INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
On Sunday, Qatar will become the smallest country and the first Middle Eastern country to ever host what is considered one of the world&s
greatest sporting events & the FIFA World Cup.Thirty-two teams will take part in 64 matches over 29 days and league play around the world
has paused & with soccer&s focus solely on Qatar.Here are a few things to watch when group games get going:Top TeamsBrazil (No
Neymar, Vinícius Júnior and the rest of the flair-filled team are peaking at the right time
The big question is whether a first World Cup title since 2002 is on the horizon?Brazil will open their World Cup campaign against Serbia on
The &Golden Generation& is gradually breaking up but there&s still Kevin De Bruyne leading the Belgian charge
There is doubt about the fitness of Romelu Lukaku, however.
Argentina (No
No World Cup title since the days of the great Diego Maradona
This will be the first World Cup since his death in November 2020 and Argentina has improved under coach Lionel Scaloni, with Messi still at
its core and leading the team on a 35-match unbeaten run.Argentina is one of the favorites to win the 2022 World Cup
Still the country with the most depth to its squad, despite an injury list that includes Paul Pogba and N&Golo Kante
Now with Mbappé and Karim Benzema leading the attack
No team has retained its World Cup title since Brazil in 1962.England (No
The team has hit a bad patch of form — winless in six games — but has a strong track record in recent major tournaments
England was a semifinalist at the World Cup in 2018 and a finalist at the European Championship in 2021.England was a semifinalist at the
World Cup in 2018.BIG STARSLionel Messi, Argentina
The seven-time world player of the year might have been saving his 35-year-old legs for one last push at a World Cup winner&s medal that, to
many, would solidify him as soccer&s greatest player
He is in stellar form for Paris Saint-Germain at the moment.Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal
He has won the European Championship but the leading scorer in men&s international soccer hasn&t played in a World Cup final, let alone won
He&s 37 years old now and no longer first choice at Manchester United.Kylian Mbappé, France
The star of the last World Cup at the age of 19 and he is only getting better
The speedy striker could match Brazil great Pelé in being a champion at his first two World Cups.Kevin De Bruyne, Belgium
Widely regarded as the world&s best midfielder, his driving runs and crossing are among the best sights in soccer
Belgium will be thankful he is arriving in Qatar healthy.HOW IT WORKSThere are eight groups of four teams, with the top two advancing to the
16-team knockout stage.There will be four games back-to-back per day — for most of the first two sets of group games, then simultaneous
kickoffs for the last two games in each group.There&ll be no break for the knockout stage, which begins the day after the group stage ends
The first day without a match comes on Dec
7 — the 17th day of competition.MUST SEE GAMES
Qatar vs
The first match of the tournament and always a date to save on the calendar.Argentina vs
The first of the big continental rivalries in the group stage, with Messi potentially sealing his and Argentina&s spot in the last 16.Spain
Surely there can&t have been many bigger group-stage matches than this at a World Cup? Two recent champions, two giants of European and
It has been labeled as &The Mother of All Games Part II.& Just like at the World Cup in 1998, the two countries will meet in the group stage
in a politically charged matchup
Diplomatic relations have yet to be restored between the nations since being severed in 1980.Ghana vs
Anyone remember the night of July 2, 2010? In the last minute of extra time in a World Cup quarterfinal match between Uruguay and Ghana,
Luis Suarez deliberately stopped the ball with his hand on the goalline, got sent off, only for Ghana to miss the penalty and lose in a
shootout as Suarez celebrated on the sideline
Revenge would be sweet for Ghana.INJURIESInjuries have hit some of the world&s best players ahead of the tournament.Among those definitely
missing are France midfielders Paul Pogba and N&Golo Kante, Germany forward Timo Werner and England defender Reece James.
Thanks to Ariana
Television Network, Afghan football fans will share in this extravaganza as matches will be broadcast live throughout the tournament.
All
you have to do is tune in to Ariana Television to get the live coverage of one of the world&s greatest sporting events.
For the full
broadcasting schedule CLICK HEREThe post Top teams to watch through FIFA World Cup tournament first appeared on Ariana News.
