Reports suggest Brazil have gone early with a familiar core. The names said to be included point to experience through the spine and flair in attack.
That blend matters. International tournaments usually reward balance as much as star power, and Brazil appear to be leaning on both.
The report also says England have settled on a recognisable core, including Jordan Pickford, Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice, Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford. That points to continuity rather than a late overhaul.
In the same group, Croatia reportedly have Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, Ivan Perisic and Andrej Kramaric in the fold. That is another squad built around trust and tournament know-how, even if the legs are not as young as some rivals.
Elsewhere, the update says South Korea have Son Heung-min in their plans, while Bosnia and Herzegovina reportedly moved early with Edin Dzeko included. Switzerland, Spain, France and Portugal are also said to have major names in place, while Argentina, Mexico, Ghana, Panama, Canada and Qatar were still expected to finalise lists closer to the deadline.
The next few days should bring the final wave, with Netherlands reportedly due on 25 May and several nations holding fire until 1 June. That is when the last doubts should disappear - and when the real debate begins over who made it, and who missed out.