World Cup Qatar 2022 Preview: Group C
Image credit: History of Soccer
By: Anthony Tazbaz
Group Schedule
Match Week 1
Tuesday, November 22: Argentina vs Saudi Arabia, Lusail Stadium, 5:00 EST
Tuesday, November 22: Mexico vs Poland, Stadium 974, 11:00 EST
Match Week 2
Saturday, November 26: Poland vs Saudi Arabia, Education Stadium, 8:00 EST
Saturday, November 26: Argentina vs Mexico, Lusail Stadium, 14:00 EST
Match Week 3
Wednesday, November 30: Poland vs Argentina, Stadium 974, 14:00 EST
Wednesday, November 30: Saudi Arabia vs Mexico, Lusail Stadium, 14:00 EST
Countries
Argentina
Nickname: La Albiceleste (“The White and Sky Blues”)
Head Coach: Lionel Scaloni
Players to Watch
Lionel Messi (35): Forward, Paris Saint-Germain
Rodrigo de Paul (28): Midfielder, Atletico Madrid
Lisandro Martinez (24): Defender, Manchester United
Qualification Run
Round 1: 11W, 6D, 0L – 39 PTS and 2nd place in CONMEBOL
Quick Preview
Following a strong qualifying campaign, Argentina enters the tournament as one of the favourites to win. Multiple betting sites and simulations conducted by AI-generated computers, including one from EA Sports, declare Argentina as either champions or finishing in the top three. Following a strong qualifying campaign and winning the Copa America last year against hosts Brazil, La Albiceleste arrive in Qatar with extremely high confidence. Unlike past World Cup tournaments where their star power was disproportionately apparent in their attacking core, this revitalized squad is as balanced as it has ever been.
Led by 35-year-old and seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, the Argentinians find themselves in a position where they can beat virtually any team. Meanwhile, Argentina will also need to capitalize on the fact that their star player is likely playing his last World Cup (he would be 39 by 2026). Despite his age, the PSG forward remains capable of leading a club or his nation to victory against tough opponents. This time, however, Messi is playing with a far better squad, even better than the one Alejandro Sabella coached during their run to the Final in 2014. In addition to Messi, Argentina boasts elite attacking players such as prodigies Thiago Alamada—MLS’s Young Player of the Year—and Julian Alvarez, a resurgent Paulo Dybala, reliable veteran Angel Di Maria, and a clinical twenty-five-year-old in Lautaro Martinez.
Despite shockingly leaving out Manchester United’s prodigy attacker Alejandro Garnacho, La Albiceleste can also rely on a strong midfield with the likes of Alejandro “Papu” Gomez, Rodrigo De Paul, and Leandro Paredes. Argentinians can additionally rely on a solid backline, including veterans such as Nicolas Tagliafico and Nicolas Otamendi, as well as younger in-form defenders such as Juan Foyth, Christian Romero, and most importantly, Manchester United’s Lisandro Martinez, who has been playing inspirational football as of late. Finally, while Argentina rarely produces world-class goalkeepers, Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez is the closest type of keeper to fit the bill. Every time he wears the Argentina shirt, he plays exceptionally well and provides relief and stability between the posts.
Expect Argentina to go for a deep run and potentially win their third World Cup.
Saudi Arabia
Nickname: Al-Suqour Al-Akhdar (“The Green Falcons”)
Head Coach: Hervé Renard
Players to Watch
Salem Al-Dawsari (30): Forward, Al-Hilal
Firas Al-Buraikan (22): Forward, Al-Fateh
Abdulelah Al-Amri (25): Centre-back, Al-Nassr
Qualification Run
Round 2: 6W, 2D, 0L—20 PTS and 1st place in AFC Group D
Round 3: 7W, 2D, 1L—23 PTS and 1st place in AFC B
Quick Preview
Returning for a consecutive appearance on the grand stage (six in total), the Saudis cross into Qatar while tasked with a higher mountain to climb if they wish to see the Knockout Stages for the first time since 1994. In Russia, Saudi Arabia suffered from a humiliating 5-0 defeat in the opening match to their campaign. However, they improved as the tournament went along, with their campaign ultimately ending with a 2-1 victory against Egypt. This year, Saudi Arabia is in a tougher group facing against regional powerhouse Mexico, a solid Poland squad, and a world-class Argentina squad.
The Green Falcons—coached by Frenchman Hervé Renard—will rely on domestic talent from the Saudi Pro League, with the bulk of the talent coming from three-time defending champions Al-Hilal. While the Saudis are up against strong opponents, its supporters—who will merely visit their neighbours (in spite of past political disputes)—can retain some degree of hope for possible upsets. However, for that to happen, several players including Al-Hilal’s cornerstone players, will have to step up. Veteran midfielder such as captain Salman Al-Faraj—captain of Al-Hilal and The Green Falcons—and defenders such as full-back Yasser Al-Shahrani and centre-back Abdulelah Al-Amri will be fundamental in providing stability to the team. Ultimately, however, it will be up to key forwards Salem Al-Dawsari, Saleh Al-Shehri, and young gun Firas Al-Buraikan—all Al-Hilal players—to place the ball at the back of the net. With that being said, Al-Buraikan and Al-Amri should use this World Cup as an opportunity to become trailblazers in the export of Saudi talent.
