Tite’s side went into the tournament as favourites to win the World Cup following a stunning qualification record with 14 wins and three draws in their 17 matches. With the likes of Neymar, Gabriel Jesus, Vinicius Junior, Fabino, Alisson and Ederson, Brazil have an embarrassment of riches and are eyeing a World Cup – which would be their sixth in total – for the first time in 20 years.
The current defending champions, France have an endless conveyor belt of talent at their disposal and arguably the best player in the world at the moment in Kylian Mbappe. However there appears to be some unrest in the camp and Didier Deschamps will be desperate to avoid a catastrophe similar to that of their Euro 2020 campaign which saw them dumped out by Switzerland on penalties. Despite the pressure placed on them, they have a perfect blend of match-winners and wily competitors than should ensure they progress deep into the tournament.
Surely Lionel Messi’s last stand, as the 35-year-old and seven-time Ballon d’Or winner attempts to etch his name in World Cup history by guiding Argentina to their first triumph since 1986. Like Brazil, they went unbeaten during qualifying – albeit with two wins fewer – and with players such as Lisandro Martinez and Cristian Romero they could finally have a defence to do the attack justice.
A year ago these odds may have been shorter, but a poor 2022 and with key players struggling for form, Gareth Southgate’s side have slipped in the pecking order. They have recent tournament experience as semi-finalists in 2018 and runners-up at Euro 2020, but there is growing unease at the lack of progress with such a talented group of players at Southgate’s disposal. Harry Kane will be key to their hopes having won the golden boot four years ago, while Phil Foden will be looking to make his mark on the biggest stage of all alongside Jude Bellingham – two undoubted stars of the future.
The England striker won the golden boot four years ago with six goals, and followed it up with a four-goal haul at Euro 2022, only to be bettered by Cristiano Ronaldo. He has been flying in qualifying with 12 goals and is positioned to go past Wayne Rooney’s international record of 53 (Kane has 51) during the tournament. He has a nice group stage to get him going and given their recent tournament history, England could progress deep into the competition and will be reliant on his goals to do so, with the whole side built around the Tottenham striker.
Arguably the best player in the world at the moment, Mbappe has established himself as one of the most feared forwards in Europe and has been in free-scoring form for PSG so far this season. While he hasn’t been quite so prolific for France – but still with 28 goals in 29 appearances – he is still undoubtedly their key player but it remains to be seen how they can get the most out of him without the likes of Neymar and Lionel Messi to bring out the best attacking talents of the rapid forward, who will instead have to rely on an aging Olivier Giroud, Karim Benzema who has been out of the picture for so long and an Antoine Griezmann short on game time.
Neymar has hinted that 2022 may well be his third and final World Cup, so will he go out on a high? Eight years ago, with the hopes of a nation squarely on his shoulders, Neymar bagged braces on home soil against both Croatia and then Cameroon. He suffered a back injury in the quarter-final victory over Colombia, thereby forced to uncomfortably watch the Mineiraço, as his side were smashed 7-1 by Germany. In Russia, Neymar took his tally to six World Cup goals, scoring against both Costa Rica and then Mexico. At club level, he might just be enjoying his best form at Paris Saint-Germain just now, having scored 15 goals in just 19 appearances this season. Back with Brazil, Neymar will be hoping to become his country’s all-time leading goalscorer at this tournament; he’s currently two behind Pelé’s 51-year old record of 77. Will that historic moment come in Qatar?
