The World Cup Take 2022, Issue 5: And Then There Were Eight

Before anything else, let's take a look at the state of my bracket heading into the round of 16.

Team and position right: 6/16
Team right, position wrong: 2/16
Wrong: 8/16

A slew of early upsets did some serious damage to my bracket. Nevertheless, half my picks advanced to the round of 16 with England, Portugal, the Netherlands, Argentina, Brazil, and South Korea qualifying in the positions I had predicted.

As for the round of 16 itself, here's how the teams got on.

Netherlands 3-1 United States

The Netherlands were not really tested until late on in a fairly one-sided win. Memphis Depay and Daley Blind gave the Oranje a 2-0 half-time lead. Haji Wright pulled one back for the US, but Denzel Dumfries scored five minutes later to put the Netherlands into the quarterfinals as they continue to make an under-the-radar run through the tournament.

Argentina 2-1 Australia

This was a much tougher match than what Argentina might have expected. After going 2-0 ahead, Argentina took their foot off the gas, allowing Australia to pull one back through an Enzo Fernández own goal. Australia continued to press forward late on, but Argentina held on to the victory thanks to a crucial block from Lisandro Martínez and Emiliano Martínez's stoppage-time save.

France 3-1 Poland

France dominated this match right from the opening kick-off. Olivier Giroud became France's all-time leading goalscorer with his first-half goal before two Kylian Mbappé goals after the break made the victory secure. With this convincing win, France might just have positioned themselves as the tournament's leading title contender.

England 3-0 Senegal

England set up a hype-filled Channel derby in the quarterfinals after taking Senegal apart. Senegal never really stood a chance; the final scoreline of 3-0 could easily have been even more one-sided in England's favour. Harry Kane got off the mark for the tournament; his goal leaves him one behind Wayne Rooney as he closes in on becoming England's top goalscorer ever.

Japan 1-1 Croatia (Croatia win 3-1 on penalties)

Croatia maintained their flawless World Cup penalty shootout record by beating Japan to advance to the quarterfinals. Dominik Livaković saved three penalties to equal the tournament record and deny Japan a first-ever quarterfinal berth. It doesn't get any easier for Croatia - they will be clear underdogs when they face Brazil in the quarterfinals.

Brazil 4-1 South Korea

In a lop-sided victory, Brazil outclassed South Korea in every way imaginable with all four goals coming in the first half. Four different Seleção players made it onto the scoresheet as Brazil showcased just why they are serious title contenders. Brazil also made history when Weverton came in off the bench, making Brazil 2022 the first team in the 26-per-squad era to use their entire roster.

Morocco 0-0 Spain (Morocco win 3-0 on penalties)

The Atlas Lions caused the first major upset of the knockout stage, sending Spain to a second consecutive last-16 exit. Achraf Hakimi sealed the victory with a Panenka. Spain's woeful World Cup penalty shootout record reached a new low - they lost a record-breaking fourth shootout, breaking a tie with Italy and England.

Portugal 6-1 Switzerland

Gonçalo Ramos scored a hattrick as Fernando Santos' decision to bench Cristiano Ronaldo paid major dividends. This was unquestionably the best single-match team performance of the tournament thus far. It appears that Portugal might have inadvertently come across the "secret formula" that makes it work and propels them into title contention.

Now, let's take a look ahead and consider what the quarterfinals might have in store.

Croatia vs Brazil

For the second consecutive tournament, Croatia have made an unexpectedly deep run. However, in the Vatreni's run to the 2018 final, their only true upset victory came against England in the semifinals. Brazil 2022, however, are clearly a tier above England 2018 as was displayed in their round of 16 match vs South Korea. This is where Croatia's tournament comes to an end.

Netherlands vs Argentina

The Netherlands have been understated, yet quietly impressive throughout this tournament. That being said, Argentina will be the first elite team which they face. In this rematch of the 1978 final, Argentina's higher level of star power as well as their desire to "win it for Lionel Messi" should be enough to see them past the Oranje who seem to lack that extra edge to put them over the top.

