The oddsmakers have France as the favorite to win the WorldCup22. The French won the World Cup in 2018 and the team has an incredible array of talent, including Hugo Lloris, one of the best goalkeepers in the world, N'Golo Kante, a midfield leader, and clinical finishers in Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema. But who can beat France and the oddsmakers?
Portugal
The Portuguese have one of the best teams in the world, with a deep squad with elite players at almost every position. The midfield is considered one of the best in the tournament, with the likes of Bernardo Silva, Diego Jota, and Joao Cancelo entering their primes. This means that the national team should breeze past Morocco and Spain and go on to play the top two seeds in the group, which will be Russia/Egypt and Uruguay.
The team has a great squad to help Pepe, including defenders Joao Cancelo and Nuno Mendes, who are in a good form for Manchester City. Diogo Dalot is a defender who can make and stop attacks. Portugal also has great defenders in Raphael Guerreiro, who plays for Borussia Dortmund. He is also a former Manchester United player. Others include Domingos Duarte, Jose Fonte, and Goncal Inacio.
Spain
Spain has been to every World Cup since 1978, including the most recent in 2010. The last time Spain failed to reach the knockout phase was in the Play-Off round against the Netherlands in the 2010 final. However, the Spanish have a mixed record in the tournaments. Since its inclusion in 1978, Spain has made only one final, reaching the quarterfinals twice, and missing out on the final three times. Spain also has a poor record at major tournaments, making it difficult to assess its chances in 2018.
Spain has a solid squad whose midfield features Rodri, Sergio Busquets, and Thiago Alcantara. They have solid wingers in Dani Olmo and Adama Traore, two of the fastest players in world football. Their defence is stacked with top names, including Sergio Ramos and Aymeric Laporte. In addition, they are likely to field a strong attacking lineup with Cristiano Ronaldo, Alvaro Morata, and Fernando Torres.
Argentina
Argentina is favored in the World Cup due to its high-scoring offense. While Messi hasn't scored in three matches, the Argentinean forward leads the tournament with 11 goals. With that many goals, Messi has an outside shot at winning the Golden Boot. The Argentines are currently the third best team to win the World Cup, and Messi is 12-1 to win it. Germany's defense will be primarily focused on Messi, which will leave more room for other attacking players to flourish. The space will be useful for struggling strikers like Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain.
Argentina's squad is stacked with talent, and many of these players play for top European clubs. Their impressive Copa America win was built on a disciplined defensive approach, frustrating Brazil's top players. Manager Tite is expected to take the same approach against big nations, hoping Lionel Messi can work his magic. But if he fails to deliver, Argentina will be a heavy underdog.
