The FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar is finally around the corner after four long years. It’s that time of the year when you don your favorite team’s jersey and stay up all night long to cheer for them, almost like their local country folk.
The adrenaline rushes through your body every time your favorite team is about to score a goal. The frantic praying before every free kick, tears of joy after your team scores a goal, and a sigh of relief after it is successful in stretching the match into extra time makes it such a wholesome experience.
32 teams have teams qualified for this year’s World Cup divided into eight groups. Since the timings of the matches will be very erratic, you might not be able to catch up sometimes. So, I bring you the top eight clashes from every group that you should definitely look forward to for some nail-biting finishes:
1. Qatar vs. Ecuador (Group A) on 20th November at 9:30 pm IST
The inaugural match in this tournament would be between Ecuador and the host country, Qatar. It will be Qatar’s debut in the World Cup. It is also the first time that an Arab nation is hosting the competition. Ecuador, on the other hand, will try to make itself stand out amidst the big names in the tournament. All in all, it is yet to see if team Qatar will have any advantage due to its home ground and support from its local people.
2. England vs. USA (Group B) on 26th November at 12:30 am IST
Even though the Group B fixture doesn’t have any big names in it, one exciting match to look forward to is between England and the USA because they share a history of rivalry beyond sports. While England seems to be the favorites due to their star players, the USA team will look to defeat the former and earn an upper hand on their contenders. The match is already much anticipated as a neck-to-neck game with some fists of drama involved.
3. Saudi Arabia vS. Argentina (Group C) on 22nd November at 3:30 pm IST
Ever since Argentinian football legend Lionel Messi declared that Qatar 2022 will be his last world cup appearance, his fans all over the world have been ardently waiting to witness his final magic, hoping that his team crosses the final race this time.
Previously, Argentina had won two world cups; in 1978 (in Argentina) and 1986 (in Mexico), but Messi wasn’t a part of either match. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia is ranked 51 in the world ranking and considered one of the most successful teams in Asia. They debuted in the FIFA World Cup in 1994. Since then, they have always tried to be consistent with their level of the game. Hence, it would be interesting to see whether Argentina can begin its FIFA 2022 journey with a win or whether Saudi Arabia will upset their strong opponent.
4. France vs. Australia (Group D) on 23rd November at 12:30 am IST
France, the defending champions, will take on Australia in their first group-stage match. While France had pulled a stunner against Croatia in the 2018 FIFA World Cup finale, the Australian men’s national football team (better known as Socceroos) is world rank number 38. It is the only national team to win two confederations. Fans of the France football team are eagerly waiting to witness the dribbling magic of Kylian Mbappe again, while the Australian football team fans would like to see it give stiff competition to its opponents.
5. Spain vs. Germany (Group E) on 28th November at 6:30 pm IST
This is one match that I am personally looking forward to. Both Spain and Germany are inarguably the best teams in the FIFA World Cup and have given each other tough competition over the years. While Spain is ranked world No. 7, Germany is positioned at No. 11. On one hand, Spain would look forward to earning an early point and marching towards their second World Cup Trophy, while Germany would like to forget their early exit in the 2018 Russia World Cup and rather focus on recreating the magic of the 2014 World Cup held in Brazil.
6. Croatia vs. Belgium (Group F) on 1st December at 8:30 pm IST
The entire football world had witnessed the charm of the Croatian football team in the previous FIFA World Cup and it made the whole football fraternity (including me) take a moment and praise Luka Modric and his Co. for the brilliance that they had shown on the field.
Belgium, on the other hand, is one of the big names in their group and has a huge fan following all over the world because of their consistent show in matches. It would be intriguing to watch how Croatia will look to start afresh and get past their heartbreaking loss against France in the 2018 World Cup finale. While Belgium would look to justify their FIFA world ranking as No. 2 in this World Cup.
7. Brazil vs. Serbia (Group G) on 25th November at 12:30 am IST
The current world’s No. 1 football team, Brazil, is all set to face Serbia in their first group match of the FIFA World Cup 2022. Both Brazil and Serbia are the oldest teams to compete in the World Cup. While Brazil has been a champion of this tournament five times, Serbia is yet to debut in the winning tally. All eyes will be on the Brazilian superstar Neymar Jr and how his team will try to play their level-best game against Serbia.
8. Portugal vs. Ghana (Group H) on November 24 at 9:30 pm IST
Portugal is one of the most popular and celebrated football teams across the globe. Their football legend, Christian Ronaldo, fondly known as CR7, is a living inspiration for all aspiring footballers. Portugal almost couldn’t make it to this year’s World Cup, but now that they have made it, Ronaldo and his boys would look to capitalize on their entry by winning their first-ever World Cup. Ghana is positioned at 61 in the world ranking. While they are famously known as Black stars, it would be interesting to see how they put their best foot against the mighty Portuguese.
Qatar stadiums are all set to welcome the teams, fans are all set to cheer for their favorite players and the players are ready to give in all for their country and their supporters. So the only thing left to wait for is November 20th while our hearts hum “Hayya Hayya (Better Together)” — the official song of the FIFA World Cup 2022.