Morocco vs Portugal

Having become just the fourth African team to reach the World Cup quarterfinals, Morocco are playing with house money at this point. I can even see Morocco giving a somewhat overrated Portugal side all that they can handle. That being said, Portugal should easily beat Morocco and make it to the semifinals.

England vs France

Though France might enter this Channel derby as slight favourites, it must be kept in mind that arguably the most difficult accomplishment in sports is retaining a World Cup title. With that fact in mind as well as the rivalry aspect of this match, England will never have a better opportunity to get one over their arch-rivals on the biggest stage of all - something I see them doing.

The World Cup Take 2022, Issue 4: The Final Cuts

The World Cup's group stage is now in the books. Many of the favourites made it to the last 16; there were also several shocking eliminations. Here is how the final group stage matches played out.

Ecuador 1-2 Senegal

Senegal completed an impressive turnaround after losing their first group-stage match, qualifying for the last 16 by beating Ecuador. Senegal made it out of the group stage for the first time in 20 years. Kalidou Koulibaly scored the goal which put the Lions of Teranga into the next round.

Qatar 0-2 Netherlands

Host country Qatar's dismal campaign came to a merciful end at the hands of the Oranje. Cody Gakpo scored for the third consecutive match before Frenkie de Jong finished Qatar off. The Netherlands will now be highly favoured when they face the United States at the Khalifa International Stadium in the last 16.

Wales 0-3 England

Wales were utterly disappointing as they collapsed to a one-sided loss against their rivals. After dominating the first half, England were rather unfortunate to enter the break without a goal. However, two Marcus Rashford strikes before and after a Phil Foden goal, all within an 18-minute span, secured the victory which put England atop Group B.

Iran 0-1 United States

The US emerged victorious in this winner-take-all showdown thanks to a first-half Christian Pulisic goal. Despite the narrow margin of victory, a US triumph never appeared in doubt right from the first kick-off. However, the US may now be without Pulisic for their last-16 match against the Netherlands after the Chelsea midfielder injured himself in the process of scoring the winning goal.

Tunisia 1-0 France

Having all but clinched first place in Group D, Didier Deschamps fielded mostly backup players against Tunisia. Tunisia took full advantage and won 1-0, though the victory ended up being for nothing as they nevertheless failed to qualify for the last 16. Substitute and usual starter Antoine Griezmann's late goal was waived off by way of a VAR call.

Australia 1-0 Denmark

Mathew Leckie's goal put Australia in the round of 16 for the first time since 2006. Despite having just 31% of the possession, Australia made it count against a thoroughly underperforming Denmark team. Australia now face a Herculean task when they play against Argentina in the round of 16.

Poland 0-2 Argentina

Argentina completed their turnaround from their opening-match loss to Saudi Arabia by beating Poland to top Group C. However, the key moment of the match was not either of Argentina's two goals, but Wojciech Szczęsny's penalty save against Lionel Messi. That save put Poland into the next round on goal difference.

Saudi Arabia 1-2 Mexico

Despite their victory, Mexico failed to advance from the group stage for the first time since 1978. They needed a larger margin of victory to surpass Poland's goal difference. As for Saudi Arabia, a campaign which started with so much promise following their opening victory over Argentina ultimately came to nothing.

Croatia 0-0 Belgium

The first "shocking elimination" of this World Cup saw Belgium crash out after a goalless draw against Croatia. In this match, the primary culprit for their failure was Romelu Lukaku who missed a bevy of goalscoring chances. Croatia hung on against waves of attacks to seal a spot in the round of 16, qualifying in second place.

Canada 1-2 Morocco

In a result that almost no one would've expected before the tournament, Morocco beat Canada to finish in first place in Group F. First-half goals from Hakim Ziyech and Youssef En-Nesyri gave the Atlas Lions all three points against the already-eliminated Canada. Morocco are now in the World Cup's round of 16 for the first time in 36 years.

Japan 2-1 Spain

With their second upset victory of the tournament, Japan clinched first place in Group E. Spain took an early lead through Álvaro Morata's goal, but two early second-half goals from Ritsu Dōan and Ao Tanaka reversed the final outcome. Despite the loss, Spain's vastly superior goal difference put them in the round of 16.

