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With each edition of the World Cup or almost, a big nation misses its tournament and takes the door prematurely. Who will be the sad elected official in Qatar in 2022? After a short round table, two names emerge within the editorial staff of Top Mercato…
All lights red for the Blues
If 43% of French people placed the Blues as title favorites according to a Harris Interactive poll for RMC published last month, the editorial staff is much less optimistic and 3 of the 7 journalists of Top Mercato see the band of Didier Deschamps go through! It must be said that with the injuries of executives like Presnel Kimpembe, N’Golo Kanté and Paul Pogba, the Habs will go to Qatar without real certainty about their standard team and with an environment that promises to be experimental. With twelve players with less than 10 selections, the French will even be the second least experienced team in this World Cup! At the same time, the latest results are not reassuring, with relegation to League B narrowly avoided in the League of Nations. Above all, a stat can give tricolor supporters cold sweats: 4 of the last 5 defending champions were eliminated in the first round of the following edition, including the Blues in 2002, then imitated by Italy in 2010, the Spain in 2014 then Germany in 2018… Enough to make the Habs the ideal candidates for the fiasco in a group D including a Denmark that has just beaten them twice?
Belgium at the end of the cycle
The name of Belgium also came up twice in the editorial staff. It must be said that between an Eden Hazard at the bottom of the hole since his arrival at Real Madrid three years ago and a Romelu Lukaku who will be fit who knows when, the Red Devils will be far from showing up with top executives their form… Eliminated in the quarter-finals of the last Euro by Italy, the 3rd of the last World Cup also systematically lost in their last matches against the big nations in recent months: France, Italy (again) and Pays -Low twice… And the defeat in the last preparation match on Friday against Egypt (1-2) did not reassure. Housed in a strong group F with Croatia, Morocco and Canada, are Roberto Martinez’s men likely to be the turkeys of the farce from the first round?
Like a doubt for England and Spain
Semi-finalist of the last edition and unfortunate finalist of the last Euro at home, England remains on two successful courses during the last two major international competitions. But the Three Lions have been disappointing for a year. They will approach the World Cup with a series of 6 games without a win, and with the added insult of having been relegated to League B in the League of Nations. A member of the editorial staff sees Gareth Southgate’s men as the possible flops of this edition. Finally, Spain is also mentioned. Back in force during the last Euro with a journey to the semi-finals concluded by an elimination on penalties against the future Italian winner, La Roja is however on a good dynamic. But the lack of efficiency of Alvaro Morata in the lead, and the absence of a real alternative, raise questions, as does the recent home defeat against Switzerland (1-2)… A tough Group E awaits the Spaniards with Germany , Japan and Costa Rica on the program.