"Very far ahead" - Sadio Mane names the two 2022 FIFA World Cup favorites

Bayern Munich forward Sadio Mane has admitted that he does not see his country Senegal as a favorite at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. According to the Senegalese forward, defending champions France and 2010 World Cup winners Spain are the two favorites to lift the coveted trophy in Qatar in December.

Led by Mane, the Lions of Teranga will appear at their third FIFA World Cup in Qatar in November. The 2022 AFCON winners secured qualification after beating Mohamed Salah’s Egypt 3-1 on penalties in a closely-contested affair in March.

⚽️ FIFA World Cup wins:

🇧🇷Brazil: 🏆1958 🏆1962 🏆1970 🏆1994 🏆2002

🇩🇪Germany: 🏆1954 🏆1974 🏆1990 🏆2014

🇮🇹Italy: 🏆1934 🏆1938 🏆1982 🏆2006

🇦🇷Argentine: 🏆1978 🏆1986

🇫🇷France: 🏆1998 🏆2018

🇺🇾Uruguay: 🏆1930 🏆1950

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿England: 🏆1966

🇪🇸Spain: 🏆2010

Mane, who finished second in the 2022 Ballon d’Or race, was recently quizzed about his country’s chances at the Qatar World Cup. The former Liverpool man conceded that Senegal were nowhere near the favorites, France and Spain, but declared that the African champions will give it their all in Qatar. Mane told RMC Sport (via WIW Sport):

“I don’t see Senegal as a favourite because there are other nations very far ahead of Senegal like France [and] Spain.

“We will go there with no cold and try to do what we have used to do.”

Mane’s Senegal have been placed in Group A alongside hosts Qatar, the Netherlands, and Ecuador. The Bayern ace has thus played in three FIFA World Cup games in his career, scoring once.

It will be interesting to see if the world’s second-best player manages to take Senegal beyond the group stage this time, having failed to do so four years back (2018).

Lionel Messi sees Brazil and France as favorites for the 2022 FIFA World Cup

In a recent interview, Argentina skipper Lionel Messi named the teams that could go the distance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Messi named most of the big teams, but reserved special praise for holders France and record five-time winners Brazil.

Messi picks Brazil and France as World Cup favorites. https://t.co/I61pxrFaoq

He told DirecTV (via PSGTalk):

“The big national teams, Brazil, Germany, France, England, Spain, and I’m sure I’m forgetting some of them. But if I have to keep one or two, today, I believe that Brazil and France are the two big candidates for this World Cup.

“They have had the same group for a long time. France, beyond the last Euro where it went badly, they have impressive players, the same coach for a long time. Brazil too. Today ‘today, I think they are the two favorites, even if all the big selections are candidates.”

Messi's Argentina have been placed in Group C alongside Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Poland. They kick off their 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign with a clash against Saudi Arabia on November 22.