World Cup 2022 Group C Teams, Odds, Preview & Best Bet
The 2022 FIFA World Cup draw was completed on April 1st, and the field is just about set. 29 out of the 32 teams are fully qualified, while there are still a few play-in matches to solidify the field. Group C is finalized and sees Argentina as clear favorites to advance, while the oddsmakers believe Poland and Mexico will battle it out as the second team to go through. Saudi Arabia joins the group as +3500 underdogs to win the group and is currently +700 to make it to the knockout stage.
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Argentina (-300 to Win Group C | +750 to Win World Cup)
The expectations are high for Argentina entering the World Cup in 2022, as they see the fourth-highest odds at +750 entering the tournament. Lionel Scaloni manages the national team, and he has posted a record of 27-13-4 over 44 matches since taking over in 2018. This will be the 18th time Argentina has participated in the World Cup, and they've won the tournament twice (1978, 1986).
As for this year's roster, it's none other than Lionel Messi leading the charge. The world-class striker has 160 international caps to his name with 81 goals, which are records on the national team. There is speculation that this will likely be his final World Cup appearance at 34. Aside from Messi, Ángel Di María will return in the midfield for Argentina. He plays his club soccer alongside Messi at Paris Saint-Germain and has scored 24 goals in 121 international matches. Leandro Paredes, another PSG club player, will join the midfield for Argentina. The 27-year-old has made 44 international appearances. As for goalkeeping, Argentina hasn't much experience, considering the three keepers on the roster have a combined 22 caps. Franco Armani is the most experienced of the three, with 17 matches played.
Saudi Arabia (+3500 to Win Group C | +80000 to Win World Cup)
Saudi Arabia is one of four teams representing Asia in the upcoming World Cup, and this will be their sixth showing in the World Cup and second straight. In 2018, Saudi Arabia went 1-0-2 in the group stage and did not advance to the knockout round. Hervé Renard, a native of France, manages the national team for Saudi Arabia, and he has the most wins as a foreign-born manager for the country.
The roster comprises players who solely play their club soccer domestically. Most of the players are a part of Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad, or Al-Hilal, which are all teams in the Saudi Pro League. 21-year-old Firas Al-Buraikan has 20 international caps under his belt, and he has scored six times as a forward. The most appearances belong to Fahad Al-Muwallad, at 70. There is a good amount of international experience on the Saudi side, with nine players appearing in at least 20 matches. As the national team continues to gain experience, don't expect them to just roll over on the world stage. I wouldn't be surprised if Saudi Arabia finds themselves in contention for a win or two late in the group stage games.
Mexico (+450 to Win Group C | +10000 to Win World Cup)
Perhaps it was an unlucky draw for Mexico, as they're stuck competing (mainly) with Argentina and Poland for two spots to advance to the knockout round. But, this national side is always up for the challenge, and they don't shy away from anybody. This will be Mexico's 17th trip to the World Cup and their eighth straight appearance. The farthest they've made it in the World Cup is to the quarter-finals (1970, 1986). Gerardo Martino, an Argentinian native, has been managing Mexico’s national team since 2019 and boasts a record of 35-10-7 over 52 matches.
The roster heading into the 2022 World Cup will usher in some familiar names, including Raúl Jiménez, Hirving Lozano, and Guillermo Ochoa. Jiménez scored 30 international goals for Mexico over 95 appearances, while Lozano scored 15 goals in 58 caps. Jesús Manuel Corona, who plays his club soccer with Sevilla, will also bolster the attack. He's scored 10 international goals over 69 competitions. On the back end of the pitch, longtime goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa will return, and he's played in 128 international contests for Mexico.
Poland (+450 to Win Group C | +10000 to Win World Cup)
Poland couldn't win their qualifying group outright, so they were forced to play in a four-team semifinal and battle their way into the World Cup. The national team was pushed through automatically in their initial match against Russia (due to current world events). They defeated Sweden 2-0 in the final to qualify for the World Cup. This will be Poland's ninth time competing on the world stage, with their best finishes being third place back in 1974 and 1982. Czesław Michniewicz is the current skipper of the Polish side, and he's 1-1-0 since taking over at the end of January. But his lone win was a substantial one, coming in the 2-0 match against Sweden in March.
There are several headlining names on the Polish roster, including Robert Lewandowski, who's arguably the best striker in the world. Like Argentina's Messi, Lewandowski holds the record for caps (129) and goals scored (75) for his home country. Kamil Glik is the vice-captain, and he boasts plenty of international experience as well. Glik has 92 international matches to his name, and he has scored six times for Poland. One of the more well-known goalkeepers in Europe is Wojciech Szczęsny, who plays his club soccer with Juventus. The 32-year-old will return this year, and he's played in 63 international matches over his career.
Best Bet of Group C: Mexico to Advance (-120 via DraftKings)
This is a fascinating group featuring some of the top goal scorers globally and some of the most notable goalkeepers. There is a lot of talent on Argentina's roster, and I don't expect any letdowns from them in the group stage. They'll clearly go through to the knockout stage.
That leaves one spot up for grabs between Mexico and Poland, which the oddsmakers have on the same level in terms of odds. Both countries are +450 to win the group outright and are -120 to advance to the Round of 16. In my opinion, Mexico plays well enough in the group stage and will advance (-120). This is one of the more experienced teams in the tournament, and the core players have been together for a while now. This will likely be the last time the core plays together in the World Cup, so look for them to avoid slip-ups and muscle their way to the next round. Mexico has gone through to the Round of 16 in seven straight World Cups, and I don't see that streak breaking this year.
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