We are now 88 per cent of the way through Qatar 2022, with only eight of the 64 scheduled games remaining.
Yet these eight are the most important games of the tournament, those which will be remembered for years to come.
It has been a World Cup of shocks, with major footballing powers Germany, Spain and Belgium already on their way home alongside the USA, Switzerland, Mexico and Japan.
But four of the five pre-tournament favourites are still in contention, alongside two other international giants, the perennial major tournament dark horses and the fourth African nation to reach a World Cup quarter-final.
So who is left in this tournament and what are their chances of winning the World Cup trophy?
World Cup winner odds
(Odds via Betfair and correct on 7 December)
- Brazil 7-4
- France 4-1
- Argentina 11-2
- Portugal 6-1
- England 6-1
- Netherlands 16-1
- Croatia 33-1
- Morocco 40-1
Croatia (33-1)
Having only beaten Canada in normal time so far in this tournament, many will doubt Croatia’s ability to get past Brazil in their quarter-final. Yet this is a side which benefits from incredible endurance and composure under pressure, as shown throughout the 2018 World Cup.
In Russia, they beat Denmark and then Russia themselves on penalties, before downing England in extra-time. Although they eventually lost to Spain in extra-time of their Euro 2020 last 16 tie, Zlatko Dalic’s men still showed that they are willing to fight until the bitter end if necessary.
Even as the stars of this squad reach the end of their careers, they still have the legs to take teams to their limits, as they did against Japan in the last 16. This group have been in these situations before, and will play compact, efficient football to stop Brazil playing as they would like.
Brazil (7-4)
Brazil really announced themselves in this tournament with their 4-1 last 16 win over South Korea, but have still been the bookies favourites for some time. Their 1-0 group stage loss to Cameroon is their only defeat in 2022, and Tite’s squad is stacked with both attacking talent and defensive experience.
20 years on from their last World Cup win, Brazil certainly have the tools to win in Qatar, with Neymar, Vinicius Junior and Richarlison all in flying form for the Selecao.
Tite has been in charge since 2016, so Brazil’s squad are settled and familiar with one another. Their only success of late was their 2019 Copa America victory, losing the 2021 Copa America final to Argentina.
Netherlands (16-1)
Unfancied before this tournament but always a threat under Louis van Gaal, the Dutch have stormed their way to this quarter-final. 23-year-old Cody Gakpo has emerged as a star with three goals so far, alongside the fit-again Memphis Depay up front and with Virgil van Dijk anchoring a mean defence.
Wing-backs Denzel Dumfries and Daley Blind have caused havoc for the Oranje in Qatar, and Argentina will need to have a coherent plan to stop them causing as much damage as they did in the Dutch 3-1 last-16 win over the US.
The Netherlands are unbeaten in this tournament and through the whole of 2022, and despite having odds of 16/1 to win the whole thing, are just one statement performance away from rocketing into people’s consciousnesses.
Argentina (11-2)
The 2021 Copa America champions are all about Lionel Messi. As has been discussed time and time again, this will be his final chance at winning a World Cup in a career that deserves one. He has carried a disjointed and underperforming side this far, but the Seleccion have not really looked comfortable at any point.
Younger talents like Julian Alvarez, Enzo Fernandez and Alexis Mac Allister have forced their way into Lionel Scaloni’s team, with those three the only Argentine goalscorers not named Messi at this tournament.
This is a team blessed with incredible talent but liable to shrink under the weight of expectation. Messi finally got his first international trophy last year, but the desire to win in Qatar will not have been quelled in the slightest
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With seven clean sheets in the eight games since he took over, Wahid Regragui has built this Morocco side on a rock-solid defence. The first African coach to take a side to a World Cup quarter-final, and only the fourth African World Cup quarter-finalists, the Atlas Lions have taken some big scalps on their way here.
Beating Belgium 2-0 before a 0-0 draw with Croatia in the groups, Morocco then shocked Spain in the last 16 on penalties. Achraf Hakimi’s winning panenka showed the calm and confidence emanating from this side, who had just spent 120 minutes soaking up Spanish pressure with ease.
Hakim Ziyech is the main man going forward, coming back from international retirement after Regragui’s appointment. The Chelsea benchwarmer has been extraordinary all tournament, ripping through defences with an aplomb he has not shown at club level for some time.
Portugal (6-1)
Despite their 2-1 defeat to South Korea, Portugal have been strong throughout this tournament, especially their 6-1 last 16 win over Switzerland. While headlines have been dominated by Cristiano Ronaldo, it was his replacement who got all the plaudits in that game, as Goncalo Ramos grabbed a hattrick on his full Portugal debut.
Without Ronaldo, Fernando Santos’ side looked unshackled, ripping through a solid Switzerland side with reckless abandon. By also dropping Joao Cancelo, they found a balance they had not quite achieved so far, annihilating Murat Yakin’s Swiss side with ease.
The bookies consider this quarter-final to be the biggest mismatch, but Morocco have already shown that dismissing them would be a very poor decision indeed.
England (6-1)
World Cup semi-finalists in 2018, Euro finalists last year, World Cup champions in 2022? Gareth Southgate’s side have flirted with greatness over the past few years and seem to have peaked in Qatar.
Having kept three consecutive clean sheets since their 6-2 opening match victory over Iran and scored the joint-most goals of any side in this tournament, underestimate the Three Lions at your peril.
With electric youngsters like Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka and Jude Bellingham combined with old heads like Harry Kane, Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson, this is a well-balanced squad which perhaps possesses more depth than any other.
France (4-1)
This French side is now defined by Kylian Mbappe, but the incredibly talented squad around him should not be ignored. Mbappe is one of eleven World Cup winners to make this side, and there is also a brilliant young core, with Aurelien Tchouameni already a talent well beyond his years.
Having won in 2018 under Didier Deschamps, France know how to win big games and have more than enough talent to become the second side to retain the World Cup trophy, after Brazil (1958 and 1962). With five goals in Qatar already, Mbappe has been the tournament’s star player, terrorising defenders for fun in every game he’s started.
Their quarter-final clash with England is the most evenly matched tie at this stage.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://inews.co.uk/sport/football/who-left-world-cup-latest-qatar-2022-winner-odds-which-teams-gone-out-2014923
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