One year after the World Cup, the 2018 semifinalist quartet already have a place; Italy and Portugal must go to the playoffs

One year after World Cup-2022 in Qatar, various favorites like France, Brazil or Argentina they already have their ticket in their pocket. But for Italy, European champion, or its predecessor, the Portugal by Cristiano Ronaldo, everything will be played in March in some heart-stopping playoffs.

Semfinalists in Russia

France, Croatia, Belgium, England: the semifinalist quartet of the 2018 World Cup has already qualified for the next World Cup (November 21-December 18, 2022).

Sustained by her experience and her dream trio Mbappé-Griezmann-Benzema, France is the favorite to succeed itself, although the failure in the last European Championship (elimination in the second round) sowed some doubts about Bleus and their coach Didier Deschamps, but that were cleared in October with the conquest of the League of Nations.

The Belgians and their golden generation of De Bruyne, Lukaku and Eden Hazard They will also arrive in Qatar with the highest ambition, just like the English, who are gradually overcoming the moral blow of losing the final of the European Championship at home on penalties against Italy.

The Croats have been less convincing since 2018, and their star Luka Modric will be 37 years old at the time of the Qatari tournament.

Traditional powers

Germany, Spain or the Netherlands they are outlined in their role as usual protagonists in the big tournaments.

But these three “historical” are under reconstruction and we will have to wait a few months to get an idea of ​​their real level in Qatar.

The new German coach Hansi Flick he has had a successful start at the helm of the ‘Mannschaft’ (seven wins in seven games), although it is true that mostly against modest teams.

The Netherlands qualified ‘in extremis’ and is a team that lacks the experience of its glorious forerunners, having missed the Euro-2016 and the World-2018.

The Spain of Luis Enrique he relies on a cast of very young players, such as Pedri or Gavi, aged 18 and 17. After a successful European Championship (semifinalist against Italy), the Red one qualified with justice to the World-wide when defeating Sweden in the last date (1-0).

Messi and Neymar on the poster

Outside of Europe, Brazil by Neymar and the Lionel Messi’s Argentina they are the only two nations to be already classified (apart from Qatar as the organizing country). The five-time world champion and the two-time champion are unavoidable favorites no matter how much the last four World Cups have been won by European teams.

Uruguayans Luis Suárez and Edinson CavaniInstead, they will still have to struggle to ensure their presence in Qatar. The ‘Celeste’ has not known victory for five dates and occupies the seventh place in the South American qualifier, while only the first four qualify directly, while the fifth disputes an international playoff.

Ronaldo and Italy before the precipice

Cristiano Ronaldo, who will turn 37 in February, hopes to enter with Portugal in the very closed circle of players who have played five World Cups, together with the inglés Lothar Matthäus, the Italian Gianluigi Buffon and the mexicans Antonio Carbajal and Rafael Márquez. But to do so, he will have to overcome the playoffs in March.

Because Portugal, champion of Euro 2016, like Italy, European champion last July, failed to qualify directly. These two soccer powers are condemned to go through a path full of traps, with three places for twelve teams, in a format of two knockouts to a single game.

The Portuguese and Italian seeds will play their semifinals at home, but the place of the finals will be determined by lottery. It is possible that the Seleçao and the ‘Azzurra’ will face each other for a place in the World Cup.

Stars in danger

Some soccer stars, like the prodigy noruego erlin halaand, whose selection did not qualify, must watch the World Cup on television.

Robert Lewandowski, best FIFA 2020 player, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, they will play it in the playoffs with Poland and Sweden respectively. But ‘Ibra’ is suspended for the semifinal, and at the age of 40 he could have said goodbye to his World Cup career.

In Africa, Sadio Mané with Senegal, Mohamed Salah with Egypt and Ryad Mahrez with Algeria they are still in the race until the last qualifying round in the region to be held in March. (D)