FIFA World Cup: Favorites, stars, storylines, must-watch games, betting and more

The biggest sporting event in the world, the FIFA World Cup, begins tomorrow, with play set to kick off in Qatar on Nov. 20 when the host nation takes on Ecuador.

There might not be as much pomp during the buildup to the 2022 World Cup. The World Cup is taking place in the heart of the European club seasons, with players making appearances for their clubs as short as six days before the tournament’s start. It has been surrounded by controversy, scandal, scrutiny, and tragedy. Nevertheless, it is a World Cup, and the biggest prize in international men’s football is on the line in Qatar.

It’s the last 32-team edition of the competition, with expansion to 48 due for the 2026 World Cup that will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada. And while size of the field and the format may be familiar and commonplace, given all of the unusual elements in play, the next few weeks could be filled with some unexpected twists, unlikely runs and surprise early departures.

Could it be a glorious final World Cup for Lionel Messi with Argentina? If so, what of his Paris Saint-Germain teammates Kylian Mbappe and Neymar? In order to get you ready for the biggest competition in the world, we’ve put together a primer for the fan. From tournament favorites and popular narratives to some of the more obscure storylines to follow, there’s something here for everyone.

Winter Tournament

If you believe that the World Cup should not be taking place now, you are correct. Normally held between June and July, the tournament is being hosted this year by Qatar, a country known for its “fried an egg on the road” summers. Originally, Qatar’s bid pledged that they could build artificial flying clouds to cover entire matches and entirely air-condition stadiums. Seriously. The mockups resembled enormous anime warplanes.

The World Cup is held in November and December because none of those promises were fulfilled in a way that would make an average July temperature of 105 degrees Fahrenheit unnecessary. The stadiums will still require air conditioning even then because the temperature will probably rise into the 80s. Due to the tournament’s schedule, the majority of the world’s top soccer leagues will similarly take a month off in the middle of their seasons.

Players to Watch

This World Cup seems like it will finally be the ‘last dance’ for several players who have defined and dominated the game for the past decade and beyond. At the same time, there are a lot of players eager to fill the voids they will unavoidably leave, and the World Cup is the ideal venue for doing so.

Aging stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are the two players who need no introduction. They are both in attendance at the World Cup, but their chances of winning the grand prize don’t appear to be equal.

While Ronaldo has languished on the bench at Manchester United and Portugal had to sneak into the World Cup through the playoffs, Argentina is coming off of Messi’s first ever major international trophy at last year’s Copa America. Argentina is unbeaten in 36 matches and also have the emotional boost of Messi saying that this is his last World Cup, while Ronaldo … well, it’s Ronaldo. He’s probably got some cyborg strength and conditioning coach, and we wouldn’t bet against seeing him in 2026 when the World Cup comes to the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Portugal also has a much tougher group than Argentina, which doesn’t bode well for Ronaldo’s hopes of winning his first World Cup.

There are many other icons potentially making their final World Cup appearances outside the big two. At 37 years old, Luka Modric will surely play for Croatia. Thiago Silva (39) and Dani Alves (39) are travelling with Brazil (38). Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, two 35-year-olds for Uruguay, will be heavily relied upon.

The new blood

A talented new generation is prepared to leave their imprint. There are a number of young Englishmen who, like Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Declan Rice, and Bukayo Saka, would dearly love to bring the nation its first World Cup since 1966. Bellingham will be of particular interest because of his performances for Borussia Dortmund, who many Premier League supporters want to sign in the January transfer window.

Spain also has a pair of young stars in Pedri and Gavi who’ll be making their way from Barcelona to the World Cup. There’s also the interesting case of Jamal Musiala, Bayern Munich’s German winger by way of England. Musiala, born in Germany but raised since age 7 in England, finally decided to represent Germany at the senior level last year, becoming an integral part of manager Hansi Flick’s set-up.

The world’s most electric young player, Erling Haaland, won’t be making an appearance after Norway failed to qualify.

A point to prove

This group is intriguing because it has a number of athletes who are at drastically different points in their careers. For virtually his entire life, Kylian Mbappe has been the “next big thing.” He made his debut at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, which France won. But because he continues to play for PSG in France, where the competition isn’t as fierce as it is in LaLiga and the Premier League, for instance, some have even questioned whether he belongs among the world’s best players. He has yet to dominate the game like Messi or Ronaldo have.

Vinicius Junior has established himself as a valuable part of Real Madrid’s first team and one of LaLiga’s most feared wingers, justifying the £38 million transfer cost Real Madrid paid to acquire him few years ago. It’s now his turn to make his mark in Brazil as well. Brazil has followed Neymar’s lead for the last two World Cups, so it is fantastic news for them that he has recently been playing at his peak for PSG. The team’s standard of excellence seldom changes from year to year, but Neymar is frequently the key to giving Brazil the extra edge they require to get over the finish line.

