Brazil fans are pictured ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 REUTERS/Marko Djurica
Doha: It should be a walk in the park for the world’s top ranked team Brazil to breakaway from the group stage as Neymar & Co seek their country’s sixth FIFA World Cup title in Qatar while African heavyweights Cameroon and two European teams Serbia and Switzerland will be aiming for the second spot in Group G when the tournament kicks off tomorrow.
With just one day left to the Arab world’s first FIFA World Cup, Brazil standout as one of the strongest title-contenders while the popular data analysis web site Opta Analyst predicts the Tite-coached team has a 17.17% chance of lifting the trophy on December 18.
Brazil are the only nation to have taken part in every edition of the World Cup. The South American football giants who boast an illustrious football pedigree have finished atop of their group in the first round in every World Cup since 1982 – and it is highly likely that the same tradition will repeat in Qatar.
In fact, Switzerland and Serbia are both capable of giving Brazil’s ‘Samba Boys’ a tough time in the group stage, but given their recent form, it is highly unlikely that they can cause an upset.
Brazil qualified for Qatar 2022 following a dominant qualifying campaign where they won 14 games, three draws and without a single defeat.
Brazil’s impressive depth of attacking talent is one of the best among the 32 teams in Qatar Tite has plenty of options in his arsenal, led by their biggest asset, Neymar Jr – the charismatic Paris Saint-Germain star.
Tite has strong options, including Antony, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Pedro, Raphinha, Richarlison, Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr.
He also included 39-year-old defender Daniel Alves but left out Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino in their 26-man squad, saying that Alves still had lot to offer the team despite his age.
“He adds technical and tactical aspects that are impressive, to be an organiser, an articulator,” Tite said. “Sure, he is not a 60 to 70 metres player anymore, but he has other virtues,” he added.
Danilo, Marquinhos and Thiago Silva also strengthen their defence while Casemiro and Fabinho are among the midfield options for Tite as Brazil promise to make lives harder for others in the group stage.
Switzerland, who have qualified for their fifth successive FIFA World Cup finals, are the next best ranked among the rest in the group, and after making it to the last 16 in both in Brazil 2014 and Russia four years ago, the World No.15 team will be hoping to go one further this time around for the first time since 1954.
Seasoned goalkeeper Yann Sommer and Fabian Schar, Manuel Akanji, Granit Xhaka, Remo Freuler and Denis Zakaria are among the most experienced campaigners for the ‘Red Crosses’ while Xherdan Shaqiri and Noah Okafor will provide vital assistance to the rest of the team’s attack as the Swiss aim to repeat what they did in 2018 – a second-place finish in their group.
The Dragan Stojkovic-coached Serbia will also be aiming for the same spot while looking to avoid an early exit from the World Cup like they had four years ago. Incidentally, in Russia, they finished third in the group behind both Brazil and Switzerland.
With Aleksandr Mitrovic, Luka Jovic and Dusan Vlahovic among their options in the front, Serbia have one of the strongest attacks, supported by Dusan Tadic and Filip Kostic out wide, and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic in the midfield.
The fourth contender in the Group, Cameroon are making their eighth World Cup appearance.
Despite missing out on a spot at the Russia 2018 finals, Cameroon have been consistently representing Africa at the biggest stage in the recent history, appearing in 1982, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2010, and 2014 tournaments. They overpowered Mozambique, Malawi and Ivory Coast before a sensational play-off win against Algeria to book their ticket to Qatar.
Top level players in the calibre of André-Frank Zambo Anguissa, André Onana and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting – who play in Europe, are their key strengths.
Cameroon’s main strength lies in their solid midfield and strong attack as the Indomitable Lions aim to make an impact in Qatar.
Cameroon meet Switzerland in the first match of the group on November 24, while Brazil take on Serbia later on the same day as the battle for the top two spots begin.