Costa Rica 2-4 Germany

Despite a late flurry of goals to give them the win, Germany were eliminated in the group stage for the second consecutive World Cup. Their loss to Japan proved to be a fatal blow to their chances of advancing to the last 16. Germany thus join Mexico as teams which have been eliminated from this World Cup on goal difference.

South Korea 2-1 Portugal

South Korea's victory against a Portugal team which mostly fielded reserves saw them barely squeeze into the round of 16. Hwang Hee-chan's stoppage-time winning goal put South Korea into the knockout stage at Uruguay's expense. Despite the loss, Portugal remained in first place in Group H.

Ghana 0-2 Uruguay

A rematch of the iconic 2010 quarterfinal saw Uruguay once again come out on top. Giorgian de Arrascaeta scored both of La Celeste's goals in the first half. However, Uruguay's victory wasn't enough to send them through to the knockout stage; they ended up being just one goal short of qualifying for the next round.

Serbia 2-3 Switzerland

Serbia's highly disappointing tournament ended with a loss to Switzerland. Remo Freuler's winning goal confirmed Switzerland's spot in the round of 16. For this Serbia squad, a final tournament result of one draw and two losses has to be regarded as a severe underperformance.

Cameroon 1-0 Brazil

Despite dominating the match with their second-stringers, Brazil were beaten by a stoppage-time Vincent Aboubakar goal. Brazil came dangerously close to losing first place in the group; another conceded goal or another goal scored by Switzerland in the other Group G match would've made that happen. However, Brazil just barely hung on to top spot and will thus face South Korea next.

And now, my predictions for the round of 16:

Netherlands vs United States (Netherlands on penalties)

Argentina vs Australia
England vs Senegal
France vs Poland
Japan vs Croatia
Brazil vs South Korea
Morocco vs Spain
Portugal vs Switzerland

The World Cup Take 2022, Issue 3: Making Their Move or Falling by the Wayside?

The second matchday of the 2022 World Cup provided a clearer picture of where each team stands. There were surprising results as well as standout individual performances throughout.

Wales 0-2 Iran

A match that seemed destined to end in a drab goalless draw sprang to life in the closing stages. Wales goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey received a needless red card after a head-height tackle on Mehdi Taremi. Iran took full advantage and scored two goals late into stoppage time to keep their World Cup campaign alive.

Qatar 1-3 Senegal

The host country became the first team to be eliminated from the tournament after losing to the Lions of Teranga. It was another one-sided loss by a Qatar team clearly out of their depth. Senegal were never really challenged as goals scored by Boulaye Dia, Famara Diedhiou, and Bamba Dieng ensured that they still had a chance to make the World Cup knockout stage.

Netherlands 1-1 Ecuador

Louis van Gaal made several changes to his Netherlands team after their opening victory over Senegal. These changes ended up backfiring as the Oranje were completely unconvincing and showed little to no cohesion throughout. Ecuador took advantage and claimed a share of the points.

England 0-0 United States

Following their dominant victory over Iran, England were sent back down to earth by a resolute United States team. The Three Lions were a shadow of the team that took Iran apart; Mason Mount and Raheem Sterling were especially disappointing. The US almost clinched the upset later, but Christian Pulisic's shot came back off the crossbar.

Tunisia 0-1 Australia

This match between Group D's two underdog teams was decided by a first-half Mitchell Duke goal. Australia's victory was their first at a World Cup in 12 years. As for Tunisia, it doesn't get any easier for them - their last group match with their World Cup fate on the line will be against France.

Poland 2-0 Saudi Arabia

Poland claimed a crucial victory which was largely against the run of play. The match was highlighted by two crucial moments; the first of these was Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny's spectacular double-save to deny Salem Al-Dawsari's penalty and Mohammed Al-Breik's follow-up attempt. Robert Lewandowski later scored his first career World Cup goal.

France 2-1 Denmark

Kylian Mbappé further burnished his glowing reputation on international football's biggest stage by scoring the two goals that sent France into the round of 16. Despite the narrow margin of victory, France were in control for almost the entire match. It's safe to say that Les Bleus have defied the reigning champions' curse.

