Merci Côte d’Ivoire!

We could hear the rhythmic beats of traditional African drums and some muffled singing as we waited for our visas to be processed. It got louder the closer we got to passport control before we were hit with a carnival atmosphere as soon as the sliding doors opened and we were in the Arrivals Hall. Bienvenue a Côte d’Ivoire! We had arrived.

Our plane had landed from Brussels via Benin, and I had spotted a number of football shirts on board – the green and white of Nigeria, green and red of Cameroon, and the ubiquitous orange of our hosts for the next 10 days.

Another plane landed just after us in Abidjan – the de facto capital of the Ivory Coast – and a sea of men and women clad in the white of Guinea and waving their national flags piled into the arrivals hall behind us. But that wasn’t to prepare us for what we were about to witness.

The live music accompanied with plenty of dancing made us feel like we had entered into another world. Not since the World Cup Brazil 2014 had I received such a welcome at an airport and there was a real feeling that this was a country where football was the order of the day – or month.

It was late at night when we arrived at our neighbourhood of Koumassi but there was no sign that things were dying down.

Open-air bars were packed with punters keenly watching the post-match analysis of the earlier games that night, smoke raised from the street food stalls that served fresh fish and chicken, while shacks were set up on every corner selling an array of football shirts. Cote d’Ivoire, check. Guinea, check. Mali and Senegal? Yep, they had it.

The international media before the tournament emphasised the importance of the hosts going ‘deep’ into the tournament to ensure good crowds but the Ivory Coast – and especially the metropolis of Abidjan – is a melting pot of West African cultures.

The ‘father of the nation’, President Felix Houphouet-Boigny, invited hundreds of thousands of guest workers from neighbouring countries to Cote d’Ivoire in his attempt to build an advanced capitalist society in the 1970s and many of them have stayed, despite successive Civil Wars in the country in the 2000s. As a result, we spotted just as many shirts around the streets of Abidjan of other nations as we did the hosts.

On our way to the cool, beach-front neighbourhood of Blockhauss – overlooked by the diplomatic quarter and the imposing Sofitel (the home of AfCON’s machine for the tournament) – we dived into a local bar after we heard some cheering.

Fans gather for the match against Equatorial Guinea
Photo: Rhys Hartley

We struggled to find a seat but were quickly welcomed to share a table with a group of three, when we noticed that everyone in the bar was kitted out in matching Burkina Faso replicas.

A penalty put them ahead against heavy favourites, Algeria, and the place went wild with dancing, hugging, and a ‘Santè’ in our direction. They thought we’d brought them luck!

It wasn’t to last, as Algeria scored a last-gasp equaliser, sending our new friend across the table into tears. We quickly bade farewell, and I committed to buying a shirt of my new adopted team for the tournament.

While comments from abroad may focus on the lack of crowds in some games (a 2pm Friday kick-off of Cape Verde v Mozambique didn’t exactly capture the imagination – and we must remember that 40% of the population live below the poverty line), each game was watched with the same intensity, no matter who was playing nor the time of day.

Every TV across the country was tuned into French broadcaster Canal Plus’s dedicated channel to AfCON 24/7, and it was clear that football had gripped the nation.

People may roll their eyes at the importance of football but it has been credited with bringing to an end the first Civil War in Cote d’Ivoire. After qualifying for the World Cup in 2006, Didier Drogba – possibly the country’s most famous export – announced that the country’s next match would be played in Bouake, the heartland of the rebellion. A shock move but one that saw opposing forces sit together in the stands and crowds flock the pitch in unison after their 5-0 victory over Madagascar.

The ‘Elephants’’ success has certainly had an impact on maintaining the peace in this divided country since then, being a symbol that everyone can unite behind. That was the impression that the government and wider population wanted to impart upon us visitors and everyone else watching from around Africa and beyond at this year’s tournement.

However, all was not well on the pitch.

In the impressive 60,000-seater stadium in Ebimpe, around 30 kilometres north of downtown Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire played their final group game against unfancied Equatorial Guinea, knowing that a point would probably be enough to get them through.

An expectant crowd grew impatient as a cagey first half an hour passed before a shock goal saw the visitors take the lead. VAR intervened to deny two goals to the boys in orange, who seemed to panic from there on in. They attacked in numbers but left holes at the back, which the experienced Equatorial Guineans used to their advantage to stun the tournament’s hosts.

They ran out 4-0 winners against all the odds, leading to plenty of unsavoury scenes in the stands, on the running tracks, and on the way back into town – we spotted a row of the shuttle buses put on for fans with their windows smashed in completely. It really was more than just a game.

Nobody believed that Côte d’Ivoire would go through, needing results in every other group to go their way for them to be among the best third-placed teams with just three points and a goal difference of minus 3.

It came down to the penultimate night of the group stages. Ghana had a worse record than them, so they just needed one other team to finish in third with a worse record. Morocco to beat Zambia. Easy, right?

