World Cup tips: Our ultimate pre-tournament Cheat Sheet for Qatar 2022

Our punting panel reveal their World Cup fancies

The 2022 World Cup in Qatar is almost upon us. A winter tournament which finishes just after Christmas? Sign us up.

A tournament of such gravitas calls for a punting panel to match and Paddy’s delivered with Phil Thompson, Charlie Nicholas, Mark Lawrenson, our top football trader Jason Murphy and Mr Paddy Power himself offering their thoughts.

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We’ve got our top team to deliver their verdict on all they key pre-tournament betting markets. We’re talking top scorer, tournament winners, player of the tournament – even how well Wales and England will get on (clue: it’s not looking promising).

Anyway, let’s get down to business and check out those selections.

Phil Thompson

Charlie Nicholas

Mark Lawrenson

Our Trader Guy

Paddy Power

Phil Thompson

It’s FRANCE for me. They’ve got a great group of players. They know how to win, and can excel and turn it on when they need to.

Charlie Nicholas

I fancy a fitting finale to Lionel Messi’s career with ARGENTINA to win it. I think he’s preparing nicely for this to be the ultimate swansong.

Mark Lawrenson

For me, it’s BRAZIL. In every single position they have quality in depth. I just can’t see anyone beating them They’ll be fine in the heat, too.

Our Trader Guy

I hope it is Argentina for Lionel Messi’s sake but at a bigger price I would back SPAIN. They were the best team at Euro 2020 and I think will click in Qatar.

Paddy Power

The odds suggest they’ve the same chance as England, but ARGENTINA are more likely winners. Lionel Messi can’t carry the team anymore, but they might just deliver for the GOAT.

Phil Thompson

I fancy ARGENTINA here. They’re on a great run, 35 games unbeaten going in, which is astonishing at international level.

Charlie Nicholas

I’m a little torn between France and Brazil, but I can’t sit on the fence here, so l’ll go with BRAZIL to be beaten in an all-South American final.

Mark Lawrenson

I’ve got ARGENTINA as losing finalists. Lionel Messi’s still a top player but going from playing in Ligue 1 to must-win games at the World Cup will be tough.

Our Trader Guy

If the groups work out as expected then defending champions FRANCE will be on the ‘easier’ side of the draw and should make the final.

Paddy Power

I’ll go for GERMANY. It’s a lazy enough prediction but they are such a good consistent tournament team. They’ll surely be there at the business end.

Phil Thompson

KYLIAN MBAPPE is a special player and can take France all the way. I think he will shine and really grab all the headlines.

Charlie Nicholas

Brazil, along with plenty of other leading nations, have a comfortable looking group and if selected in the squad I fancy Arsenal’s in-form striker GABRIEL JESUS to bag plenty.

Mark Lawrenson

He’s not an out-and-out striker but I’ll go for VINICIUS JNR. Every time I see him he gets better and he’s lightning quick. ‘What about Kylian Mbappe’, you say? Well, I’m not sure how far France will go.

Our Trader Guy

I expect France to go deep so am siding with KARIM BENZEMA at a bigger price than Kylian Mbappe. Lautaro Martinez and Cristian Eriksen (EW) are worth a look at bigger prices.

Paddy Power

I’m taking a flyer and going for JULIAN ALVAREZ at huge odds. I think Argentina will go far, so therefore will score lots of goals. If given a chance he could set the tournament alight.

Phil Thompson

I think Belgium will go far, and with that in mind I can’t look past the absolute star, and leading light of Manchester City, in KEVIN DE BRUYNE. If they do well, he’ll have played a big part in that.

Charlie Nicholas

I’m doubling up on Argentina by saying LIONEL MESSI. If there’s still any debate about him or Diego Maradona being better he can end those by being their key player in winning the whole thing.

