FIFA World Cup: How the first 13 teams booked their tickets to Qatar - (Part 3)

Qualification matches for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar were the focus for November's international break as countries from all continents jostled for tickets to football's biggest event. With exactly one year to the kick-off of the Mundial, ten more countries secured their place in the World Cup draws. 

Eight countries from UEFA and two from CONMEBOL joined Germany, Denmark, and Qatar (automatic qualification as hosts) to book their place in the 22nd edition of the quadrennial competition. We'll look at how all 13 teams have qualified for the competition and their history at the World Cup finals so far.

Qualification route: Euro 2020 runners-up will continue their quest for a major international title at the World Cup in 2022. Gareth Southgate's men secured affirmed their contention for football's biggest prize on the final day of European qualifiers with an authoritative 10-0 win over San Marino.

England were unbeaten throughout the World Cup qualifiers, picking up eight victories and two draws en route to Qatar 2022. A Harry Kane-powered attack scored 39 goals in 10 qualifying matches whilst conceding only three. Their biggest victory was the aforementioned 10-0 away demolition of San Marino on 15th November.

Topscorer: Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane led the way for England, and all of Europe alongside Memphis Depay, in terms of goals at the World Cup qualifiers. The England captain scored 12 goals in eight World Cup qualifiers. More than half of those goals (7) came in the last two matches of the series, a hat-trick against Albania and a quadruple against San Marino.

World Cup history: England are no strangers to the World Cup finals, appearing in 15 previous editions, the first of which was Brazil 1950. The Three Lions are one of the former winners that will be represented in Qatar, having won the ultimate prize on home soil in 1966. After '66, their best performances have been 4th-place finishes in Italy '90 and Russia 2018.

Qualification route: The Swiss are another team that over-achieved at the European World Cup qualifiers, pipping reigning European champions Italy to an automatic ticket to Qatar. Switzerland secured qualification to the Mundial on 15th September with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Bulgaria.

Murat Yakin's boys won five of their eight qualifiers, drawing the remaining three. They kept a mean defence too, conceding only two goals whilst finding the back of the net on 15 occasions. Their biggest victories in qualifying were their 4-0 victories over Lithuania (away) and Bulgaria (home) on Matchday 6 and Matchday 8 respectively.

Topscorer: Borussia Monchengladbach’s, forward Breel Embolo was the top scorer for Switzerland during qualifying, scoring three goals in eight matches to secure his team's ticket. 

World Cup history: Switzerland have been to the World Cup finals on 11 occasions, the first being in 1934. Their best outings at the Mundial came in 1934, 1938, and 1954 when they got to the quarterfinal stage on those three occasions. 

Qualification route: The Dutch were the last of 10 European table-toppers to secure their place at the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup. Louis Van Gaal's side needed a 2-0 victory over Norway on 16th September to book their place in next year's tournament.

Netherlands pipped Turkey to the top spot in Group G with just two points, ending on 23 points as against Turkey's 21 points. The Dutch won seven, drew two, and lost one of their ten qualifiers. 13 of their 33 goals scored came in their matches against Gibraltar, a 7-0 away victory on Matchday 3 was their biggest win whilst another 6-0 on Matchday 8 confirmed their dominance. 

Topscorer: FC Barcelona's Memphis Depay took up the goalscoring mantle for his team, scoring 12 goals in 10 matches to share the overall topscorer award with England's Harry Kane.

World Cup history: Qatar 2022 will be the Dutch's eleventh appearance at the World Cup finals, competing for the first time in 1934. In South Africa 2010, Netherlands matched their previous best results at the Mundial (1974 and 1978) by picking up the runners-up medals after losing the final to Spain by one goal to nothing. 

Qualification route: The Albiceleste were the last nation to secure their World qualification during the November international break, joining Brazil as the only South American side assured of competing in Qatar. A draw against Brazil on 16th November, followed by Chile's defeat at the hands of Ecuador meant Argentina are now guaranteed a top-four finish in the CONMEBOL qualifying series.

Lionel Scaloni's side have amassed 29 points from 13 games, winning eight and drawing five of those. So far, Argentina have scored 20 goals and conceded six in World Cup qualifying. Their biggest victories in the qualifiers to date are twin 3-0 wins over Bolivia (home) and Uruguay (away). 

Topscorer: Lionel Messi remains the talisman of the Argentine team, scoring six goals so far in the qualifying games.

World Cup history: Argentina have a prestigious track record at the World Cup, participating in 17 editions so far including the inaugural 1930 edition. The Albiceleste have won the trophy on two occasions, in 1978 and 1986.