OPINION

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(Editor’s Note: This article was written mostly before the 2022 FIFA World Cup started.)

By Michael Karjavine

Lionel Messi. Photo credit: Dmitri Sadovnikov.

Sunday, December 18, 2022: The World Cup final. Argentina takes the trophy home after a 1-0 win against Brazil, with the only goal belonging to Lionel Messi, the Golden Boot winner (an award for the player who scores the most goals at the World Cup), with an astonishing eight goals in the tournament. The first time the two rival nations meet in the World Cup since 1990, and the first time ever in the final. Will this seal the debate of who is the greatest player of all time? France places third, defeating Portugal with a score of 4-2. 

This is what was predicted before the tournament started by the famous EA Sports simulator FIFA 23, based on the computer game for people who love soccer, which can simulate a match or the whole tournament. The simulator surprisingly and correctly predicted Spain winning the World Cup in 2010, Germany in 2014, and France in 2018. So could it actually happen?

I personally think that it definitely could happen. Argentina has a special passion for the World Cup. They don’t just want to win it; they want to win it for Messi above themselves. During the summer of 2021, Argentina won Copa America, and during the tournament Argentine players said in interviews that they wanted to win it for Messi. For many people, the only thing missing for Messi in the debate of who is the GOAT is the World Cup. Pelé won the World Cup three times, and Diego Maradona has as well, but neither Messi nor Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo have been on a World Cup champion team. 

Messi has astonishing stats this season: 12 goals and 14 assists in 19 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), the professional team he has played for since August 2021, after leaving Barcelona. Argentina had an unbeaten run of 36 games going into the World Cup, and they could have easily beaten Italy’s record of 37 unbeaten games set back in 2021. Argentina has a relatively easy group that will allow the team to build up their momentum throughout the tournament. Most betting services count Argentina as second favorite after Brazil. I think Brazil is not consistent or focused enough to go all the way, so my favorite for the World Cup is Argentina. 

Brazil’s Neymar. Photo credit: flickr user DSanchez17.

Although Brazil has the second most valuable squad at the World Cup, with the price of €1.1 billion, according to Transfermarkt (a site that approximates market values for players), I do not think they have it in them to win the World Cup. Experts are saying that Brazil’s Neymar da Silva Santos, Júnior has finally matured and realized how important it is to have strict discipline in a professional sport. He indeed has  incredible stats: 15 goals and 12 assists in 20 appearances for PSG. But is it enough to add another World Cup trophy to his country’s five, more than any other country? Brazil has a very difficult group, with Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon. Most groups have at least one team as an easy opponent, yet the cheapest squad in the group, Cameroon, defeated Brazil 1-0 on Dec. 2. It is such a difficult group that I wouldn’t be surprised if Brazil didn’t win it. 

While the only way Argentina or Brazil don’t go all the way is if something unexpected happens, like a crazy upset, most experts are expecting England and France to fail. England had an overperformance in the Euro’s 2021, reaching the final. England manager Gareth Southgate’s coaching strategies do not match England’s squad. Also, his selection of some questionable players, like his preference of Harry Maguire over Fikayo Tomori, who has had an excellent season so far, doesn’t help the situation on the field. England has the most expensive squad in the World Cup, with their price around €1.3 Billion. Even though England has quality players, because of their coach and his style of play, I do not think they will go past the semifinal.

Another team that has problems because of their coach is France. The current World Cup winners have the third-most valuable squad, with their market value at €1 billion. Head coach Didier Deschamps’s style of play is defensive, but France has one of the best attacking players in the World Cup, just like England, and should not play defensively. Also, France lost several starting players due to injuries during the season and even after the break for the World Cup started.

Both Germany and Spain have great squads and very fast attacking wingers, but both nations struggle with the lack of a quality finisher. 

Portugal is too dependent on Ronaldo, who is not in his best shape this season. Their coach, Fernando Santos, is usually afraid to take out Ronaldo, even if it would be better for the team. They have a high quality squad, but in my prediction they will go out early in the knockouts due to being too dependent on their all-time top scorer. 

The Netherlands are really unpredictable. Everything is going really well under head coach Louis Van Gaal, but they lack quality in attack, except for their young talent Cody Gakpo, who has been showing off his great soccer skills at PSV Eindhoven. Their main attacking player, Memphis Depay, is currently out of shape, so they might be struggling with scoring goals.

Overall, the whole world is excited for the World Cup, and rightfully so, because it is definitely going to be special. The first ever World Cup that is not held in the summer and possibly the last one. Also possibly the last World Cup to be held in one host nation, because countries unite to host the World Cup together for 2026 and 2030.

Read Collin Kimball-McKavish’s news article about the Cup. 

Featured image courtesy of The Guardian.