The world’s biggest football tournament is back. Four years after France lifted the iconic FIFA World Cup™ trophy, 32 nations are preparing to test themselves on the global stage once again.
After correctly predicting the last three winners in 2010, 2014, and 2018, we’ve used EA SPORTS™ FIFA 23 with groundbreaking HyperMotion2 Technology and the dedicated FIFA World Cup 2022™ ratings in FIFA World Cup™ Kick-Off and Tournament modes to simulate all 64 matches and see who will come out on top come December.
Read on for the official EA SPORTS™ prediction for the FIFA World Cup 2022™, and make your own FIFA World Cup 2022™ prediction now for the chance to earn three Limited Time FIFA World Cup™ Player Items to add to your squad in FIFA 23 Ultimate Team™.
Group Stage
Tournament front-runners Brazil, Argentina, France, and Germany all made smooth progress through their first three matches to qualify for the Round of 16 as group winners.
Group B was another story however, with the USA taking an unexpected first place ahead of England in second. There was drama right until the last, with heartbreak for Wales who led England 1-0 in the final match of the group – a result which would have seen them qualify for the knockouts ahead of the Three Lions. However, a late Jude Bellingham goal broke Welsh hearts to salvage a draw and England’s place in the round of 16.
Elsewhere, Group H saw Portugal and Korea Republic qualify ahead of Uruguay and Ghana, but the rivalry between the latter two countries that began in the FIFA World Cup 2010™ resurfaced in a thriller. In what should have been a dead rubber with neither team able to qualify for the round of 16, Ghana snatched a 4-3 victory thanks to a winning goal from Jordan Ayew as both teams finished the match with 10 players.
Round of 16
The round of 16 started with a clash of two European giants as the Netherlands took on England. A 3-1 victory for the Dutch meant it was a tournament to forget for England, while Argentina overcame Denmark, reigning champions France snuck past Poland, Brazil continued their fine early form with a 3-0 victory over Korea Republic, and Portugal showed their supremacy with a controlled 2-0 win against Switzerland.
Elsewhere, USA snatched a 2-1 win over Senegal thanks to a brace from Christian Pulisic to make it into the Quarter Finals for the first time since 2002, Croatia triumphed 2-1 against Spain, and we saw one of the games of the tournament as Germany took on Belgium. The Red Devils took an early 1-0 lead before two late Germany goals halted Belgium’s progress and sent die Mannschaft into the Quarter Finals
Quarter Finals
The pressure of this stage of the tournament was clear to see, as three of the four Quarter Finals ended 1-0, with three of the best players in the world proving their class by providing the decisive contribution for their teams.
Argentina found their way past the Netherlands thanks to a moment of brilliance from their master magician to end the Dutch team’s hopes of a first FIFA World Cup™ trophy. Then France halted a spirited USA team as Kylian Mbappé clinically finished a flowing French counter attack, and Portugal found their way past the ever-resilient Croatia – the scorer? You guessed it.
It was Brazil though that wrote the biggest headlines, as they came up against Germany for the first time since their humbling 7-1 Semi Final defeat in 2014 in a hotly-anticipated rematch. The Seleção looked fired up from the first whistle, producing a dominant first half display to storm into an early 2-0 lead with a goal apiece for Vinícius Jr and Richarlison, before turning it into three late in the game as Germany tried in vain to get back into the game.
Semi Finals
Both Semi Finals saw matchups between South America and Europe, with Argentina the first to lock in their place in the final as they overcame the holders France with a tight 1-0 win.
It was another nail-biter in the other semi between Brazil and Portugal. With neither team managing to break the deadlock over 120 nervy minutes, it was time for the first shootout of the tournament. Brazil defied the pressure with a flawless performance from the spot, coming out 5-4 winners and locking in an all-South American final for the first time since 1950.
Final
The stage was set for two of football’s greatest rivals to meet for the first time in a FIFA World Cup™ since 1990 and the first time ever in the Final.
Unsurprisingly it was another tense game that was decided by a single goal, but it was the Albiceleste that sent their nation into euphoria as Lionel Messi scored his eighth goal of the tournament to give his country their first FIFA World Cup™ title since 1986, their third overall, and filled in the last remaining spot in his trophy cabinet.
Golden Boot
Who else? Lionel Messi crowned a stunning tournament with the Golden Boot award, with eight goals in seven games including the decisive strike in the final.
Golden Ball
A captain’s display. Messi also picked up the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player to round off a memorable FIFA World Cup™.
Golden Glove
There was a four-way tie for the Golden Glove between Rui Patrício of Portugal, Alisson of Brazil, Dominik Livaković of Croatia, and Emiliano Martínez of Argentina, but it was Martínez who picked up the award by virtue of progressing the furthest in the tournament.
Team Of The Tournament (4-2-4)
- Emiliano Martínez – ARG
- João Cancelo – POR
- Raphaël Varane – FRA
- Marquinhos – BRA
- Marcos Acuña – ARG
- Leandro Paredes – ARG
- Rodrigo de Paul – ARG
- Vinícius Jr – BRA
- Lionel Messi – ARG
- Kylian Mbappé – FRA
- Richarlison – BRA
Now it’s your turn. Have your say on the FIFA World Cup 2022™ with the EA SPORTS FIFA World Cup 2022™ Predictor and you could get in-game rewards!