In Bouake, the second-largest city, every man, woman and child was glued to the TV, urging the North Africans to do them a favour. A first-half goal eased the tension for a while but the second half dragged on with no further goals.

Cue wild celebrations, with people lifting chairs above their heads and dancing all around the bar. All of a sudden, a group of young men with their shirts off started running past the bar and onto the city’s main thoroughfare, whistling and cheering, as cars beeped their horns. The country came to a standstill as they celebrated their unlikely qualification to the next round.

With the hosts still in the competition, I bade my farewell to the tournament as part of a sell-out crowd at the smaller 30,000-seater stadium in Abidjan.

After walking for hours for two days straight in the 35-degree heat trying to find a ticket, we left it until an hour before kick-off to source a tout in the vicinity of the ground. A late second goal saw the ‘Super Eagles’ of Nigeria kill off the ‘Indomitable Lions’ of Cameroon after a spirited performance, as the Nigerians partied long into and the Cameroonians made plans to return home.

Contrary to the theme of this year’s tournament, this wasn’t a shock result – but there were plenty of those to come. Cote d’Ivoire are somehow still in the competition! They defeated tournament favourites, Senegal, in the Round of 16 before a last-minute equaliser saw them take Mali to extra time with just 10 men, going on to win the tie in the last minute of the additional 30.

Other shocks included World Cup semi-finalists Morocco, Mohamed Salah’s Egypt, and heavily-fancied Algeria bowing out early in a poor tournametn for North African sides.

While a Nigeria v Cote d’Ivoire final may seem expected, a semi-final lineup including South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo was not on anyone’s mind going into the tournament – even less so following the first few rounds of group games! But, in a country where football is taken so seriously, it so fits that the product on offer has been so gripping.

This is the most exciting tournament I’ve been lucky enough to witness (personal Welsh affiliations aside) and the welcome we received from the moment we touched down to the second we left will stay in the mind even longer than the football.

Whatever happens this weekend – Merci, Cote d’Ivoire (and bon chance)!

Follow us on Twitter @ProstInt

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Sofyan Amrabat

Not many people would have recognised Sofyan Amrabat before the tournament, in fact, it was likely that more people would have remembered Sofyan’s older brother Nordin, who turned out for Watford in the Premier League in the 2015/16 season. Nonetheless, the 26-year-old ended the tournament in most people’s teams of the tournament, as well as collecting accolades such as ‘the new Kanté’, having won possession 57 times – the most by any African player since the 1966 World Cup. Alongside his Moroccan teammate Azzedine Ounahi, Amrabat excelled in Qatar and significantly contributed to Morocco becoming the first-ever African side to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup.

Even before the tournament, there were some rumours linking Amrabat with a move away from Fiorentina, but the 2022 World Cup only added fuel to the fire, with some of the biggest clubs in the world now battling for the midfielder’s signature. If the latest rumours are to be believed, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur seem to be in a direct battle for the Moroccan, but Newcastle United, Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, and Sevilla are also linked. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Fiorentina are only willing to let Amrabat go for at least €40m – with Liverpool only recently spending close to that for Cody Gakpo, does this give Tottenham an advantage in the race for the Atlas Lion?

Jude Bellingham

England midfielder Jude Bellingham was by no means an unknown entity before this winter’s World Cup, after already becoming one of the best young players in the world following his €25m move from Birmingham City to Borussia Dortmund as a 17-year-old in 2020. However, this was perhaps the 19-year-old’s statement tournament, becoming a crucial member of the Three Lions’ midfield in Qatar. The Birmingham native had not scored for his national side ahead of the tournament, but in England’s opener against Iran, it was Bellingham who notched the first goal of the tournament for the Three Lions, also adding an assist for Jordan Henderson in the round of 16 tie against Senegal. At 19, Bellingham became one of the most important pieces of the England team, having finished first in shot-creating chances, tackles won, blocks, and dribbles completed out of the entire squad.

The Borussia Dortmund man’s stock has only risen after the 2022 World Cup, with the usual suspects, such as Real Madrid and PSG, linked with a move for the England star, but it seems more likely that the 19-year-old midfielder will head back to England, with Liverpool and Manchester City set to go head-to-head for his signature. Manchester City have already snapped up his good pal Haaland last summer, with City perhaps the more logical option for Bellingham, however, according to reports in England, Jude’s father is trying to convince his son to choose Liverpool instead. Only time will tell whether Bellingham will listen to his father or become his own man in 2023. gon

Enzo Fernández

Joško Gvardiol

Alexis Mac Allister

Dominik Livaković

Azzedine Ounahi

Source: Sporting News

FIFA ranking: 7

How they qualified: UEFA qualifying group B winners

2018 World Cup performance: Round of 16

Previous World Cup appearances: 15

Best result: Winners (2010)

Background

Source: Getty Images

Spain are back at another World Cup and they will be hoping to forget their last two miserable performances. Many have begun to rule out Spain as one of the world’s dominant sides, but a strong showing at Euro 2020 and an unlucky penalty shoot-out defeat against eventual winners Italy has changed the minds of many football fans. While this Spain team can’t compare to the squads between 2008 and 2012, it still possesses enough quality to surprise opponents. La Roja managed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup with relative ease, finishing top of their qualifying group ahead of Sweden, although they dropped points against the Swedes as well as Greece along the way. Spain were one of the lowest-scoring sides to qualify for this winter’s World Cup, having only scored 15 goals in eight games while leading up to the World Cup they only scored eight times in six games – and only one goal in four of those games – scoring goals is a real problem for this Spain side.

