It may be starting to look a lot like Christmas but we are also of course very much in the midst of a World Cup. Ireland’s absence aside, there is still plenty to enjoy and high on that list is the potential for upsets. With 64 games in the tournament, there is a wealth of opportunities for shocks. Though Betting Tips for World Championships 2022 will help steer you in the right direction, this article will show you some of the games and groups where those upsets might occur.
It is an interesting fact that four of the last five World Cup winners have performed badly at the following tournament. So badly, in fact, that they have failed to get out of the group stages. This fate happened to France in 2002, when they went to Japan and Korea confident they could follow on from their triumph at their own World Cup four years earlier. The campaign was a disaster. The similarities with this year are stark, even with Denmark being drawn in the same group. Though France are undoubtedly a good side, they are going into the tournament in a poor run of form. Their last six games have seen them win just once (against Austria) and lose three times (twice against Denmark).
Group D is not the toughest, with Tunisia and Australia making up the four, but losing against Denmark (again) is certainly very plausible, and failing (again) to get out of the group, is not too much of a stretch of the imagination.
England find themselves in a similar position, without the tag of holders, of course. This last year has seen a drop in form, a loss of confidence, and a raft of key injuries. We saw in the Euros how Scotland upped their game, and how Southgate’s team did the opposite for the clash between the home-nation rivals. The very same could happen when Wales come up against England when they play on the 29th of November. On paper, it is a mismatch, with only an out-of-form Gareth Bale really anything close to world-class in Rob Page’s squad, but stranger things have happened. A draw or even a Welsh win would not be inconceivable.
Brazil is a nation that epitomises the World Cup. Despite Neymar’s antics, they are many neutrals’ go-to team. Despite going into the tournament as bookies’ favourites, it is unlikely they will have it all their own way. If they fail to win in Qatar, it will be over two decades since they last lifted the trophy. They have not been good in knockout games of late, and were humbled 7 – 1 by Germany at their own tournament. They are also in a tough group. Cameroon are the cream of the African Nations at the tournament. Serbia are not the force they were, but on their day can cause any team a problem, and Switzerland topped the group that contained Italy in qualifying.
There is only one group where two footballing heavyweights meet, and that is Group E. With Spain, Germany, Costa Rica and Japan drawn together, one or both of Spain and Germany will drop points. Both have been slow starters of late, so it only takes one other poor performance and one of the tournament favourites could be on the plane home way earlier than they would have hoped or indeed expected.
So, even without an Irish presence, there is still plenty of interest for the football fan, before the circus of the EPL starts all over again on the 26th of December. It isn’t right having a World Cup in November and December. It is also not right having it in Qatar, but now it is happening we may as well sit back, grab a drink and enjoy it.