Mar 28, 2022

  • Marking OgdenSenior Writer, ESPN FC

The countdown to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will begin in earnest when the draw for the group stage takes place in Doha on Friday. From that point on, each team can work out how it will navigate its path to the final on December. 18. Just the tournament promises to be one of the most unpredictable in recent memory, with no outstanding favourite to win the trophy.

Euro 2020 winners Italian republic proved with their shock playoff go out against Northward Macedonia that there are no certainties at the highest level of international football. The Italians would have been well backed to follow their European success by winning a fifth Globe Cup in Qatar, but instead, Roberto Mancini and his players will exist on vacation when the tournament gets underway on Nov. 21.

The established European heavyweights of Deutschland and defending champions French republic will exist expected to go all the way, simply can Spain or England make good on their potential? Will Brazil or Argentina be strong enough to end South America's 20-yr await for a globe champion? And will Africa'due south strongest teams break new basis by reaching the semifinals or beyond?

Hither is an early on await at how some of the top teams are shaping up ahead of Qatar 2022.

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FAVOURITES

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Hansi Flick's team were the starting time to secure their place at Qatar 2022 [Qatar qualified automatically as hosts] when they confirmed qualification on October. 11, bouncing dorsum emphatically from their early on get out at Euro 2020 post-obit a circular-of-16 defeat against England. And Germany get into Tuesday'due south friendly against Netherlands on a run of eight successive wins since Flick replaced Joachim Low as coach, in which they have scored 33 goals and conceded but two.

The four-time globe champions can still count on the feel of Manuel Neuer, Antonio Rudiger, Joshua Kimmich, Thomas Muller and Ilkay Gundogan, but emerging stars such as Jamal Musiala, Lukas Nmecha and David Raum are now bolstering the younger element of the squad which already contains Leroy Sane, Kai Havertz and Florian Wirtz, depending on the 18-year-one-time's recovery from a contempo cruciate ligament injury.

Having been embarrassingly eliminated at the group stage when defending their title at Russia 2018, Germany will believe they take a point to bear witness in Qatar and they are potent enough to go all the mode.

BRAZIL

Since losing a friendly confronting Republic of peru in September 2019, Brazil have lost just twice in 27 games and both of those came against former rivals Argentine republic. And so how strong are the five-fourth dimension world champions?

Largely equally a effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brazil's fixtures over the last ii-and-a-one-half years have been restricted to games against fellow South American opposition. Since losing to Belgium in the 2018 quarterfinals, Brazil have played just one time against European opponents -- a 3-1 win against the Czech Commonwealth in March 2019 -- and so their run of two defeats in 27 doesn't wait specially impressive, especially when you lot consider the two losses have come against their biggest rival.

Nonetheless, Brazil are 2d in the FIFA Earth Ranking and their squad has obvious quality in every department. Motorcoach Tite has two world-class goalkeepers in Alisson and Ederson; defenders like Marquinhos and Eder Militao; a midfield including Fabinho and Casemiro; and attacking talents including Neymar, Vinicius Jr., Philippe Coutinho and Gabriel Martinelli.

But Brazil's Globe Cup hopes at the last 4 tournaments have ended with defeat against Belgium, Germany, Netherlands and France respectively, then they will have to discover a way to beat Europe'southward best to win in Qatar.

FRANCE

On paper, Didier Deschamps' reigning world champions are the all-time team going into the World Cup, only that was likewise the case at Euro 2020 and they were eliminated in the circular of xvi by Switzerland in a penalisation shootout. French republic are unbeaten since that early exit, however, and they returned to form by winning the Nations League against Spain last November.

It is difficult to find a weakness in Deschamps' team, which has arguably become even stronger since 2018. Goalkeeper Mike Maignan, defenders Jules Kounde and Theo Hernandez, and forward Christopher Nkunku have all made their debuts since the Globe Cup win, bolstering a team that already boasted earth-class players similar Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann, Paul Pogba and N'Golo Kante. With such quality around, France are probable to be favourites to take dwelling the trophy once again.

BELGIUM

Every major tournament over the by decade has been billed every bit the 1 in which Kingdom of belgium will upset the one-time gild by adding their name to list of winners, but it hasn't happened for the No. one ranked team in the world.

Qatar is likely to be the final shot at celebrity for many of Roberto Martinez's squad. Kevin De Bruyne, Axel Witsel, Eden Hazard, Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld are all in their 30s, with only midfielder Youri Tielemans (24) suggesting he is capable of emulating the greats of the state's golden generation.

But while Belgium are an ageing strength, they are a squad of undoubted quality and a favourable draw would requite them a shot. And while striker Romelu Lukaku continues to struggle at Chelsea, his formidable record of 68 goals in 101 games for Kingdom of belgium proves that Martinez has a goal scorer he can rely on.

