Photo Courtesy: Investor Management Services
The 2022 World Cup kicks off on November 20th in Qatar. Looking at the exciting storylines and matchups this winter’s World Cup will entertain billions worldwide. Here’s a preview of every group in the tournament. As a reminder, the top two teams in each group advance to the knockout stage.
Group A
Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, and the Netherlands
Qatar, the host nation, looks to play in its first-ever World Cup and will debut players mainly from their domestic league. There are no superstars for them to count on and they will be looking to use their home-field advantage to get out of the group stage.
Ecuador always seems to be in contention but lands far from ever being contenders. Yet they will be ready to fight tooth and nail to make it out of a group in which they are seen as underdogs.
Senegal is Arguably the top team in Africa and looks to make a run this year. They are expected by many to make it to the knockout rounds. They have superstar attacker Sadio Mane, who plays for Bayern Munich and is an ex-Liverpool player who helped the squad win the Champions League and the Premier League in recent years. Mane is in the prime of his career and looks to lead his fellow countrymen to a successful campaign.
The Netherlands, along with Senegal expected to be in the knockout stages of this year’s tournament. A young squad infused with some veteran talent, this team could pull off some major upsets in the knockout rounds. Behind captain and top-level defender Virgil van Dijk, the Dutch squad should be solid at the back. Attacking players like Memphis Depay and Steven Bergwijn should make this side an exciting team to watch.
Group B
England, Iran, USA, and Wales
England is the highest-rated team in the group and is favored to advance, as they look to win the World Cup. Striker Harry Kane will be leading the attack with young 22-year-old star, Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden behind him. Many question if England’s defense is good enough to win the trophy in this tournament. Another area for English concern is their manager Garth Southgate who has seemed to lose his tactics recently. Nonetheless, the Englishmen will try again to bring football home to a nation that wants it so badly.
Iran has recently undergone some changes. They recently appointed a new head coach in September, and Portuguese manager Carlos Queiroz takes the reigns. This move will give Iran a new look in the World Cup. Although ranked towards the bottom of the group, Iran will not be an easy out for any team they play. Iran is a defensive and physically minded team and will attempt to bully their opponents into a loss.
The United States made it back to the world cup after failing to qualify for the tournament in 2018. The Americans are young, energetic, and full of talent. However, they are inexperienced and will look to win with athleticism. They are viewed as the second-best team in the group, but it would not be a surprise if they do not make it out of the group.
Wales, England’s neighbor, will try to make a splash in the group. Behind superstar and recent MLS champion Gareth Bale, this Welsh side may have a chance at making the knockout rounds. Wales historically has not been the best national team, but the squad has bonded together in recent years. It would be a small shock if this team were to beat England or the U.S. in this tournament, but the ability is there.
Group C
Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland
Argentina holds excellent odds of winning the whole tournament this year. Behind legendary player Lionel Messi, the Argentine squad hopes to win their second-ever World Cup. The football-crazed nation won its first World Cup in 1986 behind the late and great Diego Maradona. Now Messi, in what is likely his last world cup, will try to win the trophy that has alluded him all these years. Many expect Argentina to win the group and go far, if not in the knockout rounds.
Saudi Arabia is a national team that hopes to rebound from an embarrassing 2018 world cup. It is unlikely this squad will make it out of the group stage, but they should be happy just to win a game against any of the three teams in their group. Saudi Arabia lacks a real star player, and most of their starters play in the domestic league, which does not provide the highest-level competition.
Mexico historically has been a hit or miss on the world stage but finds itself with a good opportunity to make the knockout rounds. They come in with a mix of veteran players and young stars from clubs across Europe and North America. If Mexico can find its swagger, it may be an upset-minded team in the tournament.
Poland is an up-and-coming team that might sneak into the knockout rounds. They will follow top-level striker Robert Lewandowski who currently heads the F.C. Barcelona attack. Unfortunately, Mexico lacks other high-level pieces around their star forward. Poland may be looked at as a fan favorite by many who want an underdog to root for.
Group D
France, Australia, Denmark, and Tunisia
France is the returning champion looking to break the World Cup winner’s curse, of not making it out of the group following a world cup win. France is once again a favorite to win it all, with some of the best players in the world like Kylian Mbappé and Karim Benzema. Unsurprisingly, France has been picked by many pundits to win it all again.
Australia, lovingly nicknamed the Socceroos by their fans, find themselves having to play France and Denmark. The Socceroos have always been favorites in the World Cup but rarely get out of the group. Australia hopes to pull off an upset and make it out of the group. They are historic underdogs, and a team everyone will want to root for.
Denmark is a team who plays for each other and captivates their fans with how much fight for the win every game. They are expected to follow France out of the group while staving off any upset chances Australia and Tunisia might have.
