FIFA World Cup Picks, Predictions Qatar 2022: Will Messi Finally Win?
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is just a month and a half away as we dive into our top picks for the tournament.
Over the past year and a half, Lionel Messi used all the opportunities he had to shine while wearing the Argentina shirt, prioritizing national team glory over anything else. The World Cup in Qatar will be his fifth and final one. Will the world tournament confirm him once and for all as the best football player in the history of the game or will someone else take the crown?
We take a look at our top picks for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook, and PointsBet).
2022 FIFA World Cup Info
When: November 20 - December 18, 2022
Where: Qatar
Defending champion: France
World Cup Top Picks
Qatar 2022 Predictions
Argentina to win the World Cup (+700)
Argentina last lost a match in July 2019, so more than three years ago. Since then, they qualified for the World Cup thanks to an almost impeccable run, also winning the Copa America in 2021, in Brazil.
Argentina showed style, grit, unity, brilliance, and a solid sufferance when needed. They have all the attributes that build a great team. And they have Lionel Messi. Leo has not been himself at the club level since leaving Barcelona to join Paris Saint Germain. But for the national team, Messi has kept delivering at an unbelievable rate. He outshined every opponent at the Copa America, as he won the Player of the Tournament award. He scored the highest number of goals in the competition and provided the most assists. And that was when it was said that he was far from his best!
Argentina are undefeated in their last 35 matches, just three games shy of Italy’s all-time record. They conceded just five goals in the 17 matches they played in the qualifiers, where they confronted the likes of Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia, and Chile, among others. Manager Lionel Scaloni’s men seem to have everything going their way, as they hope to bring the trophy back to Buenos Aires for the first time since 1986. Placed at +700 by the oddsmakers, the South Americans could prove to be water in the desert for bettors going for them as World Cup winners.
USA stage of elimination: Group stage (-150)
If the World Cup started today, not many USMNT fans would count on manager Gregg Berhalter’s lads to deny their recent selves and toggle to new, improved versions. The USA have been poor against the likes of Japan (0-2) and Saudi Arabia (0-0) in their recent friendlies. Fear rather than hope replaced the feeling around the clashes with England, Wales, and Iran at the final tournament in Qatar.
Berhalter’s squad choices were questioned, as were his tactics and his personnel management skills. With so little remaining before the World Cup kicks off, loads of unanswered questions suffocate USMNT's road to Qatar and leave minor space for improvements.
Right now, even the match against Iran, the outsiders in Group B, looks tricky to say the least. That comes in total opposition to the high hopes invested in this generation of USMNT players led by Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic and Juventus’ Weston McKennie. The matchup against Wales on November 21, USMNT’s first at the 2022 World Cup, could turn out to be way more than an early indicator of how the tournament will go for Berhalter and his boys.
Denmark to win Group D (+275)
The Danes have been impressive at the Euros, then kept the momentum going on the road leading to the World Cup in Qatar. Denmark dominated their qualifying group with authority, topping a group including Scotland, Austria, and Israel. The Vikings won nine of their 10 qualifying encounters, scoring 30 goals and conceding just three.
At the Euros last year, only an unfortunate extra-time penalty against England at Wembley stopped their run in the semifinals. This team looks ready for anything. Players enjoy being together and Christian Eriksen’s comeback after the cardiac arrest he suffered on the pitch cemented feelings, solidarity, and faith.
Australia and Tunisia head into their World Cup Group D matches against Denmark as outsiders. And given their dismal form as of late, defending world champions France might well enter the list of high-profile victims this energetic and thrilling Danish side has left behind.
Previous World Cup Winners
- Brazil (+333) 1994
- France (+700) 1998
- Brazil (+700) 2002
- Italy (+1000) 2006
- Spain (+400) 2010
- Germany (+550) 2014
- France (+600) 2018
Where to Bet on the FIFA World Cup
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FIFA World Cup picks made 10/3/2022 at 6:51 p.m. ET
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