Well, here we are.
At 11:00 AM EST on Sunday, November 20th, the 2022 FIFA World Cup will kick off when Qatar faces Ecuador at Al Bayt Stadium. Let’s get the obvious disclaimer out of the way: this is not a legitimate sporting event. Rather, the World Cup in Qatar is what happens when FIFA attempts to sportwash years of geopolitical conflict between Western colonial powers and underdeveloped resource-rich countries in the Middle East. This tournament is problematic for sport-related reasons alone. The desert heat of Qatar will be brutal for players and fans alike, and the World Cup is unconventionally being played in the winter as an attempt counteract this issue. However, the heat concerns are still a serious issue, especially when you consider that the tournament being played in the winter interrupts these players’ ongoing season with their clubs. As a result, many players are either playing through injury/fatigue or missing out on the tournament entirely. Regardless, these sport-centric logistic issues pale in comparison to other issues which have dominated the headlines surrounding Qatar 2022.
The football world is making a mass migration to Qatar for the world’s most iconic sporting event, and Qatar simply isn’t ready for them. There likely won’t be enough residential space to accommodate the fans, and the living arrangements which have already been set up for them look dreadful. Further, despite a $75 million sponsorship with Budweiser, the Qatar World Cup has banned the sale of beer for fans at stadiums in accordance with Qatar’s strict Sharia law, with a notable exception being that alcohol will be served in the stadium’s luxury suites reserved for FIFA officials and other wealthy corporate representatives. Classism aside, let’s talk about Sharia law, which is a strict code of law that extends far beyond the prohibition of alcohol and is full of misogyny and homophobia. FIFA is urging fans who attend the Qatar World Cup to “respect” these laws, and anybody who violates these laws will face harsh punishment from the Qatari government.
The most concerning issue surrounding this tournament is the humanitarian crisis which helped construct it. The Qatari government enlisted the help of migrant workers from all over the world to build the infrastructure necessary to host the World Cup. These migrant workers were promised safe working conditions and a living wage in exchange for their backbreaking labor, only to find that those promises were complete lies. If the most recent reports are to be believed, between 6,000 and 15,000 migrant workers who were recruited to set up the infrastructure for Qatar 2022 have died. For more information regarding the long list of atrocities connected to Qatar 2022 and the specifics of Sharia Law, I urge you to check out Tifo Football’s World Cup Explained Series on YouTube or, for a more informal and concise option, Maqwell’s YouTube video on why Qatar is a horrible host nation for the World Cup.
Despite all of this, the general public will validate FIFA’s uncompromising pursuit of the almighty dollar by watching this tournament. Our primal need to be entertained at all times will overtake any doubts or reservations we have about the validity and morality of this World Cup, which is already facing allegations of match fixing.
Qatar 2022 is a complete embarrassment. But who will win this disgrace of a tournament? Let’s find out.
Group A:
- Netherlands
- Senegal
- Ecuador
- Qatar
The Netherlands will win this group comfortably. Senegal will sorely miss star attacker Sadio Mane, but they are too talented to exit the tournament in the group stage. Barring any match fixing, Qatar should have very little chance of advancing in this group, as they are much worse than the Netherlands and Senegal, while Ecuador are an underrated side who are very tough to play against.
Group B:
- England
- Wales
- USA
- Iran
England is the obvious choice to win the group here given the talent in their squad. Wales made the quarterfinals at EURO 2020 and Gareth Bale will look to propel this exciting group of unproven young talent and experienced veterans into the knockout stage. Gregg Berhalter’s incompetence (both picking the squad and as an in-game manager) gives me confidence that the United States will exit in the group stage, and while Iran can play spoiler with a talented crop of attackers, I will refrain from being bold and picking them to go through.
Group C:
- Argentina
- Poland
- Mexico
- Saudi Arabia
Argentina should run away with Group C. Despite being perennial underachievers in international play, Poland has picked it up recently and the career-best form of the incredible Robert Lewandowski gives them a great chance to make the knockouts. Mexico’s squad is stale and their form has dipped as of late, so I think they’ll fail to live up to the expectations of their fans (advancing from the group stage). Saudi Arabia will finish bottom of the group and I don’t think they’ll even register a single point.
Group D:
- Denmark
- France
- Tunisia
- Australia
Reigning World Cup Champions typically underachieve at the next World Cup, so I’m sticking with that trend and picking Denmark to shock the world and win Group D. France is still way too talented to exit the group stage like Germany did in 2018, so I still favor them over relative minnows Tunisia and Australia.
Group E:
- Germany
- Spain
- Japan
- Costa Rica
Germany and Spain are the heavy favorites to reach the knockout stage from this group, with the main question being which of these powerhouses will top the group. I rate the Germany squad more than the Spain squad, and while I expect a very underrated Japan side to take some points in this group, I don’t think they’ll beat out Spain for the second place spot here. Costa Rica is the worst team in this group.
Group F:
- Belgium
- Croatia
- Morocco
- Canada
Belgium and Croatia are at the back end of their respective golden generations, and while Morocco and Canada are popular dark horse picks to reach the Round of 16 and beyond, I still think that these teams boast too much talent for that to happen. Kevin de Bruyne and Luka Modric are still two of the best midfielders in the world, and they’ll lead Belgium and Croatia out of Group F.
