FIFA 2022 World Cup: Group F Odds, Analysis and Tips
The World Cup is so close you can practically feel its imminence, and football fans worldwide are waiting with excited anticipation for the event to kick off. Of course, this year’s event is a tad different from the other editions of the tournament in so much as it’s taking place much later in the year.
It’s also happening slap bang in the middle of the European club football calendar, which will take some getting used to. Regardless of the date the competition takes place, World Cup betting interest will still be sky high, and we are here to help you make the most of your football betting strategy.
With that in mind, we will take a closer look at each and every group, and today, we will take a keen focus on Group F.
On the face of it, the group seems more than just a little lopsided. In other words, not many would back anything other than Croatia and Belgium easing into the knockout stages, but it would be a mistake for either nation to underestimate both Canada and Morocco, who could both pull off a surprise or two before the tournament is out.
Both Croatia and Belgium, who reached the final and semi-final in 2018, respectively, are arguably not at the same level as they were at that tournament. Their key players are now in the latter stages of their glittering careers, and this may be the last swansong for a number of top talents. Will they go out with a bang?
Group E
Belgium
Canada
Morocco
Croatia
23rd November
23rd November
27th November
27th November
1st December
1st December
Morocco vs Croatia
Belgium vs Canada
Belgium vs Morocco
Croatia vs Canada
Croatia vs Belgium
Canada vs Morocco
10 am
7 pm
1 pm
4 pm
3 pm
3 pm
Team Guides
Belgium
Robert Martinez has now been in charge of the Red Devils since 2016 and has, on the whole, achieved a great deal but is still looking to secure a tournament win. Could that happen in 2022? It would be a tall order but not entirely impossible.
Belgium is ranked number two on the FIFA list, and they have a great deal of strength in depth in their squad. As always, Kevin De Bruyne will be a key performer, and the Man City man continues to amaze while in Premier League action.
However, there are other players among Belgium’s experienced campaigners that are certainly some way below their best. Eden Hazard being one such example. The talented attacker hasn’t been a success at Real Madrid but is starting to make an impact after suffering from poor form and injuries.
Overall, Martinez has an ageing squad, which may prove a problem given the nature of a World Cup tournament when games come thick and fast. This is something of a last chance saloon for this crop of Belgium players, and you can bank on them going deep into the knockout stages, and then it’s a case of whether they can down top opposition.
Canada
This is the Maple Leafs’ first World Cup finals since 1986, and John Herdman’s side impressed in qualifying but may struggle against top opposition. The team’s main performer, Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies, will be crucial, and he will be the catalyst for any kind of success Canada can muster.
Expectations are fairly low and just getting to the tournament is an achievement in itself. The likes of Jonathan David and Cyle Larin may prove a test for some defences, and the team ethic is critical, and the morale in the camp is high, so they may just end up with a point or three by the time it’s all over
Morocco
The Atlas Lions qualified for the tournament in style, with Morocco winning all six of their opening group games, scoring 20 and conceding just one, before they then swept aside the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Ayoub El Kaabi top-scored for the nation in the qualifying and plies his trade in Turkey with Hatayspor. Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech is back in the national team set-up, having retired under the previous coach Vahid Halilhodžić and that’s great news for Morocco as the wily winger can make something out of nothing.
Croatia
Similarly to Belgium, Croatia’s key players are very much on their last legs, and that could mean their tournament could go in either direction. They may find a collective spring in their step as they push for the last shot at a top trophy, or they may not have the energy and stamina to progress long into the tournament.
At 37, Luka Modric is still the man to watch, and the Real Madrid midfielder is still a force to be reckoned with. Elsewhere fellow veterans Dejan Lovren, Ivan Perisic, and Domagoj Vida have all been mainstays of the national team set-up and could still impress.
Zlatko Dalic took Croatia to the 2018 World Cup final and did so by maximizing the togetherness of the unit. They play a very organized game, and their never say die attitude could come to the fore again in 2022, but it would be too much to believe they can make it anywhere near as far as they did in Russia four years ago.
Who Will Qualify
The smart money is on Belgium and Croatia to coast through, and Martinez’s squad should edge their European compatriots and take the top spot. As for Canada and Morocco, well, the clash between the two will offer a real chance of glory.
Group F Winner Odds
Belgium 1/2
Croatia 11/4
Morocco 11/1
Canada 14/1
