FIFA World Cup 2022: Preview and Predictions

With the next World Cup just around the corner, here's an article on the tournament, with some predictions.

The World Cup is always a special tournament for many. To be able to watch your country progress to the deep ends of the competition, facing some of the best teams in the world, is a privilege.

Despite the fact that my nation never had the opportunity to compete in the World Cup, I have many memories and experiences connected to the event, including Diego Forlan's incomparable Jabulani strikes, Thomas 'Ramdeuter' Müller's ascent, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's exploits, Ghana and Croatia's underdog tales, James Rodriguez's remarkable 2014 campaign, and Kylian Mbappe's rapid development as a player.

The World Cup is, to put it mildly, a crucial occasion in world football. It is a very important event, especially for athletes who want to represent their nation with pride. However, the World Cup being held in Qatar in the middle of club football means there is a greater risk of injuries, which prevents many players from realizing their childhood goals. It's also important to bring up the human rights concerns, as the workers who constructed the infrastructure were mistreated, denied decent living circumstances, and had their wages and passports revoked. There’s also the issue of the legal status of homosexuality in Qatar, where the concept is prohibited and "offenders" are liable to fines and sentences of up to seven years in jail. The largest takeaway was FIFA's incompetence in not engaging in a discussion of the issue, despite the reality that politics and sport have always been linked.

There have been numerous discussions of skipping and boycotting the World Cup. Even still, anticipation and fervour have managed to outweigh everything, as everyone is eager to watch their favourite players compete for the grand prize.

The enthusiasm surrounding the World Cup is quite understandable, ethical concerns aside. Messi and Ronaldo’s last dance, Hansi Flick's chaotic football against Luis Enrique's total dominance, Canada's first appearance in 36 years, the emergence of the stars of the next generation, potential upsets from Serbia, Ecuador, and Switzerland, and the return of the Netherlands are just a few of the exciting events that are worth getting excited about.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup starts in 6 days, so here are some predictions, talking about teams to look out for, and players to keep an eye on.

The Champions: Argentina

To put it mildly, this Argentina team is excellent. Lionel Scaloni has assembled a team that has gone unbeaten in 35 games and features an absurd amount of talent and quality in addition to bringing out the best in Lionel Messi. The system functions well to a good extent because the balance is good. Messi, Di Maria, Lautaro Martinez, Julian Alvarez, and Paulo Dybala is a ridiculously stacked attacking cohort, while the midfield is balanced by De Paul, Paredes, Mac Allister, and Enzo Fernandez. Veteran Nicholas Otamendi and positionally astute Cristian Romero are in charge of the defence, and Emi Martinez has put a stop to their goalkeeping problems.

Although it has been said that Argentina hasn't faced up against the top European teams, their quality and system have served them so well thus far that it is difficult to believe they won't make a deep run in the competition.

Runners-up: Brazil

Again, a rather common choice. However, Brazil have been up there as one of the best national teams, having a talent pool that few other countries could match. This time, Neymar is leading the attack and is in excellent form. There are also players with thrilling levels of offensive flair and intellect, such as Vinicius Jr., Martinelli, Anthony, Raphinha, and Gabriel Jesus. The midfield is of the highest calibre, and Casemiro's tactical awareness and talent are a game-changer. Bruno Guimarães must be given a chance, though, since his diverse set of abilities—from passing to press resistance to pivotal interceptions—will greatly benefit this Brazil team.

The defence, especially the fullbacks, is a bit of a problem. It's a far way from the era of Cafu and Roberto Carlos, and it needs improvement. Even yet, this Brazilian club has the ability to cause significant harm by consistently producing and scoring goals. They’ve scored 32 goals in their last 10 games, an average of 3.2 goals per game, and their defence, which is considered a weak point, has conceded only 5 goals in that period. Watch this space.

Dark Horses: The Netherlands

Considering their past players and history, this might constitute cheating. To be honest, the Dutch didn't even make it to the previous World Cup, and despite coming close to winning it, they haven't had much success there.

Thanks to the back three of Nathan Ake, Virgil Van Dijk, and Jurrien Timber, Louis Van Gaal has developed a team that is agile in its build-up play. The ball-carrying skills of Frenkie De Jong are in full effect, and Memphis Depay is in the line-leading position, which gives him the freedom to roam across the field and link up with teammates. Watch out for rising stars like Xavi Simmons and Cody Gakpo, both of whom boast plenty of talent. Overall, The Netherlands have practically all bases covered and might dazzle with a run to the semifinals.

The underachievers: France

There’s been a noticeable trend since the early 2000s, wherein the World Cup winners tend to do miserably in their next campaign, and I believe France will be no exception. There’s a considerable amount of talent in the squad, but the number of injuries they’ve picked up, and Didier Deschamps’ inability to evolve his system and the crop of players available to him, make France the underachievers for me.

Golden Ball: Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi, who could only have one more World Cup campaign left in him, will need to make an exceptional contribution if Argentina are to win the tournament. He has put on nothing less than remarkable displays in 2022, both initiating attacks and finishing them. Since 2019, Messi has been in elite form for Argentina. This version of Messi will be required as he teams up with Lautaro Martinez and Angel Di Maria to deadly effect.

Young Player of the Tournament: Jamal Musiala

There are many young ballers making their international debuts for the World Cup, including Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka, Pedri, and Camavinga, but Jamal Musiala is my selection. His ability to produce in confined spaces is a skill that not many players have, and his adaptability to play on either wings, as a 10, or in deeper midfield positions is essential. I think Musiala will make the biggest impression because of that plus the fact that he's playing in a system that plays to his strengths.

Golden Boot: Kylian Mbappe

While I’ve predicted France to disappoint in the tournament, I still back Mbappe to have a successful individual campaign. He’s got great players to link up with, and an unbelievable amount of quality to create chances for himself, so it’s not particularly unexpected if he scores the most in the tournament.

Most Assists: Lionel Messi

No explanations needed, Messi’s an elite playmaker, and his chemistry with the other attackers is excellent.

I think that this World Cup will be fantastic, political differences aside. The individual talent, the breakthroughs of new players, and the new underdogs give me the impression that this World Cup will be a success.