In less than a week, the 2022 FIFA World Cup kicks off, and the excitement is palpable, with fans eagerly awaiting their fix of football, with all prominent club action now on pause until Christmas.
So, where are your World Cup betting allegiances? Will you be backing the Three Lions out of loyalty or because you feel that Gareth Southgate’s side can actually secure their first crown since 1966? Well, if you genuinely believe that England can triumph in Qatar, then you are not the only one.
Harry Kane Makes Bold Prediction
England goal machine Harry Kane, who is now just two away from equaling Wayne Rooney’s 53-goal milestone, is of the opinion that 56 years of hurt could finally be about to end.
Kane, now 29 and amazingly still without a trophy success to his name, is confident about England’s chances in Qatar;
“We have to believe we can win it.”
“I look back at England 10, 15 years ago, and it was almost [like] we were scared to say we wanted to win it. I think one of the big shifts that we’ve made over the last four or five years with Gareth is not being afraid to say that.”
Indeed, while it is refreshing to hear a footballer make his opinion clear as day, as opposed to circling around the issues and recycling cliches, one does hope that Kane hasn’t jinxed things with his prediction.
“Look, we’re going to this tournament to win it because we believe we can. It’d be wrong to think otherwise. What’s the point of going to a World Cup and not believing that you can bring the trophy home?”
“It’s going to be tough, and we’re going to have to work extremely hard, have a little bit of luck, and have a lot of things go our way to achieve that,” Kane added.
In terms of the 2022 World Cup betting odds, England are sitting in around fourth of five places, depending on which football betting site you visit, behind Brazil, France, and Argentina, and that position is a fair one when you consider Southgate’s record at major tournaments.
In 2018 he guided England to the World Cup semi-finals and followed that up with a final finish at the delayed Euro 2020, so he knows how to get as much out of his team at big competitions as possible.
England start their campaign on November 21st when they take on lowly Iran and then place the United States before finishing their group phase with a big clash with Wales, by which time Southgate will have hoped to have secured qualification for the Round of 16.
Man United Star Blasts Qatar World Cup
Portugal playmaker Bruno Fernandes didn’t hold back in his assessment of the Qatar World Cup, and his outspoken views are no doubt very much in line with many of his fellow players, who may not feel they are in a place where they can make such statements.
The Old Trafford star voiced his concerns about the tournament on a number of levels;
“We know the surroundings of the World Cup, what has been in the past few weeks, past few months, about the people that have died on the construction of the stadiums,”
“We are not happy about that at all.”
“It’s not exactly the time we want to be playing in the World Cup,”
“I think for everyone, players and fans, it’s not the best time. Kids will be at school, people will be working, and the timings will not be the best for people to watch the games.”
“We want football to be for everyone. Everyone has to be included and involved in a World Cup because a World Cup is the world. It’s for everyone; it doesn’t matter who. These kinds of things, I think, should not happen at any time.”
“But for a World Cup, it’s more than football; it’s a party for fans, players, something that’s a joy to watch and should be done in a better way.” the 28-year-old added.
The World Cup gets underway on the 20th of November, with hosts Qatar taking on Ecuador, and one wonders if protests (from players as well as supporters) will be forthcoming or if the scale of the event itself leads to collective amnesia during the tournament itself.
Dua Lipa Will Not Perform in Qatar
It happens at every World Cup, but most football fans don’t really know why. The World Cup opening ceremony is an event that is usually greeted with mild amusement by supporters who just want the game to get underway, but by all accounts, it’s a hugely important element of the overall production that is the World Cup.
Amid speculation that K-Pop superstars BTS might play before the opener, English singer-songwriter Dua Lipa has moved to quash talk that she may take part in the opening ceremony, stating;
“There is a lot of speculation that I will be performing at the opening ceremony of the World Cup in Qatar. I will not be performing, and nor have I ever been involved in any negotiation to perform,”
“I look forward to visiting Qatar when it has fulfilled all the human rights pledges it made when it won the right to host the World Cup.” Dua Lipa stated before, highlighting that she will be cheering England on from afar.
One thing is for sure, the moment the first whistle blows, ahead of Qatar vs Ecuador clash, billions will be glued to their screens (big or handheld) and no doubt looking to sweeten their enjoyment with more than just a little bit of World Cup betting.