Argentina 2-0 Mexico

A clash in which goalscoring chances were few and far between was eventually settled by Lionel Messi's eighth career World Cup goal and a stunning strike from Enzo Fernández. Argentina continued to be Mexico's World Cup bane with a fourth straight World Cup victory against El Tri. Mexico must now beat Saudi Arabia to stand any chance of reaching the last 16.

Japan 0-1 Costa Rica

Despite only having one shot on target in the entire match, Costa Rica made it count. Thanks to Keysher Fuller's 81st-minute goal, Costa Rica put themselves back in the running for a last-16 spot. This was a result that not many would have seen coming, given the two teams' contrasting fortunes in their respective first group matches.

Belgium 0-2 Morocco

Belgium came out completely flat following pre-match comments from their own players which dismissed their chances of winning the tournament. Romain Saïss opened the scoring before Zakaria Aboukhlal finished Belgium off in stoppage time. Belgium now stand on the brink of a shocking group-stage exit - something they haven't experienced since 1998.

Croatia 4-1 Canada

After conceding the first goal with only a little more than a minute on the clock, Croatia never looked back. Andrej Kramarić scored two goals as Croatia completely outclassed their North American opponents. Canada's loss saw them eliminated from the tournament.

Spain 1-1 Germany

Needing to avoid defeat to stay alive in the tournament, Germany barely managed to finish with a draw. Niclas Fullkrug's late equalizer matched fellow substitute Álvaro Morata's 62nd-minute goal. Germany must now beat Costa Rica to advance to the last 16, while Spain require a draw against Japan to do likewise.

Cameroon 3-3 Serbia

Serbia squandered a 3-1 lead to drop two costly points. Vincent Aboubakar and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting's goals ensured that the Indomitable Lions claimed a share of the points. Both teams will now have to win their respective final group matches in order to stand any chance of advancing to the last 16.

South Korea 2-3 Ghana

Ghana fended off South Korea's comeback from two goals behind to claim a crucial victory. Ajax striker Mohamed Kudus lived up to the hype around him by scoring two goals to lead Ghana to the win. He as well as his opposite number Cho Gue-sung became the first players in their countries' respective histories to score two goals in the same World Cup match.

Brazil 1-0 Switzerland

Brazil's second straight victory saw them advance from the group stage for a record-extending 14th consecutive World Cup. Casemiro's late goal was enough to give the Seleção all three points. Switzerland, on the other hand, struggled throughout - they were not able to muster even one shot on target.

Portugal 2-0 Uruguay

A Bruno Fernandes double sealed Portugal's spot in the round of 16. This was a much-improved performance by Portugal after struggling to beat Ghana during the first matchday. Uruguay, who have been dismal in both their matches thus far, will now have to beat Ghana to qualify for the next round.

Now for my predictions for the last World Cup group stage matchday:

Ecuador vs Senegal
Netherlands vs Qatar
Iran vs United States
Wales vs England
Tunisia vs France
Australia vs Denmark
Poland vs Argentina
Saudi Arabia vs Mexico
Croatia vs Belgium
Canada vs Morocco
Japan vs Spain
Costa Rica vs Germany
South Korea vs Portugal
Ghana vs Uruguay
Serbia vs Switzerland
Cameroon vs Brazil

The World Cup Take 2022, Issue 2: Opening Shots Fired

The first matchday of the 2022 World Cup in the books. Let's take a look at how each of the teams fared.

Qatar 0-2 Ecuador

This was a match in which the margin of victory did not adequately reflect how one-sided it was. Ecuador essentially sleepwalked their way to a 2-0 victory over the hosts; Enner Valencia scored both goals. It could easily have been four or five had Ecuador actually bothered to play at full tilt; this was unnecessary because of how utterly abject Qatar were.

England 6-2 Iran

The Three Lions highlighted their status as bona fide title contenders after taking Iran apart. With a 3-0 lead at halftime and 79% of the possession, England's victory was never in doubt. Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka were England's standout performers at the Khalifa International Stadium.

Senegal 0-2 Netherlands

Despite being without superstar striker Sadio Mané due to injury, Senegal were able to keep their favoured opponents goalless until the match's closing stages. Cody Gakpo broke the deadlock for the Netherlands in the 84th minute before Davy Klaassen put the match away in stoppage time.

