A recent supercomputer prediction has forecast that Argentina and Lionel Messi will win the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Having missed on winning the 2014 tournament after a 1-0 defeat to Germany in the final, Lionel Scaloni's side has emphatically not lost a competitive match since 2019 and enters the tournament in superb form. Predicted to go all the way later this year, researchers BCA have published a special report combining data from 192 group stage games and 64 knockout rounds played during the 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups.
As relayed by FourFourTwo most recently, Argentina are predicted to see off Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal in a penalty shootout victory, thus recording their second victory at a World Cup, after their success back in 1986. Some have also suggested this could be the last majority tournament for the pair, so bowing out this would way would emphatically mark the end of an era.
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Down as the third favourite at present via popular bookmaker SkyBet, France will be hampered by Ngolo Kante's recent injury diagnosis, with the Chelsea midfielder expected to miss the tournament next month along with fellow 2018 World Cup winner Paul Pogba. Brazil also poses its own threat given their unbeaten run throughout South American qualifying.
BCA Research stated: “After much deliberation, we believe that when all is said and done, Argentina and Lionel Messi will be the ones to lift the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. "How confident are we about our choice for winner? While we are happy with our pick, Argentina will face many close games throughout the knockout stage, with the final being essentially a coin-toss."
On England's chances, they added: "Our model predicts that England will once again fall short, losing in a close semi-final game against Portugal. Still, anything could happen in a close game, and considering the talent in Gareth Southgate’s squad, it would be unwise to dismiss it altogether.
"While an economic turnaround remains too ambitious, the 2022 World Cup remains a great chance for England to regain its former glory on the football pitch."
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