With numerous players already playing together at the club level, the Saudis at least have a strong chemistry to build on. To produce a meaningful run, The Green Falcons will have to spend their days vigorously training and spend their nights carefully study their opponents.
Mexico
Nickname: El Tri (“The Tri [colours]”)
Head Coach: Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino
Players to Watch
Hirving Lozano: Forward, S.S.C. Napoli
Andres Guardado: Midfielders, Real Betis
Guillermo Ochoa: Goalkeeper, Club America
Qualification Run
Round 3: 8W, 4D, 2L—28 PTS and 2nd place in CONCACAF
Quick Preview
Entering their eighth consecutive World Cup tournament, will Mexico qualify for the Round of 16 in as many occasions? Or can El Tri clinch the quarter-finals for the first time since they hosted the tournament in 1986? Truth be told, they have a tough group, and it will take the likes of Hirving Lozano and Raul Jimenez to produce some magic against a world-class Argentinian side and a strong Polish squad. Although Lozano and Jimenez immensely contribute for the team, El Tri can also rely on veteran leadership in the midfield by Andres Guardado—Mexico’s most capped player (178)—and Hector Herrera, both veterans who experienced their fair share of major tournaments, namely at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the Confederations’ Cup, and the World Cup.
However, Mexico’s priorities changed over the last several years. El Tri has officially ditched major players such as Carlos Vela, Giovanni and Jonathan dos Santos, Miguel Layún, Marco Fabián, Oribe Peralta, and all-time leading scorer Javier Hernandez (52). Today, the bulk of Mexico’s squad originates from clubs within its borders in Liga MX, many of whom play for Monterrey, Club America, Chivas Guadalajara, Cruz Azul, and Pachuca. Domestic players to watch for at this tournament include reliable veterans such as defender Héctor Moreno and goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa (you can always count of him performing at the World Cup).
Despite the opportunity to display their domestic talent on the grand stage, El Tri appears weaker this year vis-à-vis past competitions. Although they finished second in qualifying, their campaign was far from inspiring when you look at who they were up against. Ultimately, Argentina will likely prove too powerful for them and Poland will be an incredibly difficult challenge. However, we do not need to think long and hard before realizing that Mexico has a habit of producing upsets against global heavyweights during the Group Stage…
Poland
Nickname: Bialo-Czerwoni (“White-red”)
Head Coach: Czeslaw Michniewicz
Players to Watch
Robert Lewandowski (34): Forward, FC Barcelona
Piotr Zielinski (28): Midfielder, S.S.C. Napoli
Nicola Zalewski (20): Midfielder, AS Roma
Qualification Run
Round 1: 6W, 2D, 2L—20 PTS and 2nd place in UEFA Group I
Round 2: Playoffs
UEFA Playoff Semi-final: Russia vs Poland—CANCELLED
UEFA Playoff Final: Poland 2-0 Sweden
Quick Preview
The Bialo-Czerwoni make a return to the World Cup following a disappointing performance in Russia, ultimately crashing out in the Group Stage. Speaking of Russia, Poland secured a bye to the UEFA qualifiers playoffs final due to Russia receiving the boot by UEFA following the invasion of Ukraine. However, the Poles demonstrated their worth of being a World Cup participant after defeating Sweden 2-0. Up against CONCACAF and AFC heavyweights Mexico and Saudi Arabia, a team of Poland’s calibre should not have too many issues in securing a spot for the Knockout Stages. Their strength and team chemistry could also prove challenging for Argentina.
Poland’s second advantage is their experience. The majority of their core players are either in their thirties or late twenties. The core includes world-class striker Robert Lewandowski, who is the nation’s most capped and highest scorer, at 134 and 76 respectively. Lewandowski will also reunite with Juventus’s reliable striker Arkadiusz Milik, as well as being a mentor to twenty-year-old Jakub Kaminski, a young gun for VFL Wolfsburg. Behind this underrated attack consists of a solid midfield led by Kamil Grosicki, Grzegorz Krychowiak, and an in-form Piotr Zielinski—all of whom obtained at least 74 caps. However, remain on the lookout for Nicola Zalewski, a twenty-year-old who made his AS Roma debut in May 2021 and is rapidly ascending the club’s ranks – having also obtained 7 caps so far. In the near future, Zalewski will become an integral piece of the squad’s core. At the back, the Poles can rely on a solid backline comprising centre-backs Kamil Glik and Jan Bednarek, a former Ligue 1 champion at AS Monaco and a starter on Premier League outfit Aston Villa, respectively. Between the posts, Juventus’s Wojciech Szczesny will need to be as reliant as the rest of the team if they are to advance to the Round of 16 for the first time since 1986 in Mexico.
Group Table Predictions
1. Argentina: 2W, 1D, 0L, 7 PTS
2. Poland: 1W, 2D, 0L, 5 PTS
3. Mexico: 1W, 1D, 1L, 4 PTS
4. Saudi Arabia: 0W, 0D, 3L, 0 PTS