United States 1-1 Wales

A cagey match saw the United States and Wales play out the tournament's first draw. In an encounter largely devoid of moments of true skill, Timothy Weah opened the scoring for the US not long before half-time; a late Gareth Bale penalty would eventually give Wales a share of the points.

Argentina 1-2 Saudi Arabia

In one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history, Saudi Arabia stunned presumptive title contenders Argentina. After fending off a flurry of Argentine attacks in the first half, two second-half goals set up a victory which will forever have a place in World Cup lore.

Denmark 0-0 Tunisia

Although both teams spent a fairly large amount of time on the attack, the quality of chances created was rather low, leading to a goalless draw. One of the rare high-quality chances resulted in one of the most shocking misses ever seen in a World Cup. Denmark striker Andreas Cornelius' header from less than one yard from goal hit the post.

Mexico 0-0 Poland

This match was marked by struggles in the final third from both teams. Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa further burnished his reputation as a World Cup specialist by saving a Robert Lewandowski penalty. Despite being one of the greatest strikers of all time, Lewandowski is still goalless in the World Cup over his career.

France 4-1 Australia

France defied their sketchy pre-tournament form as well as the "reigning champions' curse" with an impressive victory over Australia. Olivier Giroud's two goals saw him tie Thierry Henry as Les Bleus' all-time leading goalscorer. Despite missing numerous key players due to injury, France evidently remain one of the favourites to win it all.

Morocco 0-0 Croatia

There wasn't a great deal of action in this one. The match was full of sub-par play in the final third, most notably from Croatia's Nikola Vlašić and Morocco's Abde Ezzalzouli. Both teams will really have to step it up if they're to make the last 16.

Germany 1-2 Japan

Despite being in control of the match almost all the way through, Germany somehow managed to lose this one. Serge Gnabry was the main culprit, missing multiple clear chances. Substitutes Ritsu Dōan and Takuma Asano made Die Mannschaft pay for their profligacy in front of goal.

Spain 7-0 Costa Rica

La Furia Roja were utterly dominant from start to finish against their Central American opponents. Costa Rica were not even allowed a single shot as Spain ran riot. Dani Olmo, Jordi Alba, and Gavi were Spain's standout performers in a match which proved that Spain are indeed legitimate title threats.

Belgium 1-0 Canada

A rather strange match at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium saw Belgium thoroughly outplayed by their less fancied opponents, yet somehow emerging with a 1-0 victory. Michy Batshuayi scored the only goal of the match shortly before half-time. By doing so, Batshuayi also made Canada rue Alphonso Davies' missed penalty earlier in the first half.

Switzerland 1-0 Cameroon

This fairly even match was decided early in the second half when Breel Embolo scored against the country of his birth. Despite a slow start, Switzerland gradually came into their own as the match wore on, culminating in Embolo's goal. Cameroon struggled with making the crucial pass which would set up an easy chance; this was particularly noticeable during the later stages of the match.

Uruguay 0-0 South Korea

Apart from two of Uruguay's shots striking the post, this was an extremely uneventful match. Uruguay clearly have some way to go if they are to be taken seriously as title contenders. On the other hand, South Korea's draw capped off an impressive first matchday for the Asian teams.

Portugal 3-2 Ghana

This match was highlighted by a controversial penalty call on (who else?) Cristiano Ronaldo. Upon replay, Mohammed Salisu appeared to have touched the ball before bringing Ronaldo to the turf. The incident seemed to spark the match to life as including the penalty goal, four further goals would be scored over the next 24 minutes.

Brazil 2-0 Serbia

The consensus pre-tournament favourites began the tournament on the right track with an easy victory over Serbia. A dominant second-half performance saw Richarlison score both goals for the Seleção, one of which was a spectacular scissor-kick. Their Balkan opponents, on the other hand, had absolutely no answer for the onslaught they faced over the last 45 minutes.

And now, here are my predictions for Matchday 2 of the World Cup group stage. Bold denotes a win; italics denote a draw.

