Even though it has never been the most popular sport in the US, soccer has been the fastest-growing support in the country, with high school soccer participation raising to 32%, more than hockey and baseball.
Considering the USA is going to host the biggest competition in the world of the sport in 2026, together with Canada and Mexico, it is likely that this percentage increases even more in the next 4 years.
However, before the North American event in the future, Qatar is hosting the 2022 edition later this month. The Qatar 2022 World Cup is starting on November 20th and the USA, as well as neighbors Canada and Mexico are going to be part of it.
A total of 32 national teams are joining the incredible tournament, which for the first time is happening in the Northern hemisphere during Winter time, due to the high temperatures in Qatar during Summer.
So we will see Europe’s top soccer leagues, such as the Premier League and La Liga, as well as the Champions League, being put on hold for a month, while most of the world’s top footballers head to Qatar for this massive event.
The #FIFAWorldCup groups are set 🤩
We can't wait! 🏆#FinalDraw pic.twitter.com/uaDfdIvbaZ
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) April 1, 2022
ClutchBuzz Group Stage Preview
With the FIFA World Cup starting in just a few days, on November 20th, we will be examining each of the groups to identify the favorites to win their groups and proceed to the knockout stage of the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Each day we will predict one of the groups, analyze the ups and downs of each team involved and how far should bettors expect them to go into the competition.
Here is our first analysis, World Cup group A. Let’s dig in.
Odds to win the group according to ClutchBuzz:
Netherlands -200
Senegal +350
Ecuador +500
Qatar +1600
𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗣 𝗔
🇶🇦 Qatar
🇪🇨 Ecuador
🇸🇳 Senegal
🇳🇱 Netherlands pic.twitter.com/24Am1Embim— Squawka (@Squawka) April 1, 2022
Qatar World Cup 2022 Group A Calendar:
20 November 2022: Qatar – Ecuador
21 November 2022: Senegal – Netherlands
25 November 2022: Qatar – Senegal
25 November 2022: Netherlands – Ecuador
29 November 2022: Ecuador – Senegal
29 November 2022: Netherlands – Qatar
Qatar
Qatar is hosting the first-ever Winter World Cup at a time of year that is considered mid-season for most major leagues around the world, particularly in Europe.
The host country is placed in Group A, along with the Netherlands, Senegal, and Ecuador. Qatar must finish in the top two to advance to the last 16.
Qatar had never qualified for a single FIFA World Cup since the nation’s independence in 1971 and so this will be their first World Cup ever. Additionally, this will be the first-ever World Cup to be hosted by an Arab country.
Currently, Qatar is the AFC Asian Cup Champions. They won the trophy in 2019 after defeating Japan 3-1 in the Final.
Qatar’s World Cup campaign won’t be simple because, despite being Asian Champions, they haven’t had much success in friendlies against some European nations. Qatar played 7 friendly matches in the fall, failing to win a single game, drawing against Azerbaijan and Luxembourg, and losing to Ireland, and twice to Portugal and Serbia while scoring just four goals and giving up twenty-one.
Akram Afif (Al-Sadd Sports Club), Almoez Ali (Al-Duhail Sports Club), and Hassan Al-Haydos (Al-Sadd Sports Club) are a few of Qatar’s top players.
ClutchBuzz odds price them as the last team to win the group at +1600.
Not advancing to the group phase would mean Qatar will be the second host team to not qualify for the knockout stage after South Africa in 2010.
Qatar Possible World Cup Starting 11
Coach: Felix Sanchez
Ecuador
The second team in the group is Ecuador, a South American country. Ecuador will compete in its fourth World Cup in the country’s history. Ecuador’s best performance was a Round of 16th appearance at the FIFA 2006 Germany World Cup, where they fell to England 1-0.
Ecuador qualified for the World Cup in 4th place in the CONCACAF qualifiers just behind Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. They left behind nations like Peru, Colombia, and Chile.
