England
For a change, counting England as one of the favourites doesn’t feel like blind hope. Semi-finalists at the 2018 World Cup and finalists at 2020 Euros, Gareth Southgate hopes to lead his team one step further and end 56 years of hurt.
He’s got the tools to do it, with 2018 World Cup Golden Boot winner Harry Kane still going strong. The captain will be backed up by various talented forwards, including Raheem Sterling, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka, and more. Midfield has always been a concern for England since Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard retired, but Declan Rice has matured into one of the best holding midfielders in the world.
The defence is the most uncertain area, but Southgate’s favoured 5-2-3 formation should cover any weaknesses. Can the Three Lions bring football home? Big England fans may want to redeem a bet365 welcome offer to get as many free bets as possible for betting on the team.
France
As reigning world champions, it is no surprise Les Blues are 6/1, according to Coral Sports, to win the World Cup again in 2022. The 2018 trophy-winning France was led by the stellar goalscoring performances of Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann, backed up by the midfield creativity of Paul Pogba. Griezmann is expected to be replaced by Karim Benzema in 2022, who will arguably offer more threat and creativity to the team.
A solid defensive spine is still there, with Raphael Varane at the back and N’Golo still motoring around in midfield. No team has won back-to-back World Cups since Brazil between 1958 and 1962, and the last four World Cup holders from Europe have been knocked out during the Group Stages.
Brazil
The most successful team in World Cup history, Brazil’s attacking approach to football has always wowed fans across the globe. With players like Neymar, Gabriel Jesus, and Richarlison, that tradition looks set to continue at the 2022 World Cup. Brazil’s Group G doesn’t have much competition for the team, with games against Serbia, Switzerland, and Cameroon. Therefore, finding a football betting site and wagering on these games to feature many goals may return a good profit.
Under head coach Tite, Brazil is more than just an attacking football machine. Casemiro and Fabinho are two of the best holding midfielders in the world, and Allison has claims to be the best goalkeeper out there. A mixture of attacking swagger and the defensive bite is why Brazil are favourites with most bookmakers at 9/2.
Argentina
While Argentina may have reached the final of the 2014 World Cup, this may be its strongest team in years. Fresh off the back of winning the Copa America 2021, this team has a good blend of experienced players like Angel di Maria and younger stars like Lautaro Martinez.
Then there is Lionel Messi, widely considered the greatest footballer of all time. Messi may not be at the top of his powers, but memories of his Golden Ball-worthy performance in 2014 will terrify opposition defences.
Spain
Not many national teams are so attached to one style of play as Spain. La Roja is synonymous with the tika-taka passing play that took the nation to the 2010 World Cup sandwiched between two Euros. Luis Enrique has taken the reins as head coach, but you can bet on Spain having the lion’s share of possession in most games.
Previous Spain teams have been built on a backbone of Barcelona and Real Madrid players, but this team has stars from various clubs like Thiago at Liverpool and Rodri at Manchester City. Dani Olmo has established himself as the creative force in this team and could be a dark horse to win the Golden Ball.
Germany
No matter what happens during the buildup, Germany seems to be a contender towards the end of a World Cup competition. Die Mannschaft has won four World Cups, the second most of any team, and also lost more finals than anyone else. Even if you don’t think the team will win, you could take advantage of the Sky Bet selection of outrights and back the team to reach the final.
This German team is moving forwards under the coaching of Hansi Flick after moving on from long-time head coach Joachim Low. Although, long-time players like Manuel Neuer and Thomas Muller are still in the squad. Stars not involved in the 2016 World Cup triumph like Joshua Kimmich and Leroy Sane hope to continue the nation’s proud tradition.
Belgium
On paper, Belgium has had one of the best teams in Europe, if not the world, for the past 5-10 years. The team was ranked 1st in FIFA Men’s World Ranking from 2018-2022, finally being overtaken by Brazil. Despite this, the team has never reached the final of a major international tournament.
This is the last chance for many of Belgium’s golden generation, with Eden Hazard 31 years old, Kevin De Bruyne 31 years old, Dries Mertens 35 years old, and Axel Wistel 33 years old. 10/1 at Coral are decent odds for a team that can rely on the goalscoring talents of Romelu Lukaku and the creative genius of De Bruyne.
Underdogs at Qatar 2022
It would be hard to say that a true underdog has ever won the World Cup, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen in 2022. Here are some of the longer shots that have a decent chance of lifting the World Cup trophy.
Croatia
Croatia almost shocked the world in 2018 when the side led by the midfield genius of Luka Modric reached the World Cup Final. The Vatreni lost that game 4-2 but showed an ability to overcome significant odds. Modric will be 37 in Qatar but will still be the focal point of his national team’s hopes.
Uruguay
While Uruguay won two World Cups, including the very first edition of the competition in 1930, its last triumph came in 1950. This Uruguay team is filled with hard workers that will make life uncomfortable for any opponent like midfielders Federico Valverde and Rodrigo Bentancur.
Denmark
Despite reaching the semi-finals of the 2020 Euros, Denmark is not fancied to go further at the 2022 World Cup. However, the team wasn’t expected to get far at the Euros, especially after Christian Eriksen’s collapse in the group stage. That traumatic event brought the group closer together, and with Eriksen back in the fold, Denmark will be looking to upset 25/1 odds at Coral and lift the trophy in December.
Betting on the 2022 World Cup Winner
While choosing which team to back to win the World Cup is a fun challenge, you also have the difficult decision of picking a betting site. You can read our UK betting site reviews to find bookmakers providing the best odds for all 2022 World Cup markets and a catalogue of promotions. Read our betting site reviews today and use our links to sign up and claim a welcome bonus for World Cup 2022 betting.
