Qatar 2022: strengths and weaknesses of the favorites in the World Cup

There is only one month left for the initial whistle of the World Cup Qatar 2022. In the World Cup that starts on November 20, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will be seen for the last time in an appointment and much is expected of both. The lights today are on the great candidates to lift the trophy.

Below we present the strengths and weaknesses of three candidates to lift the trophy. Brazil with Neymar, France with Mbappé and Argentina with Messi start with better possibilities, but the World Cup has to be played and the appointment can generate many surprises.

Brazil – Group G: Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon

Undefeated in the Qualifiers, Brazil goes to a new World Cup as a favorite rather than by stars, for a team that Tite has consolidated. The Scratch seeks in Qatar 2022 to break a wait of four World Cups to raise the World Cup again.

Strengths:

Yes, Brazil will always be a team of great figures. Neymar, Vinícius Jr., Casemiro, Rodrygo, among others, the great protagonist has been Tite, being able to bring everyone together and have a team willing to do anything and not depend so much on Neymar, as happened in Russia 2018. Beyond the beautiful game , what Brazil has power in the opposite area, efficiency and behind, with Militao, Marquinhos, has found a lot of solidity.

It is the current leader of the FIFA ranking and beyond the curse that there is in this regard -no team that reaches the World Cup like this manages to win it-, that shows the level that the verdeamarella has.

Since that final of the Copa América 2021 -against Argentina-, Brazil has not lost. He has 15 games undefeated. That fall was the only one he has suffered in 29 games, since the end of 2019.

weaknesses

Brazil is a team that owns the ball and has the patience to make attacking moves. That’s why he gets uncomfortable when they fight him every play. They don’t like high blood pressure and can fall for it.

In the Qualifiers, only once did they go into the break with the score against: it was against Venezuela in Caracas, when the Llaneros did not let them play and even took the lead in the 11th minute. So they went at halftime. Only in the last 20 minutes, the Scrath was able to uneven to end up winning 3-1.

Although it has already been said that they are a solid team, Brazil may miss Neymar if he is not on an inspired afternoon. Although his technician Tite already put the patch on that. “We have a new generation on the way and one good thing I’ve done is test a lot of players. Now we don’t depend so much on an attacking player”, declared the coach.

France – Group D: Australia, Denmark, Tunisia

Strengths

Reigning champion, he maintains his candidate tag by maintaining the base that made him champion in 2018 with Kylian Mbappé at the helm, in addition to the addition of Karim Benzema, the new Golden Ball of world football.

The injury to N’Golo Kanté reduces his presence in the midfield, but figures like Camavinga and Tchouameni appear who can give Didier Deschamps peace of mind, another of his strengths: he has been in charge since 2012.

The generation that France has is the one that excites. The Mbappé/Benzema duo is the one that excites. The current figure of world football, only 23 years old and the Ballon d’Or winner and scorer of the Champions League. In addition, players like Pavard, Kimpembe, Lucas Hernandez, Benjamin Mendy, among others, give the ‘Bleus’ a lot of air.

weaknesses

His latest results have not been good. They come from two very tough eliminations: they fell in the round of 16 of the European Championship (against Switzerland on penalties) and stayed in the group stage of the recent Nations League.

Paul Pogba’s bad moment – figure in Russia 2018 – can play against him, but his universe is so wide that he will have weapons to recover. Lionel Messi himself recognized it: “Beyond having been eliminated in the last European Championship, he has some impressive players. He has a very clear idea and the same coach”, he declared to DirecTV.

Argentina – Group C: Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland

Strengths

“For us, the Argentineans, it is difficult to be calm. We are always the best, we are always the candidates and, many times, it was not like that. A World Cup is very difficult. Many things have to be given”, says Lionel Messi himself -in statements to DirecTV-. Argentina always arrives as favourites, and even more so if they have Leo in their last chance to win the World Cup.

With an impressive undefeated 35 games, Lionel Scaloni’s team has the candidate’s badge for football and soul. After winning the 2021 Copa América, a great weight was lifted from his shoulders as soon as he won a title with this generation under Messi.

Already freed from that pressure, Argentina has players like Messi, Di María, De Paul, Lautaro Martínez who maintain their level with the albiceleste. The great test was the Finallissima, in which they beat Italy 3-0. Since 2019, when they did not face a European team and in that duel of champions (Copa América – Euro), Argentina showed their level against Azurri.

weaknesses

It is a topic of debate in Argentina: Who will be the goalkeeper for the World Cup? Dibu Martínez, champion of the Copa América, is not having a good time at Aston Villa. Neither are Franco Armani’s best days at River Plate. His third goalkeeper is Gerónimo Rulli from Villarreal, while others request the presence of Agustín Rossi, from Boca Juniors.

other candidates

Germany with its new generation already maturing with Kimmich, Havertz, Gnabry, Sané and their new appearances like Musiala, and always led by Müller, Spain with its young talents like Pedri, Gavi, Ansu Fati, Nico Williams. England by the hand of Bellingham, Pulisic, Mount, Chilwell. Belgium of Lukaku and De Bruyne.

Perhaps Portugal in Cristiano Ronaldo’s farewell. Uruguay with Valverde at the helm can give the surprise. All of these can also be called candidates and they will have to prove it from the start at Qatar 2022.