Samuel Eto’o backs a Cameroon-Morocco final, Cafu thinks Iran will see off Wales and the USA… and they ALL say Qatar will knock ENGLAND out! World Cup ambassadors’ bizarre predictions
- Qatar 2022 ambassadors Samuel Eto’o, Cafu and Tim Cahill made their predictions for the upcoming World Cup
- All three believe the host nation Qatar would knock England out in the last-16
- Cameroon legend Eto’o believes his nation would beat Morocco in the final
- Their predictions were ridiculed on social media after they were revealed
- The World Cup gets underway with Qatar vs Ecuador on Sunday evening
- Click here for the latest World Cup 2022 news, fixtures, live action and results
Iran to follow England out of Group B, hosts Qatar to stun the Three Lions in the last-16 and an all-African final between Cameroon and Morocco.
These are just some of the bizarre predictions made by World Cup ambassadors Samuel Eto’o, Cafu and Tim Cahill on the eve of the tournament.
Cameroon legend Eto’o is certainly optimistic about his nation’s chances as he backs them to finish ahead of Brazil in Group G before going on to dump out Ghana, Belgium and Senegal on a dream run to the final.
Cameroon legend Samuel Eto’o (right) has raised a few eyebrows with his predictions for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar
Eto’o believes that Qatar will finish ahead of Holland in Group A and Iran will make it out of Group B behind England, with all African nations making it through
His predictions became even more bonkers in the knockout stages with Qatar knocking out England in the last-16 and three African teams making the semi-finals before Cameroon win
Once there, he predicts they’ll get the better of Morocco, who have somehow eliminated Spain, Portugal and France in a miraculous knockout stage to set up an all-African final on December 18.
The former Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea forward also believes that Iran will finish behind England but ahead of the United States and Wales in Group B, and also that Qatar will dump Holland out in Group A.
In the last-16, he says Qatar will stun England in an upset arguably more seismic than the Three Lions’ exit to minnows Iceland at Euro 2016.
Weirdly enough, all three Qatar 2022 ambassadors have the hosts – who have never qualified for a World Cup before – getting out of their group before beating Gareth Southgate’s men.
Former Brazil World Cup winner Cafu also raised some eyebrows with his World Cup picks
Cafu also predicted that Qatar would get through and Iran would finish second to England
Cafu’s knockout stage predictions saw Qatar beating England before Brazil go on to win it
While Qatar have enough to beat England, the trio don’t see them overcoming reigning champions France, who would await in the quarter-final.
Eto’o was ridiculed on social media after the official ‘Road to 2022’ account posted his predictions on Tuesday.
‘Do they evaluate for concussions in soccer?’ Asked one fan, while another wrote: ‘Is Eto’o really on this planet?’
Another tweet in reply said: ‘As legit as the selection process of Qatar as the World Cup location.’
Brazilian hero Cafu’s mapped out tournament was more believable, with his home country beating France in then final after they’d got the better of South American rivals Argentina in the semis.
Australian legend Tim Cahill also made his World Cup predictions as a Qatar 2022 ambassador
Cahill also believes that Qatar will finish ahead of Holland to reach the knockout rounds
Cahill also predicted that Qatar would stun England, with Australia beating Argentina
He foresaw traditional heavyweights Germany, Belgium, Portugal and Holland all getting to the quarter-finals though he too said Iran would finish second in Group B.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Cahill had Australia going all the way to the last eight before Senegal knocked them out – but not before the Socceroos had seen off Argentina in the round of 16.
Cahill ended up with a Brazil vs Belgium final with the South Americans coming out on top to win their sixth World Cup. France finished third.
The World Cup in Qatar gets underway on Sunday when the host nation take on Ecuador
Fans weren’t too sure about his Aussie bias, with one comment in response saying: ‘Aussies will do well to avoid finishing last in their group.’
Another said: ‘My favourite part is that he backs his boys to knock out Argentina but then lose to Senegal.’
The World Cup proper gets underway when Qatar play Ecuador on Sunday.