Wales vs Iran

Qatar vs Senegal
Netherlands vs Ecuador
England vs United States
Tunisia vs Australia
Poland vs Saudi Arabia
France vs Denmark
Argentina vs Mexico
Japan vs Costa Rica
Belgium vs Morocco
Croatia vs Canada
Spain vs Germany
Cameroon vs Serbia
South Korea vs Ghana
Brazil vs Switzerland
Portugal vs Uruguay

The World Cup Take 2022, Issue 1: The Combatants Enter the Fray

The World Cup now heads to Qatar, where this year's tournament could see the some of the highest quality of play to ever take place at the showpiece event of international football. FIFA's decision to hold the tournament in Qatar made it necessary for the tournament to take place in the middle of the European club season. As a result, the world's best players will be entering the tournament fully in the swing of things and without a hint of rust.

Let's now take a look ahead and go through my pre-tournament predictions.

Surprise Packages

Serbia

This is a team which is being tremendously overlooked; however, Serbia are far more talented than most people realize. Featuring multiple criminally underrated players, Serbia will make a massive splash and put themselves on everyone's radar with a deep run - with ace striker Aleksandar Mitrović perhaps even earning a well-deserved transfer to a top European club as a result. Quarterfinals.

Denmark

It's easy to write Denmark off as nothing more than "another feel-good story" after the way they rallied around midfielder Christian Eriksen following his cardiac arrest at the 2020 European Championships. Denmark are much more than that, though. Having been handed a favourable draw, Denmark are good enough to capitalize on it and make it further than most might initially expect. Quarterfinals.

Underachievers

Uruguay

In spite of their immense talent on paper, this is a Uruguay team with no synergy or cohesion whatsoever - evidenced by the fact that they won just eight of 18 World Cup qualifying matches and barely scraped into Qatar. Throw them into a tough group and you will see why I consider them to be the likely first major casualties of the tournament. Group stage.

Germany

Ever since their World Cup triumph in 2014, Germany have struggled on the international stage. They were knocked out of the 2018 World Cup in the group stage and 2020 European Championships in the round of 16. Even a coaching change which saw Hansi Flick take over in the dugout seems to have done little to improve Die Mannschaft. Round of 16.

Portugal

As of right now, the biggest story surrounding this Portugal team is the controversy around Cristiano Ronaldo's stunning tell-all interview about Manchester United. That, however, is not what will sink Portugal. Like Uruguay, this is a team filled with awkward fits from top to bottom - most notably that of United duo Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes. Couple this lack of synergy with a difficult draw and you have a recipe for an early exit. Round of 16.

France

The "World Cup hangover" is a real thing - but not for any reason you might expect. Today's tactical metagame changes so rapidly that within month's of a team's World Cup triumph, the rest of the world will have begun working on strategies to counter it. Like all reigning champions, France are not immune to this either as proven by their struggles over the past two years. They are also nowhere near as deep as the squad which won it all in Russia four years ago. Round of 16.

Contenders

Brazil

Entering as the pre-tournament favourites, many expect Brazil to leave Qatar with the World Cup for a record-extending sixth time. However, as loaded as they may be, they are somewhat fraudulent. Despite being stacked from top to bottom, this is a team still singularly built around Neymar. The problem is that I do not believe that Brazil can win a World Cup with a team built around Neymar. Quarterfinals.

Netherlands

The Netherlands have bounced back well following their shocking failure to qualify for the previous World Cup and early exit at the following European Championships. They've also been placed in a relatively easy group. However, despite their overall depth, they will be undone by their lack of a true goalscoring threat in international play apart from Memphis Depay. Quarterfinals.

Spain

Spain enter the World Cup without quite the level of hype that they had in previous editions - understandable, given the large number of younger players in a squad almost totally rebuilt from their 2018 team. This is a solid unit that deserves more recognition and will make a deep run. That being said, their lack of a true superstar who can single-handedly carry the team when the chips are down is likely to be their downfall. Fourth.

Belgium

Belgium seem to have all the elements needed to win a World Cup. Quality and depth at every position, a wealth of experience, and an all-time great at the peak of his powers in Kevin De Bruyne. Unfortunately, recent history has shown us that Belgium inevitably falter when the stakes are at their highest and the lights at their brightest. For that reason, they will fall just short once again. Third.

