World Cup Group C: Star strikers on show but Argentina the ones to beat
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World Cup Group C guide and odds
We’re assessing the chances of Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Poland in our World Cup Group C guide and you can check the other pools below.
Our analysis of the group includes a look at the players to watch, a rundown of the fixtures, the odds to win the group and qualify for the last 16 plus a verdict on all four teams.
We have guides for every group in our World Cup section where we look at the outright winner market plus all the latest news and odds regarding England and Wales but here is our in-depth preview of Group C.
𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙂𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙥 𝘾…
Leo versus Lewy – who you got?#FinalDraw | #FIFAWorldCup
🇦🇷@Argentina | 🇸🇦@SaudiNT
🇲🇽@miseleccionmx | 🇵🇱@LaczyNasPilka pic.twitter.com/bUJj8RICon— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) April 2, 2022
Argentina
Lionel Messi is surely appearing at his last World Cup finals and few could begrudge him leading the South Americans to glory for the first time since 1986.
The lack of success with the national team is one of the few missing achievements for Messi during a glittering career but he helped to put that right by helping La Albiceleste win the Copa America in 2021 for the first time in 28 years.
Victory over Brazil in the final will have given Argentina confidence that they can go all the way in Qatar but they cannot just rely on Messi, especially at the age of 35.
The likes of Angel Di Maria, Lisandro Martinez and Lautaro Martinez will all need to play their part if Argentina are to make amends for flopping in Russia four years ago, but they are unbeaten in 36 matches and confidence is high.
Head coach: Lionel Scaloni took over from the ineffective Jorge Sampaoli after the disastrous 2018 World Cup and results have certainly improved under his stewardship. Last year’s Copa America success has the fans onside.
Players to watch: Messi is the rather predictable choice here. Time is against him and he may not be quite as great as he was but for Argentina to reach the business end of the tournament, the PSG man surely has to shine. Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez offers the option for younger legs up front.
Fixtures:
Saudi Arabia: Nov 22, 10am, Lusail Stadium, ITV
Mexico: Nov 26, 7pm, Lusail Stadium, ITV
Poland: Nov 30, 7pm, Stadium 974, Doha, BBC
World Cup Group C winner odds: 2/5
World Cup winner odds: 5/1
Verdict: Messi remains the main man but Scaloni has got Argentina playing as a team as shown by last year’s Copa America success and a 3-0 victory over European champions Italy in June. Should win the group and are serious contenders for a third World Cup title.
Prediction: Group winners with a perfect record
Poland
Much like with Argentina, most of the attention of the media and opposition defenders will be on one man when Poland are in action.
Robert Lewandowski is the star man but has much less quality around him compared to Messi.
The Poles failed to get out of their group four years ago, having not qualified for the two previous World Cups, and they have not reached the knockout stage since 1986.
They fared no better at the Euros last summer, picking up just one point from three matches, but qualified by finishing runners-up behind England in Group I before beating Sweden in the play-offs.
Their opening game against Mexico could go a long way to determining their fate.
Head coach: Czeslaw Michniewicz oversaw a couple of Nations League wins against Wales, but took just one point in the four games against the Netherlands and Belgium. Favours a three-man defence and wing-backs, but is flexible in his approach.
Players to watch: Talismanic marksman Lewandowski – who is 14 months younger than Messi – is lethal with both feet, as well as his head, and can turn a game almost single-handedly as he has shown since switching from Bayern Munich to Barcelona. Piotr Zielinski scored twice for Napoli in a 4-1 Champions League victory against Liverpool and is enjoying an excellent season with the Serie A leaders.
Fixtures:
Mexico: Nov 22, 4pm, Stadium 974, BBC
Saudi Arabia: Nov 26, 1pm, Education City Stadium, ITV
Argentina: Nov 30, 7pm, Stadium 974, BBC
World Cup Group C winner odds: 5/1
World Cup group qualifying odds: 10/11
World Cup winner odds: 100/1
Verdict: Lewandowski has the potential to be the star at any tournament in which Poland appear but he is 40/1 to win the Golden Boot for a reason. Creativity could be an issue given Poland only managed two goals at the last World Cup despite being in arguably an easier group than this time around. Getting the service to their captain is the key.
Prediction: The clash with Mexico will be crucial. Draw that game and it could come down to goal difference.
