2022 World Cup: Group C Odds & Predictions

With the FIFA World Cup less than a month away, the group stage is looming large, and Group C should, on paper, be one of the most straightforward groups to predict.

Consisting of Argentina, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and Poland, the World Cup betting odds have two clear favorites to advance. Not everything goes according to script in soccer, though.

Here’s a closer look at the odds and storylines to keep your eyes on for Group C.

World Cup Group C Odds & Predictions

Odds to Win Group C

Argentina: -250

Mexico: +450

Saudi Arabia: +1800

Poland: +500

Odds to Advance from Group C

Argentina: -1600

Mexico: -115

Saudi Arabia: +650

Poland: -110

Group C World Cup Schedule

Will Lionel Messi Make His Final World Cup One to Remember?

It’s difficult to imagine an Argentinian soccer team without Lionel Messi in the attack, but at 35 years old, it’s safe to assume this will be his last World Cup. 

The talismanic striker tasted his first major national success in 2021 when Argentina claimed the Copa America title. However, the Argentine did miss out on the Ballon d’Or nomination for the first time since 2005 this year.

After a tough start to life at PSG, Messi seems to have found his goalscoring form, and manager Lionel Scaloni will expect him to bring this to the World Cup. 

Argentina has not been at the top of their game for the last couple of World Cups, but they are looking better this time around. There is plenty of depth, with older experienced players sharing the field with younger, more creative talents, and Scaloni has his team playing as a unit.

This could very well be the tournament for Messi to finally lift soccer’s most prestigious prize, and what a way for one of the best players of all time to bow out. 

Advancing from Group C should be a formality.

Mexico’s Inconsistency Could Cost Them

The betting odds have Mexico as the second team to advance from Group C, but I think they are going to find it more difficult than the odds suggest. 

This is a team that has been terribly inconsistent over the last year, and while they did alright in their World Cup qualifiers, that doesn’t detract from the fact they lost to Columbia, Peru, and Paraguay in the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) over the summer.

Manager, Gerardo “Tata” Martinez, is known for his high-press and attacking style of play, which makes for attractive soccer, but his team doesn’t have the defensive quality to play like this consistently.

Mexico’s opening match is against Poland, an organized entity headed up by Robert Lewandowski. If Mexico doesn’t win this game, I don’t see them advancing.

Poland Will be the Surprise

Optimism isn’t high in the Polish fanbase, with the national team knocked out in the group stages of their last three World Cup appearances. However, I think they will be better than many people expect.

Firstly, they have one of the best scorers, Robert Lewandowski, who is still plundering goals at 34 years old. At the back, there’s Matty Cash, Bartosz Bereszynski, and Jan Bednarek, just to name a few, while Grzegorz Krychowiak and Piotr Zieliński will provide steel and creativity in midfield, respectively. 

Poland’s manager, Czesław Michniewicz, has this team playing solid, compact soccer, and they scored 30 goals in their qualifying campaign. 

This is a manager that likes to surprise teams with his lineup, and I can’t help but feel that Poland is going to have a couple of surprise results too.

Saudi Arabia Will Struggle to Score Goals

The odds say Saudi Arabia won’t advance to the next round in the World Cup, but that’s not to say they won’t make it difficult for the other three countries in this group.

Most of the team plays together domestically, and that means they are compact and controlled at the back. The problem isn’t their defensive prowess but the lack of goals. 

Manager Hervé Renard relies on hitting on the counterattack with this team, but with opposition like Argentina and Poland, this will be difficult. 

Unfortunately for Saudi Arabia, the team with the weakest defense in this group is Mexico, who they play last. It is their most winnable match, and if they had opened against them, they could have picked up some valuable confidence.

Group C Predictions

I have no doubt that Argentina is going to make it through this group unscathed and at the top. But I’m going with Poland clinching the second spot and advancing. 

Mexico is a little too inconsistent, and I think Saudi Arabia is capable of an upset against them.