World Cup 2022 // Qatar

So... In about 1 month, the most important sporting event in the world, the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, is starting. As far as I know every World Cup so far was set during summer, this one happening in November was quite the news when it was revealed who the host will be.

CORRUPTION SCANDAL:

That wasnt the only surprise. By many accounts this is the most corrupt of the hosting bids so far.
Here is some info on the corruption scandal.

A former employee of the Qatar bid team alleged that several African officials were paid $1.5 million by Qatar. She retracted her claims, but later said that she was coerced to do so by Qatari bid officials. In March 2014, it was discovered that disgraced former CONCACAF president Jack Warner and his family were paid almost $2 million from a firm linked to Qatar's successful campaign. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating Warner and his alleged links to the Qatari bid.
The Sunday Times published bribery allegations based on a leak of millions of secret documents.

Cool, isnt it. ⚽️

SLAVERY ALLEGATIONS AND DEATHS IN CONSTRUCTION:

A Guardian investigation found that there have been severe abuses of workers working in construction of the stadiums. This should be taken with a grain of salt as many numbers I have seen a grossly exaggerated by leftist media in the west due to Qatar having laws in place that make gay relations illegal with monetary fines and punishment of up to 7 years in prison.
(I guess wer not going to Qatar @trumpman 😞)
The leftist media would take numbers of all construction deaths accross all of Qatar and attribute it to the stadium constructions.
Now, thats not saying that things arent bad.

Heres some of the info from the Guardian investigation:

This summer, Nepalese workers died at a rate of almost one a day in Qatar, many of them young men who had sudden heart attacks. The investigation found evidence to suggest that thousands of Nepalese, who make up the single largest group of labourers in Qatar, face exploitation and abuses that amount to modern-day slavery, as defined by the International Labour Organisation, during a building binge paving the way for 2022.
According to documents obtained from the Nepalese embassy in Doha, at least 44 workers died between 4 June and 8 August. More than half died of heart attacks, heart failure or workplace accidents.

Years ago during college I worked in construction for about 6 months and due to some mistakes made by our foreman I almost died. A basket that was pulled to the top of the building holding cement bags wasnt secured properly and 200 kilos of cement bags in a metal basket fell from about the fifth floor 2 meters from me. I literally froze and went pale.
Construction is extremely dangerous. 1 mistake and youre gone.
Not having proper workplace safety can cost a lot of lives.

Anyways...

THE MORE FUN STUFF:

The tournament has 8 groups with 4 teams each playing each other once. In total there are 32 teams that passed their continental qualifiers. 2 teams from each group go through to the last 16 etc.

Some big national teams are missing this year that usually qualify. #Italy, the 2006 World Cup champion, being the stand out team out of all of them.
Besides them #Nigeria, #Colombia and #Egypt. #Russia ofc isnt present either due to their war of conquest in Ukraine.
Some world class players that wont be present.

1. Erling Haaland (Norway) who is probably the best player in the world right now.
2. Mohamed Salah, (Egypt) the Liverpool forward and consistently a top 10 player in the world.
   3 Gianluigi Donnarumma, (Italy) PSG goalkeeper. According to many one of the 2-3 best goalkeepers in the world.
3. A few others.

I always say, if we could live without Ibrahimovic during the last World Cup, we will be fine this time.

WHO IS GOING TO WIN?

This is always a tricky one since ill be painting my face in a red and white checkerboard, holding a flare and yelling at the big screen in the city square with thousands of other Croatians.

Croatia was second in the world in 2018 and there are big hopes we can come close to that or even win it since our team is superior than it was last time.
We won our Nations League group (France, Denmark, Austria) fairly easily and our form is the best it has ever been when entering the World Cup tournament.

My bias aside the favorites are the same as always.Brazil, Argentina, France, Germany, Spain...
I have my doubts there, I wont go into too much but I feel there are really no stand out teams right now. France is in a mess, Messi is far past his prime, Neymar is a clown, Spain has an inexperienced team, Germany is unconvincing, etc..

Some dark horses of the tournament, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Portugal maybe but Cristiano is pretty much finished imo.

So who do you guys think is taking the cup this year?
Maybe we could do a betting pool if someone already isnt doing something like that in one of the sports communities.