England

The Three Lions bring perhaps their most talented squad ever to Qatar. Building on runs to the World Cup semifinal and European Championship final, this team is absolutely loaded. Despite their pedestrian performance in the Nations League, it should bear mention that not every team was taking it all that seriously. Aided by a generous draw, England could very well make the final for the first time since winning it all back in 1966. Runner-up.

Argentina

I foresee the World Cup trophy heading to Argentina for the first time since 1986. They have tangible and intangible factors in spades: a truly world-class 26-man squad, immense skill and depth at every position, well-crafted strategies and tactics, and the desire to "win one for Lionel Messi" as well as to honour the late, great Diego Maradona who passed away in November 2020. It's almost impossible to build any sort of case against them. Champion.

Here's my complete bracket:

Individual Awards

Golden Ball: Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium)
Silver Ball: Lautaro Martínez (Argentina)
Bronze Ball: Kieran Trippier (England)

Golden Boot: Romelu Lukaku (Belgium)
Silver Boot: Aleksandar Mitrović (Serbia)
Bronze Boot: Lautaro Martínez (Argentina)

Golden Glove: Emiliano Martínez (Argentina)

Best Young Player: Bukayo Saka (England)

The Weekly Take, Issue 236: The Underdog Story Everyone Has Overlooked

The undivided attention of the football world is about to turn to Qatar, where the quadrennial football extravaganza known as the World Cup is about to take place. But before that, one more matchday had to be played across Europe's leading leagues. In the Bundesliga's final matchday before the World Cup break, one notable fixture saw this season's two surprise packages squaring off: SC Freiburg and Union Berlin.

The match turned out to be more one-sided than most had expected. Spearheaded by a Vincenzo Grifo hat-trick, Freiburg steamrolled the 10-man Union 4-1. The victory put the Black Forest club in second place in the league, only behind perennial champions Bayern Munich. Although only a little less than half of the season has been played, Freiburg are currently on pace for a historic campaign. The best league finish in the club's history came in the 1994-95 season when they finished third.

Freiburg's success this season has come on the strength of an outstanding transfer window. Their acquisitions of Ritsu Dōan, Michael Gregoritsch, and Matthias Ginter have proven to be inspired moves. Gregoritsch and Ginter were signed on free transfers from Augsburg and Borussia Mönchengladbach respectively, while Dōan's signing from PSV Eindhoven cost Freiburg just €8.5 million. These figures become even more impressive when considering the fact that Freiburg sold Nico Schlotterbeck to Borussia Dortmund for €20 million.

Speaking of Schlotterbeck, his departure did not leave the gaping hole in Freiburg's defense that some thought it would. Indeed, Freiburg's defense deserves a great deal of credit for their climb up the Bundesliga table this season as well as their success in the Europa League. Among all Bundesliga clubs this season, only Bayern have conceded fewer goals than have Freiburg. Their success in defensive positions in aerial duels as well as their outstanding defensive play against opposing set pieces have been their key advantages all season long. Freiburg's back four of Kiliann Sildillia, Ginter, Philipp Lienhart, and Christian Günter has become one of the most underrated backlines in world football. Ginter and Günter have been rewarded accordingly - both have been selected for Germany's 2022 World Cup squad; they are two of five Freiburg players who will be present in Qatar.

Freiburg aren't just adept at defending against set pieces; they are more than comfortable when taking them as well. A significant portion of their 25 league goals thus far have come by way of the dead ball. Grifo in particular has enjoyed much success from set pieces this season. Two of his three goals against Union were scored from the penalty spot. Grifo embodies Freiburg's emphasis on set pieces; over the past two seasons in particular, the Italian winger has either scored or created scoring opportunities from an impressively large number of set pieces - especially for a player who is not a natural goalscorer.

Not many expected Freiburg to build on their highly successful 2021-22 season in quite this way. Last season, their sixth-place league finish and run to the DFB-Pokal final meant that they had their best season since 2012-13 when they were fifth in the league and reached the domestic cup's semifinals. This season, however, based on what they have already done, their ceiling lies well above even that. A historic first-ever qualification for the Champions League and perhaps even an unprecedented second-place league finish might lie ahead for Freiburg. They might even have an outside chance at capturing the first title in the club's history by winning the DFB-Pokal. Though a tall order that may be, it's not out of the question at all.

