Russia 2018 is a wrap, so Goal looks into its crystal ball and tries to predict the starting line-ups for Qatar in four years' time
GoalArgentina
What is beyond dispute is that Argentina's 2018 World Cup squad is in dire need of rejuvenation, which is good news for Paulo Dybala, Giovanni Lo Celso, Santiago Ascacibar and Lautaro Martinez.
What is less clear, though, is whether Lionel Messi will survive the cull. Then again, would he even want to try his luck again in four years' time? He will be 35 by the time Qatar 2022 rolls around.
Still, while his peak years will doubtless be behind him, pace is no longer as important to his game as it once was.
He could still be the best playmaker at Argentina's disposal. So great is his passing, he could easily undertake the role performed by Juan Roman Riquelme in Germany in 2006.
AdvertisementGoalBelgium
Belgium's 'Golden Generation' may have missed their optimal opportunity to win a major trophy by losing to eventual winners France in the semi-finals of this summer's World Cup but several star men are still young enough to return for Qatar 2022.
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will almost certainly still be the Red Devils' No.1, while the all-star duo Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard should still have enough left to create chances for prolific striker Romelu Lukaku.
Adnan Januzaj should be reaching his peak in four years, and the same goes for Youri Tielemans and Yannick Carrasco.
The defence will need a revamp, though, which could result in starting spots for Jason Denayer, Leander Dendoncker and Jordan Lukaku alongside rampaging right-back Thomas Meunier.
GoalBrazil
The good news for the devastated Neymar is that he is likely to get another crack at World Cup glory in 2022, and with familiar faces Gabriel Jesus and Philippe Coutinho alongside him.
New Barcelona signing Arthur should be a well-established star by that time and he could well be joined in the team by Lucas Paqueta, the 20-year-old Flamengo ace who made the provisional squad for 2018.
The defence could also be bolstered by another Blaugrana-owned player, centre-half Marlon, who spent last season out on loan at Nice, as well as Eder Militao and Jorge.
GoalCroatia
Luka Modric and several other key members of Croatia's latest golden generation are unlikely to return in four years' time but the 2018 World Cup runners-up should still boast a stellar starting line-up in Qatar.
The enigmatic Mateo Kovacic will hopefully be a regular by that stage of his career, Lovre Kalinic looks like the ideal successor to Danijel Subasic, Marko Pjaca should have come of age by 2022, and Josip Brekalo is the pick of an exciting batch of up-and-coming attackers.
In defence, Dejan Lovren and Sime Vrsaljka could still be knocking about, Duje Caleta-Car is on track to become a starter, while Borna Sosa, 20, only narrowly missed out on the squad for Russia.