Mark Lawrenson

I’ll go for Belgium’s midfield machine KEVIN DE BRUYNE. He’s big, strong and absolutely at the top of his game. Simply the best midfield player

Our Trader Guy

The young player of Euro 2020, PEDRI, can take the tournament by storm. Both Barcelona and Spain are noticeably worse when he’s not playing. Honourable mention to Kevin de Bruyne.

Paddy Power

Although it seems unlikely Belgium’s “golden generation’ will deliver a trophy, whatever they achieve will be down to KEVIN DE BRUYNE pulling the strings. We get used to his brilliance in the Premier League, but shouldn’t take it for granted. He’s a generational talent.

Phil Thompson

England should top the group and win in the last 16, but they’ll falter after that. I don’t think they’re good enough to go further, and recent performances have shown that, so it’ll be a QUARTER-FINALS exit.

Charlie Nicholas

They’ve got a decent group, but do tend to struggle later in the tournament. I think QUARTER-FINALS could be the best they can do.

Mark Lawrenson

QUARTER-FINALS, which you’d think for the fans won’t be good enough. Garth Southgate seems to want two holding midfield players, and I’m not sure that gets you enough goals. So many players are out of form, too.

Our Trader Guy

Likely QUARTER-FINALS but I would not be surprised to see them exit at the last 16 after struggling in the group.

Paddy Power

Getting to the Euros final last time was completely jammy and down to the fact that they couldn’t have got a kinder run. It’s unlikely to happen again and I fear LAST 16 is as far as they go.

Phil Thompson

They’ll fancy their chances of finishing ahead of Iran and USA in the group, and I think they will. But I think their tournament will end in the LAST 16.

Charlie Nicholas

I’ve not got great hopes for Wales. They’re well drilled and have great assets in Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey but I think it’ll just be the GROUP STAGE for them.

Mark Lawrenson

I think they’ll get out of the group but that will be as far as they go. Gareth Bale needs to be super fit and Aaron Ramsey keeps getting injured so it’s the LAST 16 for me.

Our Trader Guy

A run to the quarter-finals is possible for this Welsh team. However, it’s most likely they exit at the GROUP STAGE after failing to score enough against Iran and USA, but let’s hope not!

Paddy Power

They should get out of their group handily enough but I think the LAST 16 is as good as it will get for Wales.

Phil Thompson

It’s losing finalists from 2018, CROATIA, for me. They’ve got some cracking players, a strong squad, and can be very hard to beat.

Charlie Nicholas

A good run from an African side is well overdue and I fancy SENEGAL to surprise a few. Edouard Mandy in goal will be key, alongside the experience of club team-mate Kalidou Koulibaly and star man Sadio Mane.

Mark Lawrenson

I’m biased towards the South American teams given the conditions in Qatar, but I fancy URUGUAY will do quite well. They’ve got a good blend of youth and experience.

Our Trader Guy

I think SERBIA will be a fun watch. They have quality all over but most importantly have serious firepower in Aleksandar Mitrovic and Dusan Vlahovic. A quarter-final appearance is possible.

Paddy Power

Unbeaten under Louis van Gaal and with Liverpool rock Virgil van Dijk as their leader THE NETHERLANDS could surprise a few.

Phil Thompson

England may not go beyond the last eight but JUDE BELLINGHAM has been dynamite for Dortmund. Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka are really promising but this is his chance to become a world star.

Charlie Nicholas

He’s starting to make a big impression at Arsenal and GABRIEL MARTINELLI can be a superstar. I fancy him to force his way into the side. He’s so dynamic, quick and technically superior to many other players.

Mark Lawrenson

I just wonder if LUCAS PAQUETA will really explode here for Brazil. People in France have been raving about him, but he’s only just getting going at West Ham.

Our Trader Guy

Keep an eye on Portugal’s attacking left-back NUNO MENDES. He is only 20 and some might be familiar with him as he plays for PSG. Explosive going forward, but also an extremely strong defender.

Paddy Power

I’m going all in on JULIAN ALVAREZ. He hasn’t had much game time at Man City but has looked good when we’ve seen him.

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change

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