FIFA Club World Cup

EA Sports FIFA 23 simulation forecasts Argentina to win 2022 World Cup

Updated Nov. 8, 2022 7:32 p.m. ET

EA Sports FIFA, the world-famous soccer video game, has been pretty good at predicting World Cup winners lately.

In 2010, EA Sports used the FIFA game to simulate that year's World Cup tournament and projected Spain to win it all. Sure enough, Spain eventually defeated the Netherlands in the real-life title game to win the country's first World Cup championship.

When EA Sports did the same thing in 2014 and 2018, those predictions also came true, with Germany and France taking home the crown in both the virtual versions and the real-life editions weeks later.

This time around, the EA Sports FIFA 23 simulation is predicting that Argentina will win the World Cup.

Argentina is one of the betting favorites to win this year, currently tied for the third-shortest odds at +550 at FOX Bet to take home the trophy (bet $10 to win $65 total). A 2022 World Cup would be the crowning achievement for superstar Argentina team captain Lionel Messi, who has said that this upcoming World Cup would be his last.

It would be even sweeter for Messi and Argentina if their title run unfolded exactly how FIFA 23 simulated — a 1-0 victory in the World Cup Final over archrival Brazil.

The 35-year-old Messi is arguably the greatest soccer player of his generation, with nearly two decades of success at the storied European club FC Barcelona before moving to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021. However, Messi has never been able to capture a World Cup, coming closest when his team reached the 2014 final before losing to Germany. Argentina had not even won a major international soccer championship with Messi until he led the team to a Copa América title in 2021.

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FIFA's simulation also predicts Messi will be the tournament's top scorer with eight goals in seven matches. The game also predicts that he will make the 2022 World Cup Team of the Tournament along with teammates Emiliano Martínez, Marcos Acuña, Leandro Paredes and Rodrigo De Paul. The stacked Argentine roster has been on a stellar run of success in recent years, with its last loss coming in 2019.

Can Argentina keep it going and finally give Messi that elusive World Cup title? Tune in to find out when the 2022 World Cup starts on Nov. 20 only on FOX, FOX Sports 1 and the FOX Sports App.

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