The Coach – Luis Enrique

Source: Stadium Astro

Luis Enrique will be taking charge of Spain at his first World Cup as manager, after impressing with his side at last year’s European Championships, where Spain missed out on the final via a penalty shoot-out defeat to Italy. The Spaniard had a successful playing career as a midfielder and is one of the few players to have crossed the Real Madrid-Barcelona divide after he joined Barcelona from bitter rivals Real Madrid in 1996.

That Barcelona education has led to the manager he is today, with Enrique preferring a high-pressing, possession-heavy type of football, with quick transitions from defence to attack. Many have criticised the 52-year-old for some of his Spain selections, most notably for Euro 2020, where Enrique selected a 24-man squad despite being allowed to name 26 players, with no Real Madrid players selected. That being said, Enrique is a manager who only chooses players that are right for his desired style of play, no matter their status at club level, and some of his early performances have justified his selections thus far.

Key Player – Alvaro Morata

Source: GetFootballNewsSpain

While the current Spain team does not possess clear-cut key players like the past teams of Casillas, Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, and David Villa, there are still a handful of players that are crucial for Enrique’s style of play – one of these is striker Alvaro Morata. Alvaro Morata has perhaps not lived up to his early promise, first breaking through at his local club Real Madrid in 2010, after which spells at Juventus, Chelsea, and now Atletico Madrid followed. The Spaniard was not able to establish himself at any of these clubs, but he still remains key to Luis Enrique, with the Spanish coach stating at Euro 2020: ‘’My team is Morata and ten others.’’ While Morata has not been overly prolific for Spain up to this point, scoring only two goals in World Cup qualifying, he is integral to the Enrique way of playing, with even the striker pressing high up the pitch.

Predicted Line-up

World Cup Chances

Source: Barcelona Blonde

Today’s Spain team is definitely inferior to the squads of 2008-12 when looking at the names, but there is now a new generation of talent emerging, with players such as Eric Garcia, Gavi, Pedri, Nico Williams, and Yeremy Pino slowly creeping into the fold under Luis Enrique. While these players are still young (20 or under), they have already shown glimpses of brilliance that suggest Spain could be on the rise in 2022 and beyond. Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets are now the last two members of the old guard, and they will be crucial in passing on their experiences to this new generation.

Spain still possess great talent in midfield, with players like Rodri, Koke, and Pedri able to unlock defences, however, the rest of the team brings up some question marks. Spain lack a clinical finisher in the style of David Villa, while there is also uncertainty over the centre-back combination, and goalkeeper selection – although Athletic Bilbao shot-stopper Unai Simon has seemed to convince Enrique. While not many fans expect much from Spain at the 2022 World Cup, the same was said before Euro 2020 where Spain only narrowly missed out on the final. One thing is for certain – never underestimate Spain.

Source: India TV News

FIFA ranking: 9

How they qualified: UEFA qualifying path C play-off winners

2018 World Cup performance: Round of 16

Previous World Cup appearances: 7

Best result: Third place (1966)

Background

Source: AA

Portugal are back at their record sixth consecutive World Cup tournament and they will be hoping to beat their third-place finish from 1966. It wasn’t the easiest of qualifications campaigns, having finished second in their qualifying group behind Serbia despite only losing one game – controversially against the Serbs. This meant that A Seleção had to take part in the path C play-offs where they were pitted against Turkey, who they defeated 3-1 to set up an encounter with North Macedonia, who surprisingly dispatched Italy in their play-off match. Indeed, Portugal arguably might not even have qualified for the 2022 World Cup if Italy progressed instead of North Macedonia, a scenario that we will never know the result of. Portugal have not progressed beyond the round of 16 in their last three World Cup tournaments, but a strong squad and an experienced manager could be the right combination they need to finally reach the final of a World Cup.

The Coach – Fernando Santos

Source: Sportz Point

Fernando Santos will be one of the most experienced coaches at this winter’s World Cup, having a career in management spanning over 30 years. After a modest start to his managerial career at Estoril, Santos managed the ‘big three’ in Portugal (Porto, Benfica, and Sporting CP), as well as AEK Athens, Panathinaikos, and PAOK in Greece, before undertaking his first national team duties as the coach of Greece in 2010. Santos impressed as the boss of the Greek national team, leading them to the quarter-finals of Euro 2012, as well as the knockout stage of the 2014 World Cup – Greece’s first and only knockout stage at a World Cup.

