The World Cup is fast approaching, and you might feel like placing a bet on who the winner will be or some other aspect of the competition. It’s the greatest soccer tournament on the planet, and people have already begun laying down wagers in advance.
Don’t panic about this rush, though. There are plenty of places and ways you can take part in World Cup betting. Thankfully, as a result of the US Supreme Court’s ruling that states could decide for themselves whether to legalize sports betting means that it’s possible to bet on sports in a lot of states. Nevada, Arkansas, and several other states allow in-person and mobile betting, though in some states betting on college sports isn’t permitted. If you’re looking to place a bet, be aware that laws differ in each state. You should do so in line with the laws of your own state.
Brazil are the current favorites to win the competition, but what about the underdogs? Could an underdog win the World Cup and surprise the world? Below is a look at a few underdogs who could cause an upset.
Underdogs in International Competition
Anything can happen in international football, and indeed it has, with underdogs shocking the world with unexpected title wins. Greece are one example. Euro 2004 was all about the Portuguese, but Greece didn’t get that particular memo. They defied everyone’s expectations and walked away with the title after a 57th-minute goal from Angelo Christos.
Denmark are another team who didn’t follow the script. They defeated recent World Cup 1990 winners Germany 2-0 in Euro 1992. It was only by chance that the team had even part of the tournament in the first place, after Yugoslavia were banned from the competition.
Senegal are another team to watch out for when it comes to shock defeats. In the first round of the 2022 World Cup, they sent home defending champions France.
But who looks dangerous this World Cup?
Uruguay
Uruguay are regulars at the tournament and have already won the World Cup twice. They’ve also won the Copa de las Americas 10 times. Traditionally, they play with a stern defense, and the manager always packs the middle of the park with players, making life extremely tough for teams that go on the attack. Under their manager Diego Alonso, however, the emphasis has shifted slightly more toward a frightening attacking game while still being as impenetrable as possible.
Senegal
Senegal are serious underdogs but might fancy their chances, having not been pitted in a group of death. Out in their group, they face Qatar, Ecuador and the Netherlands. Things could get tricky in the next round, however, where they could end up clashing with Argentina or France in the quarter finals if they get past the round of 16.
Senegal’s manager, Aliou Cissé, prefers a 4-3-3 formation, and this suits his players. The team is athletic, tenacious, and displays accurate passing. Shot-stopper Eduoard Mendy will be decisive in the lineup, as will emerging star central midfielder Pape Matar Sarr.
Mexico
Mexico are serious underdogs, but, like Uruguay, have also shown up plenty at the World Cup, so you can never truly rule them out. In the group stages, they must face off against Poland, Saudi Arabia, and Argentina. If they’re going to lift the trophy, France, Brazil, England, Denmark, Portugal, or the Netherlands could all stand in their way, however.
Manager Gerardo Martino is a fan of the 4-3-3 formation, one which got him off to a flying start as manager and won Mexico’s first 11 games with him in charge. Guillermo Ochoa, Héctor Moreno, Edson Álvarez, and Hirving Lozano will form the backbone of the team, however, keeping it strong regardless of any changes the manager makes to the formation. Álvarez will be a key player, looking to link up play for the team and take them deep.
Croatia
Croatia don’t have the flamboyant style of some other teams, but they’re a tough side to beat, and since they separated from Yugoslavia in 1998 have competed in every World Cup except South Africa in 2010. They made it to the final in 2018 and finished as runners-up against France.
Croatia will enter the tournament in outstanding form. They topped their UEFA Nations League group, which featured Austria, Denmark, and France, who all were on the wrong end of defeat against Croatia. Central midfielder Luka Modric will be a key player for the team. His creativity poses real problems for teams.
The World Cup is an amazing stage for smaller teams to take a scalp as they make their quest to lift the trophy. One of the beauties of the tournament is that anything could happen. The teams above could just surprise the world and lift the trophy on December 18.
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