The clock is ticking down to the Qatar World Cup kick-off on 20th November, with the hosts taking on Ecuador in the debut match. All the 32 finalists are finalizing their plans for the tournament, hoping their star players will make it to the international arena in top shape without any injuries.
Besides that, many players are desperately hoping to book a spot in their country’s top 26-man team, which must be revealed by the 13th November. Here’s how the tournament favorites are shaping up compared to players from other nations. This information can help punters shine when browsing bettors.ng for the best sports betting sites to wager on the World Cup.
Ivan Toney
Toney has a solid chance to impress during the international break. Harry Kane still needs a backup forward, and Toney has proven he processes the skills to make that happen, making him the first Brentford man to secure a spot in the England senior team since 1939. However, Tammy Abram stands ahead of Toney in the pecking order.
Aaron Ramsdale:
With Jordan Pickford sidelined after a thigh injury, the gunners’ goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale might stake his claim as England’s No 1 during the Qatar world cup.
Ben Chadwell
The Chelsea star is back on the team for the first time since 2021 following a serious knee injury. The wing-back/ left-back is another highly coveted position on the team, and Chidwell could rival Like Shaw for the position.
Edouard Mendy and Sadio Mane
Mendy and Mane are enduring a form slump at the wrong time. There aren’t many concerns about the current African Player of the Year (Sadio Mane), as he won’t go for 13.5 hours without scoring a goal for Liverpool before helping Senegal take on the continental title. However, Mendy might miss the opportunity to showcase his skills due to a knee problem.
Jado Sancho and Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford missed matches against Germany and Italy following his knee injury, and there are still concerns about his place in the upcoming world cup. That’s also the case for his fellow teammate, Jadon Sancho.
Richardo Pepi
Pepi’s inclusion in the U.S. squad surprises many, considering he has not scored for his country or team in the last 11 months. However, he has played well since transferring from Augsburg to F.C. Groningen on loan. That has given him the essential boost heading to the American camp.
Jordan Pefok
Jordan Pefok has tried everything possible to get a call-up from his national team. Pefok scored four goals in different competitions and has been a key part of Union Berlin dominating the Bundesliga table. However, that wasn’t enough to feature in the U.S. latest squad, although coach Gregg Berhalter says he hasn’t closed the door on anyone.
Christiano Ronaldo
Out of favor with Manchester United and still unable to leave Old Trafford during the transfer window, the Portuguese captain has most of his playtime in the Europa League before the World cup. That’s not a situation the star player would have imagined when returning them to the EPL team 12 months ago.
