Worst campaign in Brazilian history in World Cup qualifiers. The phrase was repeated several times this week in sports debates after the defeat to Bolivia and fifth place in the South American group. As much as there are doubts about what will happen to the Brazilian National Team, the fact is that it is classified. Here in Europe, none is officially in the World Cup. Teams with tradition in football have a panic alert on.
The difficult European qualifiers happen differently from South American. Fifty -four selections are divided into 12 groups of four or five teams playing with each other between March and November this year. Those who finish first get direct vacancy. Seconds placed and the four best ranked and leading their groups in the UEFA League, but they did not finish first or vice in the World Cup qualifying groups, play Play-Offs.
This second stage defines the last four vacancies, 16 in total for Europe, and ends in March next year. To further complicate, in the groups with five teams, the teams have played five matches each, while those with four teams, only two games each.
Fear plagues Germany. The four -time world champions, currently in ninth place in the FIFA ranking, are in third place in a group with Slovakia (52), Ireland do Norte (71st) and Luxembourg (92º) and therefore, for now, outside the World Cup.
But no selection worries more than Italy. On the last date FIFA, which ended this week, the Italians gave life to the match against Israel, winning 5-4 in additions. They climbed from third to second place in the group, having one game less.
Play-offs are traumatic for Italy because that’s how it was left out of the last two cups. They won the Euro in 2021, but the last years have been unstable.
The mission of not letting the nightmare repeat to Azzurra for the third time in a row, it is up to the former world champion in 2006 and a newly hired Gennaro Gattuso-there are other selections exchanging coach on time. I hope for them, because I think a pantry without Italy is much less funny.
The current situation means that Erling Haaland’s Norway, leader of the group that also has Estonia and Moldova, has real chances of finally going to the tournament, which has not happened since 1998, when the attacker had not even been born.
Harry Kane’s England, Kylian Mbappé’s France, Lamine Yamal’s Spain and Portugal by Cristiano Ronaldo lead their groups, are unbeaten and have the situation under control – by while. The English won the five matches they played, including a 5-0 over Serbia this week. But in a group without rivals, which also has Albania, Latvia and Andorra, it is difficult to measure the real level of this team, which leaves fans and journalists suspicious of their selection.
Also, as the World Cup champion may be the best at the moment, not long before, it is difficult to nail a favorite among 48 tournament selections that starts June 11 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The true challenges will come soon.
Gift Link: Did you like this text? Subscriber can release seven free hits from any link per day. Just click on F Blue below.
