The reigning champions France, who came into this tournament as the defending champions, and with easily the deepest pool of talent from which to pick, are obviously eyeing to retain the title.
The holders France, as shown during their 2018 success to win the World Cup for the second time, their talent pool certainly has the quality and depth to retain the title to be crowned for third time.
But, as clouds gathered over missing Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante, though Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema is a fearsome frontline.
The loss of Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante through injury means the midfield that triumphed at Russia 2018 will have completely changed.
But some off-pitch controversies, an efficient but underwhelming qualification campaign has furthered the sense that many aren’t convinced.
Both matches at home and away in the qualification against Ukraine were drawn, as was one versus Bosnia and Herzegovina, whilst Euro 2020 brought three draws and a round-of-16 failure.
Yet they got the job done with topping the group as unbeaten after throwing in an 8-0 hammering of Kazakhstan.
Naturally, eyes will immediately be drawn to premium assets Kylan Mbappe and Ballon d’Or Ballon winner Karim Benzama, with the tournament pedigree of Antoine Griezmann providing a strong alternative.
Griezmann, famous as a set-piece secialist, although there’s a level of choosing him for the French squad.
Griezmann, who finished as France’s top scorer in World Cup qualifying, hasn’t found the net for his national team in over a year, although some patchy form doesn’t seem to pose any jeopardy to his spot.
The exiled Benzema was brought back into the national team set-up in 2021 and he picked up where he left off, scoring four goals in the delayed Euro 2020. Mbappe had a tournament to forget in front of goal, drawing a blank.
The two strikers’ underlying stats were well-matched in last summer’s tournament, with Mbappe the more prominent in the opposition penalty area.
Meanwhile, wary of the clashing egos and scandals that have engulfed previous tournaments, Didier Deschamps has always placed squad harmony ahead of picking the best players. Despite his pragmatic playing style and being labelled unsophisticated by the French media, that strategy has worked. France are depedning World Cup and Nations League champions and Deschamps deserves better than the begrudging praise he has received from a haughty press pack. However, after a decade in charge, and with his contractup after the tournament.
ENGLAND
England head coach Gareth Southgate will stick with tried and trusted for good or bad of England in the World Cup 2022.
After winning the hearts of a nation with runs to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and the final of Euro 2020, Englnd manager Gareth Southgate is under pressure.
Under pressure to deliver the England men’s team’s first major trophy since 1966, and under pressure to do so playing a more expansive and entertaining brand of football.
Last year, Southgate was only a few penalty kicks away from winning England’s first major tournament since 1966. But the England fans turned against him in the 4-0 defeat to Hungery in June and then again in Milan in September.
England certainly have an established way of playing and that many of the players this time have been there since Russia four years ago proven in tournaments England are well-organised. The experienced and try to be efficient with their possession. England have had consistency at centre-back during the Southgate era but that will be seriously tested this time around. Southgate has always been loyal to Maguire but faces a big decision about whether to sustain that this time.