World Cup 2022 team previews: Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon

ESPN is previewing each of the World Cup's 32 teams ahead of the tournament. Here's what you need to know about the four sides set to do battle in Group G.

Jump to: Brazil | Serbia | Switzerland | Cameroon
Also read: Group A | B | C | D | E | F | H

Brazil

Manager: Tite
Nickname: Selecao (The National Team)
FIFA Rank: 1

How they qualified

In style, especially toward the end, when a new generation of attacking talent found its feet. Brazil were unbeaten in qualifying, winning all but three of their 17 games. True, they did go down at home to Argentina in the final of the 2021 Copa America, but the response could hardly have been better. Their subsequent record was: 12 wins and 3 draws, scoring 38 and conceding five. Coach Tite has benefited from having a full four-year cycle. He was in charge for less than two years before Russia 2018 and his team have improved with time, adding more attacking options to their defensive solidity.

Style of play

Brazil have three slight tactical variations, in which the versatility of Lucas Paqueta is crucial. But whether or not they go with two wingers, the idea is the same. They want the ball, and when they lose it they press the opposition with an intensity that no previous Brazil side have possessed.

Biggest strength

Alisson is one of the best goalkeepers in the business, and there are few centre-backs with the speed and quality of Marquinhos, partnered either with the class and experience of Thiago Silva or the speed of Eder Militao. This is a side, then, that not only concede rarely, but they rarely look in danger of conceding. And that means they get full value from their range of attacking options. Neymar has good relationship with Lucas Paqueta, while some pressure is taken off him by the rich goal-scoring form of Richarlison and the rise of Raphinha and Vinicius Junior. Brazil let few goals in and can score in plenty of different ways. Their strength lies not only in their talent, but also in the balance.

Biggest weakness

Things have almost been going too well for Brazil; it has been a while since they have come under real pressure. This is a concern. World Cups are not won in the easy, eye-catching games, but in the tough battles of the knockout phase. How will the team react if they get behind? There are a few in the team who can be hotheaded and, after Argentina took the lead in the final of the Copa America, Brazil spent too much time losing focus with on-field spats. It is also worth recalling how Neymar's game collapsed two years ago in the final of the Champions League after Bayern Munich scored. A similar concern is what might happen when Brazil finally meet an opponent who can beat their high press? They have trained for this eventuality, but it is always harder in the real thing.

Star player: Neymar

In Qatar, Neymar (75) may well overtake Pele (77) as Brazil's all-time leading scorer. By a quirk of fate, the 31-year-old will also be almost exactly the same age as Pele had when he retired from the national team in 1971. The difference, of course, is that Pele left the stage having done it all, winning three World Cups. In the eyes of Brazil, Neymar has it all to do and this tournament will be fundamental to his legacy with the national team. He was injured for the 2014 quarterfinals and in 2018 was coming off a long-term injury and probably played as well as could have been expected. With his recent form for PSG hitting new heights, this year is set up to be his moment.

Projected starting XI

(4-3-2-1): Alisson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Alex Sandro; Fred, Casemiro, Lucas Paqueta; Rafinha, Neymar; Richarlison.

What the stats say

- Best World Cup finish: record five-time champions (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002.)

- Brazil have failed to finish among top three teams in the past four World Cups, their longest such streak.

FiveThirtyEight SPI: 45% chance to make the semifinals, 22% to win the title.

Betting odds: +400 (via Caesars Sportsbook.)

Prediction

Brazil were not far off four years ago, when they were unlucky to lose to Belgium in the quarterfinals. They are a better side now and will take some stopping. Since their 2002 World Cup win, every campaign has ended after they met European opposition in the knockout phase. How will they cope with the European challenge this time? It will take a good side on a good day to beat them. They are justified favourites. -- Tim Vickery.

Serbia

Manager: Dragan Stojkovic
Nickname: Оrlovi (The Eagles)
FIFA Rank: 21

How they qualified

Serbia's form grew through the qualifiers. Two narrow wins over Ireland and Azerbaijan, as well as saving a point in a home game against Portugal after being 2-0 down at halftime, began their campaign in March. By November, things fell into place. They looked better, played with more confidence and flair and eventually topped the group undefeated, three points clear of Portugal after beating them 2-1 with a 90th minute goal from Aleksandar Mitrovic in the final game. Their rise continued after the qualifiers and was clearly shown in the UEFA Nations League as they topped Group B4 to win promotion. Serbia now travel to Qatar on top their game, determined to prove their worth.

Style of play

Two things were crucial in transforming the once-underachieving side that played ugly football and lacked team cohesion into an attractive, attacking unit. The first was the arrival of Dragan 'Piksi' Stojkovic, one of Serbian football all-time icons, at the helm. "We want to play attacking football and score a lot of goals," he said. The second was the retirement of defenders Branislav Ivanovic and Aleksandar Kolarov, which allowed for the switch to three at the back, bringing the best out of their key players. This has had a big impact on the team's balance, both unlocking their attacking potential and providing better cover in an otherwise erratic defence.

