Top favourites to make it to the World Cup 2022 finals
The FIFA World Cup experience won’t be complete without the finals. It’s a battle between the two greatest football teams in the tournament, and it couldn’t get any better than that for fans worldwide.
Every four years, a handful of squads are considered the heavy favourites. But ultimately, only a few rise to the occasion and bring home the coveted World Cup trophy.
Which favourites are most likely to advance to the FIFA World Cup finals? Here is everything you need to know about each team and why they make a case for the best 2022 World Cup squad:
Brazil
Brazil consistently makes the list of the top favourites every World Cup. They are also the only team that has participated in all World Cups, and they won the most, with five.
The team has legendary players like Pele to represent them. Moreover, Neymar is seeking to win the 2022 World Cup title to solidify his career as an all-time great Brazilian player. Can he do the same feats the past Selecao legends had done in their careers?
Neymar’s first taste of a World Cup trophy
The last time Neymar played in a World Cup tournament was in 2018, when Brazil failed to advance past Belgium in the quarter-finals. Neymar played spectacularly during that series and was among a few favourites to take the Golden Boot award.
After the 2018 World Cup, people thought Selecao was about to fall off the football map. Instead, they remained the top favourite because of their strong lineup of players and the immense talent Neymar has over any other player in the World Cup.
Neymar’s World Cup woes were not in vain because he garnered a lot of experience from it, which was evident during the qualifying rounds. He knew he had to step back a bit for his younger teammates to shine to be successful in the tournament.
He understands that young-spirited players like Kylian Mbappe and Gavi are on the rise, and hindering the growth of his younger teammates will only hurt this team. As a veteran, he is responsible for more than just attacking and scoring the goal. He is also tasked to lead players like Gabriel Jesus and Vini Jr. to step up and play to their utmost potential.
Brazil’s historic attack squad
Aside from Neymar’s sole impact on the squad, the 2022 Brazilian team is regarded as a historically great offensive unit that scores many goals. They have great attacking veterans of Ronaldinho, Dani Alves, and Thiago Silva, who all experienced the rigorous defences the best World Cup teams can throw at them.
Due to manager Tite’s offensive system, Brazil soars on top to become one of the World Cup’s best offences the tournament has ever seen. With their star lineup, it will be a nightmare to defend Brazil’s attacking unit moving forward.
Can they end the favourites curse?
From 2010 to 2014, Brazil entered those tournaments as the undisputed favourite to win it all. However, Spain and Germany won the 2010 and 2014 World Cup. In 2018, Germany was the title favourite, but France won it instead. These events made people assume that the favourite spot is indeed cursed.
Brazil is ahead of Argentina, Spain, England, and France in the general 2022 World Cup sportsbooks. A title will end the favourites curse, and Brazil can do so.
Argentina
For Argentina, this might be the team’s last chance to utilise Lionel Messi’s talent. As a 37-year-old veteran, Messi has seen it all on the football field. As the top scorer in football, Messi seeks to win a World Cup trophy for the first time in his career, which is surprising for a player of his calibre.
Solidifying Lionel Messi’s career
To name a few of Messi’s incredible feats, it will take almost the whole World Cup to finish listing off. The only achievement he has yet to win is a World Cup trophy. It’s quite odd for a superstar who’s often regarded as the best player of all time who doesn’t have a World Cup title to his name.
Nevertheless, the 2022 tournament may be his final attempt at securing one, and it will cement his legacy of being the best football player of all time. Winning a World Cup trophy will also mark Argentina’s third title and end a 36-year championship drought.
Is Argentina good without Messi?
One of the team’s biggest problems is their playstyle when Messi leaves the field. They are among the many teams in the tournament that depend on one player to make the best plays.
Fortunately, Argentina improved their lineup by retaining renowned keepers like Emiliano Martinez and Franco Armani. New faces are also included in the 26-man lineup, like Lisandro Martinez from Premier League’s Manchester United, who is great on the attacking end.
Messi’s right-hand offensive man, Giovanni Simeone, also cut his incredible scoring run in 2021. While not as deep as teams like Argentina and France, the sole gravity of Lionel Messi is more than enough for them to be considered a heavy favourite in the 2022 World Cup.
France
As the defending champions of the 2018 World Cup, France is coming into the 2022 tournament as one of the top 5 favourites to win it again. The team’s younger players are four years older now and even better than ever before.
Defending the world title
While France is currently the defending world champions, they are far from the team to beat in the World Cup 2022. Some teams like Brazil and Argentina are regarded as the better squads, but France is not far behind in that respect.
Their roster consists of attack specialists like Hugo Lloris and Kylian Mbappe, both centrepieces of France’s offensive line. While mostly known for their attacking lineup, their defence is also top-tier, with Jules Kounde and William Saliba as the primary defensive anchors.
Emergence of Kylian Mbappe
At 18, Kylian led his team to a championship with the help of his amazing teammates. Mbappe scored his first World Cup finals goal, which greatly impacted their win in 2018. He is also regarded as one of the youngest players to win a World Cup title alongside his teammates.
Now at 22, Kylian is near the prime of his career. Suppose he made a great run in the previous World Cup; who knows what Mbappe can do in the 2022 tournament with a better squad and overall more improved skill set due to his experience. With crucial players like N’Golo Kante and Paul Pogba sidelined because of injuries, Kylian is needed more than ever to lead his team to a back-to-back title.
England
The last time England won the World Cup was in 1966. Since then, they haven’t quite lived up to their expectations as a cornerstone in football culture. England has not reached the finals in a long time which is unacceptable for the team’s standards over the years.
This year, things are quite different, wherein they are among the top favoured teams to make it to the finals. Can England return to football glory with Harry Kanes and the squad leading the charge?
A comeback for the ages
As mentioned, England is looking to become prominent again in the football scene and make their way to the finals to win their second title. A World Cup championship will mean a lot to the country, and they will be a part of a short list of nations who won a World Cup title more than once.
They also have a solid roster of players who are both experienced and new to the football world. With a veteran leader of Harry Kane and young players like Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden, England’s chances are through the roof as they approach the 2022 World Cup strong.
Harry Kane reaching milestones
Harry Kane will make history in the 2022 World Cup as he is close to beating the record of being the nation’s all-time leading scorer and is only three goals behind his current record of 53. This feat is being held by Wayne Rooney and will be about to be broken when Harry Kane leads the team to a historic run.
No favourites are safe from an upset. While anything can happen during the tournament, these teams still have the best chance of winning the World Cup 2022. While nothing is guaranteed, you can expect the Qatar World Cup to have the best football matches that fans will witness and remember for years.
