By Jack Barnett
England will lose their second final in as many major competitions at this winter’s Qatar 2022 World Cup, missing out to arch-rivals Argentina, forecasts published by senior City analysts have predicted.
The Three Lions will breeze past Senegal, Mexico and Portugal on their way to the final, according to Liberum analyst Joachim Klement.
Klement put together a model before the 2014 World Cup using “economic and climatic variables” such as GDP per capita and population size to “predict success in international football matches”.
He correctly called Germany and France as the respective winners of the 2014 and 2018 tournaments.
If correct, England fans are set for even more years of hurt and a repeat of the heartbreak they suffered after their Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy 3-2 on penalties.
Three Lions’ route to the Qatar 2022 World Cup final
England and Argentina have shared an intense footballing rivalry since Diego Maradona’s illegal “hand of god” goal in the 1986 World Cup semi-final.
Gareth Southgate’s men begin their World Cup campaign on Monday 21 November at 1pm UK time against Iran.
They then face USA on Friday 25 November at 7pm, before rounding off the group stage in what will be a heated fixture against Wales the following Tuesday at the same time.
England beat Wales 2-1 at Euro 2016 in Lens, France, thanks to goals from Leicester forward Jamie Vardy and ex-Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge.
While England’s men’s team have failed to win a trophy since 1966, the women’s team bagged the Euros this summer.
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