The 2022 Qatar World Cup has brought together a total of thirty teams. Some are older, but have more experience, others are younger, but have much less experience. Curiously, out of 829 footballers called by 32 teams, 70% have never played in the World Cup (578) and 15.5% (129 players) were born in the 21st century.
Figures like Vinicius, Judas Bellingham, Jamal Musiala, Phil Foden, or the Spaniards Pedro and Gavi, were some of the old stars who turned their first big match into the World Cup. According to the CIES Observatory Weekly Post, these are the results of the national team rankings organized by age:
The three teams with the lowest age values in the last FIFA World Cup were the USA (24.74 years old), Ecuador (25.78 years old) and Ghana (25.97 years old). All three teams have bright futures ahead of them. At the other end of the scale behind Belgium are South Korea (29.01) and Costa Rica (28.55). The highest percentage of people aged 30 and over of any country surveyed was recorded in Kuwait (61.4%).
The oldest in the world
CIES Observatory Weekly Post
the smallest in the world
CIES Observatory Weekly Post
After the 32 teams of the Qatar 2022 World Cup announced their squad lists for the World Cup, the average age of each of them was revealed, while the United States team was led by Gregg Berhalter, while he was the second youngest in the World Cup.
The USMNT averages 24.74 years, which is in the top 3 of the youngest teams, below Indonesia and the Bahamas, a country that is surprising, announcing its young team, which has an average of 22.8 years of age between the calls. The smallest on the planet.
In Team USA, there are soccer players who have lived their first World Cup experience, including Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams and Gio Reyna, who at a young age already know what it means to shine in Europe’s elite clubs.
Spain, among the smallest in Europe
CIES Observatory Weekly Post
The Spanish team has one of the lowest average ages in the last 40 years: 20 of them had no previous experience in the last World Cup. With an average age of 26.57 years, La Roja is in the Top 15. Other teams such as England (26.33), Italy (26.48) or Erling Haaland of Norway (25.79) are ahead.
CONMEBOL: Argentina and Brazil, among the oldest
CIES Observatory Weekly Post
Brazil starred in one of the World Cup’s disappointments, losing on penalties in the quarterfinals against Croatia. The ‘Canarinha’ is coming off a high performance in the previous matches and sent a message to the world with their thunderous win against South Korea. However, the Croatian wall was struck in the repulse that followed.
On the part of Argentina, Scaloni, the youngest coach of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, announced his team list among the great expectations in Argentina and the world: 19 players made their World Cup debut. A team that mixes the seniority of Messi or Otamendi and the youth of Enzo or Iulián Álvarez.