Following that tournament, the Portuguese FA appointed Santos as their new coach after Paulo bento was fired due to poor results. Since that appointment, Santos led Portugal to a surprising Euro 2016 win, as well as the UEFA Nations League trophy in 2018-19. While Santos was able to deliver Portugal’s first and only major international trophy, cracks have begun to show, with many fans unconvinced that the 68-year-old is the man to lead Portugal to glory in Qatar.

Key Player – Cristiano Ronaldo

Source: Inside Sport

The greatest international goalscorer is back at his fifth World Cup and the 37-year-old will be Portugal’s greatest hope if they are to lift their first-ever World Cup trophy. While the Manchester United forward might not be as influential as in the past, he still finished as Portugal’s top scorer in qualifying with six goals, and he is still capable of creating moments of magic. Some fans feel like Ronaldo creates more problems than he solves, but 117 goals in 191 Portugal appearances say otherwise. This Portugal team is full of quality players, but Cristiano Ronaldo is still the first name on the team sheet, even at 37. The Portuguese talisman has won everything that there is to win, with 32 trophies including seven league titles in three different countries, five Champions League trophies, as well as the European Championship, but one trophy has eluded him thus far – the World Cup. At 37, this will be Ronaldo’s last World Cup and he will be determined to go out on a high.

Predicted Line-up

World Cup Chances

Source: Crowdfunder

Portugal only narrowly made it to the 2022 World Cup but looking at the names in their squad it is hard to argue against them being one of the favourites for the World Cup crown. Portugal have a favourable group including Uruguay, Ghana, and South Korea, but while each of these teams are weaker on paper, they can cause surprises. If Portugal manage to win their group, it is likely a repeat encounter with Serbia will follow in the round of 16, with Portugal failing to beat the Serbs in qualification.

The Portugal team is packed full of talented options in every department, perhaps only the centre-back position lacking, with Pepe the only quality partner for Manchester City’s Ruben Dias. While their defence can be shaky with no natural alternative for 39-year-old Pepe, many battles are won in midfield and Portugal possess one of the best midfields in the world, with players like Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, and Ruben Neves. Add that to a man named Cristiano Ronaldo upfront and teams at this winter’s World Cup should be scared of this Portugal team.

Source: ANP/Imago Images

FIFA ranking: 8

How they qualified: UEFA qualifying group G winners

2018 World Cup performance: Did not qualify

Previous World Cup appearances: 10

Best result: Runners-up (1974, 1978, 2010)

Background

Source: Pascal Rossignol/Reuters

The Netherlands are back at a World Cup after missing out on the tournament in 2018 and they will be hoping to make up for lost time after a disappointing absence from Russia following a silver medal in 2010 and bronze in 2014. The Oranje qualified for Qatar with relative ease, winning their qualifying group after a shaky start when they lost 4-2 against Turkey in the opening round. Today’s Netherlands squad might not feature world beaters of the past Dutch squads such as Marco van Basten, Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Kluivert or Johan Cruyff, but in Virgil van Dijk they have arguably the best centre-back in the world, paired with a highly experienced coach in Louis van Gaal. The Netherlands were tipped to be the big comeback kings of Euro 2020 but they exited the tournament in the round of 16 after a surprise loss to the Czech Republic, and the Netherlands fans will be hoping there won’t be a repeat of that during their return to the big stage this winter.

The Coach – Louis van Gaal

Source: Getty Images

Louis van Gaal is back leading the Netherlands in his third spell as boss, after guiding the Dutch in 2000-01 and 2012-14. The now 71-year-old boss will be one of the most decorated coaches at the 2022 World Cup, having collected seven league titles, four domestic cups, one Champions League trophy, and two UEFA Super Cups during a managerial career with Ajax, Barcelona, AZ, Bayern Munich, and Manchester United. Van Gaal first took over as coach of the national team in 2000 but following a disastrous qualifying campaign for the 2002 World Cup, which ended in the Netherlands missing out on the tournament for the first time since 1986, the Dutchman resigned in January 2002.

A second spell at the helm of the Oranjes proved to be much more successful, with the Dutch qualifying for the 2014 World Cup and going all the way to the semi-finals where they fell short against Argentina, but they ultimately managed to beat Brazil on home soil to clinch bronze. Following a less-than-successful spell at Manchester United, it looked like van Gaal will retire from management, announcing this in January 2017, but he quickly reiterated that this was only a ‘sabbatical’. However, this sabbatical turned into full retirement in 2019, following which the now 71-year-old was convinced by the Dutch FA to return for his third and final spell and lead the Netherlands to glory in Qatar.

Key Player – Virgil van Dijk

Source: Getty Images

Today’s Netherlands squad does not boast the attacking talent of previous tournaments, with Barcelona forward Memphis Depay perhaps the only player capable of scoring regularly. This means that the Dutch will rely on their defensive quality, with captain Virgil van Dijk crucial to this. The Liverpool centre-back missed out on Euro 2020 due to injury, meaning he will be making his major international tournament debut at the age of 31.

