The qualifying stage has ended before the summer and recently, very early in the season, national team coaches had to build their lists for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. It is fair to say that a big amount of coaches have a core group of players (16 to 18) which are the base of their choices. The best national teams have the possibility to choose between 50 to 60 players. In a second level we will probably have national teams that can choose between 40 to 50 players. The other national teams will have less than 40 players (if that much…) to choose from. Some questions challenge the coaches:
How do we classify the “best players” for the competition?
How can we care about the social environment of the group?
Do we solely focus on quality to select the best?…
Competing at the international level involves short preparation periods and prioritising to maximise time. Detail is needed, from choosing the venues for the sessions, hotels, travelling plans, climate, analysing the opponents, … & ultimately the player selection.
The profile of the players available to recruit shall 
set the tone to tailor a game proposal that gets the best out of each individual. A clear game idea is needed in order to shape the team & to create positive dynamics with & without the ball (+ the set pieces). Some of the roles the player has in the Club will make it easier to adapt to the team’s dynamics.
Creating an environment where everyone 
feels at home is vital. The feeling of belonging / support between players & staff will transport to the pitch the identity of nations. Teams that live in positive social environments are closer to win!
When selecting the players the team needs to have options 
for its game style. The coach has to decide in advance what are the alternatives that can substitute his possible 1st choices & what kind of impact he expects from them. In this regard it is different to choose players for a Club, that will work close during a season or to select for a national team environment. Individuals need to blend into one body to achieve results.
The influence of a player needs to be considered in all dimensions of performance & the selection criteria might be:
quality;
present performance;
minutes this season;
history of the player in the national team;
tactical fit into the game style;
giving alternative option
personality;
…
From my experience it’s important to design a game style 
that fits the players qualities for them to perform well with a short preparation period. The quality taking into consideration the tactical fit, present performance & personality are the main criteria that will support the choices. Players need to perform at their best in a positive environment enjoying their Football.
