The teams from Uruguay and Portugal are the favorites of this group, as recognized by coach César Torres, who maintains that "they are the most opted for because they have great individuals who, although they will play their last World Cup, are still valid and know how to compete at this level".
Regarding the Africans and Koreans, he argues that "they are very physical and have a lot of teamwork and that is why they can be difficult opponents who could surprise at any time."
Let's see how each of the selections arrives.
Lusos go for their best world cup
The Euro 2016 and Nations League 2019 champion team does not start as a favorite to win the title, although with Ronaldo, in what could be his last World Cup, he will surely want to fight for the crown that the cast needs luso. In this longing, the return of Fernando Santos is vital since he was the coach who led them to be champions in 2016. His motto has always been "putting tactics first and technical skills second."
Adjust a record of seven wins, two draws and one loss, taking first place in Group E in the Qualifiers.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Icon and legend of the National Team, he is the all-time top scorer (117 goals) and with the most caps (191), he will play his fifth World Cup. At 37, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner will complete his tenth international tournament in Qatar since he made his debut in 2002. He could become the first player to score at least one goal in five World Cup finals.
Uruguay and its great challenge
It will be the last opportunity for the players of the generation that reached the quarterfinals in 2010 and 2018 to choose to go further in search of the title of the contest that has other teams as favorites. Coach Diego Alonso has insisted that “the most important thing in football is preparing to win. It doesn't just have to do with a word, but with a philosophy” and that is what the Charrúas who dream of the world crown are preparing for.
Luis Suárez Suárez and Edison Cavani are Uruguay's two all-time top scorers with 68 in 134 games and 58 goals in 133 duels, respectively. Both, at 35 years of age, will surely play their last World Cup and will pass the torch to new promises who hope to shine in Qatar, such as Federico Valverde and Darwin Núñez.
Ghana's Stars want to shine
Although they are not the favorites of the group, the Africans hope to repeat the good tournament they had in South Africa where they advanced to the quarterfinals. Qatar's will be their fourth World Cup, after their presentations in Germany 2006, South Africa and Brazil 2014. As an anecdotal fact, the team arrived at the World Cup without the competition shirts, since their props forgot them, but finally "the black stars" will debut without inconvenience with their official jacket.
Thomas Partey
He debuted with the senior team on June 5, 2016, in a match against the Mauritius Islands. In January 2017 he participated in the African Cup of Nations and his team was fourth, after losing in the semifinals against Cameroon and Burkina Faso in the match for third place. On September 1, 2017, he scored his first goal and on September 5 his first hat-trick with the national team, both against the Republic of Congo.
Korea is pure speed
The "Taeguk Warriors" as they are called know that they are not favourites, but they have set themselves the goal of "playing each match to the best of our ability and trying to do our best in this great competition that is the World Cup", according to their coach. Paulo Bento.
In the world past, Russia in 2018, achieved a historic victory for their country by defeating world champions Germany 2-0, with goals scored by Kim Young-gwon and Son Heung-min in the final minutes, a victory that had As a consequence, the elimination of the Teutons, current champions.
Son Heung-Min
He is indisputably the best and best known of the national team's players. He is the captain and registers 35 goals in 104 international matches (9 in the last 14). On June 6, 2022, he became the seventeenth player to reach one hundred international appearances with South Korea after starting in a friendly against Chile.
Source: Elcolombiano