Beyond the sense that they could perhaps do with a one goal every two games striker to round out their attack there are few weaknesses to this team. Ultimately Brazil will go into the tournament with world class options in goal (Alisson, Ederson), central defense (Marquinhos), midfield (Fabinho, Casemiro) and forward (Neymar). In seven games they conceded just three goals and no side allowed opponents a lower expected goals (xG, a metric that assesses the likelihood of any shot being a goal) tally per 90 minutes than Brazil's 0.6. This is not a team light on options up front - how could it be with Neymar at its heart? - but it has been the defense that proved to be invaluable for Tite's side of late. BrazilДefeat to Argentina in the Copa America final proved that the Selecao are not unbeatable but the manner in which they advanced to their date with Argentina, coupled with the sedate progress they have made through CONMEBOL's brutal qualifying group, augurs well for next winter. Below we take our first attempt at ranking the best teams who could take to the pitch in Qatar next winter: 1. It may feel different but with just over 500 days to go the list of favorites looks rather familiar for those who have followed international football in recent years. Qatar, the 158th biggest nation on earth with a population 3.3 million, will welcome 32 teams to the country in November with the searing heat of the Arabian peninsular meaning that next year a world champion will be crowned just in time for Christmas. With the Copa America and European Championships over and done with, it is suddenly dawning on the footballing world that it is less than 18 months until the big one: the World Cup and a World Cup like no other.

2022 world cup