Back for its 22nd edition, the FIFA World Cup is grabbing everyone’s attention. The last two and a half years were quite sad for football fans all around the world, with little to no international professional football matches. However, with the COVID-19 regulations lifted, the excitement for this year’s World Cup is unparalleled. Given the FIFA World Cup’s rage all around the world, you might be wondering which team has the best chance of winning. All teams show good form and have really practised well, and with a good coach and the playing 11, there is no doubt that everyone is giving their best this year. Nevertheless, if you still had to rank the top 3, considering each team’s form and previous performances, Brazil would be at the top, with France and Belgium being a close second and third.
Going by the book, Brazil is most favoured to win this year’s World Cup. That said, you must also note that Brazil has quite a mixed bag when it comes to wins and losses compared to most other European nations. Therefore, it would not be wrong to assume that a European team will take the trophy for a second time this year. If you are wondering why Brazil is still being favoured by most bookmakers this year, this article is a great read. Here you will get a detailed overview of the top two teams who have a chance at winning the cup this year and better decide who to place your bets on.
What makes Brazil the most suitable choice?
To say the least, Brazil had set quite an impressive new record in the CONMENBOL World Cup Qualifying campaign when they topped it with 45 points, undefeated. With players like Vinicius Jr, Neymar Jr, Richarlison and Phillipe Countinho in their best agility, there is not much stopping them from doing the same in the FIFA World Cup. However, their Achilles heel is the knockout matches. Anyone who has followed their gameplay and success rate for the last few years already knows how they might struggle to win these knockout matches against the more robust European teams.
What makes Brazil slightly inferior against European teams?
Probably the only thing working against Brazil in matches against these European teams is its gameplay. The Brazilian coaches often use the same predated tactics as would their counterparts. With a high dribbling metric, the team can get the ball up to the shooting range, but the poor shooting accuracy is where they face the most issues. With a low 45% shooting accuracy metric in the knockout games, they have the worst rating amongst any other team. The defensive front of Brazil also suffers, given their history of 2 own goals in the last four knockout matches.
Why can Brazil win this time?
Without a doubt, Neymar has shown great form in the last few matches, and this season his shooting accuracy increased by 6%. This, paired with Raphinha’s and Richarlison’s shooting accuracy, will take their squad a lot forward this year. They also have improved their defensive side, and with better practice from Allison, who had the most impressive Premier League last season, this year’s chances look quite good for Brazil.
Will France do it again?
A lingering question any fan will have in their mind is if France might win again this year. This is quite legit, given that their team has signed some exciting new talent this year. Also, since they already know what it takes to win the cup once, with the current talent in the field, they might just be able to do it again. Their coach already knows the practice the squad needs and exactly how to train them for the win. With names like Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele, and Mbappe, there is no doubt that they have a strong team that would not go down in a fight. Anyhow, whoever is watching France play this year will have an amazing time.
What do they lack?
Much like all other teams, there are some areas in which France might not be the strongest. For instance, they do not yet have control and have often fallen short against good dribbling sides. Teams like Argentina and Brazil can surely take advantage of this and pose a serious threat to their gameplay. Just improving on their defence tactics can change their gameplay tenfold, and with that, they could really have a shot at winning the cup.
What makes them eligible to win this year?
Well, to start off, France’s attack is something no other team can yet come close to. They have perhaps the best attack amongst all others, with their team’s top three scorers averaging more than 2.5 goals combined. More so, their average shooting metric is well over 57%, making them quite profound in the upper part of the field. Their Midfielders are also great players, averaging more than 1.7 assists every match. This will mean the attackers get more balls and can try the goal more times. While defensively, their tactic might do better with an update, they surely have great tackle successes and can offer exceptional clearances.
Who are some top players you should be looking out for?
Now that you know which teams you should most likely place your bets on, there are some players worth mentioning, including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr, and Kylian Mbappe, with 165, 129, 116 and 112 goals per minute as per the 2021/2022 stats.
With all this information, you can now make a much more sought out decision about which team or who you would like to place your bets on. That said, there is no doubt that this year’s World Cup is going to be an enthralling and enticing experience for any fan around the world. It is going to be great to see the players in their habitat and what new surprises they might have once again after the long two-year pause.