ENGLAND

Under Gareth Southgate, England have become a team that performs at major tournaments after failing to live upwardly to the hype (often self-generated) in so many previous World Cups and European Championships. Reaching the Earth Cup semifinals in 2018 was followed past runners-upward spot, later on a punishment shootout defeat against Italy, at Euro 2020. England are on an upward trajectory and developing into a squad which could go all the way this year.

Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden are earth-class attacking players, while Jude Bellingham, Kalvin Phillips and Declan Rice are proven midfielders at international level, simply the age-old issues continue to haunt England.

Can they keep the ball well enough to command games against the best opponents and is Southgate bold enough as a coach to win a major tournament? The respond to both questions was 'no' at Euro 2020, merely even if England don't win in Qatar, they should reach the semifinals.

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Adams: World Cup qualification the absolute minimum for the USMNT

Tyler Adams says there is "no other choice" but for the USMNT to qualify for the 2022 World Loving cup.

ARGENTINA

Much similar rivals Brazil, Argentina are a traditional South American powerhouse carrying the burden of huge expectation at habitation, simply have struggled to beat the all-time teams in Europe when the estrus is on. They at least go to Qatar having ended a 28-year expect to win the Copa America in 2021 and that success has eased the intense pressure on 34-twelvemonth-sometime Lionel Messi to evangelize for his land.

Charabanc Lionel Scaloni has a huge challenge alee, though, if he is to guide Argentine republic to a first World Cup title since 1986. Argentina are on a 30-game unbeaten run, dating dorsum to a Copa America defeat against Brazil in July 2019, but the Finalissima [winners of European Champions vs. Copa America] clash against Italy at Wembley in June may give a clearer sense of how stiff they really are.

PORTUGAL

The 2016 European champions must overcome Due north Macedonia, who have beaten both Germany and Italia away from habitation in the final 12 months, to qualify for the Earth Cup via the playoffs this week. Only if Fernando Santos' team confirm their identify in Qatar, they will automatically observe themselves among the favourites.

Peradventure for the first time since the 2006 Earth Cup, Portugal'south fate will not be solely reliant on the performances of star man Cristiano Ronaldo. Portugal now accept real depth in all areas, including defenders Ruben Dias and Joao Cancelo, midfielders Ruben Neves and Renato Sanches, and an array of attacking quality including Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Diogo Jota and Pedro Neto.

Simply they accept to go there start, and it could be the 37-year-old Ronaldo'southward final chance to win the World Cup.

TEAMS TO WATCH

Spain

Spain came within a penalty shootout of reaching the Euro 2020 final, losing to Italy in the semifinals, and their run to the last iv was a surprise because the transitional feel of Luis Enrique's squad. The 2010 world champions will not be bracketed among the leading contenders to win in Qatar, only their progression at Euro 2020 highlighted the quality inside Enrique's team.

Spain'due south problem is a lack of firepower up front. Without a reliable goal scorer, they volition struggle to become all the way, but a team with the likes of Pedri, Gavi, Aymeric Laporte and Ferran Torres could practice well with a good depict.

U.s.

The USMNT nevertheless have to end the chore of qualification, but barring a half-dozen-goal defeat in Republic of costa rica this calendar week, Gregg Berhalter's team will make upwardly for the failure to qualify for the 2018 tournament by booking their place in Qatar.

Don't look the U.South. to win the Earth Cup this year, simply they won't have the huge pressure level they experience in the CONCACAF region and tin can play with the freedom of underdogs. As a result, the likes of Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams and Gio Reyna will be dangerous opponents for more fancied teams.

SENEGAL / Arab republic of egypt

Africa's two strongest teams, who contested Feb's AFCON final, are battling caput-to-head for a place in Qatar after being fatigued together in the playoffs -- Arab republic of egypt are 1-0 upwardly from the beginning-leg in Cairo -- so ane heavyweight won't make it to the World Cup. Simply whichever team goes through will be a threat in the early on rounds.

Egypt have the goals and flair of Mohamed Salah, while Senegal have Sadio Mane upwards front and Edouard Mendy in goal. Qatar 2022 would have been better with both Egypt and Senegal at the tournament, but whichever nation makes information technology will be a squad that many want to avoid.

IRAN

Iran accept never made information technology through the group stage at the Earth Cup, despite qualifying six times since the 1970s. Merely simply hosts Qatar will accept bigger back up than their Gulf neighbours and, as one of Asia'due south traditional heavyweights, the Iranians could exploit relative home advantage to become one meliorate than in 2018, when they drew with Portugal and missed out on the knockout stage past a bespeak.