Qualifying for the 2022 World Cup is in full swing, and while the tournament itself is still a year-and-a-half away it's never too early to handicap the teams.
Next year's tournament will occur late in the calendar year, giving it a unique feel as it's a departure from the usual mid-summer fixtures. What shouldn't be too different is the favourites, as soccer fans around the world are already familiar with the teams likeliest to lift the trophy.
The guys at the "DAZN Soccer Show" decided to use the international break to take an early look at the field — as it is — with the usual suspects such as France, Brazil, Spain and England receiving mentions as bookmakers' current favourites. Somehow, Euro 2020 champion Italy was not among the top five bookies' favourites, which rubbed former QPR and Toronto FC striker Danny Dichio the wrong way.
"After the European Championships and what Italy did, what Italy showed to the world and to the rest of Europe and how they played?" Dichio said. "Yes, they played with no strikers because [Ciro] Immobile and [Andrea] Belotti were not very good at that tournament, but the defence and the way they played for their country, the togetherness of what they showed, they've got to be there with the favourites again."
Watch the discussion above or on DAZN Canada's YouTube channel, and catch full episodes weekly on DAZN.