Group G:
- Brazil
- Serbia
- Switzerland
- Cameroon
The group of death, part one. There’s no doubt in my mind that Brazil will top the group, but the battle for the second place spot will be an absolute dogfight. Serbia has looked extremely impressive as of late with the likes of Dusan Vlahovic, Aleksandar Mitrovic, and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic posing significant attacking threat. Meanwhile, Swiss shot-stopper Yann Sommer stole headlines at EURO 2020 for his penalty heroics as Switzerland upset France in the round of 16. Cameroon took third place at AFCON, but since then, their form has faltered a little, so I think they’ll finish bottom of the group. You can flip a coin between Serbia and Switzerland, and I expect that a hotly contested game between the two on December 2nd will decide who goes through, but I’m backing Serbia.
Group H:
- Portugal
- South Korea
- Uruguay
- Ghana
The group of death, part two. Portugal are the favorites to win this group, but it won’t be easy, and I honestly think anything is possible with them. Their talent could take them all the way, or things could fall apart early and they’ll exit in the group stage. I think they’ll probably land somewhere in the middle, winning Group H but failing to clear a hurdle in the knockouts. Most people will pick Uruguay to finish second in the group after a strong showing at World Cup 2018 in Russia, but with the old age of strike partners Luis Suarez and Edison Cavani combined with injury concerns surrounding center back Ronald Araujo, I think they’ll underachieve those expectations. Ghana will be out for revenge on December 2nd when they square off against Uruguay for the first time since the infamous handball incident at World Cup 2010 in South Africa, and while they’re a talented team with lofty ambitions, I don’t think a knockout appearance is in the cards for them. Rather, I’m backing Heung-Min Son South Korea to improve on their form in World Cup 2018 (where they upset Germany but exited the group stage) and reach the knockouts this time around.
World Cup Winners: Argentina
Argentina has an ongoing streak of 36 matches unbeaten, a run that stretches back all the way to July 2019. This is the best chance Lionel Messi will ever get at finally capturing the World Cup and further cementing his place as the greatest player who has ever lived. In what could very well be his final World Cup, Messi is surrounded by a supporting cast of lethal attacking talent, an energetic group of midfielders with an interesting blend of creativity and resilience, and a decent enough defense anchored by national hero Emi Martinez in goal. After an embarrassing display at World Cup 2018 in Russia, I’m backing this rejuvenated Argentina team to finally live up to their potential and become champions of the world.
Dark Horse of the Tournament: Denmark
Denmark is more than a “feel good story”. The recent return of Christian Eriksen has been huge for the Danes. They beat France twice in the UEFA Nations League this past year, and they’ll face off against this familiar foe in Group D. Denmark has been absolutely flying as of late, and their frenetic pace and well-rounded squad ensures that this team can score goals in bunches. This team boasts an intriguing mix of youth and experience and is captained by none other than Kasper Schmeichel, who is no stranger to Cinderella stories and has become a national hero in recent years due to his world class performances in net. Don’t be surprised if Denmark make a deep run at the World Cup.
Golden Ball: Lionel Messi (Argentina)
This one’s pretty self-explanatory.
Golden Boot: Dusan Vlahovic (Serbia)
Serbia will need star striker Dusan Vlahovic to shoulder the scoring responsibility due to Aleksandar Mitrovic’s injury, which he will intend to play through. Vlahovic is a well-rounded attacker who is just as much of a threat in the air as he is with the ball at his feet, and he’s been in remarkable goal scoring form over the last two seasons, scoring 36 goals in 60 appearances. It’s not a popular pick, but I’m backing Vlahovic to break out in Qatar and become an international superstar.
Golden Glove: Remko Pasveer (Netherlands)
The Netherlands have such a weak group that they might not concede a single goal in their 3 group stage matches, and if they’re able to make a run in the knockouts, I can see Remko Pasveer taking home the Golden Glove. Having Virgil Van Dijk, Stefan de Vrij, Matthias de Ligt, and Denzel Dumfries defending in front of him certainly helps his case. Whatever the case, Pasveer is a very solid goalkeeper who has a real shot at this award given the circumstances.
FIFA Young Player Award: Jude Bellingham (England)
Jude Bellingham has been THE story for club and country over the last two seasons. At just 19 years old, Bellingham has become one of the best midfielders in the world and will be one of the first names on England’s teamsheet for every match in Qatar. He possesses an incredible skillset which helps him rack up goal contributions like nobodies business. He’s an absolute juggernaut of a box to box midfielder, winning every battle with his frame and controlling the tempo with his brain. I think he’s the best young player at the tournament, so I have faith that he’ll put in some strong performances to prove me right and take home this award.
Who do you think will go all the way at the 2022 FIFA World Cup? Let us know in the comments!
——————————————————————–
Author: Ben Pawlak
Published: 11/18/22 at 3:34pm EST
——————————————————————–
Sources/Works Cited:
Google Images, Google, https://images.google.com/imghp?hl=en.
The MVP Blog 