The 2022 World Cup is slowly but surely creeping up on us, and it’s about time we start speculating about who will have a place on the plane to Qatar this winter in the England World Cup squad.
There are a number of players you would expect to be shoo-ins. Harry Kane is the England captain, Declan Rice has arguably been the best midfielder in the country this season, and Raheem Sterling was the Three Lions’ Player of the Tournament at Euro 2020.
However, rather than picking what we would choose as our World Cup squad, we’re going to hand the reins over to the virtual Gareth Southgate and take a look at the England squad in Qatar as predicted by Football Manager 2022.
It’s fair to say there are a few shocks in that team.
Our virtual Gareth Southgate has picked Nick Pope, Jordan Pickford and Aaron Ramsdale as his goalkeepers, but it’s in the defence where it gets interesting.
Southgate’s solution to England’s right-back dilemma is to pick Trent Alexander-Arnold and Reece James, meaning there’s no space for Kyle Walker or Kieran Trippier in this squad.
Meanwhile, at centre-half, there’s a massive shock selection.
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Harry Maguire, John Stones and Ben White are all in the squad, but Football Manager 2022 is tipping uncapped Manchester City youngster Taylor Harwood-Bellis for a big few months as he makes the World Cup squad.
Harwood-Bellis is currently plying his trade out on loan for Stoke in the Championship.
Fikayo Tomori finally gets his chance in Qatar after being left out of the latest real-life England squad.
Ben Chilwell is the only recognised true left-back in the team, but Bukayo Saka is also able to do a job in that role.
The midfield is packed full of the usual suspects. Jordan Henderson, Kalvin Phillips, Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham all rightfully earn their spots, while Mason Mount is also in the side.
Meanwhile, Saka, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Raheem Sterling are trusted as Southgate’s wide options.
Tammy Abraham deputises for Harry Kane up top, and while he can’t be seen on the screenshot in this article, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has also secured himself a place on the plane.
There are certainly some notable omissions here.
Perhaps our video game version of Southgate has a bit of a bias against Manchester United as Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw all miss out after playing at the Euros.
According to Football Manager, England will start their first game in Qatar in a 4-5-1 shape with Bukayo Saka playing at left-back, while a youthful pairing of Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham are trusted to run the midfield.
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