In any major football tournament, games are won and lost thanks to individual moments of brilliance. The best players in the world are on display at Qatar 2022 and they will all need to contribute if their respective teams are to enjoy success.
So, who are the men with the destiny of this year’s World Cup at their feet?
Star Strikers
England captain Harry Kane could be the man to watch in Qatar. He was the leading goal scorer at the previous tournament in Russia four years ago and won the tournament’s Golden Boot trophy in the process. In the World Cup betting, Harry Kane is the favourite to top score once again at Qatar 2022.
The prolific centre forward has 51 goals for his country and is looking to go past Wayne Rooney’s all-time record of 53 while in Qatar. If England are to go deep into the competition, Harry Kane would have played a key role.
Those top scorer ดูบอลออนไลน์ betting markets underline other key strikers that we should be looking out for. Like Harry Kane, Brazil’s Neymar is looking to break his country’s record for goals with the great Pele’s milestone in his sights.
France won the World Cup four years ago and they go into Qatar with a fearsome frontline. Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann and Karim Benzema will all be hoping to take their team to the final once again.
Elsewhere, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski will be aiming to drive Portugal, Argentina and Poland respectively.
Midfield Maestros
Goals win games but those key strikers need support from behind. Midfielders need to provide assists while chipping in with important scoring contributions of their own. One player who fits that profile is England’s Raheem Sterling.
The Chelsea winger would like to improve his scoring record at the major tournaments, but he’s been productive at domestic level. Crosses and passes into Harry Kane can unlock success for this England team and Sterling is a vital player in Qatar.
Elsewhere, many were surprised to see Croatia make it through to the World Cup final four years ago. This was, however, a talented squad, even if they did fall short at the last hurdle.
The man pulling the strings for the Croatians was the Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric. With pinpoint passing and his threat from set piece situations, Modric will be instrumental for Croatia once again.
As for the best midfielder in the game, many would say that this particular accolade belongs to Belgium’s Kevin de Bruyne. The Manchester City man is another player who combines a good record of assists with an impressive tally of goals. De Bruyne has scored 25 goals in his first 93 senior games and his effective link up play will be essential in Qatar.
Other exciting midfielders to watch at this year’s World Cup will include Casemiro of Brazil, Bruno Fernandes of Portugal and Germany’s Joshua Kimminch.
Tight at the back
Behind the midfield are the defenders looking to cut down opportunities for those prolific centre forwards. After missing out on qualification for Russia 2018, the Netherlands are looking to make an impression in Qatar and Virgil van Dijk is the leader of their defence.
Van Dijk became the most expensive defender in world football when he transferred from Southampton to Liverpool in 2019 and he’s justified his fee at both domestic and international level.
One of the more exciting defenders in Qatar will be Van Dijk’s Liverpool teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold. Not only is the England international effective at the back, he’s also a creative attacking player with accurate crosses and the ability to score from the flanks.
Football fans should also look out for Thiago Silva of Brazil, Jaoa Cancelao of Portugal and Jules Kounde of France.
Between the Posts
France captain Hugo Lloris enjoyed the rare honour of lifting the World Cup trophy at Russia 2018. With more than 100 international caps to his name, Lloris is one of the most experienced players in the game and he’s also one of the key goalkeepers in Qatar.
Along with Hugo Lloris, there is a host of star goalkeepers looking to frustrate the likes of Neymar, Kane, Messi, Ronaldo and Mbappe.
Brazil are favourites to win the 2022 World Cup and they have two exceptional keepers at their disposal. Liverpool’s Alisson and Manchester City’s Ederson will be battling for the number one jersey with the more experienced Alisson likely to get the nod.
Belgium are one of the higher ranked outsiders in Qatar. They have a talented squad, many of whom secured third place at Russia 2018, and they rely heavily on the experienced Thibaut Courtois between the posts.
Germany are also hopeful of progression, but an injury to their first choice keeper Manuel Neuer is causing concern.
Talent Pool
With some notable exceptions, the world’s best players will all be on display in Qatar through November and December. Early predictions suggest that it’s going to be tight between the higher ranked countries with Brazil, France, England, Germany, Argentina and Spain all expected to do well.
Only one country can win the World Cup and, while this is a team sport, it will all come down to individual brilliance in the end. The players most likely to decide the destiny of the trophy are all in this round up, but who will make the most vital contributions at this year’s tournament?