World Cup 2022: What do we know for predictions and odds?

The 2022 World Cup is getting closer, although this time around, we have to wait all the way until November for it to start. Just under half of the 32 qualifying nations have been determined, so it’s still slightly too early to make any serious predictions about the outcome of the tournament. It’s not too early, however, to talk about how some of the teams that have already qualified will fare.

Despite all of the excitement, the Qatar World Cup hasn’t been without its controversies. Way back in 2010, when Qatar won the bid, there were accusations of corruption. When construction started on the new stadiums for the tournament, concerns were raised that foreign workers were working under what amounted to slave labour conditions. This has created a difficult situation for the international football community.

Being called up to represent your country in any sport is one of the greatest honours an athlete can receive. It is what most sportspeople dream about and work so hard to achieve. This creates a situation where it is basically impossible for players to refuse to participate, so despite all of the controversies, we should expect to see full-strength teams in Qatar.

The FIFA World Cup only comes around once every four years, and it’s such a massive international tournament that it attracts interest from many people who aren’t usually that interested in football. Even those who don’t usually dabble in sports betting can get tempted to place a bet on who will win. You can certainly get caught up in the drama of the matches even without betting, but having something riding on the team you’ve chosen to back makes it that much more exciting.

So who has the best odds of winning, out of the 15 teams that have already qualified for the 2022 Qatar World Cup?

Belgium

This year is Belgium’s best chance to win the World Cup in decades. It’s now or never for this small powerhouse. Bookmakers have currently placed the team within the top 10 and their odds have been improving over recent months.

While the full squad has yet to be announced, the players who are under consideration are among international football’s elite. If we take Belgium’s Euro 2020 squad as a guide, we are likely to see Kevin De Bruyne (currently at Manchester City), Eden Hazard (currently at Real Madrid), and his brother Thorgan Hazard (currently at Borussia Dortmund). It isn’t the youngest squad, but seasoned talent often has the patience and wisdom to outmaneuver younger players.

France

Early predictions have France in the top 5 contenders for the title. They are currently even with Brazil as frontrunners, though this could change once we know who the other 17 qualifying teams are.

Under Didier Deschamps, Les Bleus have gone from strength to strength. Besides being defending World Cup champions, one of the reasons that France looks just as good this year is their pool of young talent. Most notable among these up-and-coming stars is Kylian Mbappé, who was the heart of France’s 2018 team, scoring key goals in all of their matches. With four more years of play and training under his belt, he just might make the team unbeatable.

Brazil

It has been 20 years since Brazil’s last World Cup triumph, and this year could see their return to the top of international football. As we mentioned above, the early odds have Brazil even with France as the frontrunners in the competition. It is an exciting time for the country that once was so dominant in the sport.

Since he was appointed in 2016, head coach Tite – full name Adenor Leonardo Bacchi – has worked hard to shape his team into a squad capable of winning on the international stage. They made it through to the quarterfinals in the 2018 World Cup and are likely to go further this year.

The most unusual part of Tite’s coaching strategy is to not name a preferred captain, instead shuffling the role between multiple players. This is an effective way of preventing egos from interfering with the teamwork necessary to win.

Other contenders

Out of the other European teams that have already qualified, both England and Germany look strong. Argentina also seem like they could have a chance this year. The United States and Mexico have both qualified but neither team seems strong enough to win.

The next few months will be an exciting time as more teams qualify and full squad lineups are announced.