FIFA World Cup 2022: Four key players from Group G
The FIFA World Cup is almost upon us, and Group G has three evenly matched teams and one favorite to qualify. This World Cup this year will be held in November and December because it is being hosted in Qatar. A summer World Cup in the Middle East would be unrealistic given the warm temperatures in the region. Domestic club football will take a break during this period.
Brazil are the clear favorites to top Group G, but Serbia, Switzerland, and Cameroon are at a similar level of quality. Finishing in the top two will be tough in this group, and a third-place finish could be needed to have a chance in the playoffs. Mentioned below is one key player from each country who is likely have a strong impact for his team.
#1 Neymar - Brazil - Group favorites
Brazil have many world-class players in their team. Alisson, Thiago Silva, Casemiro, and Vinicius are just a few of them. However, Neymar still remains the shining light of the team. He is 30 years old and has registered 74 goals and 53 assists in 117 appearances for Brazil. Neymar has started the season brilliantly for Paris Saint Germain as well, with 11 goals and eight assists in 11 appearances.
Neymar 🤝 Lionel Messi: the gifts that keep on giving. https://t.co/can4dAPrqm
Brazil have a relatively young squad, but for someone like Thiago Silva, who is 38 years old, this will likely be his last World Cup. After a poor performance in 2018, Brazil will feel they have a good chance this year. They have good quality and depth in their squad and with Neymar, they can definitely go all the way.
#2 Sergej Milinković-Savić - Serbia
Sergej Milinković-Savić is a leader among a talented group of Serbian players that will be heading to Qatar this winter. Aleksandar Mitrović, Dusan Tadić, and Filip Kostić, are some household names that are part of this squad. Milinković-Savić is the classic number eight in midfield. He gets goals and assist and is also the steel in midfield. He is the engine off which Serbia can thrive.
Sergej Milinković-Savić’s game by numbers vs. Hellas Verona:
91 touches
43 passes completed
11/16 ground duels won
3/5 long balls completed
3/3 aerial duels won
2 key passes
1 big chance created
1 assist
Another complete performance on his 300th Lazio appearance. 🔥 https://t.co/e5MtsRNror
Still only 27 years old, Milinković-Savić has registered six goals and seven assists in 34 appearances for Serbia. He has started the season brightly for Lazio with two goals and five assists in nine appearances. Serbia have many lethal players, and we haven't even mentioned Dušan Vlahović. If Milinković-Savić can be the link in midfield for this Serbian team, they could progress from the group stages.
#3 Xherdan Shaqiri - Switzerland
Switzerland don't have a squad of players that scream challengers, but they have players that are experienced at the top level. Xherdan Shaqiri is one of those players with 106 appearances for his country and 26 goals to his name. The 30-year-old has played for some of Europe's biggest teams like Inter Milan and Liverpool and currently plays for Chicago Fire.
27 games
7 goals
6 assists
Xherdan Shaqiri (30) with a brace for Chicago Fire overnight! 👏🇺🇸
This current season has become Shaq’s hightest scoring campaign since 2017/18 (8G/7A for Stoke City at the time).
☑️ 27 games
⚽️ 7 goals
🅰️ 6 assists
#CF97 #MLS #nati twitter.com/ChicagoFire/st… https://t.co/4GO69ZP5bF
Along with Fabian Schar, Haris Seferovic and Granit Xhaka, these four players form the core of the Switzerland team. These group of players will have to stay fit and provide the experience needed to navigate a tricky few games. Switzerland stand a good chance of progressing, but Shaqiri may need to produce some moments of magic like he has done in the past.
#4 Vincent Aboubakar - Cameroon
Vincent Aboubakar is Cameroon's centre-forward and their most experienced player. He is 30 years old, and has scored 33 goals in 87 appearances for his country. While they have Andre Onana, Karl Toko Ekambi and André Zambo Anguissa, it is Aboubakar that stands out for Cameroon.
Vincent Aboubakar is the first player since 1998 to score more than five goals at a single Africa Cup of Nations 🔥 https://t.co/V7cAXFHNBN
Aboubakar has played for FC Porto and Besiktas and currently plays for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Professional League. Cameroon have a good history with strikers, with players like Samuel Eto'o and Roger Milla playing in the past. Aboubakar will hope that he can join that illustrious group of players and help Cameroon progress past the group stages.