2022 World Cup winner predictions, outright odds & betting tips: Dutch of class

Tournament predictions, outright odds and betting tips for the 2022 World Cup which starts on Sunday, November 20.

Best bets

Netherlands to win the World Cup
2pts 14-1 Hills

Denmark to win the World Cup
0.5pt each-way 28-1 general

Uruguay to win the World Cup
0.5pt each-way 50-1 general

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Tournament preview

There have been many questions since Qatar was awarded the World Cup finals.

Why them? Why now? Are we even allowed to be excited?

The build-up has been low-key and understandable but the memories of a World Cup on the pitch cannot be sullied by Fifa’s “mistake” in the words of disgraced former president Sepp Blatter over a decision made in 2010.

World Cup memories are cherished for so many football fans and that won’t stop. For Welsh supporters of a certain vintage it will be the John Charles team of 1958, while historians note Brazil’s defence in 1962 – one of only two times the trophy has been retained.

Hurst in 66, Carlos Alberto’s wonder goal in 70, the total football of the Dutch despite defeat in 74 and the Argentinian ticker tape of 78 all go into the folklore. Marco Tardelli’s iconic celebration in 82 and Maradona’s one-man band in 86.

Gazza’s tears at Italia 90 and Baggio’s tears in 94. Ronaldo’s disappearing act on the eve of the 1998 final and his redemption four years later.

Italy versus Germany in the 2006 semi-final – which was arguably the best ever 90-minute 0-0 draw – and Zinedine Zidane’s red card which was definitely the best headbutt in a World Cup final.

Spain’s pass masters taking on the Dutch destroyers in 2010 was a victory for the beautiful game; Luis Suarez’s goalline handball against Ghana less so.

Brazil’s capitulation on home soil four years later gave the World Cup’s greatest cliche-peddling pundits their moment in the sun. The Germans, eh? Never write them off.

Four years later it turns out you can as the unthinkable became reality when Germany crashed out at the first hurdle and France claimed glory with inspired teenager Kylian Mbappe tearing up the tournament.

The World Cup is like nothing else.

Japan versus Costa Rica during any other time will pass us by. But during a World Cup? That’s different.

What do you mean there’s a clashing Zoom call meeting at 10am? It’s Japan versus Costa Rica! It’s the World Cup. It’s unmissable.

By the time the 64 matches will have been played it will nearly be Christmas but who will be number one?

Tournament favourites Brazil’s stacked squad is definitely the best, Copa America winners Argentina bring the best form and holders France possess the best individual players in Mbappe and Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema. All three deserve their prominent places in the market and Brazil are rightful favourites.

Neymar and his Brazil side look worthy favourites to lift the trophyCredit: MB Media

A forward line containing Neymar and Vinicius Junior should be fun, they are robust in midfield and built on strong defensive foundations, including world-class goalkeeper Alisson.

However, Brazil’s draw, which according to the betting would be Uruguay, Spain and Argentina before the final, is fraught with danger.

Argentina’s price has collapsed since the summer, almost halving in some places, with Lionel Messi enjoying a perfect prep thanks to a strong season with Paris St-Germain.

The early 10-1 and 11-1 was way too big but at the current odds you have to be less forgiving of a defence which has a number of players not at Europe’s elite clubs and a midfield is missing key link in the injured Giovani Lo Celso.

That’s nothing on the French midfield having to do without
first-choice pairing Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante. It might be a tournament too soon for 22-year-old Aurelin Tchouameni, Youssof Fofana (23) and Eduardo Camavinga (20) to dominate a World Cup and the jury is out on Adrien Rabiot, Matteo Guendouzi and Jordan Veretout.

France, Spain and England were all eliminated on penalties at Euro 2020 and the low-scoring nature of international tournaments suggests you will need luck.

With that in mind it could pay to take juicier prices.

The Netherlands have never won the World Cup but the draw suggests they can make the quarter-finals without being overly stretched.

There are flaws to their squad, all reflected in the price, for a team who have qualified for the Nations League finals thanks to a couple of wins over Belgium.

Virgil van Dijk, injured for Euro 2020, improves them immeasurably at the back and can form a solid defence with Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt, Inter’s Stefan de Vrij, Nathan Ake of Manchester City and Ajax’s Jurien Timber.

Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong is the midfield driving force and the inconsistent but sometimes brilliant Memphis Depay has been a regular source of international goals.

The squad seemingly lacks depth, although nobody can be quite sure just how far Timber, Kenneth Taylor, Xavi Simons and Cody Gakpo will go.

Louis van Gaal’s knockout prowess is also unrivalled in this company. Champions League, Uefa Cup, Dutch Cup, German Cup, Spanish Cup, FA Cup, he has won them all and led Netherlands to third place at the 2014 World Cup.

The Dutch are in the next cluster outside of the big three alongside Spain, Germany, England, Portugal and Belgium who could all challenge if things go right.

Spain shaped like the best team at Euro 2020 and have had another year for Pedri and Gavi to train on. However, striker Alvaro Morata has rarely looked like the answer and at some stage those missed chances prove costly.

Group opponents Germany have goals in them but they are likely to concede plenty too and that chaotic approach has not tended to deliver results in major tournaments.

Belgium have had better chances before. If Thibaut Courtois and Kevin De Bruyne play the month of their lives then maybe they can carry the rest of the Red Devils but Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard have struggled for fitness, while their defence is reaching the stage where experienced turns to past their best.

England reached the semi-finals of the last World Cup and the final of the Euros and the emergence of Jude Bellingham can only be a positive for Gareth Southgate.

The draw has once again been kind to Southgate and they will be confident 2018 Golden Boot winner Harry Kane will score goals, but most of the centre-backs are either out of form or out of their depth, or both.

Portugal are more interesting. With Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Joao Felix and Rafael Leao they have more than enough ability to go deep and deliver a sensational finish to what is likely to be Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup swansong.

Cristiano Ronaldo will be desperate to go out on a high in his final World CupCredit: Soccrates Images

Ronaldo’s status looms large over the team and there could be a debate as to whether the 37-year-old is a hindrance rather than a help.

Avoiding Brazil in the last 16 will be key for Portugal – or group rivals Uruguay – and at the prices the South American outsiders are also worth considering.

Jose Gimenez can hold the defence together, Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde has been one of Europe’s best midfielders this season and the chaotic Darwin Nunez is a threat up front.

The support cast – Ronald Araujo of Barcelona, Napoli’s Mathias Olivera, Rodrigo Bentancur of Tottenham, the underrated youngster Manuel Urgarte at Sporting and veterans Diego Godin, Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani – are all capable.

Denmark, who beat France home and away in this year’s Nations League are another dark horse to consider and their case is more obvious having reached the semi-finals of Euro 2020 despite Christian Eriksen’s cardiac arrest in their tournament opener.

Eriksen has returned to good health and a defence containing Simon Kjaer, Andreas Christensen and Joachim Andersen in front of Kasper Schmeichel should not be dismissed.

Jesper Lindstrom is also making eyecatching progress at Eintracht Frankfurt, although whether he is the goalscorer to make the most of Eriksen’s creativity is another question entirely.

It seems there are many questions to answer, on and off the field.

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