All Sport World Cup Predictions
Credit: TalkSport
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is almost upon us, here, the All Sport team give us their thoughts on the tournament, from winners, to surprise packages and the teams that could underperform.
Joe
Winners: Brazil
The World Cup has been dominated by European nations for a while now, and I think just through the law of averages we are due a South American winner again. Argentina will no doubt be strong, but I’m expecting Neymar to finally deliver upon the hopes of his nation and lead them to glory. They have a fairly tough group, but I do expect them to win it comfortably. After that, their route through the knockout stages may also be tough, with some strong teams likely to stand between themselves and the final, but I think they have enough depth, particularly in attack to achieve success in this tournament.
Top Scorer: Neymar
This might read like I’m being paid by the Brazilian FA to write this, but I feel as though this will be the tournament that Neymar will be remembered for. He suffered heartbreak in 2014 in his home country, and will be out for redemption. He’s been in decent form for PSG lately, so I could easily see him carrying it on in the tournament. He has two European teams in his group, a continent in which he thrives for his club, so I can see him finishing the group stages on 4 or 5 goals, then maybe picking up a couple more in the knockouts.
Dark Horses: Morocco
No African team has made it to the semi finals of the World Cup, but if any side from that continent is going to have a good run this year, I expect it to be Morocco. Now, they find themselves in a potentially difficult group, with 2018 runners up Croatia and the always dangerous Belgium, but neither of those teams are getting younger, and coming off the back of a fairly intense start to the European season, any signs of fatigue from these teams could be punished by Walid Regragui’s men.
Biggest Flop: Portugal
With all the talk in the build up to the tournament about the Cristiano Ronaldo interview, I fully expect Portugal to stink out Qatar. It cannot be healthy for a team to have their main player involved in a distraction as huge as this. As a major footballing nation, they don’t have a tremendous recent record at World Cups, but I see a potential group stage exit on the cards here. Group H consists of themselves, a strong Uruguay, a Ghana team that could surprise a few, and South Korea, who always love to upset the apple cart at the World Cup. Having said all that, this team finished third in their group at Euro 2016, and look how that worked out for them…
Tom
Winners: Argentina
Argentina finally have a squad with enough balance to make a real stab at this tournament. They are currently on an unbeaten run spanning 33 games, with most of them coming in notoriously difficult South American qualifying. Just like Italy at the Euros, they are peaking at just the right time. They have some excellent attacking options and seem more steady at the back, with a trio of Martinezes (Emiliano, Lisandro and Lautaro) keeping goals out as well as scoring them. It is also likely to be the final World Cup for Lionel Messi, and the stage is set for him to write the greatest of all scripts.
Top scorer: Harry Kane
It is hard to look past Harry Kane getting the golden boot again. The Tottenham striker isn’t in the best of form, but always finds a way to deliver for England. Deadly from the spot and lethal in the box, Kane can score a variety of goals. Surely the only thing holding him back is just how deep into the the tournament the rest of his team mates can take him
Dark horses: Uruguay
Is it fair to label former World Cup winners as dark horses? A tricky question, but Uruguay certainly aren’t amongst football’s elite these days. However I am backing them to have a strong tournament. Although they are regulars in the last 16 and quarter finals, they have the talent to go a little further this year. They have a vast array of talented players, many of whom have a point to prove on the biggest stage, such as Federico Valverde, Rodrigo Bentancour and Darwin Nunez. They should be expected to get through their group, and who knows what they can achieve after that?
Biggest flop: Portugal
For similar reasons as Joe, I can’t see Portugal pulling up many trees at this tournament. The Ronaldo saga will certainly be a distraction that will be hanging over them at the start of the tournament. Additionally, they have quite an ageing side meaning they might struggle against energetic opponents, and they are in a group with Uruguay, South Korea and a Ghana team with a point to prove.
Luke
Winners: Brazil
Honestly, I see no other possible winners. Brazil’s depth is unimaginable. It harks back to those legendary Brazil teams…the ones that shake opposition players to their core. I see Brazil flying through this World Cup, and I would even go so far to say that they will win every game by a margin of 2 goals!
Top Scorer: Lionel Messi
The entire Argentina team is set up to make Messi great. They have fit the right pieces around him, with highly skilled players who can push defences back into their own box. With this in mind, Messi will get a lot of chances in his preferred positions: nipping in and out of players, close control, inside the box. He will also be on penalty duty for Argentina, and with the standard of players around him, expect Argentina to be awarded a few spot kicks.
Dark Horse: Denmark
Now, I do not believe Denmark will win the World Cup…it would be a great story if they did, but I believe other teams are too strong. I do however believe that, if there is one team you don’t want to face in the knockout stages, it’s the Danes. They are expertly coached, with every man laying down their lives for the managers tactics. They are defensively proficient and with the re-introduction of Christian Erickson, their transition from defence to attack will be handled with magical skill. I believe Denmark will cause some big countries to go home with tears running down their cheeks.
Biggest Flop: England
I was hesitating with this choice, as I also believe Portugal will flame out, but England have been on a strangely muted downward spiral since the Euro 2020 Final. They have been relegated in the UEFA Nations League, and the brand of football that Gareth Southgate plays has been criticised to high heavens (although medical researchers would like to talk to Southgate about using his footballing tactics to help develop a new sleeping pill). England’s squad this World Cup is also confusing. Southgate has brought a number of creative midfielders, despite the fact that he plays with two holding midfielders. He has only 2 out and out strikers, both of whom are injury prone. I see England getting knocked out in the Round of 16.