The Dutchman is equally crucial for his country as he is for his club, perhaps even more so, with the lack of world-class replacements in the Dutch squad. Van Gaal prefers to play with a three at the back, meaning that van Dijk is the general in defence, who can also play precise diagonal balls forward, a quality that makes him perfect for such a system. With young defenders such as Matthijs de Ligt, Jurrien Timber and Sven Botman waiting in the wings of the Dutch squad, van Dijk also plays a key role as a leader and teacher, with the 2022 World Cup perhaps the last World Cup where he can lead his nation to a meaningful finish.

Predicted Line-up

World Cup Chances

Source: Fansided

The Netherlands are not considered one of the immediate favourites to lift the World Cup trophy this winter, but again they were not the favourites in 2010 or 2014 when they finished second and third respectively, and they will be going into the Qatar World Cup as one of the most in-form teams, last tasting defeat in June of last year in the round of 16 of Euro 2020. The Dutch can always surprise opponents and with an experienced coach such as Louis van Gaal back to lead them, they will certainly be the dark horses in Qatar.

While the Netherlands team is stacked in the centre-back position, with experienced heads van Dijk and de Vrij complemented with up-and-coming stars Matthijs de Ligt and Jurrien Timber, and potential future world beaters Frenkie de Jong and Ryan Gravenberch in midfield, they truly lack a reliable goalkeeper and a finisher beyond Depay. Long gone are the days of van der Sar and Robin van Persie, and with the added tournament-ending injury to midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum, the Dutch will have to come up with a miracle to lift their first-ever World Cup this winter.

Source: Getty Images

FIFA ranking: 11

How they qualified: UEFA qualifying group J winners

2018 World Cup performance: Group stage

Previous World Cup appearances: 19

Best result: Winners (1954, 1974, 2014)

Background

Source: CNN Sports

Germany are back at their 18^th consecutive World Cup and Die Mannschaft will be hoping to forget their miserable showing at the last World Cup in 2018, where as defending champions they were eliminated in the group stage. Germany qualified as qualifying group J winners, but they didn’t do so perfectly, succumbing to a 2-1 loss at home to North Macedonia in the process. Historically, Germany are always there or thereabouts in international tournaments but this German side perhaps lack the overall quality to really be considered one of the favourites. They go into this tournament on the back of only one win in the last seven games (at the time of writing), having failed to score more than one goal in five of those games – and with Hansi Flick’s favourite Timo Werner injured, it is difficult to see where the goals will come from in Qatar.

The Coach – Hansi Flick

Source: Getty Images

Hansi Flick had a remarkable rise as manager over the last few years, having mainly served as an assistant at RB Salzburg, Germany national team, and Bayern Munich, before taking over as caretaker at the latter in 2019. After then manager Niko Kovac left Bayern by mutual consent in November of 2019, Flick was given the job on an interim basis, but following a satisfying spell as interim coach, the board decided to hand the German the job full-time until the end of the 2019-20 season.

Hansi Flick was then able to convince the Bayern board of his qualities and he was handed a new contract until 2023, however, near the end of the 2020-21 season, Flick announced his decision to leave the club at the end of the season in order to pursue the job of the coach of the German national team, a job which was set to be vacant after the departure of long-serving coach Joachim Low after Euro 2020, under whom Hansi Flick served as an assistant between 2006 and 2014. Flick took over the team in the fourth round of qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup and since then has only tasted defeat on one occasion, against Hungary in the UEFA Nations League.

Key Player – Thomas Muller

Source: The Real Champs

As per usual, the German national team does not have a clear star or stand-out talent, instead, it is based on teamwork and determination – two qualities that 33-year-old forward Thomas Muller epitomises. Muller is currently the most experienced squad member of the German national team, having racked up 118 caps for Die Mannschaft after making his debut in 2010. While at the start of his German career Muller was seen as more of a striker, today he is the man responsible for linking the midfield and attack. That being said, Muller currently sits seventh in the all-time goalscorer chart for the national team, only six goals away from potentially ending his German career in third place, behind namesake Gerd Muller and legend Miroslav Klose. With one of the few out-and-out strikers in Timo Werner out of the World Cup, Muller will have to be the leader in attack and help Die Mannschaft forget their 2018 misery.

Predicted Line-up

World Cup Chances

Source: Katie Chan

Germany are going into this winter’s World Cup as the 11th-ranked team in the world, one of their lowest rankings in the last 15 years. Nonetheless, rankings mean nothing on the world stage and excluding their 2018 showing, Germany have time and again proved that they are world heavyweights, having finished no lower than third in their last four World Cup tournaments (apart from 2018). Of course, this German side perhaps does not possess as much world-class talent as in the past, with mainstays Manuel Neuer and Thomas Muller now on the wrong side of 30.

