World Cup Predictions: Group C

Group C at World Cup 2022 features two-time winners Argentina, a talented Poland side, perennial last-16 team Mexico, and outsiders Saudi Arabia.

While Argentina are the clear favourites to win Group C, the duel between Poland and Mexico will be a fascinating one, with the pair tough to split in the betting.

Argentina are the favourites to win the group at 1.401*. Poland are currently edging ahead of Mexico, with the teams priced at 5.970* and 6.070* respectively, while the Saudis are at 21.180*.

The first games in Group C take place on November 22. Argentina are at 1.150* to beat Saudi Arabia (21.750*), while in the game that could define Group C, Mexico (2.780*) meet Poland (2.800*).

Mexico are currently priced at 1.952* to advance from Group C, while Poland are also at 1.952*.

It is hard to get away from the fact that Group C features arguably two of the finest attacking players on the planet.

Lionel Messi, priced at 7.910* to win the Golden Boot, will captain Argentina in what is likely to be his final World Cup. The Paris Saint-Germain maestro led his country to the final in 2014 and helped Argentina finally end their wait for a major trophy by winning last year’s Copa America.

Meanwhile, Poland are captained by the man who was arguably his successor at Barcelona, Robert Lewandowski.

Lewandowski will hope the likes of Piotr Zieliński can provide him with the service he deserves, although he himself sometimes plays more of a creative role for his country due to the presence of fellow attackers Arkadiusz Milik, Karol Świderski, and Krzysztof Piątek.

Between them, Messi and Lewandowski scored 16 goals in qualifying. Saudi Arabia’s Saleh Al-Shehri netted seven and will be crucial to his team’s hopes of causing a surprise, while Raúl Alonso Jiménez’s fitness will be vital for Mexico.

The Wolverhampton Wanderers striker has struggled with injuries in recent years and there are fears he could miss out on a place at World Cup 2022, having not featured in the Premier League since August.

Argentina are the huge favourites to win Group C and understandably so. Argentina remained unbeaten throughout the competitive CONMEBOL qualifying process and won last year’s Copa America, so it would be a natural progression for them to follow continental success with global glory.

In contrast, Saudi Arabia are the real underdogs and their odds reflect the widely held belief that they will finish bottom of Group C.

The real debate is about who will finish second. Mexico have made it through to the round of 16 in every World Cup since 1994 and will be confident that they can at least reach that stage again this year.

However, Lewandowski’s class means that Poland might just edge it, with the 34-year-old possessing a similar ability to Messi in being able to almost single-handedly power his side to glory.

Looking forward to World Cup 2022? Check out the latest World Cup 2022 odds on every match, plus Outright markets and more, with Pinnacle.