What to watch for in the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Yahoo Sports’ Nick Bromberg breaks down the favorites, the teams to watch and the notable names who will miss out on this year’s tournament.
Video Transcript
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NICK BROMBERG: The first fall World Cup is quickly approaching and here's what you need to know. Brazil are the favorites to win the tournament at plus 400 at BetMGM as they look to win their first World Cup in 20 years. Neymar will once again lead the front line and the Brazilians are perhaps the most well-rounded squad in the world.
France and Argentina are tied a second favorites at plus 600. The French are the defending World Cup champions and boast Neymar's PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe along with Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema. There are also some serious questions about France.
They won't have defensive midfield stalwart N'Golo Kanté thanks to an injury he picked up while playing for Chelsea and Paul Pogba may not be fit either. There are also rumors about the team's chemistry. While 2002 is a long time ago, France finished last in its group the last time it was a defending World Cup champion.
Argentina is led by Lionel Messi in what's likely to be his last World Cup. Argentina hasn't lost in over 30 consecutive matches and Messi got his first major international trophy in 2021 when Argentina won the Copa America. England is the number four favorite at plus 700 and are the favorites to advance out of group B.
England meets the United States in group play on Black Friday. The US is plus 10,000 to win the World Cup and should advance from group B. It will be imperative for the Americans to get points against Wales in their first game of the tournament.
Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo are at plus 1,400 to win the World Cup. Like Messi, this is likely Ronaldo's last World Cup. Unlike Messi, he hasn't been playing much for his club team.
Ronaldo has been at odds with Manchester United all season long. It seems unlikely that he'll be a regular in the squad ahead of the World Cup. That's a big deal for a Portugal team that saw Diogo Jota go down with a calf injury that will cause him to miss the tournament.
Injuries like the ones to Jota and Kanté have national teams crossing their fingers and toes for no major injuries in the coming weeks as club teams finish out their pre-World Cup schedules. Italy is not one of those countries however. The Euro 2020 champions failed to qualify for the World Cup and find themselves on the outside looking in like Sweden, Egypt, and Chile.
Egypt's absence means Liverpool's Mohamed Salah will also get a month-long break during November and December and so will the game's biggest star at the moment. With Norway out of the World Cup, star Manchester City striker Erling Haaland will get a chance to rest while many of his teammates are in Qatar.
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