The 2022 World Cup is on the horizon but sadly there is a noticeable lack of Liverpool players traveling to Qatar, especially on the attacking front.
That said, Darwin Nunez has shown flashes of brilliance since joining the Reds, which has had a positive impact on his chances of claiming the top goalscorer title.
Without Mo Salah and Egypt appearing in this year’s tournament, there really isn’t anyone else from the Reds who has a decent chance of winning the World Cup Golden Boot in 2022. But the Liverpool newcomer still comes in with odds. pretty high 50/1. at Bet365, one of the best betting sites for soccer odds and World Cup betting promotions in the USA.
However, it would be foolish to write his chances off entirely, as Uruguay have a couple of favorable matches in the group stage, giving the striker a good chance of a deep run in the knockout rounds.
Plus, with compatriots Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez at his side, Nunez forms part of a formidable attacking front, which no doubt helps bolster his chances of claiming the Golden Boot.
Speaking of his compatriot, the latter of the two responded to a jubilant Instagram post from No.27 in the wake of his game-winning goal against West Ham: “First of many, goalscorer! ⚽️ Keep it up and enjoy an amazing stadium and atmosphere!”
How good is Nunez’s chance?
The 23-year-old has yet to compete in a World Cup but has had a decent amount of international experience, despite injuries keeping him out of the 2021 Copa América and several World Cup qualifiers.
This year has been a bit of a rocky start for the Uruguayan, with a red card suspension and some lackluster performances. But this is to be expected as there are still plenty of adjustments for the former Peñarol star in his early days at the club. Taking a break from the Premier League to play in the World Cup may be exactly what he needs, but it’s a tall order to score enough to win the Golden Boot.
In recent decades, the tournament’s top scorer has typically scored around half a dozen goals: Harry Kane in 2018 and James Rodriguez in 2014 each scored six.
READ MORE: Pep Guardiola breaks the silence on Liverpool’s ‘special’ goal: “We know the quality he has”
And to score as many, they needed to go through several knockout rounds. Kane finished the last tournament as top scorer with six goals in six games, although a lot of attention was paid to some favorable matchups for the England star.
Núñez plays for Uruguay in Group H, paired with Portugal, Ghana and South Korea. This means there is every chance the forward will start strong against Ghana and South Korea, before reaching the knockout rounds.
Is there anyone else?
Roberto Firmino currently has odds of 66/1 to win the Golden Boot. With so much attacking talent on the Brazilian side, it is highly unlikely that he will be able to stand out as the top scorer in Qatar. if he even makes the cut.
At the 2018 World Cup, Firmino only managed to score one goal in the four games he played, and he didn’t really see enough playing time to make an impact; it is very likely that this will be the situation again four years later.
So what’s the verdict?
Bet365 is probably correct with Nunez’s odds, but 50/1 isn’t impossible, and with a few lucky breaks you could see a Liverpool player take home this year’s top goalscorer honour.
#Ep58 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: Qualifying Liverpool’s UCL group, making a new signing… and more!