Biggest strength

Although Serbia can still appear a bit rough around the edges, they are a massive force in attack. Stojkovic has managed to squeeze not only two lethal strikers (Mitrovic and Dusan Vlahovic) up front, but also Dusan Tadic behind them, as well as two pacey attacking wing-backs in Andrija Zivkovic and Filip Kostic on the flanks. Mitrovic and Vlahovic work surprisingly well together, fed useful balls by either Sergej Milinkovic-Savic's playmaking, Tadic's clever play between the lines, or dangerous crosses from Kostic and Zivkovic. Opponents never know where the next threat will come from.

Biggest weakness

The balance of quality in Stojkovic's team is firmly on the side of the attack, so it's obvious that problems will come at the other end. The back three are beneath the level of their attacking teammates and Serbia are vulnerable practically whenever their opponents cross the halfway line. Stojkovic has tried to cope with that by switching to more of a 5-3-2 against stronger teams, with wing-backs given more defensive duties, and Serbia conceded that many goals. But the issue is far from ideal and could prove to be a bigger problem at the World Cup.

Star player: Dusan Tadic

Tadic is Serbia's captain and their most capped player, as well as the oldest in the squad at 33. The Ajax star possesses considerable tactical nous and positional intelligence, so he is Stojkovic's leader on the pitch, showing his teammates what needs to be done and setting an example for others to follow. Tadic hasn't always been the leader in this team, though. Indeed, he started as something of an outsider and had to work his way up from the fringes, but now he's widely acknowledged as their most important player and the hardest to replace.

Projected starting XI

(3-4-1-2): V. Milinkovic-Savic; Milenkovic, S. Mitrovic, Pavlovic; Zivkovic, Lukic, S. Milinkovic-Savic, Kostic; Tadic; A. Mitrovic, Vlahovic.

What the stats say

- Best World Cup finish: 4th place (1930, 1962)

- Serbia finished first in their qualifying group (ahead of Portugal) and were recently promoted to Nations League A after winning four of six games vs. Norway, Slovenia and Sweden.

FiveThirtyEight SPI: 41% chance to make the round of 16, 16% to make quarterfinals

Betting odds: +6600 (via Caesars Sportsbook.)

Prediction

The group is quite difficult and even if Serbia manage to reach the knockout rounds, their next opponent won't be any easier. Anything past the round of 16 is possible, but that would be nothing short of a miracle. -- Alex Holiga.

Switzerland

Manager: Murat Yakin
Nickname: La Nati (National Team)
FIFA Rank: 15

How they qualified

Switzerland remained unbeaten in their group, including both games against Italy, but the reigning European champions lost points in their away games against Bulgaria and Northern Ireland, so the Swiss unexpectedly finished on top. It was a tidy, if unspectacular, campaign with 15 goals scored and only two conceded. The situation has improved since, though, with key players hitting better form and it was their later games in the Nations League that brought further encouragement: after a poor start in the competition, they finished with three consecutive wins against Spain, Portugal and the Czech Republic. Things may have fallen into place just in time for Qatar.

Style of play

Under new manager, Murat Yakin, Switzerland have become slightly more direct, less reliable on ball possession and perhaps a bit less attacking compared to how they looked for most of the Vladimir Petkovic's reign, which lasted from 2014 to 2021. They also ditched the three at the back system in favour of an almost classic, balanced 4-2-3-1. The midfield duo of Remo Freuler and Granit Xhaka are the heart of this team and have been crucial to maintaining balance between defence and attack. This will be key for the team's play in both directions at the World Cup.

Biggest strength

It may be a cliché, but for years now Switzerland's best feature has been their collective play. They are a tight unit that have a few strong, but not dominant, individuals. Functioning well together has allowed them to punch above their weight, as this will be the fifth big tournament in a row that Switzerland have qualified for. In the past four, they managed to reach the round of 16, even going one step further at Euro 2020, beating France but losing to Spain on penalties in the quarterfinals. The team is finely balanced and the players are always ready to step in and cover for one another, setting their egos aside for the greater good.

Biggest weakness

There are no huge weak spots, but if you have to pinpoint one thing that this team lacks the most, it would probably be a prolific goal scorer. Haris Seferovic has often been the No. 1 choice up front and he has the most experience; FC Salzburg's Noah Okafor is one of the youngsters showing considerable potential, but the No. 9 role will probably go to 25-year-old Breel Embolo, a former wonderkid who has fallen somewhat short of his potential but is currently doing well at Monaco. Switzerland will need him and his attacking teammates to be at their best if they are to keep their consistency.