Tunisia is the real underdog of the group. They lack the high-level players seen on most world cup rosters. They will scrap for everything in the World Cup and are a pick great for any fan to root for as they are sure to leave it all on the pitch.
Group E
Spain, Costa Rica, Germany, and Japan
Spain comes into the World Cup in a transitional stage of the national team. Young superstar nineteen-year-old midfielder Pedri combines with thirty-four-year-old Sergio Busquets in the middle of the park for the Spanish side. With an uber-talented squad, Spain hopes to return to the dominance they have shown throughout the past few decades.
Costa Rica has recently made a name for themselves in the past few World Cups and will be led by an aging legend in goalkeeper Keylor Navas. They squeaked into the tournament almost not qualifying during the preliminary rounds. Costa Rica is projected to finish towards the bottom of the group but they hope to pull out some of their old tricks and pull off an upset or two along the way.
Germany has built the now legendary German football machine, constantly turning out world-class players who play for the national team. Their youth system may be one of the best in the world, and so is their national team. Germany boasts star players like Joshua Kimmich, Kai Havertz, and Leroy Sané. They have the seasoned Manuel Neuer in goal and are seen as one of the favorites to win the tournament.
Japan, the Island nation, looks to rebound after a knockout round heartbreak in the last World Cup. They will need to beat out juggernauts Spain or Germany to make out of the group. Japan is considered by many to be one of the best teams in Asia and should still garner plenty of respect heading to the tournament. They will need to string together some of their best games ever to get far in this tournament, but it’s not out of the cards.
Group F
Belgium, Canada, Morocco, and Croatia
Belgium is eager for one last World Cup with their “golden generation” of players. Players like Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku, and Kevin De Bruyne have all been star players for around a decade now. This will likely be the attacking trio’s last World Cup together. They will try to win the world’s trophy one last time.
Canada is just excited to be in the tournament. Recently, Canadian soccer made a sudden and massive jump forward with a young core of players who seem ready to carry the load. Canada may now be viewed as a sleeper team that can make a run in this tournament.
Morocco the team seen as the bottom team of this group by many looks to change that narrative. They will have a tough task playing against giant Belgium, the aging but classic Croatia, and the new kids on the block in Canada. Most will count them out, but this team has always shown an ability to stick around in any game. Don’t be surprised if this team somehow makes it out of the group.
Croatia was the World Cup runner-up in 2018 and was a team full of players in their prime then. Now, with a revamped squad and some old veterans sticking around, they will try to recapture their magic from the last tournament. Croatia will likely end up battling Canada for the second spot out of the group.
Group G
Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, and Cameroon
Brazil the futbol-crazed nation yearns for another World Cup trophy. They are the top-ranked team in the world and are seen as top contenders in Qatar. They want to see Neymar their now-grown prodigy kid lead an extremely high-level side to victory.
Serbia seems locked in battle with Switzerland for the second ticket out of the group behind favorites Brazil. They are always a fun attacking team and a great team to root for as a neutral. They have players like Dusan Vlahovic who plays for the legendary Italian club Juventus.
Switzerland is a talented side that could hang with the big dogs of the tournament like a Germany or England team if they can make it out of the group. Granit Xhaka controls the game from the center of the midfield and will surely build upon his already impressive form he currently has with Arsenal in the Premier League. Switzerland along with Xhaka could be the underdogs of the World Cup.
Cameroon is seen as the certain last-place finisher of this group, but they hope to flip that portrayal. What this team lacks in talent, they certainly make up for with heart. Expect Cameroon to play hard and be tough in every game.
Group H
Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, and Korea Republic
Portugal is the team with the all-so-famous Cristiano Ronaldo, who is likely entering his last World Cup at the age of thirty-seven. This Portugal side does not just host Ronaldo, as they have some exceptionally talented players, some of the best in the world, such as defender Ruben Dias who plays for Manchester City, and young attacker Joao Felix from Atlético Madrid. Dias and Felix will help lighten the load for CR7, as Portugal will take another shot at the one trophy that has always evaded Ronaldo.
Ghana could be the underdog of this World Cup, as they hope to recreate the success the team had in the early 2000s but with a new generation of players. A fast pace and vertical style of play have defined their national team for the better part of 2 decades and that won’t change in this tournament.
Uruguay is seen as the favorite behind Portugal to advance from this group. Behind attacking players like Darwin Núñez, the new star forward at Liverpool in the Premier League, Uruguay is a force to be reckoned with. With a combination of young and old players, everyone should expect big things from Uruguay this World Cup.
Korea Republic upset powerhouse Germany last World Cup and might be trying to do that same thing but for Portugal this time. Outside of their star player Son Heung-min, this Korean side lacks big-time players. Likely the fourth-place finisher, this team could cause some trouble for the bigger teams in the group.
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