The Confederations Cup kicks of Saturday, June 17. These three teams all have a good shot at lifting the trophy for the first time.
The Confederations Cup will crown a new winner for the first time since 2003. After winning the previous three iterations of the tournament, Brazil didn’t qualify for the 2017 edition of the Confederations Cup. In their absence, here are three favorites who could win the trophy this summer.
Portugal
The 2016 European Champions have a chance to bring home silverware in back-to-back years. Their hopes, as usual, will depend largely on the form of Cristiano Ronaldo, who’s late-season goalscoring surge led Real Madrid to their second Champions League title in as many seasons.
Portugal’s win at the Euros last summer owed more to a stingy defense than Ronaldo’s magic, but as the Real star has turned himself into more of a bona fide center forward, he may be a better fit stylistically for this team.
The Confederations Cup could also be a proving ground for the 22-year-old Bernardo Silva. Silva impressed for Monaco this season, as the Ligue 1 side beat PSG to the French title and made it to the semifinals of the Champions League, and completed a big money move to Manchester City at the conclusion of the season.
William Carvalho is another player who could be in line for a move this summer. The defensive midfielder has been linked to several clubs in the Premier League and will anchor the midfield along with Joao Moutinho.
There are two main concerns for Fernando Santos’ side. The first is the age of some of their key player. Pepe and Bruno Alves are both in their mid-30s and will likely start at the back, while even Ronaldo is beginning to show signs of slowing down (though the stylistic changes he’s made seem to have postponed any real decline).
The second concern is their ability to create chances. In France last summer, Portugal didn’t win a match in regular time until their semifinal against Wales. They have probably the world’s most lethal finisher in Ronaldo up front, but that won’t matter if they can’t get him the ball. Perhaps the more laid-back atmosphere of the Confederations Cup will bring this team out of their defensive shell.
Chile
Chile have dominated South America recently, winning the Copa America and Copa America Centenario in back-to-back years. Winning the Confederations Cup would be the perfect trifecta for La Roja. In past tournaments, Chile have been able to elevate their level of play to win despite having less talented squads than the opposition.
Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal will be key to Chile’s success. If they have good tournaments, the team should go far. Eduardo Vargas will also play a crucial role. The forward has struggled at club level throughout his career, but boasts an excellent goalscoring record for his national team, with 32 goals in 68 appearances.
That’s something of a common theme with this side. Gary Medel, Gonzalo Jara, Jean Beausejour, and Mauricio Isla have all moved to smaller clubs in recent years, but tend to elevate their play internationally. Claudio Bravo, who had a tough first season with Manchester City, will be hoping to do the same.
Chile don’t have the most talented squad in the tournament, but their intensity and ability to get the best out of themselves have proven difference makers in tournament soccer before. With Sanchez on form and everyone else focused, they could easily lift the trophy for the first time ever.
Germany
Germany manager Joachim Low selected an inexperienced squad for the Confederations Cup, casting doubt on his side’s chances. Julian Draxler, Joshua Kimmich and Jonas Hector are the only players on the roster who were regulars in Germany’s starting XI during Euro 2016. However, the German squad is still arguably the most talented in the competition.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen isn’t be Manuel Neuer, but he’s still a very good keeper. Hector was great a year ago in France and will likely be Low’s first choice right-back. Low has three quality center-backs to choose from in Roma’s Antonio Rudiger, Arsenal’s Shkodran Mustafi and Bayern Munich’s Niklas Sule. The only real question is left-back. Hertha’s Marvin Plattenhardt will likely get the opportunity to start, but the 25-year-old only made his international debut on June 6.
Kimmich and Liverpool’s Emre Can will likely be Low’s first choice in central midfield, but both players can play multiple positions and could be moved around. That should work to Low’s advantage, however, as it will give him the freedom to employ several different formations as needed.
Germany might struggle to score goals in the absence of their more established attacking stars, but the young guys have a lot of promise. Timo Werner had a breakout season for RB Leipzig with 21 goals and will likely be the main focus of the German attack. Draxler is the most creative player on the German roster and could be used as an attacking midfielder or as a winger. Leon Goretzka, Julian Brandt and Amin Younes could all see significant minutes.
This will be a far cry from the Germany team that won the World Cup in 2014 and competed in the Euros last summer, but it will be fascinating to see a hugely promising next generation on a senior international stage.