Christian Pulisic is currently just trying to establish that he is deserving of more respect than he currently receives at Chelsea. He has only occasionally played for his team, is prone to extended cold streaks, and has had a history of injuries ever since he joined the team. If the USMNT wants to advance past the group stage of this World Cup, Pulisic will need to provide answers.

Obviously, that hasn’t been enough to bring the most successful country in history back to World Cup glory (they won their fifth World Cup title in 2002, making the 20-year title drought one of the country’s longest), and it’s time for Brazil to get themselves a new talisman attacker. Enter Vinicius Junior, or Vini for short.

Qatar will also be an excellent chance to put faces to names you may have heard but haven’t seen play, and also spot new talent. 23-year-old Rafael Leao is a known quantity to fans of Portugal and Serie A, but the AC Milan man has a tendency to pull off the stupendous that could considerably raise his profile in Qatar.

Must-watch games

While so much of the drama of the World Cup happens in the knockout stage, the group stage will have plenty of juicy games that fans and neutrals alike can enjoy.

Qatar vs. Ecuador (Nov. 20): It’s the first match of the tournament, and many people’s first-time watching Qatar play. While they’re not expected to go particularly far in this tournament, as the 50th best team in the world according to FIFA’s rankings, their first match against Ecuador (FIFA ranking: 44) will be an excellent barometer to gauge their strengths and weaknesses.

Senegal vs. Netherlands (Nov. 21): Senegal finally broke through on the international stage last year, winning their first Africa Cup of Nations. Now, Aliou Cisse’s men will look to prove they’re one of the best teams in the world against the Netherlands to start their tournament.

Senegal are routinely one of the world’s most entertaining squads to watch, and this match between Group A’s heavyweights looks like it will be a crowd-pleaser. The game also carries the added weight of being the opener for Louis van Gaal’s third and likely final World Cup as manager for the Dutch, especially as he has spent the year battling health issues while guiding the Netherlands to a 15-game unbeaten run.

Brazil vs. Serbia (Nov. 24): Brazil enter the World Cup as favorites to win it all, and they’re bringing nine forwards with them. Nine. It seems to us like they plan on scoring a lot of goals.

England vs. United States (Nov. 25): Celebrate Black Friday with some good old fashioned imperialist dread. Group B is a tricky one for everyone involved, with Iran and Wales rounding out the group. And while it won’t be do-or-die for either of these teams as the second match, the U.S. have a winning record against England in FIFA competitions. The Three Lions will look for revenge after finishing second in their group behind the Americans in 2010.

Argentina vs. Mexico (Nov. 26): On one side, Messi is hoping to win his first World Cup. On the other is Mexico, a team that haven’t managed to crack through to the quarterfinal stage since they were the hosts in 1986. Former Argentina manager and current Mexico manager Tata Martino gives this match an interesting wrinkle, too.

Bookies’ favorite

Brazil enters the World Cup as the betting favorite to win it all, which would be enormous for the country. Even though they are the most decorated country in international football, it has been 20 years since they last won the World Cup. Brazil is in desperate need of a victory after the disastrous World Cup defeats to Germany in 2014 and Belgium in 2018.

The reigning champs France is also worth watching even if for no other reason than you never know what you’re going to get. They have a talented group, which could bring them more championships. They would become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win consecutive men’s World Cups. When it comes to World Cups, France, though, have a history of disintegrating (remember the player uprising in South Africa in 2010?). France are a must-watch because they’re never far from trouble or success.

And did we mention Messi? Because man, does that guy deserve a break in the international game. Argentina won the World Cup in 1978 and 1986 but have often faltered at the last possible moments with Messi in the team. After finally winning a Copa America last year, can he end his World Cup career at an all-time high and secure GOAT status over Ronaldo?

Or course, you can always root for some underdogs. Only eight teams have ever won the men’s World Cup to begin with, leaving a decent chance that the tournament might see a first-time winner.

Who are you betting on?

If you’re looking to make the games even more interesting, you can always take a look at some of the most popular betting lines heading into the tournament.

WILLIAM HILL

Winners:

* Brazil – 7/2

* Argentina – 5/1

* France – 7/1

* England – 7/1

* Spain – 9/1

Top goalscorer:

* Harry Kane (England) – 8/1

* Kylian Mbappe (France) – 8/1

* Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 10/1

* Karim Benzema (France) – 12/1