Qatar 2022 is probably the most open of all the World Cups in the new millennium. If one team boasts of a world-class No. 9 (an outand-out striker), another has a good number of wingers. If a coach has enough forwards, then the lack of depth in the defence gives him a reason to worry about. Not a single coach of the 32 teams to be seen in action in Qatar from Sunday will say that he has all his bases covered. Everything will depend on how a coach tweaks to get the best combination on a particular day.

Tite, Brazil’s coach, for example, has named nine forwards in the 26-man squad. Neymar, a veteran from the 2014 World Cup, Gabriel Jesus, who was in the 2018 squad, Vinicius Junior, his Real Madrid teammate Rodrygo, Richarlison, Raphinha, Antony, Gabriel Martinelli and Pedro. This may give the impression that Brazil will sweep aside their rivals with this array of attacking talents but that could be a Utopian dream. For everything Tite has at his disposal upfront could be done in by lack of options in the defence.

Problem of plenty

A dearth of quality side-backs in the Brazilian set-up is something Tite is worried about. The inclusion of Dani Alves, 39, shows how bare the cupboard is regarding side-backs. In the last friendlies, played in September, Brazil used Eder Militao as a right side-back and Alex Telles on the left.

Militao is a regular feature as one of the central defenders in Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid while Telles does not infuse that confidence on the left. The last time Brazil won the World Cup they had two world-class side-backs in captain Cafu and Roberto Carlos. “I do not think it’s a problem for Brazil. You may think we are weak in the defence but that’s not true. Militao, Alex, Danilo Dani are good enough. I am sure Tite has a plan ready for Qatar,” Cafu told The Telegraph during an exclusive interaction felicitated by Bengal Peerless. “And do not forget Brazil have a lot of options upfront.”

True. it’s an embarrassment of riches for the five-time World Cup champions. Where to field Neymar? Will Rodrygo get a start? Tite is expected to play Vinicius on the left, Richarlison as the No. 9 and Raphinha on the right. Neymar is expected to play behind the trident.

“Unlike other World Cups when Brazil were too dependent on Neymar, this time there are players you can count on. Vini, Richarlison, Raphinha Antony, Rodrygo,” the 2002 World Cup-winning captain said. With two talented wingers in Vinicius and Raphinha, it’s likely that Alex Sandro and Danilo will be asked to take care of defence more than venturing into the opponents’ half.

Inexperienced midfield

If Brazil have problems with side-backs, France are losing sleep over how to deal with the loss of N’Golo Kante and Paul Pogba, both of whom were ruled out due to injury. Aurelien Tchouameni, 22, and Eduardo Camavinga, two years younger than his Real Madrid teammate, are good but in a tournament as important as the World Cup, lack of experience could prove detrimental to France’s bid to retain the title.

Kante and Pogba were two of the stalwarts of Les Bleus’ victorious campaign. Adrien Rabiot could be the main man in the midfield along with Tchouameni and Youssouf Fofana. Like Tite, coach Didier Deschamps has no problem with his forward line. Kylian Mbappe, Karim Benzema, Ousmane Dembele should be the preferred three-man frontline. Playing for their clubs — Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona respectively — Mbappe and Dembele are not known to track back and help when the opposition team have the ball. And herein the presence of Kante and Pogba could have given France much more solidity in the midfield.

Messi’s props

While Brazil are no longer dependent on Neymar, Argentina also have managed to get out of the habit of being Lionel Messi-centric. Much of their recent success was due to the talented midfielders coach Lionel Scaloni has at his command. Rodrigo De Paul, Alejandro Gomez and Leandro Paredes are the three who give enough space to Messi to operate. “If any team other than Brazil, then my money is on Argentina,” Cafu, the last South American captain to lift the Cup, said.

The problem is that Angel Di Maria, with whom Messi almost has a telepathic understanding, is yet to recover from a hamstring injury. Forever overshadowed by the Argentine captain, Di Maria, in his fourth and last World Cup, is someone who always pops ups out of nowhere to do the most important thing. Scoring goals.

Scaloni’s central defenders are good, but they sometimes find the going tough against speedy opponents. Now recovered from injury, Cristian Romero’s struggle was all the more glaring against the speed of Paulinho and Arthur during Tottenham’s 2-0 loss to Sporting in the Champions League.

It will also be interesting to see how Spain, or Belgium or Croatia or Germany shape up. Spain, for example, will be banking on the Barcelona midfield trio of Sergio Busquets, Pedri and Gavi. But then they have a problem up front. Alvaro Morata, coach Luis Enrique’s preferred No.9, is too wasteful. Enrique sprang a surprise by including Barca No. 10 Ansu Fati. How he fares in Enrique’s system remains to be seen.