This year a total of 32 teams will be featured in the soccer carnival scheduled to take place in Qatar from November 21 onwards. However, only a few of them are favourites to win the title this year. There are some teams that can be termed tournament favourites based on their recent performances. It’s time to find out the four teams who could be too hot to handle in the upcoming event.
Argentina
The South American country this time finds itself in Group C, comprising Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Poland, of the FIFA tournament. Argentina have remained unbeaten in 32 games so far and they only need to continue the same momentum for another five games to break the international record. But since 1986 they haven’t won a single title in the subsequent marquee events. So, would the team be able to end the barren run after 36 years? They have to for the sake of Lionel Messi, who will be playing his last world cup this year in Qatar.
Spain
After winning the world cup in 2010 by getting the better of the Netherlands, they slipped badly in the latter quadrennial events. However, they have made amends in the last few years by entering the Semi Final of the Euro 2020 and ending up as the runners-up in the Nations League this year, on both occasions they lost to Italy and France respectively. However, with some of the talents at their disposal in recent times it would be imprudent to write them off in the upcoming world cup. Would the likes of Gavi and Pedri help them repeat the magic of 2010?
France
The defending champions will definitely arrive in Qatar as one of the favourites to lift the ultimate glory in the world of soccer. France happens to be one of the six nations to have pocketed the trophy more than once and prior to the 2018 triumph they won the cup in 1998 as well. With Karim Benzema grabbing this year’s Ballon d’Or there would be a lot of expectations among the fans with regard to their team’s prospects this time. Apart from Benzema, they also have Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe to multiply the problems of the opposition. So, would they emerge triumphant for the third time? Let’s wait and watch.
Brazil
Unarguably, one of the finest teams in the football world with 5 titles under its belt Brazil can be a force to reckon with this year as well. However, the last time they emerged triumphant was in the 2002 Japan edition. The dry spell has extended for two decades now and the side would only be eager to end the drought. Placed in Group G with Switzerland, Cameroon and Serbia, the South American country has enough destructive weapons; Neymar, Antony, Vinicius Junior etc; in their armoury to lift the cup for the sixth time. However, it would be foolhardy to predict anything before the start of the tournament as the ghost of the 2014 Semi Final against Germany (1-7) still looms large.
