belgium, France, Brazil, Argentina, England and Spain – were already qualified for Tuesday evening.
The last place was still open and the Orange was eligible for it. The victory over Denmark (4-2) resulted in one place gain in territory, from ten to nine, and with a victory over Germany and a defeat of Portugal against North Macedonia in the play-offs for the World Cup, the dream scenario had come true.
However, that did not happen: the Orange did not get any further than a draw against Germany, so that the Portuguese victory over Italy executioner North Macedonia (2-0) no longer mattered from a Dutch point of view. The team of national coach Louis van Gaal can therefore meet a top country in the group stages. The final pot classification will be announced on March 31.
Thirty countries sure of World Cup
Thirty of the 32 countries that will participate in the World Cup in Qatar are now known. Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, England, France, Croatia, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, Portugal, Poland, Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay, Canada, Ghana, Senegal, Iran, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and host country Qatar.
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