The current German team doesn’t concede many goals but also doesn’t score enough, given their lack of a prolific number 9. They did manage to score 36 goals in qualifying, however, their top scorers were midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, winger Serge Gnabry, and now-injured striker Timo Werner with a lowly number of five goals. With Hansi Flick favourite Timo Werner now set to miss the World Cup with an ankle injury, it is difficult to see who will be able to step up and fire Germany to World Cup glory in Qatar.

Source: Sporting News

FIFA ranking: 4

How they qualified: UEFA qualifying group D winners

2018 World Cup performance: Winners

Previous World Cup appearances: 15

Best result: Winners (1998, 2018)

Background

Source: Africa Top Sports

France are back at their seventh consecutive World Cup and will be hoping to become only the second European side (and only third overall after Brazil and Italy) to defend their crown after becoming world champions in 2018. Les Bleus reached Qatar in rather comfortable fashion after finishing their qualifying group top and unbeaten, however, their last few results ahead of the 2022 World Cup have not been the most convincing – winning only one of their UEFA Nations League games in 2022, with unconvincing defeats against World Cup group opponents Denmark, as well as Croatia.

That being said, France go into this winter’s tournament as one of the favourites, having not only won the last World Cup in Russia and the 2021 edition of the UEFA Nations League but also arguably having the biggest squad depth from any of the 32 teams at the 2022 World Cup, a quality that should come in handy during a World Cup that is like no other, particularly with the lack of preparation and the mid-season injuries that are likely to come.

The Coach – Didier Deschamps

Source: Getty Images

Didier Deschamps will be the longest-serving head coach at this winter’s World Cup and he is in fact the longest-serving coach in the history of the French national team, having taken over the reins in 2012. Back in his playing days, Deschamps was a top defensive midfielder and leader, having collected five league titles, two Champions League trophies, as well as a World Cup and European Championship in a career playing for Marseille, Juventus, Valencia, Chelsea, and the French national team.

While his managerial CV is not as accomplished, ‘merely’ picking up the Coupe de la Ligue with AS Monaco early in his career, as well as the Serie B at Juventus and Ligue 1 at Marseille, his biggest achievement came in 2018 when the Frenchman guided Les Bleus to the 2018 World Cup crown in Russia, becoming only the third man to win a World Cup as a player and coach. Deschamps was initially given a two-year contract in July 2012, following Laurent Blanc’s resignation, but some promising performances led to a 10-year career with the national team, a career which almost certainly will end after the 2022 World Cup no matter the result, with the 54-year-old’s contract expiring after the tournament in Qatar, and with former Les Bleus skipper Zinedine Zidane waiting in the wings.

Key Player – Kylian Mbappe

Source: Les Titis du PSG

At 23, PSG forward Kylian Mbappe is arguably France’s most important player, having already racked up 59 caps and lifted a World Cup trophy. The number 10 is crucial to the way France attack, with France lacking another play of his type and calibre in the team, with 49-goal Olivier Giroud more of a target-man, while Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann has been inconsistent of late and is usually deployed further back in the national team. During the 2018 World Cup, Mbappe was a 19-year-old prodigy, but the 2022 World Cup can be his chance to announce himself to the entire world as the heir to the Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo ‘best player in the world’ title.

Predicted Line-up

World Cup Chances

Source: Laurent Cipriani/Associated Press

Only two previous teams have retained their World Cup crown, and the latest was Brazil in 1962, which does not provide favourable news for France in 2022. While defensively and offensively this France team is perhaps better than the one in 2018 – containing natural full-backs, young up-and-coming centre-backs in Jules Kounde and William Saliba, as well as the returning Karim Benzema to spice up the attack – however, with the injuries to midfielders Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante, who were so influential for France ever since the 2018 World Cup, leave the midfield of France short on world-class talent. While France will possess perhaps the deepest squad at this World Cup in terms of quality, Deschamps will have to find solutions for the absence of two of the best midfielders in the world for France to have any chance of defending their title in Qatar.

Source: TalkSport

FIFA ranking: 5

How they qualified: UEFA qualifying group I winners

2018 World Cup performance: Semi-finals

Previous World Cup appearances: 15

Best result: Winners (1966)

Background

Source: FourFourTwo

England have reached the semi-finals of the last World Cup and the final of last summer’s European Championships, so on paper, they should be able to take the next step in Qatar and lift the World Cup trophy for only their second time. Of course, football is not played on paper and the Three Lions will be going into this winter’s tournament in terrible form – winless in the last six matches. Once again, England qualified for the World Cup with ease, going unbeaten and conceding only three goals in a group featuring Poland, Albania, Hungary, Andorra, and San Marino.

