The countdown continues as the 2022 World Cup looms larger than ever now just over four weeks away, and that time will go in a flash.
The best footballers on the planet will be at the Qatar World Cup and there will be hot competition for the Golden Boot. 2018 winner Harry Kane will lead England in Qatar and he is one of a handful of players with a good chance of top scoring.
To do that you need your nation to go deep into the competition and that’s where players such as Kane have an advantage over, say, Poland’s Robert Lewandowski.
But Group B has a plenty of world-class goal scorers. And while England should make it through the group, the second qualifying place is certainly up for grabs.
Harry Kane, England
England are one of the favourites to win the tournament and the latest World Cup 2022 betting odds say the Three Lions will top Group B, with Wales, the USA, and Iran battling it out for the second qualifying place.
There are few nations with more reliance on one player for their goals than England. And that would present a huge problem for head coach Gareth Southgate should his talisman pick up an injury.
Kane has started the domestic season in electric fashion with nine goals from 10 games for Tottenham and he looks in the form of his life in the run up to Qatar.
Spurs are in third position in the Premier League at the moment and will move up a place should they avoid defeat in a midweek clash away to Manchester United.
I’d back Kane to push his tally into double figures at Old Trafford and England fans will hope his momentum continues for the next six weeks or so.
Gareth Bale, Wales
Bale has been the go-to man for Wales for a decade now and it is his fierce patriotism which makes his so popular with the fans.
The 33-year-old is now playing in the MLS with Los Angeles as he fell out with fans at his previous club Real Madrid when he hinted he’d rather play for country than club.
At his peak, Bale was one of the fastest players in the game and would terrify defences with his direct runs and powerful shooting. But, much like Cristiano Ronaldo, he has adapted and become more of a playmaker or main striker with his strong heading ability being a key weapon for the Dragons.
No other Wales player who was in the squad to play Poland in September has scored double figures for his country. Bournemouth’s Kieffer Moore only has nine, so the weight of expectation rests on Bale’s shoulders.
Christian Pulisic, USA
The youngest player to play for the USA in the modern era, the youngest to captain his national team, and the youngest to score for the Stars and Stripes when he struck in a 4-0 win over Bolivia, Pulisic has now reached the grand old age of 24.
After a sparkling career in the Bundesliga with Dortmund, he moved to Chelsea where he has scored 20 goals in 82 appearances as part of a well-stocked creative force at Stamford Bridge.
His speed, sharpness, and superb ball skills make him one of the most exciting players to watch and Pulisic is sure to make some headlines in Qatar. And alongside Leeds United winger Brenden Aaronson, he will stretch the opposition defences in Group B.
Sardar Azmoun, Iran
Iran are the outsiders in Group B but they certainly can’t be discounted. Led by former Manchester United coach Carlos Queiroz, the Iranian Cheetahs qualified comfortably for the Qatar World Cup with three games to play after beating Iraq.
27-year-old Azmoun is the man who can fire Iran to the knockout phase if he hits his best form.
As a young player, he was compared to the great Zlatan Ibrahimovic with his aerial ability, creativity on the ball, good acceleration, and a lethal finish. He has also been labelled the “Iranian Messi” by the English media.
But Azmoun is his own man and he was one of the most prolific strikers in the Russian League before the invasion of Ukraine halted football there. His 52 goals in 79 appearances for Zenit St. Petersburg persuaded Bayer Leverkusen to come in for him and now he plies his trade in the Bundesliga.
Well folks, as the World Cup approaches, we’ll be upping the ante here at SBOTOP with all the latest World Cup 2022 updates as they happen and all the action from the moment the first ball is kicked as these four players are set to light up Group B.
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