The most talked about World Cup 2022 in modern times is inching closer folks as we have just 150 days to wait before the opening fixture between Senegal and Netherlands at the Althumama Stadium in Doha.
It will be a World Cup like none before it since it’ll be played in the European winter between November 21st and the final on December 18th, so the run up to Christmas will look totally different in homes throughout the world.
Festive decorations will have a footy theme in millions of households and the television schedules will be dominated by the action in Qatar as World Cup 2022 updates roll in around the clock.
For those lucky enough to have tickets for the showcase tournament, it will have a different feel to those preceding it, with fans expected to show deference to the culture of the host nation. Conservative clothing and sensible drinking will be the order of the day as fans will behave themselves in and around the stadiums.
The players will have to adapt to unusual conditions too, in air conditioned stadiums, while fans will be able to hire tents at £160 a night as Qatar is reported to be running out of affordable hotel spaces.
Meanwhile, FIFA have decided to allow 26-man squads, the same number authorised at Euro 2020 in a move likely to favour the biggest football nations with more than two players per position available.
In six months time it will all be over, but the speculation is beginning to mount. So let’s take a look at the five most fancied teams and see what their players are up to at the moment.
Brazil
The World Cup 2022 betting odds have Tite’s Brazil as the favourites to lift a sixth world cup and a first in 20 years. The Selecao have a star-studded side, from their two Premier League winning keepers in Ederson and Alisson, right through to Neymar who will lead the attack.
The 30-year-old Paris Saint-Germain star has been the subject of speculation that he may be on his way back to Barcelona if the two teams can come to an agreement and two other strikers may also be on the move.
Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus is close to agreeing a deal to move to Arsenal, while Leeds United sensation Raphinha is being courted by a number of clubs.
France
Didier Deschamps France are defending champions and they once again will carry Europe’s hopes on their shoulders. Since winning the 2018 tournament, Les Bleus have won the UEFA Nations League, though they have made a poor start to the 2022/23 competition.
The squad is dripping with talent and Kylian Mbappe has endeared himself to his nation’s fans by opting to stay in the French league with Paris Saint-Germain instead of heading to Real Madrid, while Leipzig’s Christopher Nkunku could be the 2022 breakout star. The attacking midfielder had a brilliant Bundesliga season and he is coveted by a host of top teams.
England
It’s difficult to know what to make of England at the moment. The 2018 semi-finalists had their best chance of winning a trophy since 1966 when they faced Italy in the final of Euro 2020. But with an early lead in front of their home fans at Wembley, against a team which has failed to qualify for successive World Cups, they choked.
And the Three Lions have looked disjointed and bereft of confidence in four Nations League games which have yielded draws against Italy and Germany and two losses to Hungary, including a 4-0 drubbing last time out. Head coach Gareth Southgate is beginning to feel the pressure.
Spain
The SBOTOP preview of Group E will be out at the weekend and we’ll be taking a look at Luis Enrique’s young side who, after impressing at Euro 2020, will be a team to watch in Qatar.
The Barcelona duo of striker Ansu Fati (19) and midfield star Gavi (15) were still at school during the 2018 World Cup but they are both likely to feature for La Roja in November.
Two more Barca youngsters in centre-back Eric Garcia and striker Ferran Torres will both push for a start, while the experience will come from their 33-year-old teammate and captain Sergio Busquets.
Argentina
Head coach Lionel Scaloni ended Argentina’s 28-year wait for a trophy when they lifted the 2021 Copa America and now he hopes to win a first World Cup since 1986. It would be a fitting end to captain Lionel Messi’s international career who, at 34 years old, will almost certainly play in his last World Cup.
This could also be a big tournament for Inter Milan hit man Lautaro Martinez who, at 24 years, already has 20 international goals in 38 appearances.
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