Star player: Granit Xhaka

Xhaka has had more than his fair share of disagreements with the manager and missed all six qualifying matches that were played after Euro 2020 with a ligament injury, but his importance to the team was obvious as soon as he returned. The Switzerland captain was instrumental for the team in the Nations League and looks at the top of his game ahead of the World Cup. He hasn't played this well for in-form Arsenal in a very long time and has been able to translate his club form to the national team.

Projected starting XI

(4-2-3-1): Sommer; Widmer, Akanji, Elvedi, Rodriguez; Freuler, Xhaka; Shaqiri, Sow, Okafor; Embolo.

What the stats say

- Best World Cup finish: quarterfinals (1934, 1938, 1954); they have the most quarterfinal appearances without reaching a semifinal.

- Switzerland have reached five straight World Cups, which is the longest streak in team history.

FiveThirtyEight SPI: 44% chance to make the round of 16, 18% to make quarterfinals.

Betting odds: +8000 (via Caesars Sportsbook.)

Prediction

The match against Serbia is likely to be decisive for Switzerland -- not only because it will be their last in the group, but because the two teams are on a similar level and likely to fight for second spot behind clear favourites Brazil. If they beat Serbia, they will have a good chance to make the round of 16. -- Alex Holiga.

Cameroon

Manager: Rigobert Song
Nickname: The Indomitable Lions
FIFA Rank: 43

How they qualified

Things are rarely straightforward for Cameroon, and this was certainly the case during the playoffs. They were defeated at home by Algeria but stunned the Fennecs in Blida -- the hosts' first competitive loss at the Stade Mustapha Tchaker -- when Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting scored the only goal of normal time. Ahmed Touba thought he'd won it with a 118th-minute goal, only for Karl Toko Ekambi's 124th-minute volley to send Cameroon to Qatar. The Indomitable Lions had previously eliminated Cote d'Ivoire in the group, with Toko Ekambi again proving decisive at the Stade Japoma in November.

Style of play

Cameroon are finding their feet under Rigobert Song, who was drafted in following the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil. Up top, Toko Ekambi will look to cut inside to support Vincent Aboubakar, with Moumi Ngamaleu offering width on the right. Full-backs Nouhou Tolo and Collins Fai add another dimension to attack, while Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa spearheads the midfield. Will Song find a way to fit in-form Choupo Moting into his starting XI?

Biggest strength

Cameroon have increasingly cultivated various ways to hurt teams this year, netting 14 goals at the AFCON, then adopting a more direct approach to trouble Algeria. Evergreen Vincent Aboubakar, whose instincts will again be a major asset in Qatar, won the Golden Boot, while there's movement and direct running to support him from wide areas. This should help Cameroon ask questions of Serbia and Switzerland. Elsewhere, Zambo Anguissa, enjoying the best season of his career in terms of goal output at Napoli, Choupo Moting, in the form of his life, and new call-up Bryan Mbeumo give Cameroon a belief that they can score against anyone.

Biggest weakness

As has been the case in tournaments past, Cameroon can appear worryingly close to crisis and there are few teams that have a greater chance of imploding in Qatar. Partly, this is due to the charismatic leadership of FA president Samuel Eto'o, who has publicly criticised his players in unduly harsh terms this year and brought controversy on the team through his dubious decision-making around Cameroon's World Cup kit manufacturer. His demand that the Indomitable Lions are still standing in the tournament until the final has heaped undue pressure on a squad which wasn't expected to qualify. They'll certainly be pumped up ... too pumped up, perhaps?

Star player: Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa

Zambo Anguissa has blossomed into a truly magnificent midfielder, even if a move to Fulham from Marseille led to two relegations. Linked with Real Madrid during his time at Villarreal, he ultimately moved to Napoli, initially on loan, where he was influential as they qualified for the Champions League, before underpinning their remarkable form this season both in Serie A and Europe. He's excelled with a more expansive brief for the Partenopei -- having a hand in four goals in four Champions League matches -- and he's increasingly influential for Cameroon as well. Song knows this, and omitted Zambo Anguissa from the September friendlies to give him the best chance of being fresh for Qatar.

Projected starting XI

(4-3-3): Onana; Nouhou, Castelletto, Ngadeu-Ngadjui, Fai; Zambo Anguissa, Hongla, Ntcham; Toko Ekambi, Aboubakar, Ngamaleu

What the stats say

- Best World Cup finish: quarterfinals (1990) when they were the first African team to reach that stage.

- Cameroon's eight World Cup appearances are the most ever by an African team.

FiveThirtyEight SPI: 24% chance to make the round of 16, 8% to make quarterfinals.

Betting odds: +25000 (via Caesars Sportsbook.)

Prediction

The recent defeats by Uzbekistan and South Korea have brought Cameroon down to earth after the magical qualification against Algeria (even if Eto'o doesn't accept it), and Song will know that a strong start against Switzerland is imperative. Even if they're still alive by their final game against Brazil, Cameroon must still prove that they can hold their nerve to advance. -- Ed Dove, ESPN Africa.

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