World Cup

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World Cup | Group Stage

Nov 20, 2022 at 4pm UK

Khalifa International Stadium

Qatar
0 - 2
Ecuador

Al Sheeb (15'), Ali (22'), Boudiaf (36'), Afif (78')

FT(HT: 0-2)

Valencia (16' pen., 31')
Caicedo (29'), Mendez (56')

Qatar vs. Ecuador: How do both squads compare ahead of World Cup opener?

By Barney Corkhill, Editor

Published: November 20 2022 | 11:04

Last updated: November 20 2022 | 12:22

Ahead of the 2022 World Cup opener, Sports Mole looks at how the squads of Qatar and Ecuador compare.

Qatar and Ecuador hold the distinct honour of kicking off the 22nd edition of the World Cup on Sunday when they face off at the Al Bayt Stadium.

The match will be host Qatar's first appearance at the tournament, while Ecuador will be playing their 11th World Cup game and are bidding to reach the last 16 for only the second time.

While Ecuador boast the better World Cup experience, in terms of international experience as a whole there is a significant gap between the two squads.

Here, Sports Mole compares the key statistics between the 26-man parties named by both managers.

QATAR

Qatar players line up during the national anthems before the match in September 2022 © Reuters

Most valuable player:
Akram Afif (£3.5m)

Overall squad value:
£13m

Most capped player:
Hassan Al-Haydos (169)

Leading goalscorer:
Almoez Ali (42)

Total caps:
1,472

Total goals:
192

Oldest player:
Abdulaziz Hatem (32)

Youngest player:
Jassem Jaber (20)

Average age:
27

SQUAD IN FULL

Goalkeepers: Saad Al Sheeb (Al Sadd), Mishaal Barshim (Al Sadd), Youssef Hassan (Al-Gharafa)

Defenders: Ro-Ro (Al-Sadd), Abdul Karim Hassan (Al-Sadd), Tariq Salman (Al-Sadd), Musab Khader (Al-Sadd), Homam Ahmed (Al-Gharafa), Bassam Al-Rawi (Al-Duhail), Boualem Khoukhi (Al-Sadd), Jassem Jaber (Al-Arabi), Ismaeel Muhammad (Al-Duhail)

Midfielders: Abdulaziz Hatem (Al-Rayyan), Muhammad Waad (Al Sadd), Ali Assadalla (Al Sadd), Salem Al Hajri (Al Sadd), Karim Boudiaf (Al-Duhail), Assim Madibo (Al-Duhail), Mustafa Tarek (Al Sadd)

Forwards: Akram Afif (Al Sadd), Ahmed Alaaeldin (Al-Gharafa), Mohammed Muntari (Al-Duhail), Hassan Al-Haydos (Al Sadd), Khalid Muneer (Al-Wakra), Almoez Ali (Al-Duhail), Naif Al-Hadhrami (Al-Rayyan)

ECUADOR

Ecuador players huddle before the match on November 12, 2022 © Reuters

Most valuable player:
Moises Caicedo (£33.1m)

Overall squad value:
£127.5m

Most capped player:
Enner Valencia (74)

Leading goalscorer:
Enner Valencia (35)

Total caps:
628

Total goals:
74

Oldest player:
Hernan Galindez (35)

Youngest player:
Piero Hincapie (20)

Average age:
25.9

SQUAD IN FULL

Goalkeepers: Alexander Dominguez (Deportes Tolima), Hernan Galindez (Aucas), Moises Ramirez (Independiente)

Defenders: Robert Arboleda (Sao Paulo), Xavier Arreaga (Seattle Sounders), Pervis Estupinan (Brighton), Piero Hincapie (Bayer Leverkusen), William Pacho (Royal Antwerp), Diego Palacios (LAFC), Jackson Porozo (Troyes), Angelo Preciado (Genk), Felix Torres (Santos Laguna)

Midfielders: Moises Caicedo (Brighton), Jose Cifuentes (LAFC), Alan Franco (Talleres), Carlos Gruezo (Augsburg), Jhegson Mendez (LAFC), Ayrton Preciado (Santos Laguna), Jeremy Sarmiento (Brighton)

Forwards: Michael Estrada (Cruz Azul), Romario Ibarra (Pachuca), Angel Mena (Club Leon), Gonzalo Plata (Real Valladolid), Djorkaeff Reasco (Newell's Old Boys), Kevin Rodriguez (Imbabura SC), Enner Valencia (Fenerbahce)