Many fans were encouraged by this England team’s performances at the last two tournaments, predominantly finally beating old rivals Germany at Euro 2020 before narrowly missing out on the trophy on penalties against Italy in the final. However, some of the criticism from a small number of England fans against the tactics of coach Gareth Southgate started getting some traction following some more than disappointing results in the UEFA Nations League, especially the 4-0 trashing at home by Hungary. Add to this potential tournament-ending injuries to some key players and the Three Lions might not be roaring in Qatar.

The Coach – Gareth Southgate

Source: Getty Images

Gareth Southgate had a solid international career as a player for England, which included some highs and lows (missed penalty in Euro 1996 semi-final vs Germany), but his time managing the England national team so far brought more highs than lows, especially considering the expectations many fans had. Southgate began his managerial career at his beloved Middlesbrough, where he spent three seasons before being dismissed following the club’s relegation from the Premier League. The Englishman then took four years out of management before accepting the role of coach for the England U-21 team.

In 2016, following the Sam Allardyce scandal, Southgate was placed in temporary charge of the senior team, but he impressed the FA enough to be given the job on a full-time basis later that year. Under Southgate’s leadership, England qualified for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where they surprised many by going all the way to the semi-finals, before succumbing to Croatia. After that, England reached the final of Euro 2020, where they were only defeated by Italy on penalties. Throughout the 52-year-old’s tenure as England manager, there has largely been positivity surrounding the England team, but a poor World Cup in Qatar following some disastrous results in the UEFA Nations League can spell trouble for Southgate.

Key Player – Harry Kane

Source: Michael Regan

Not many players in the England team are guaranteed to be one of the first names on the team sheet, but Tottenham striker Harry Kane is one of them. The England captain is highly influential for the Three Lions, having finished as the joint top scorer in UEFA qualifying with 12 goals, as well as currently sitting only two goals away from Wayne Rooney’s all-time goal-scoring record for England. Kane’s goal-scoring is not the only thing crucial for England, but his undeniable leadership is an invaluable trait, especially in major international tournaments. When looking at the other attacking options available for Gareth Southgate, it can be argued that Harry Kane is the most irreplaceable squad member, and any major injury would be catastrophic for England’s chances at this winter’s World Cup.

Predicted Line-up

World Cup Chances

Source: In Your Area

England are going into the 2022 World Cup as perhaps the most in-form team based on previous tournaments, having finished fourth in the 2018 World Cup and as runners-up at Euro 2020, however, they are also one of the least in-form teams based on the most recent results (winless in the last six). That being said, the Three Lions have been drawn in a relatively easy-looking group featuring the USA, Wales, and Iran – but this of course was said in 2010 when England featured in a similar-looking group including the USA, Algeria, and Slovenia, with England only narrowly advancing to the knockout stages of that tournament. England have all the necessary tools to go on better in 2022 and lift the World Cup trophy, but some questionable Southgate tactics and possibly tournament-ending injuries to trusted lieutenants Kalvin Phillips and Kyle Walker might leave England just short of a serious challenge in Qatar.

Source: Getty Images

FIFA ranking: 1

How they qualified: CONMEBOL qualifying winners

2018 World Cup performance: Quarter-finals

Previous World Cup appearances: 21

Best result: Winners (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002)

Background

Source: New Indian Express

Brazil are the bookies’ favourites to go all the way at this winter’s World Cup and it is not difficult to see why. Brazil are currently the only nation to have appeared in all 21 previous World Cup tournaments and are heading into the 2022 edition in perhaps the best mood since the 2014 World Cup on home soil. They not only managed to qualify as CONMEBOL qualifying winners in style – unbeaten while scoring 40 goals and conceding five – but their squad is packed full of attacking flair that will cause coach Tite selection headaches. Previous Brazil teams perhaps relied heavily on their attack, and while this Brazil team is well-stocked upfront, they are now also well-balanced defensively, conceding in only four of their 17 qualifying matches. If the Seleção can replicate that sort of form on the world stage, Brazil will likely be lifting their first World Cup trophy in 20 years.

The Coach – Tite

Source: Getty Images

Tite’s managerial career spans over 30 years and 14 different teams. His career has primarily been spent in his native Brazil, with smaller teams such as Caxias and Veranópolis, but the Brazilian eventually climbed the managerial ladder to take charge of Brazilian heavyweight Palmeiras, Internacional, and Corinthians, before taking charge of the national team in 2016.

Tite was appointed coach of the Seleção in the summer of 2016 after his predecessor Dunga struggled to lead the nation out of that year’s Copa America group stage. Since Tite’s appointment, Brazil managed to comfortably qualify for the 2018 World Cup, in which they rather disappointingly bowed out in the quarter-finals against Belgium, and win the 2019 Copa America, as well as reach the final in 2021. This will be the 61-year-old’s sixth year at the helm of the national team and most likely his last, as his contract only runs until the end of the 2022 World Cup, with sources claiming he is finally ready for a challenge in European football.

