Argentina's Lionel Messi picks out Brazil, France and England as the biggest threats to his dream of finally adding a World Cup winners' medal to his bulging trophy cabinet.
Lionel Messi Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The 35-year-old Paris St Germain forward will again shoulder Argentina's hopes in Qatar as they bid to deliver the South American country's third world title and first since 1986.
"Whenever we talk about candidates, we always talk about the same teams," Messi told South American Federation Conmebol.
"If I have to put some above others I think Brazil, France and England are a little bit above the rest. But the World Cup is so difficult and so complicated that anything can happen."
Messi reached the final with Argentina in 2014 but suffered an extra-time defeat by Germany.
Copa American champions Argentina are unbeaten in 35 games and if this is to be Messi's final World Cup, they are in the form to deliver the title.
"We are very excited. We have a very nice group that is very eager, but we think about going little by little," he said.
"We hope to start the World Cup in the best way to face everything that comes after. The more you play and the more time you spend on the pitch, the more you get to know each other."
Argentina's opening Group C match is against Saudi Arabia before they face Mexico and Poland.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar kicks off on Monday morning (NZ time) when the host nation plays Ecuador in Group A.
Twenty-eight days and 63 games later, one of 32 nations will lift the Jules Rimet Trophy.
But who should you bet on to win it all? And what are some other smart wagers along the way? Let's take a look:
Brazil football players celebrate Photo: Photosport
--The Contenders
Brazil ($5): The Selecao are the world's only five-time World Cup champions, although they haven't won since 2002.
This could be a good time to end that drought.
Four of Brazil's five previous championships have come in tournaments played in neither Europe nor Brazil. That's a 50 percent win rate within that sample.
And this is one of the deeper Brazilian rosters, built largely with the same players who as U-23s helped win the 2016 Olympic soccer title in Rio de Janiero.
Neymar is still the star, but 10 players scored multiple goals during World Cup qualifying.
Argentina ($6): The Albiceleste are the South American team that has most recently reached a World Cup final, losing 1-0 to Germany in 2014.
They also bested Brazil 1-0 in the 2020 Copa America final (played in 2021 because of the pandemic).
The Copa America triumph was the now 35-year-old Lionel Messi's first major trophy playing for his country. As he tries for his second, the emergence of Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez as joint-leading team scorer in World Cup qualifying gives this squad a different dimension.
France ($8): Les Bleus are the 2018 defending champions after winning all four knockout-phase matches in regulation, including a 4-2 final victory over Croatia.
They also won their group in qualifying by six points while posting a +15 goal differential.
Midfield stars Paul Pogba and N'golo Kante are out injured, but plenty of 2018 heroes remain, including forwards Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann.
Spain ($9:50): La Furia Roja won their only World Cup in 2010.
But a new generation of Spanish stars impressed in their run to last year's Euro 2020 semifinals, where they lost on penalties to eventual champions Italy.
The 21-year-old Ferran Torres led his side with four goals in qualifying. He might be fresher than some other tournament stars, having played more as a substitute than starter this season for FC Barcelona.
England ($9:50): The Three Lions also had their Euro dreams ruined on penalties by Italy in the 2020 final. Even so, this group has more continuity than previous eras.
Gareth Southgate is managing in his second World Cup after England, the 1966 winners, finished fourth in 2018. Harry Kane's 12 qualifying goals were joint-most in all of Europe, and he's in similar form for Tottenham Hotspur.
Germany ($11): Der Mannschaft are four-time winners, last capturing the title in 2014. But Germany failed to advance from their group at the 2018 World Cup and were 2-0 losers to England in the round of 16 at Euro 2020.
Performances improved in 2022 qualifying, and the trademark German roster depth is there. But without injured striker Timo Werner, there isn't a clear star.
