The 2022 World Cup may be most exciting when the last group of teams on the field. Four of the teams in Group H have shown themselves capable of going far in tournaments, pulling off surprising results, and shining on the greatest stages.
There are apparent favourites to progress, but there are also no easy matches, so for impartial spectators, the group consisting of Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, and South Korea represents the most significant unknown of prospective participation in the knockout stage.
Group Stage: Group H Complete Match Schedule
In what many people believe to be the actual Group of Death at the 2022 World Cup, Portugal has the group’s early lead.
Portugal edged Ghana 3-2 in a nail-biter, with Cristiano Ronaldo’s five-goal streak separating the World Cup finals.
Since Uruguay and South Korea’s game ended in a scoreless draw, Portugal topped the group. However, both teams still have a chance at moving on if they can win their next two games and earn three points.
This is one of the year’s most highly-anticipated matchups, as the round will see Uruguay take on group leaders Portugal. A tie would benefit neither Ghana nor South Korea, so they’ll be going for the win at all costs.
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Nov. 24 | Uruguay vs South Korea | 08:00 A.M. | Education City Stadium |
| Thu, Nov. 24 | Portugal vs Ghana | 11:00 A.M. | Stadium 974 |
| Mon, Nov. 28 | South Korea vs Ghana | 08:00 A.M. | Education City Stadium |
| Mon, Nov. 28 | Portugal vs Uruguay | 02:00 P.M. | Lusail Stadium |
| Fri, Dec. 2 | South Korea vs Portugal | 10:00 A.M. | Education City Stadium |
| Fri, Dec. 2 | Ghana vs Uruguay | 10:00 A.M. | Al Janoub Stadium |
Uruguay Team Brief Overview
Winning two of the first four World Cups is a beautiful feat, but it also set an unreachable bar that no team has been able to match in almost a century afterwards.
La Celeste has always punched above its weight and produced world-class players despite having the smallest population in CONMEBOL (about 3.5 million vs the closest, Paraguay’s, around 7.25 million). It won’t help that Diego Alonso is the next manager after Carlos Tabárez’s 15-year tenure ended in November 2021.
After a long and arduous qualifying campaign, Uruguay came in third place in South America, 28 points behind winners Brazil and Argentina.
Even though that number was somewhat lower than in 2018, it was still more than enough to guarantee qualification for the intra-confederation playoffs.
Suppose a veteran-heavy team outside the elite group wins all of its matches but can’t grab even one point from the two strong regional powers. They may be eliminated from contention before the final round.
South Korea Team Brief Overview
The Taegeuk Warriors are Among the most recognizable teams in football, having Since 1986, they’ve made it to every World Cup. Though most teams are eliminated in the group round, this squad has a good shot of advancing to the semifinals.
Despite the bright lights of Qatar, manager Paulo Bento’s lineup of seasoned veterans and up-and-coming European talent is solid. The process of qualifying was straightforward. South Korea cruised to a perfect 5-0-1 record with just one goal allowed in Group H of the Asian Football Confederation’s second round.
The following season was just as unremarkable, culminating in a Group A runner-up result (7-1-2) behind Iran by a single point. Having played a tough friendly schedule over the last year could pay rewards in the championship game.
Portugal Team Brief Overview
If the presumed favourite loses, few would be shocked. After a tumultuous qualifying run, we finished second in UEFA Group A, three points behind Serbia. Brazil’s national team is known as A Seleço (The Selection).
They had to go through a lengthy playoff process to earn one of the remaining slots in Qatar. Eventually, they triumphed against Turkey and North Macedonia. Despite the difficulties, this team has the potential to become even more talented than the one that won the 2016 European Championship.
Players in the peak of their careers for some of the world’s best clubs dominate the roster, and the veterans should give the invaluable “je ne sais quoi” required to get to the knockout stages of competitions. And then there’s the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, whose current form is terrible but who always seems to come through in the clutch.
Ghana Team Brief Overview
Due to not cutting the 2018 World Cup, the African country is back for the fifth time in six attempts. Despite being the group’s cellar dwellers, no one is writing off Otto Addo’s Black Stars. You can find talent in every area of this roster, but this may be only a curtain-raiser for an even better show in 2026.
The process of qualifying was complicated, but Ghana ultimately prevailed. With the same amount of points as South Africa but a better goal differential, the squad finished first in Group G.
After a 1-0 victory in the last matchup decided by a “controversial penalty,” advancement to the decisive third round was assured. The final aggregate score in the two-game series versus Nigeria was 1-1, with the away goal proving decisive in securing qualification for Qatar.