As the 22nd Edition of the FIFA world cup begins November 20th 2022, the first to be held in the desert( Arab), of the past Eight winners of the biggest soccer fiesta on planet earth, seven of them will be in Qatar except Italy to compete for the 42million USD prize money for the overall winner.
They include the defending champions  France, Brazil, Germany, Argentina, Spain, England and Uruguay.
As we begin our preview for the 2022 FIFA world cup, let’s take a look at the past winners of the last five Editions of the FIFA world cup.
France: Ranked number 4, in the world, Les Bleus ( France) are in group D alongside Tunisia, Denmark and Australia and coach Didier Deschamps side will be out to avoid the ghost of the 2002 edition of the FIFA world cup, after lifting the 1998 title on home soil.
France have a lot of talent that can push them to become the first country to successfully defend their title after Brazil’s victories in 1958 and 1962. The hope of France lies on the current Balloon D’ or winner Karim  Benzema, why the most talented youngster in the world at the moment Kylian Mbape can forge a common goal with the rest of the players to achieve success in Qatar.
No doubt Paul Pogba will be greatly missed at the Mundial, France are favourites to finish top of Group D and from there, anything can happen just as they should be reminded that holders of the previous three world Cup editions in 2010, 2014 and 2018 did not go beyond the group stage.
However, bookmakers believe France can reach the last four in Qatar.
Germany: Next is  Germany who ruled the world at the 2014 FIFA world cup in Brazil, taking two former winners Host Brazil and Argentina to the cleaners.
The four-time winners of the world cup head to Qatar with some of the players out injured, but hoping to secure a record-equaling fifth world cup trophy.
Only Brazil have appeared in more world cup than Germany with their last success coming in 2014 when they defeated  Argentina 1-0 in Extra time in the final match courtesy of Mario Gotse’s goal, but the 1954 world cup winners struggled in their 2018 title defence in Russia and Euro 2020 tournaments
With some gifted players like captain Manuel Neur, Thomas Muller, Jamal Musiala, Kai Haverth, coach Hansi Flick’s troops can make it out of Group E where Spain, Japan and Costa Rica will be competing.
With the poor form in their last seven games in all competitions, winning two games and five draws, it is worrisome as they lack what it takes for a deep run in Qatar. However, the team is poised for an improved performance in Qatar to propel them ahead of Euro 2024 as host.
Germany became the fourth title holder in the last five world Cups to crash out of the group stage but were better at the next major tournament in 2021 surviving a tough group to beat Portugal the cup holders.
With a new manager for the world cup, Hansi Flick who won two Bundesliga titles and a Champions League with Bayern Munich can turn things around for Germany though it will be Flicks’ toughest text as a manager.
Football pundits believe the 2022 world cup in Qatar will be all about redemption for the four-time winners.
Spain: Another past winner of the FIFA world cup is Spain, regarded as the perennial underachiever prior to their European success in 2008, and 2012 and the FIFA world cup in South Africa in 2010.
But in their last two world cup, the La Roja went out in the group stage in 2014 in Brazil and 2018 in Russia.         Spain are viewed among the top three favourites for the Qatar world cup, they have a strong team that can hold their own in Qatar just like they did 12 years ago in South Africa when they Pipped the Netherlands 1-0 in the final match of the  2010 world cup to lift their first ever title.
Without their former inspirational defender, Sergio Ramos, the Luis Enrique tutored side will have to contend with Costa Rica, 2014 world cup winners Germany and Japan in Group E and they should be able to go through with Germany from the group.
Spain, Â with some young prospects like Pedri, Gavi, Rodri, Ferran Torres and Ansu Fati, might need to be near-perfect defensively in Qatar to make themselves serious contenders for the title.
Spain who couldn’t go beyond the quarterfinal stage of the world cup before the 2010 triumph in Africa, placed fourth at the 1950 world cup.
With a blend of experience and youth, the Spanish side can spring surprises in Qatar, maybe the last four.
Brazil: Another country that may rule the world again in Qatar is  Brazil, having the record of five world cup titles, 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002, Brazil need to win their first world cup since 2002, as they boast of Quality players scattered across Europe especially the premier League in England, they have to fight and win in Qatar otherwise they will be matching their longest ever drought of 1970- 1994, twenty-four years without a world cup title.
But with one of the world’s best Neymar in their fold, who is just two goals away from equalling Pele’s record of all-time top scorer, the PSG superstar who has hinted that this might be his last world cup must lead this blend of experience and youth  Brazilian side to glory.
Managed by 61-year-old Tite, the Selacao are in group G with Switzerland, Â Cameroon, and Serbia, they remain the only nation to Qualify for every tournament since the world began in 1930. Brazil head to Qatar as the most successful country in world cup history with five titles
As the Mundial  begins on November 20th 2022, Brazil are seen as favourites
The Selacao should not have a problem finishing at the top of Group G, as they topped their group in each of the last ten (10) world Cups, Â the South American giant has been tipped by the followers of the game to win the trophy in Qatar, an eight world cup final may be on the cards against holders France.
And finally, one of the past five winners of the world cup is Italy and they are not in Qatar.
The Azzurri have won the world cup four times and are also the first country to successfully defend the World Cup title. after winning it in 1934 and 1938, they went on to win two more in Spain in 1982 and Germany in 2006.
Italy will miss out on back-to-back cups for the first time in their history, no thanks to the shocking defeat in the hands of North Macedonia during the European qualifying playoff.
Italy won the European championship in a grand style in July 2021 inside the famous Wembley stadium in England completing the Italian soccer redemption but the Roberto Mancini men failed to replicate their European championship form as they crash out of the world cup after eight months of ruling Europe.
After winning the European title many followers of the game had the belief that the Italians are back after those years of failure at the international stage and will take on the rest of the world in the next world cup but they failed to reach the promised land losing at the playoff to lowly rated North Macedonia.
No doubt Italy should have been one of the contenders in Qatar but only time will tell how soon they will bounce back, maybe in 2026 when the USA, Canada and Mexico will host the rest of the world.
Compiled By Joseph Isokpehi for Truth Live News World Cup Special Preview