Seven months before the 2022 World Cup, ESPN had fun predicting all of the competition’s matches, from the group stage to the final scheduled for December 18 in Lusail, Qatar. And in this game, the French team is eliminated at the gates of the final…
There are still seven months until the start of the 2022 World Cup. It is a very long time and a lot can happen between now and then. ESPN is well aware of this, but that didn’t stop him from making detailed predictions this early spring. While there are still some places to be allocated, US media reports have chosen to qualify Peru, Wales and Costa Rica because of their FIFA rankings (at the expense of New Zealand, Ukraine, Portugal). †
To predict the competition’s 64 games (from the group stage to the final), ESPN partnered with consulting firm Twenty First Group, which designed a model that combines individual player ratings and national team performance. Mainly based on the most recently played major competitions: the Euro, the League of Nations, the Copa America and the CAN.
Belgium and Croatia eliminated in first round
In this small game, the group stage holds some notable surprises, with Morocco’s win over Croatia (2-1), Canada’s win over Belgium (2-1) or South Korea’s win over Uruguay (1-0). † The Croats (finalists in 2018), the Belgians and the Uruguayans are also out of the first round of the World Cup. Just like Mexico, Japan, Serbia, Cameroon or Ghana.
Placed in group D, the French team starts the tournament with a narrow victory over Peru (1-0). Didier Deschamps’ players are then addicted to Denmark (1-1), just like four years ago. Before he outclassed Tunisia on the final day (3-0). Which opens the doors to the 8th finals.
A France-Argentina contested in 8th
Just like in 2018, the Blues find Argentina for their first game. And just like in Russia, they win again with pain, after an indecisive meeting, this time ended in overtime (2-1, ap). In the remaining 8 rounds, the United States defeated the Netherlands (2-1), Denmark defeated Poland (1-0), England dominated Senegal (2-0), Spain eliminated Canada (1-0), Brazil beat South Korea (2-0), Germany outclassed Morocco (3-1) and Portugal got penalties against Switzerland (1-1, victory over the peloton).
The Blues released by Brazil
The Blues will face the United States in the quarterfinals. And Kylian Mbappe’s team-mates won 2-0 to move up to the last four of this World Cup. In other matches, Brazil defeated Spain after extra time (2-1, ap), Germany eliminated Portugal (2-1) and England sent Denmark home (2-0).
In the semifinals, the French team will face Brazil. For a new anthology competition. But this time it was the Selecao who won and reached the grand final (2-1). A way for the Brazilians to take revenge after 1998 and 2006. In the other match, England defeated Germany on penalties (2-2, win on tabs).
A sixth star for the Selecao
The ESPN journalist who drafted and commented on these predictions vehemently opposed the principle of a third-place match and failed to take into account “the small final” between France and Germany. On the other hand, he points to Brazil as the future winner of the competition. By beating England 1-0 in the final in Lusail (Qatar) on December 18, the Selecao offers itself a sixth star and solidifies its status as the most successful nation in the history of the world’s cup.
