FIFA World Cup 2022: 5 teams which are over-reliant on one player
The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar is going to be the last chance for multiple teams to have a shot at silverware on the grandest stage of all. While some teams have enormous squad depth, others have one or two outstanding stars they can bank on for the entirety of the tournament.
There are a few one-man teams at the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Having multiple difference-makers in a team is essential, but not every team at the FIFA World Cup enjoys this luxury. Although they have good players across the board, they often rely on one player to either save them defensively or score enough goals to secure victories.
Either way, it is a high-risk, high-reward strategy, which can be a boon for some teams while also a blessing for others. On that note, let's take a look at five teams that are overly reliant on one player at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
#5 Argentina - Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi will have one last shot at winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina as the footballing icon gears up for arguably his last appearance at the coveted tournament.
However, in all honesty, this is also likely to be Argentina's last chance to lift the FIFA World Cup for a long time to come. La Albicelestes have not lifted the trophy since Diego Maradona led them to one in 1986 and are unlikely to do so after Messi retires.
The 34-year-old has been at the epicenter of the nation's hopes of winning silverware for nearly 15 years. This is because there are very few prolific goal scorers in the Argentina national team aside from Messi.
Lionel Messi’s best year with Argentina was 12 goals in 2012.
🚨 Lionel Messi’s best year with Argentina was 12 goals in 2012.
He’s currently on 11 in 2022 👀 https://t.co/ktLl6yjQtU
Moreover, consistency is key, and very few can guarantee it apart from the Barcelona legend. In fact, the attacker has scored 91 times in 165 appearances since his debut in 2005.
Additionally, everything flows through Messi for Argentina, especially going forward. Hence, without him, it looks hard for the South American team to even reach the Round of 16, let alone go on to win the tournament.
#4 Wales - Gareth Bale
Gareth Bale has been the face of the Wales national team over the last decade or so, purely because of his ability to produce moments of magic at the big tournaments.
The first glimpses of the same were at the 2016 European Championship, when Bale's brilliance took the side to the semi-finals of the competition. However, they failed to qualify for the 2018 tournament but have since worked hard enough to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
But Bale has been crucial to this process as well, despite losing a bit of pace over the last couple of years. Although he is not as versatile anymore, the former Real Madrid star still knows where the back of the net lies.
Hence, he is a sensational goal threat for them and arguably their primary goal scorer. The drop-off from Bale's quality to the players who can replace him is quite a bit, thereby depicting their over-reliance on the player.
With 39 goals in 108 games for the Welsh, the national team will expect many moments of magic from Bale at the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup.
#3 Poland - Robert Lewandowski
Robert Lewandowski has been the main man for Poland over the last decade and a half, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup will be no different.
The striker has banged in 76 goals in 134 appearances for his country over the last 14 years, thereby proving that his records speak for themselves.
Although the national team does have some reliable players like Kamil Glik, Piotr Zielinski, and Matty Cash, their reliance on Lewandowski is unparalleled when compared to them.
Robert Lewandowski has scored 70 goals for Poland, 49 more than any other active player.
Beyond talismanic. 🇵🇱 https://t.co/PvUQlvYxxC
His attacking instincts and ability to score goals out of absolutely nothing are crucial to Poland. Hence, unless Lewandowski is firing on all cylinders at the World Cup, the nation stands very little chance of achieving any kind of success at the tournament.
#2 Canada - Alphonso Davies
Canada have only qualified for the FIFA World Cup once previously (1986), courtesy of which their qualification this year is a huge affair.
But one of the main people responsible for the same is Bayern Munich's swash-buckling left-back Alphonso Davies. The full-back is tenacious at the back but is rather mesmerizing going forward due to his world-class dribbling skills and impeccable speed with and without the ball.
Moreover, the national team has very few stars in the team apart from Davies, in the form of Jonathan David and Cyle Larin, to a certain extent. But neither player can contribute or influence the team's style like Davies, purely because of the full-back's high intensity game.
Although Canada are not expected to cause any upsets, Davies will be at the epicenter of it if they do manage to do so.
#1 South Korea - Son Heung-min
Son Heung-min has been at the forefront of South Korea's hopes at every national tournament over the last seven years or so.
The Tottenham Hotspur star has become one of the very best players in the Premier League recently, as he also managed to win the EPL Golden Boot last season.
His speed, finishing ability, and ability to carry the ball long distances have been fantastic not just for Spurs but also for his national team. The Gangwon-born player has scored 35 goals in 105 appearances for his country and will be eager to add many more during the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
However, given South Korea's tough World Cup group, it is very hard for them to qualify for the knockout rounds unless Son performs to the best of his abilities.