Brazil, England, Argentina - A closer look at the World Cup favourites

A multitude of teams prepare to enter the mid-season tournament with high hopes of going all the way on the biggest international stage, and it is France's title to lose following their triumph in Russia four years ago.

Star names such as Lionel Messi and Erling Braut Haaland have already had a stab at predicting their favourites for the 2022 World Cup, and a quintet of teams ought to feel highly optimistic about their chances of travelling home with the trophy on the plane.

Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the World Cup favourites and what to expect from some of the globe's top nations in Qatar.

BRAZIL

Where else to start than with the team with the most World Cups on display in their trophy cabinet? Replicating the success of the Pele, Jairzinho and Garrincha-led teams has been difficult for Brazil in recent years, but bets are already being placed on Tite's side going all the way.

It has been two decades since Brazil added their fifth and most recent World Cup star to their badge, and quarter-final exits have been the norm for the Selecao since then, with the exception of a fourth-placed finish at the 2014 tournament on home soil.

That World Cup in Rio will be best remembered for the 7-1 humiliation inflicted on Brazil by eventual winners Germany, but eight years later, trying to find a weak link in Tite's squad is a fruitless task, even if they did come up short in the recent Copa America to Argentina.

Alisson Becker and Ederson are two of the best goalkeepers on the planet, and being protected by the likes of Thiago Silva, Marquinhos and Eder Militao is a very welcome sight.

Casemiro, Fabinho and Bruno Guimaraes form part of a formidable engine room for Brazil, who are packed with talent in attack, as Neymar, Vinicius Junior and Richarlison prepare to spearhead the charge.

With the likes of Antony, Gabriel Jesus, Rodrygo, Raphinha and Gabriel Martinelli also at Tite's disposal, it is no wonder that Brazil are being tipped to get their hands on the World Cup with plenty of goals en route, but first they must navigate fixtures with Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon in Group G.

FRANCE

As the reigning world champions, leaving France off of this list would have been an act of folly, but Didier Deschamps's men do not head into the 2022 edition with the wind in their sails.

A Nations League triumph has papered over some of the cracks for France, who crashed out of Euro 2020 at the last-16 and very nearly saw their run as Nations League champions end with relegation to League B.

That fate was avoided, but Les Bleus have experienced problems both on and off the field in 2022 as they aim to become just the third nation in history - after Brazil and Italy - to defend a World Cup title.

Injuries means that the old guard of Presnel Kimpembe, N'Golo Kante and Paul Pogba - all present in 2018 - will not compete at the 2022 World Cup, and France have also lost prolific RB Leipzig attacker Christopher Nkunku to a knee issue this week.

France already hold the unwanted honour of being the worst-performing defending champions, crashing out of the group stage in 2002 without a win to their name four years after winning the World Cup for the first time.

Nevertheless, with Kylian Mbappe and Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema spearheading the charge, Les Bleus are not to be underestimated as they prepare to face Denmark, Australia and Tunisia in Group D.

ARGENTINA

The only thing missing from Lionel Messi's near-flawless CV is a World Cup winners' medal, but after getting their hands on the most recent Copa America, optimism is high in Buenos Aires.

Since winning the World Cup in 1978 and 1986, Argentina only have two runners-up finishes to boast about from 1990 and 2014, and their run in 2018 ended at the hands of eventual winners France in the last 16.

Lionel Scaloni's men can take nothing for granted in Group C with Saudi Arabia, Poland and Mexico, but as has been the case with Argentina teams past and present, the Albiceleste attack should strike fear into the hearts of any opponent.

Alongside Messi will be the likes of Lautaro Martinez, Paulo Dybala and Angel Di Maria all ready to strut their stuff, while Rodrigo De Paul and Enzo Fernandez - who has lit up the Portuguese league with Benfica - are not half-bad midfield options either.

Argentina's defence has traditionally been far weaker than their attack, but Lisandro Martinez and Cristian Romero - if he is fit enough - provide an aggressive presence in front of Emiliano Martinez, and recent results certainly work in the South American champions' favour.

A clash with Euro 2020 winners Italy in the 2022 Finalissima saw Scaloni's men run out 3-0 winners - the first of five successive victories by at least three goals for Argentina, with five clean sheets to boot - and a warm-up friendly with the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday ended in a comprehensive 5-0 triumph.

SPAIN

Ten years ago, Spain were unstoppable on the international stage. World Cup glory in 2010 was sandwiched in between Euro 2008 and Euro 2012 successes, but the days of Xavi, Iniesta, David Villa and Vicente del Bosque are long gone.

A group-stage exit in 2014 preceded another disappointing round-of-16 finish in Russia four years ago for Spain, who did make their mark at Euro 2020 with a run to the semi-finals before being dispatched by champions Italy.

The current Spain team may not be as fear-inducing as the Villa-led attack of old, but Luis Enrique's side still command plenty of respect at this level, as evidenced by beating Portugal to a spot in the 2022-23 Nations League finals.

Possessing the two most recent winners of the Golden Boy award in Gavi and Pedri is also a standout achievement on Spain's resume, and they face a clash of the titans with Germany in Group E alongside meetings with Costa Rica and Japan.

One final friendly with Jordan later on Thursday should give some indication as to how Spain will go about their business in Qatar, where Enrique's much-maligned attackers will come under immediate pressure to deliver.

Alvaro Morata and his 27 goals represents the most experienced head in the Spain attack, but fellow 20+ cap internationals Pablo Sarabia, Ferran Torres, Marco Asensio and Dani Olmo have not set the world alight with their club teams this term.

ENGLAND

If Messi says that England are one of the favourites for the World Cup, then England are one of the favourites for the World Cup, even if performances in this calendar year have led to a familiar sense of pre-tournament pessimism.

Many have come and gone since the luminaries of 1966, but Gareth Southgate has brought the Three Lions within touching distance of adding another major trophy to the bare cabinet over the past four years, and the country's morale could hardly have been higher when Kieran Trippier's free kick sailed in against Croatia.

Three years on from finishing fourth at the 2018 World Cup, what should have been a memorable occasion at the Euro 2020 final was remembered for all the wrong reasons, with crowd disorder marring the build-up to the game and racist abuse towards England's penalty-shootout victims scarring the aftermath.

On the pitch, however, Southgate and his young crop had inspired a nation. That is more than can be said about England's recent set of results, the unwanted highlight of which was that 4-0 loss to Hungary in front of a young crowd at Molineux, with that result marking the Three Lions' worst home defeat for 94 years.

Now entering the World Cup as occupants of League B in the Nations League, the world's fifth-ranked nation can feel optimistic about their chances of fending off Iran, Wales and the USA in Group B, with young players left and right ready to showcase their skills.

Harry Kane is itching to finally win a team trophy to go alongside his 2018 Golden Boot. Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice are two of the most in-demand midfielders in Europe. Jordan Pickford always pulls it out of the bag for England at major tournaments. Some supporters may already be preparing for a nightmarish campaign amid constant criticism of Southgate's selections and tactics, but others, rightly so, are daring to dream.