Enner Valencia (Fenerbahçe), the Ecuadorian team captain, is Ecuador’s star player, who also counts with Moisés Caicedo (Brighton & Hove Albion) and Piero Hincapié (Bayer Leverkusen).
ClutchBuzz odds price them as the third favorite to win the group at +500.
Ecuador Possible World Cup Starting 11
Coach: Gustavo Alfaro
Netherlands
Without a question, the Netherlands is the group’s top team. After disappointingly failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, by finishing behind France and Sweden in Group A of the qualifiers, the Netherlands will be competing in their eleventh World Cup and finally making their return to the World Cup.
After a disappointing performance at Euro 2020, where they were defeated by the Czech Republic in the Round of 16, Frank de Boer was fired and Louis Van Gaal returned to the Netherlands National team.
Van Gaal helped the Netherlands win Group G to qualify for the 2022 World Cup with 23 points, 7 victories, 2 draws, and just 1 defeat.
Frenkie De Jong (FC Barcelona) and Matthijs de Ligt (FC Bayern Munich) are two of the team’s outstanding young talents, that also counts with Memphis Depay (FC Barcelona) and captain Virgil Van Dijk (Liverpool).
ClutchBuzz odds price them as the favorite to win the group at -200 and also price them at +1200 to win the World Cup.
Netherlands Possible World Cup Starting 11
Coach: Louis Van Gaal
Senegal
The physically fit and well-organized Senegal national team, led by Aliou Cissé are the current AFCON champions after defeating Egypt in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations final to claim their first AFCON title.
Senegal has a very talented offensive trio in Sadio Mane (Bayern Munich), Ismaila Sarr (Watford), and Boulaye Dya (Torino), even though at times they are struggling to score goals.
Some other outstanding players are captain, Kalidou Koulibaly (Chelsea), Idrissa Gueye (Everton), and the FIFA 2021 Best Men’s Goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy (Chelsea).
ClutchBuzz odds price them as the second favorite to win the group at +350.
Senegal Possible World Cup Starting 11
Coach: Aliou Cissé
Senegal World Cup Squad:
Coach Aliou Cissé announced the 26-men squad on the 8th of November 2022. Here are the players selected to travel to Qatar.
Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy (Chelsea), Alfred Gomis (Rennes), Seny Dieng (Queens Park Rangers).
Defenders: Bouna Sarr (Bayern Munich), Saliou Ciss, Kalidou Koulibaly (Chelsea), Pape Abou Cisse (Olympiakos), Abdou Diallo (RB Leipzig), Ibrahima Mbaye (Bologna), Abdoulaye Seck (Maccabi Haifa), Fode Ballo Toure (AC Milan), Cheikhou Kouyate (Nottingham Forest).
Midfielders: Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham), Pape Gueye (Marseille), Nampalys Mendy (Leicester City), Idrissa Gueye (Everton), Moustapha Name (Pafos), Loum Ndiaye (Reading), Joseph Lopy (Sochaux).
Forwards: Sadio Mane (Bayern Munich), Ismaila Sarr (Watford), Bamba Dieng (Marseille), Boulaye Dia (Salernitana).
ClutchBuzz Group A World Cup Prediction
ClutchBuzz predicts that the Netherlands will win Group A with 9 points and that Senegal will take second place. Ecuador will finish third with just 1 point, the same as host nation Qatar.
Nonetheless, you might want to wage into Ecuador to be the underdog of the tournament. They have a strong and very quick defense, backed up with very pacey fullbacks, so it is not unlikely they can make it past the group stage.
However, the most likely scenario is that Netherlands and Senegal progress to the next stage, with the Dutch being the absolute favorites.
Qatar might scrap a point or a surprise win in this group, but they should not make much more impact than that. They are quite an inexperienced team, compared with the other three in the group, and they do not have many players playing in Europe ou South America.
That experience at a bigger stage might be the factor that gives the edge to the other three contenders in the group. Though, since they are playing at home and are playing for honor, do not rule them out entirely.
Credits on Featured Image: Tasnim News Agency, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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