Key Player – Neymar

Source: Eurosport

Neymar might not be perhaps as crucial to Brazil as in previous years, mostly due to the attacking options available to Brazil, but he is still Brazil’s poster boy. At 30, the man himself admitted this will likely be his last World Cup and today he is a much more mature leader of the team than his showboating skills suggest. In the current system, Neymar is perhaps more of a midfielder than a forward, and due to this, he is much more influential for the team as he is able to link midfield with attack. Neymar is currently sitting only two goals shy of Pelé’s all-time goal-scoring record for Brazil and he will surely want to end his final World Cup not only as Brazil’s all-time top scorer but also as a World Champion.

Predicted Line-up

World Cup Chances

Source: Sky Sports

Brazil are currently the best team in the world on paper, which is backed by the bookies suggesting Brazil will win the 2022 World Cup. Of course, football is not played on paper, but it is difficult to argue against Brazil being the team best prepared to win the tournament in Qatar. They have a squad packed full of quality, starting from the goalkeeper position where they have not one but two world-class goalkeepers in Alisson and Ederson, a defence that is a perfect combination of experience and youth in Thiago Silva and Militao, a midfield including hardman Casemiro and the more creative Paqueta, and of course an attack featuring Neymar, Vinicius Jr and Richarlison. They have been drawn in a relatively easy group including Serbia, Switzerland, and Cameroon, and if the Brazil squad can finally come together and stay clear of any major injuries, it is likely Brazil will be lifting their sixth crown in Qatar.

Source: Mundo Albiceleste (2021)

FIFA ranking: 3

How they qualified: CONMEBOL qualifying runners-up

2018 World Cup performance: Round of 16

Previous World Cup appearances: 17

Best result: Winners (1978, 1986)

Background

Source: JUAN MABROMATA / AFP

Argentina are amongst the favourites to win this year’s World Cup after they finally managed to end their 28-year trophy drought by winning the 2021 Copa America. La Albiceleste will be led by their talismanic captain and all-time top scorer and appearance holder, Lionel Messi, who at 35 will be playing his last World Cup – confirmed by the player himself. Argentina had a largely disappointing 2018 World Cup, where they only narrowly advanced from their group behind eventual finalists Croatia. They were then swiftly knocked out in the round of 16 by eventual winners France, in a cracking 4-3 encounter. Those past disappointments have seemingly been forgotten under new coach Lionel Scaloni, who managed to step up from his role as assistant coach and lead Argentina to their first Copa America title since 1993, after three consecutive tournaments where Argentina finished in the top three, but ultimately fell short. Argentina managed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup going unbeaten in CONMEBOL qualifying and only finishing six points off qualifying winners Brazil.

The Coach – Lionel Scaloni

Source: Getty Images

Lionel Scaloni did not have an impressive managerial CV before taking over as the coach of Argentina, in fact, Scaloni’s two other roles have both been assistant positions, first at Sevilla during the 2016-17 season, then at Argentina between 2017 and 2018. Ironically, Scaloni replaced Jorge Sampaoli at the helm of the Argentina national team, the same man who handed Scaloni his first assistant role at Sevilla only years prior. Initially, Scaloni and Argentina legend Pablo Aimar were named caretaker coaches after the disastrous 2018 World Cup, however, the 2019 Copa America performances convinced the Argentina FA to hand Scaloni the job on a full-time basis. As it turned out, this was a masterstroke from the AFA, as Scaloni managed to lead Argentina to their first major trophy since 1993, by winning the 2021 Copa America on the home soil of their bitter rivals Brazil, and the 44-year-old will be hoping to follow that up with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Key Player – Lionel Messi

Source: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo

Who else but Messi? Lionel Messi is not only Argentina’s all-time top scorer and appearance holder, but he is arguably one of the best, if not the best football player to ever grace the beautiful game. Messi was influential in Argentina’s qualifying, adding seven goals and finishing as the team’s joint top-scorer, and while he has not been able to step into the shoes of previous Argentina captain Diego Maradona on the biggest international stage, the stars have aligned for the 35-year-old to finally do it for his country in his last ever World Cup tournament. If all goes well, the 2022 World Cup final could be Messi’s 1000^th professional football match and the headlines would write themselves.

Predicted Line-up

World Cup Chances

Source: Getty Images

Argentina are currently the third favourites on odds to win the 2022 World Cup, and while odds on paper mean nothing on the field, La Albiceleste have all the tools to go very far in Qatar. Previous Argentina teams have relied on outscoring their opponents due to their overwhelming strength in attack but weakness in defence. However, this time the tables seemed to have turned, with Argentina relying on their defence to do the talking – in CONMEBOL qualifying they only conceded eight goals, while ‘’only’’ scoring 27 at the other end. Argentina have been drawn in a relatively easy group on paper, with Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Poland, indicating a simple passage to the round of 16 should be achieved. It is however important to remember that the same was said before the previous World Cup, where they only narrowly reached the knockout stages after amassing four points out of possible nine. This will be Messi’s final chance to show the whole world he is the greatest of all time and Argentina’s chances will depend on their star man’s form.