Thread by @Worville

Quick 🧵 of all 32 #WorldCup2022 squads broken down by age and position. Data taken from Wikipedia.

Starting with Argentina 🇦🇷

• Opting for experience at the back
• Three young talents in Mac Allister, Fernandez and Alvarez
• Is it Lautaro's time?

Australia 🇦🇺

• Plenty of players in their peak in the squad
• Aaron Mooy's only 32 ???
• Kuol's introduction before moving to #NUFC in January

Belgium 🇧🇪

• 11 players aged 30+ which is the 2nd most in the tournament
• Reliant on experience at the back in Vertonghen and Alderweireld?
• Doku a star at Euro 2020

Brazil 🇧🇷

• Only u23 players are forwards
• Taking 9 forwards, the joint-most with Belgium
• 12/26 playing in the Premier League

Cameroon 🇨🇲

• Taking the youngest goalkeeper to the tournament
• Have the joint-most peak age players with Iran - 16
• Christopher Wooh has the best name at the tournament don't @ me

Canada 🇨🇦

• 15 peak aged players, the second most at the tournament
• Alphonso Davies as a forward??? Blaming the data
• Juniorr Hoilett is only 32???

Costa Rica 🇨🇷

• Fewest peak age players (6)
• Most midfielders with South Korea (12)
• Bryan Ruiz yesssssss

Croatia 🇭🇷

• Modric still going strong
• Gvaridol is one to watch
• Taking plenty of players in their peak

Denmark 🇩🇰

• A nice mix across the three age groups
• Three exciting young midfielders in Skov Olsen, Damsgaard and Lindstrom
• Joakim Maehle a solid performer at Euro 2020

Ecuador 🇪🇨

• Nearly filling all the boxes :(
• 3rd youngest average age at the tournament (25.6)
• Enner Valencia still going strong

This is long

Engerrrlaaaaand 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

• Opting for youth only in midfield and Saka in attack
• Only 5 players aged 30+
• There's probably a smart "could make a squad out of right backs alone" comment here but frankly we're all tired of those

France 🇫🇷

• 10 defenders - most with Iran and Wales
• Only 5 midfielders - fewest of all teams
• Very few experienced players

Germany 🇩🇪

• Fullkrug the only proper #9
• Can't be too critical as I live in the country
• Jamal Musiala is good at football

Ghana 🇬🇭

• Youngest team at the tournament, average age of 24.7
• Only 3 peak aged players, the fewest at the tournament with USA
• Baba Rahman is still playing for Chelsea

Iran 🇮🇷

• Four goalkeepers because why not
• No u23 players in the squad
• Oldest team at the tournament with an average age of 28.9

Japan 🇯🇵

• Plenty of players in their peak, especially in midfield
• There will never be a Japanese #9 with a better name than Shuto Machino
• Super super Tom, super super Tom, super super Tom, super Tomiyasu

Mexico 🇲🇽

• Second oldest team at the tournament with an average age of 28.5
• Poor Kevin Alvarez
• Just the three goalkeepers aged 35+

Morocco 🇲🇦

• Nicely balanced squad across all three age groups
• Some very dribbly boys in Boufal, Harit, Ezzalzouli and Abouklhal
• Will be nice to watch Hakim Ziyech play football

Netherlands 🇳🇱

• So close to filling all the boxes
• Least recognisable group of goalkeepers of any Dutch squad ever
• Finely balanced squad in terms of ages and profiles

Poland 🇵🇱

• 11 midfielders is a lot (some like Zalewski and Kaminski are more like wing-backs though tbf)
• Nice to see Krystian Bielik make the squad, has always had awful injury luck
• Remember when Kamil Grosicki was doing bits for Hull?

Portugal 🇵🇹

• ALL BOXES FILLED SIUUUUU
• Only 5 players aged 30+ - feels different to Portuguese squads of the past
• Squad made up entirely from players in top 5 leagues + Portugal

Qatar 🇶🇦

• Plenty of peak-aged players
• All playing for clubs within Qatar
• If there isn't a "row your boat" chant for defender "Ro-Ro" I'll be upset

Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦

• ALL BOXES FILLED
• All players play for clubs in Saudi Arabia
• I need a break

Senegal 🇸🇳

• 5th youngest side at the tournament with an average age of 26.3
• Fairly balanced squad profile across all boxes
• Plenty of young talent in the pipeline (Mendy, Sarr, Jackson, etc)

Serbia 🇷🇸

• Two centre-backs aged 21 both called Strahinja - nice
• Only 7 defenders in total - on the low side compared to other squads
• Mitrovic 😍

South Korea 🇰🇷

• Only two forwards in total (Sonny's definitely a third though?)
• If he's not South Korea have 12 midfielders - the joint most with Costa Rica
• They DEFINITELY have the most experienced players in a squad with 12

Spain 🇪🇸

• Boasting two teenagers in Pedri and Gavi
• You need 261 letters for all the names in the Spain squad, only Brazil (225) need fewer #DataScience
• Looking forward to seeing Sergio Busquets' running data tbh

Switzerland 🇨🇭

• 4 goalkeepers because why not
• Only 3 youth players - very few compared to other teams
• Plenty of experience at the back

Tunisia 🇹🇳

• Stocking up on 30+ forwards
• Only 3 U23s, one of which is #MUFC's Hannibal Mejbri
• Ellyes Skhiri - solid Bundesliga players, surprised no club at the lower end of the PL has ever gambled on him

USA USA USA 🇺🇸

• 2nd youngest team going into the tournament, average age of 25.1
• 6 midfielders is the fewest of all teams bar France and joint with 🇦🇺 🇧🇷 and 🇲🇽
• Reammmmmmmmmmm

Uruguay 🇺🇾

• Fairly balanced across all boxes
• Plenty of peak players in midfield and at the back
• I reckon they'll have Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani up front forever

Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

• Plenty of younger players, the 3rd most of all teams
• Already stressed about the prospect of Aaron Ramsey scoring
• I am spent, 32 teams is way too many