Graphic by Ameer Almedhychy
By Kai Van Beever
Sports Reporter
With over three and a half billion viewers in 2018, the largest sporting event in the world is finally upon us. The 2022 Fifa World Cup is starting on November 20th with a matchup between the World Cup’s hosting country, Qatar, against Ecuador.
As an event that only occurs once every four years, many teams change and improve significantly. Analysts will spend hundreds of hours studying every team in precise detail to come out with the most accurate predictions they can conjure up. CBS Sports – among a handful of other publishers and analysts – agreed that the three most favored teams to win this year’s tournament are Brazil, France, and England.
I have decided to go in-depth on these three teams to see if they truly deserve their hype.
Brazil
Going into this year’s tournament, Brazil is the consensus favorite, and for a good reason. Brazil is historically the most successful team in Fifa World Cup history, with five total titles, the last of which came in 2002. However, their past success is not the main reason they are favorites to win this year’s cup. This year, out of the seventeen World Cup qualifier games, Brazil has gone undefeated, winning fourteen and tying the remaining three. In addition to going undefeated, they broke the record for total points scored over a qualifying season with a whopping 45. Their team depth is daunting, with talent and experience all around. Thiago Silva, one of the best defenders in the world, Philippe Coutinho in the midfield, and of course, the golden boy, Neymar Jr., on the attack. With a roster like this, it is not hard to see why Brazil is the favorite to win it all this year.
France
France consistently seems to be in the loop for the best team, as they are the reigning World Cup victors after a 2018 World Cup victory against Croatia in the finals. In recent years, the French team has become increasingly younger, but does youth beat out experience? These past couple of years have shown that it is certainly possible, especially with their most recent World Cup win. France’s talent is undeniable, with youngsters Killian Mbappe and Karim Benzema on the attack and N’golo Kante dominating the midfield. This promising team is always in contention to win any tournament, and this year is certainly no exception.
England
England is a team that relies on tradition and aggressiveness. As a country that produces some of the best players in the world, it would not make sense for them not to be up on this list. Just two years ago, England made it to the finals of the Euro Championship, further solidifying their place as one of the best teams in Europe. However, a team that relies on tradition can easily break when introduced to change. With new players on the team and some changing competition, this year’s tournament will provide England with a challenge. But while it will not be easy, a 2022 World Cup championship is nowhere near impossible for this talented squad.
Overall, the 2022 World Cup is looking even more competitive than ever this year; we will be in store for an exhilarating month of the world’s best soccer. Many teams could easily take home this year’s trophy, but if I am betting on one, I will stick with the safe choice in Brazil because they are too dominant to overlook.
And for any of you wondering about the USA, although they qualified this time around (after failing to do so in 2018), that is about the most they will do this year – they have virtually no chance of winning.
