FIFA’s world football commission will conduct a group draw for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers in Qatar. Behind this lottery, there are various speculations and predictions. The speculation ranges from hellish group odds to lucky teams. Also, the prediction also boils down to which team has the opportunity to come out as world champion.
The tournament every 4 years is the most anticipated event. This waiting is accompanied by the hope that your favorite team or champion will come out as champion. Not a few of us Indonesians favor certain teams because of the composition of players who defend a country.
If someone favors Lionel Messi, then the opportunity to support Argentina is very large. Likewise, if you don’t like Lionel Messi, then the hope that Argentina will be eliminated also appears. That’s the fate of us who are still only spectators of the world cup tournament. We champion a team not because of the ties to the homeland, but because of the player factor, the quality of a team’s game, to the big name factor of a country.
France is the winner of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. With many top players playing at top European clubs, France can be championed and at the same time the favorites to lift the trophy at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The average French squad playing in Russia will be called up again by Didier Deschamps. Which may be different when Deschamps will again entrust Karim Benzema on the French front lines.
Deschamps had made this when he called Benzema to play in the European Cup. Benzema was suspended from the national team because of the case that happened to him. However, Deschamps looks smitten by Benzema’s professionalism in Madrid. Although France did not reach the final, Benzema emerged as one of the sharpest strikers in the European Cup.
His performance with Real Madrid this season is one guarantee that Benzema will be called up to play in the 2022 World Cup. Perhaps what can hinder Benzema is an injury problem. Apart from Benzema, Deschamps was also lucky with the rise of Ousmane Dembele who played at Barcelona. So far, Dembele has become the top assist scorer in Spanish La Liga even though the number of hours he has played is quite minimal.
His movement on the right wing of Barca often troubled the opponent’s defense line. Dembele’s performance gave Deschamps new hope up front. France’s success in defeating Spain and winning the UEFA Nations League last October 2021 proves that France is ready to face the 2022 World Cup. Therefore, it is no exaggeration if the team nicknamed the Rooster has the opportunity to become the defending champion. The composition of the French squad includes the strongest in the world.
Deschamps’ challenge is to develop the right game system. After all, football has always emphasized team play rather than just emphasizing individual qualities. The French squad also has players who often show individual quality. Kylian Mbappe and Dembele are two players who dare to penetrate between the opposing defenders.
The problem is when their penetration even ignores the position of teammates who are in an advantageous position to score goals. Situations like that can be a challenge and a stumbling block for the team. In fact, playing effectively is a fixed price in the midst of the World Cup competition format. Individual quality must be controlled and the team is more concerned with getting the win.
The biggest challenge for the French national team is how to create a team that emphasizes team play. Deschamps has proven that in the 2018 world cup. However, failure in the European Cup can be a valuable lesson. When France was judged as the favourite, the United States Men National Team (USMNT: United States Men National Team) came with a myriad of young players. The United States coach included young players who performed well in Europe such as Christian Pulisic (Chelsea), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Giovanni Reyna (Dortmund), and Sergio Dest (Barcelona).
With the quality of these young players, the US national team should not be underestimated, let alone judged by a complementary team to the world cup. The situation was different. In addition to many quality young players, the football climate in the US is already growing well. The MLS (Major League Soccer) league is often a public concern.
Although this league is still seen as a destination for top players from European leagues who want to retire, at least the competitive climate has improved. The stadium looks full of spectators. His matches began to be watched by other countries. The young players from the US began to take part in the top European clubs. In fact they became an important player who attracted attention in Europe.
That is, the US soccer team has grown. This is also a concern for countries that are in the same group as the US. The young US players can be dark horses in the world cup in the midst of strong teams such as France, Belgium, England, Brazil, and Argentina .When the French national team is still the favorite, the US national team should be wary of. The blood of young children can be a nuisance to the teams that are considered favorites.
ASL