Mexico
Mexico are regulars in the knockout stage at the World Cup, having progressed to the last 16 at every tournament since 1994, so that will be the minimum expectation.
An opening win against Germany four years ago put them well on course to get out of their group and victory over Poland on day three of the tournament would do the same.
Scoring goals was their biggest issue in qualifying, managing just 17 in 14 matches while conceding eight, so cagey contests look likely when Mexico are involved.
Despite beating Peru and Iraq in the build-up to the World Cup, El Tri lost to Paraguay and then squandered a 2-0 half-time lead against Colombia in a 3-2 defeat which deepened the sense of unease about Mexico’s chances of getting out of the group.
Head coach: Gerardo Martino is a former Argentina player and manager which adds extra interest to their second group match. Under-fire ‘Tata’ deploys high-pressing tactics and likes his forwards to attack down the flanks.
Players to watch: The burden of scoring goals was expected to fall on the shoulders of Wolves striker Raul Jimenez but he has not played since the end of August and does not look fit, so the main man is likely to be winger Hirving Lozano, who is enjoying an excellent season at Serie A leaders Napoli.
HUGE names in Group C. Which two teams will make it out of the group? ✨ #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/Bo2JITNSc4
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) April 6, 2022
Fixtures:
Poland: Nov 22, 4pm, Stadium 974, BBC
Argentina: Nov 26, 7pm, Lusail Stadium, ITV
Saudi Arabia: Nov 30, 7pm, Lusail Stadium, BBC
World Cup Group C winner odds: 5/1
World Cup group qualifying odds: 10/11
World Cup winner odds: 100/1
Verdict: There looks little to choose between Mexico and Poland. While El Tri lack a star name on the same level as Messi or Lewandowski, they are capable of being competitive in all three group matches. They will hope to still have a chance of progressing by the time they face Saudi Arabia in their final match.
Prediction: An average team could struggle to get out of the group for the first time since 1978, the year Poland last beat Mexico.
Saudi Arabia
This is the first World Cup to be staged in the Arab world and Saudi Arabia will hope that helps them to be competitive even if progressing beyond the group stage looks a tall order.
The odds suggest they will be the whipping boys of Group C but they are becoming regulars on the big stage, with this being the sixth time they have qualified for the finals in the last eight World Cups.
They begin with a tough test against Group C favourites Argentina and will hope to avoid a repeat of their dismal start four years ago when they were thrashed 5-0 by hosts Russia. That was followed by a 1-0 loss to Uruguay but an injury-time winner against Mo Salah’s Egypt meant they at least ended on a high with their first World Cup victory since USA ’94.
Saudi Arabia topped their qualifying group with seven wins from their 10 matches, with five of those being 1-0, so keeping things tight again will be the main priority.
Head coach: Herve Renard is an experienced international coach and was in charge of Morocco at the 2018 World Cup in Russia where they finished bottom of the group, although they were seconds away from beating Spain in their final match. The Saudis’ seven-game unbeaten run, which included wins against Iceland and North Macedonia, plus a goalless draw with the USA, was ended by Croatia last week when substitute Andrej Kramaric scored the only goal of the game eight minutes from time.
…. And the journey continues✍️
— Saudi National Team (@SaudiNT_EN) May 26, 2022
Players to watch: Striker Firas Al-Buraikan netted three goals in the final stage of qualifying including the only goal in an important home win against Japan. Salem Al-Dawsari will hope to be the hero again as he was with his late winner against Egypt four years ago.
Fixtures
Argentina: Nov 22, 10am, Lusail Stadium, ITV
Poland: Nov 26, 1pm, Education City Stadium, ITV
Mexico: Nov 30, 7pm, Lusail Stadium, BBC
World Cup Group C winner odds: 25/1
World Cup group qualifying odds: 6/1
World Cup winner odds: 500/1
Verdict: Saudi Arabia should be able to handle the conditions better than most teams but that is the only factor in their favour. A squad comprising of players who play solely in the domestic league should be exposed by the world-class talent available to their group rivals and ending the tournament with any points on the board would be classed as a success.
Prediction: Recent results suggest they could cause a surprise against Mexico and Poland which should be low-scoring affairs jusding by Saudi Arabia’s recent friendlies.
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
