World Cup 2022: Favourites to win

I think it's a really tough one to call I admit I don't see any of the South American teams but the bookies have Brazil as favourites and they've certainly got a heavily stacked squad and a top manager. I don't think they'll be exciting but they are a very tough side to beat. I'd probably have to back them.

France feel to me like a side that is stuck between the old guard and the new guard but they have so many players who can be the match winner if the rest of the team just keeps them in the game. Lloris for me is a huge weakness I think he's crap if they dropped him they'd have a better chance.

England just feels like a lot needs to come together. Maguire and Sterling need to shake off club form and find international form, Rashford I think could be a massive difference maker in current form as he adds goals to a side that doesn't score many.

This is probably our last world cup with Walker, Stones, Maguire & Kane so it does feel a bit last chance saloon.

Teams that are hard to beat win tournaments (for obvious reasons) England had that at the Euro's but it's been lost recently and that is a concern.
 
Germany will be tough to beat, as will Brazil. Spain and England will be in the mix.

I fancy our chances, which isn't exciting as it should be, as I generally have little enthusiasm for this particular tournament.
 
Not sure on Germany I think defensively they are all over the shop.

Think you have to look at the sides who don't give away many goals.

Spain will be good I think but the problem for them is goals they just don't have a reliable goal scorer and haven't since David Villa hung up the boots.
 
Germany for me. No real strong team so the Germans will grind it out
 
I haven't spent that much time on international football to have a well reasoned pick, but off the top of my head, the Argies have got to be in with as good of a shout as anyone.

Not really going out on a limb, but I'm going in early with Portugal as the flop of the tourney. Especially if they make Ronaldo the golden boy once again.
 
@Cruella ne Ville Agree mate, I think Argentina would be my pick with odds aside, Portugal have a good side but as you say, all the unwanted Ronaldo media attention around their prep might hinder their chances of doing anything. And quite frankly I hope I'm right and they do cock all.
 
Think the lack of international football since the start of the season makes it very hard to judge as a tournament.

Brazil’s big players are all coming to the tournament in form but I can’t trust a team that relies on Neymar.

Argentina not sure they’ve got enough around Messi but he is coming to the tournament in form.

France are missing Pogba and Kante which is huge so Deschamp has to try and quickly find a new midfield that gives them the balance they need.

Germany and England are all over the place at the back a team like that won’t win a World Cup.

Spain I think are the stand out side got a top manager, a clear style. Rodri, Gavi and Pedri is going to give them a lot of control in midfield but they need an attacker to hit form and get the goals.
 
Done my prediction chart today. I've got Belgium beating Argentina in the final.
 
I'd say recently generally the best team has won the world cup the last shock was probably Italy in 2006 they had a great side but no one really fancied them going in. That Brazil dream team was expected to dominate with Kaka, Ronaldo, Adriano and Ronaldinho 3 of them in their prime but they didn't really find the right balance to fit it all together like they did in 2002. England at that tournament were also expected to do well after a decent euros with Rooney now in his prime but it didn't happen.

Will we get a shock this time around? Denmark made it to the semi in the euros they were a really good side England only just got past them in the semi final but I'm not sure they'll be able to repeat that run that saw them surprise a few people. I think a few were tipping Senegal to make a decent impact but the injury to Mane is huge for them they need him fully fit.

Belgium are interesting they've got one of the best players at the tournament in De Bruyne and in Courtios they have the best keeper but the rest of the team doesn't really shine. They've been together a long time as a group which could be really important but Lukaku & Hazard are coming in with very little playing time.

I think there will be plenty of slip ups by the bigger nations in the group stage. Generally these nations have players who've played lots of european matches through the first part of the season.
 
The most interesting will be Group B - Iran surrounded by English-speaking countries :) They don't get along politically at all, so their sports battles will be interesting.
 
I think it makes for a good WC when there is no clear favourites. I don’t look at any of the teams and think wow they look incredible.

If I was to predict, I would say it’s going to be one of Argentina, Brazil or France. However saying that Spain and Germany have added some youth to their squad so will be a lot more competitive than in the Euro’s.
 
Sideshow Bob said:
Really?
Click to expand...

Yep, England have always had more than enough talented players to do better at major tournaments, and usually a very good Manager to steer them but after a brutal hard season(in comparison to other Leagues), the players are basically out on their feet, and it shows.

Whereas in this tournament the players will be at optimal fitness levels, and just a week preparation time works in their favour too.

If England get a good start, it will take a bloody good side to stop them once they get momentum.
 
Looking forward to it more than I should really, but 4 matches a day is a killer, and yes i'm sad enough to watch every minute of every game, plus the United friendlies/United Ladies and any u18 matches if MUTV pull their fingers out.

Got a funny feeling the Dutch will surprise a few, maybe it's finally their turn, they've got the Manager, vast international experience in the right areas of the field, and some talented youngsters, just not sure about their keepers though.

Cristiano Ronaldo nailed on to be be Golden Boot, obviously, with Niclas Füllkrug his nearest challenger.

​

 
Good point about the potential impact of only playing half a PL season. Not sure any of the England regulars are in particularly good form at the moment though.
 
I went Germany, but taking England out, I just watched the Messi documentary, I wouldn't mind him getting a WC winners medal. What a player.
 
What the game really needs is an African team to win it, but it's probably the weakest representation the continent has had for quite some, maybe one of the North African teams can punch above their weight, the climate should suit them at least. Mejbri over to you Son.
 
Senegal with Mane could have been a dangerous side.

Europe has won the last 4 but the South American nations look strong this time around.

Even though it starts today just struggling to get up for it doesn’t feel like there’s been a proper build up.
 
jsp said:
Senegal with Mane could have been a dangerous side.

Europe has won the last 4 but the South American nations look strong this time around.

Even though it starts today just struggling to get up for it doesn’t feel like there’s been a proper build up.
Click to expand...
This whole thing just feels wrong to me. Wrong time of the PL season. Wrong season in the calendar year. Wrong location with a lot of wrong human rights practices and beliefs. The closer it gets to Christmas the less I think it's going to feel like international football time. Hopefully I feel differently on Monday.
 
Cruella ne Ville said:
This whole thing just feels wrong to me. Wrong time of the PL season. Wrong season in the calendar year. Wrong location with a lot of wrong human rights practices and beliefs. The closer it gets to Christmas the less I think it's going to feel like international football time. Hopefully I feel differently on Monday.
Click to expand...

Tell me about it should be hanging up my advent calendar not a World Cup wall chart.

Aside from England I haven’t got a clue who’s in what group.
 
Justin Cider said:
What the game really needs is an African team to win it, but it's probably the weakest representation the continent has had for quite some, maybe one of the North African teams can punch above their weight, the climate should suit them at least. Mejbri over to you Son.
Click to expand...

Hope Croatia win it now, yeah it would be great for an African team to win it but I feel Morocco have an unfair advantage with the amount of their fans there, magnificent achievement though, and to think their Manager was only brought in three months ago ....
 

Login or Register

Forgot your password?
or Log in using
Don't have an account? Register now
Back
Top