:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71649269/1002031440.0.jpg "2022 World Cup predictions: Picks for who will advance from Group F")
The 2022 FIFA World Cup commences in Qatar with the opening match kicking off the tournament on Sunday, November 20. Group F begins play on Wednesday, November 23 until Thursday, December 1, and boasts two of the most recent successful teams in the tournament. Belgium and Croatia will face each other in group play, while Morocco and Canada round out the four. Below are odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Group F winner odds
Belgium -190
Croatia +200
Morocco +850
Canada +1000
Belgium and Croatia are ranked No. 2 and No. 12 in the FIFA rankings respectively while Morocco stands at No. 22 and Canada at No. 41. Group F boasts some of the strongest national teams heading into the tournament, but obviously, only two of these teams can make it out of the opening stage. It's not far-fetched to reason with Belgium and Croatia having the best odds of the four, given their most recent history in the last competition.
Croatia made it all the way to the 2018 World Cup Final in Russia, eventually falling 4-2 to France. Belgium themselves fell to Les Bleus in the semifinals, with them subsequently finishing in third place after beating England 2-0 in the third place play-off. It remains to be seen whether either team can replicate the same magic in 2022, but their most recent success bodes well for them heading into the tournament.
Who will advance?
Belgium have a loaded roster that is headlined by the likes of Kevin DeBruyne of Manchester City and Eden Hazard of Real Madrid. It's no surprise then to see why they are among the favorites to win the tournament outright, especially after falling to eventual champion France back in 2018. The offense speaks for itself and as long as the defense is sound, Belgium should be equipped to make it deep into the tournament, starting with advancing past the group stage.
Belgium's biggest opponent in this group will be Croatia, whose roster includes the 2018 FIFA World Cup Best Player Luka Modric, who also stars for Real Madrid. Aside from Modric, this team can score in a number of different ways and is experienced in goal with keeper Dominik Livakovic. Aside from a big match with Belgium in the group stage, they shouldn't be a surprise to anyone given their success in the 2018 tournament. Count Croatia as one of the two teams prepared to advance to the round of 16 alongside Belgium.
Picks: Belgium, Croatia