The 2022 World Cup begins in November and teams are beginning their final preparations for the tournament.
Of the 32 teams that enter the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, only one will win the international competition. Some of the standout favourites have previous success in the competition and several star players that could make a difference in Qatar.
We look at the early favourites ahead of the World Cup and bettors can check out Vlad bonus offers when picking the latest odds.
France
2018 World Cup winners France will be one of the leading favourites to reclaim their title. With world football stars Kylian Mbappe, Karim Benzema and Antoine Griezmann, Les Blues have the quality to succeed in Qatar.
However, since winning the 2018 World Cup and the 2020/21 Nations League, France has struggled on the international stage recently. Didier Deschamps crashed out of the 2020 Euros after a disappointing penalty loss to Switzerland in the round of 16.
A solid World Cup qualifying campaign followed. But Les Blues struggled yet again in more competitive action. France lost at home to Croatia and Denmark in the 2022/23 Nations League and they drew with Austria.
As a result, France may not be as convincing compared in their 2018 World Cup triumph.
Brazil
Brazil is one of the leading favourites to win the World Cup this year. Seleção has one of the most talented squads in world football with a well-balanced team of experience and youth.
Global superstar Neymar remains a vital player and the forward has started his domestic season positively with Paris St Germain. Younger players like Raphinha and Vinicius Junior will also be looking to impress as the pair have become regulars at Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Brazil’s recent international form has been solid in recent years. A 1-0 loss in the Copa American final against Argentina in 2021 is their only defeat in 27 matches.
Manager Tite has also been in charge of the national team since 2016 and the continuity is likely to strengthen Brazil’s chances of World Cup success in 2022.
England
England showed their capabilities to reach a major tournament final in Euro 2020. The Three Lions got to the final but were beaten on penalties by Italy.
The impressive performance was the result of Gareth Southgate’s commitment to building a young squad that started its journey with a semi-final run in the 2018 World Cup.
Now, players like Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane provide the experience and attacking threat. However, up-and-coming players including Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden also gained tournament experience in Euro 2020, which could help England’s cause in Qatar.
Recent form has been an issue for Southgate’s side. A 4-0 and 1-0 loss against Hungary in the 2022/23 Nations League raised question marks about the strength and quality of the Three Lions to remain competitive on the international stage.
Spain
After dominance in international tournaments between 2008 and 2012, Spain has started to emerge as a serious threat again under Luis Enrique.
A relatively inexperienced side exceeded expectations in Euro 2020 as La Roja reached the semi-finals and took eventual winners Italy to penalties.
Enrique has made big calls in recent years that appear to show a commitment to using talented youth players over experience. Sergio Ramos, Sergi Roberto, Sergio Reguilon, Hector Bellerin, Jesus Navas and Dani Carvajal were all left out of the Euro 2020 squad. Instead, Enrique favoured up-and-coming stars like Fernan Torres, Gavi and Eric Garcia.
The focus on youth appears to be paying off. The young players have been fundamental in recent good form, where La Roja have won nine of their last 12 international matches.