Until their recent slump, all the talk about the underdog success story of the Bundesliga this season had been about Union. No one had really been talking about Freiburg. However, at this point it would clearly be foolish to overlook Freiburg. This team has defied their modest finances and unglamorous location to really bring the fight to the Bundesliga's leading lights. Clearly, something special is happening at Europa-Park Stadion.

Of course, there's still a lot of football yet to be played this season. We have seen late-season collapses happen before. Having said that, there's absolutely nothing about Freiburg's play thus far which suggests that their success is unsustainable.

The Weekly Take, Issue 235: Finally Elite Again

It has been just about an eternity since the last time Arsenal were a genuinely elite team. The last time Arsenal were at this level was during the 2009-10 season. Featuring a well-rounded roster built around Cesc Fàbregas, the Gunners finished third in the Premier League while also making the quarterfinals of the Champions League.

The more than one decade since then has yielded little success for the London club. Apart from a distant second-place finish in the league in 2015-16 as well as four FA Cup victories, Arsenal have clearly lagged behind England's leading clubs. Their absolute nadir came in 2020-21 when they finished eighth in the league and failed to qualify for European competition for the first time in 26 years.

However, Arsenal have completely flipped the script this season. They notched yet another impressive victory in a campaign full of them; a 1-0 win over Chelsea in a London derby. Gabriel Magalhães scored the only goal of the match; the result ensured that Arsenal would retain their two-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.

If Arsenal were to, as expected, beat Wolverhampton Wanderers in their next league match, they will enter the World Cup break in first place in the league. Not even the most ardent Arsenal fans could have fathomed such a scenario at the beginning of the season.

During the most recent off-season, Arsenal saw Alexandre Lacazette, Bernd Leno, Lucas Torreira, and Héctor Bellerín leave the Emirates Stadium. In most of these cases, it was "addition by subtraction" as it had become clear that none of those four players really fit the plan that head coach Mikel Arteta had installed. As far as arrivals were concerned, Arsenal only made one major signing - but it has proven to have been an excellent pick. Manchester City's signing of Erling Haaland caused Gabriel Jesus to become surplus to requirements at the Etihad Stadium. Arsenal seized their opportunity and signed the Brazilian centre-forward for £45 million; it soon became apparent that they'd stolen a march on other top clubs by signing him when no other club had even been making inquiries.

Several Arsenal players have also shown significant year-to-year improvement when comparing their performances of this season to those of last. Notably, Martin Ødegaard, Magalhães, and Gabriel Martinelli are all in the midst of breakout seasons. Arsenal's decision to bring William Saliba back to the club following loan stints during each of the last three seasons has also been a masterstroke; those three years on loan have obviously turned him into a solid player who is clearly good enough to start for just about any top-tier club.

From a tactical standpoint, Arsenal have shown much progression. A great deal of credit here has to go to Arteta; in just one year, the Spaniard has gone from being likely to face the axe to one of the best coaches in the league. Arteta's new emphases on progressive passing and increased pressing intensity on defense have clearly done a great deal to benefit this team. Both of these elements were largely missing from their repertoire last season, however, this is clearly not the case anymore.

What makes things even more exciting for Arsenal is the relatively young age of their squad. The vast majority of Arsenal's key players are aged 25 or younger. If they are able to keep most of this core group together for the next two to three years, they might not only contend for Premier League titles; if everything goes just right, they may even end up having an outside shot at a Champions League title as well.

As if that weren't enough, this is an incredibly balanced squad. Despite being top of the league, no Arsenal players has been named man of the match more than twice this season. After just 13 matches, a total of nine Arsenal players have already claimed the accolade at least once. This statistic clearly testifies to the fact that Arsenal embody "next man up" mentality - it really could be anyone who steps forward and delivers a top performance.

There really is a lot to like about this Arsenal team. Could they really win the Premier League for the first time in 19 years? It's starting to look like a distinct possibility.