The second matchday of the FIFA World Cup 2022 has come to a close. In the space of just one week, we have seen both highs and lows, featuring entertainment all-round. This is just the beginning though – Matchday 3 follows straight after Matchday 2 finishes. For fantasy players, there is quite a short turnaround, so it’s a good idea to start planning now. Some players who may have already activated the Wildcard chip for Matchday 2 can utilize it to bring unlimited free transfers ahead of Matchday 3 using the same Wildcard chip. Therefore, in this article, we are presenting you the FIFA World Cup 2022 Fantasy Matchday 3 Wildcard guide to look at a potential wildcard draft with the best players to push through in this upcoming matchday.
Understanding the potential of the Wildcard ahead of Matchday 3
By using the Wildcard chip before the first game of Matchday 2 (Wales vs Iran), players have unlimited transfers throughout Matchday 2. Then, towards the end of Matchday 2 whilst the final match is being played (Portugal vs Uruguay), we can then replace any player of preference ahead of Matchday 3. Transfers are active throughout the Matchday which is why this is possible – basically, we’re replicating a second Wildcard. Finally, after Matchday 3 ends, there are unlimited transfers anyway, ahead of the knockout stages. In summary, Using the Wildcard chip ahead of MD2 has resulted in 3 consecutive Matchdays with unlimited transfers.
FIFA World Cup 2022 Fantasy Matchday 3 Wildcard Team: Best Goalkeepers
1. Andries Noppert (Netherlands) – 4.5 million
Noppert had a great performance against Senegal in the Netherlands’ opener. A clean sheet and a further 3 saves resulted in a 7 points return. Things went a little downhill for the Netherlands team in MD2 though, they conceded 15 shots against Ecuador and only just won a point. However, if it wasn’t for Noppert and his 3 saves, it could have been worse. Anyway, the Netherlands have a must-win game in MD3, and luckily for them, they face Qatar who has already been eliminated from the tournament.
2. Sergio Rochet (Uruguay) – 4.0 million
Rochet is a goalkeeper who is priced like a budget enabler but still gets starter minutes for Uruguay. He’s there to call on if needed but is otherwise fine to stay on the bench in this wildcard team.
FIFA World Cup 2022 Fantasy Matchday 3 Wildcard Team: Best Defenders
1. Denzel Dumfries (Netherlands) – 6.0 million
Dumfries plays in an attacking RWB position and has the potential to return big point totals. So far this tournament, he has recorded 7 points and the MD3 fixture is an opportunity to add more. The Netherlands faces the hosts Qatar who have been eliminated already so this should be a fairly straightforward game for the Dutch side.
2. Luke Shaw (England) – 6.0 million
Being England’s only natural left-back, it’s likely Shaw keeps his place in the team’s starting 11. He contributed an assist in England’s opener against Iran and then helped his team to a clean sheet against the USA, totaling 9 points altogether. England must win their next game against Wales in order to secure their place in the knockouts, which means it’s likely they start the game strongly.
3. David Raum (Germany) – 4.5 million
Indeed, one of the highlights of MD2 was when two European giants in Spain and Germany went head to head. Germany’s wide players caused problems for Spain, and David Raum was one of the players who found himself in space a few times. Raum created 2 chances that game, adding on to the 3 he created in MD1. Whilst he did come off with a bruised rib towards the end, Germany’s assistant coach Danny Rohl said “We should be able to handle it“.
Should he be in the MD3 starting 11, the fixture against Costa Rica is a great opportunity for Raum to return points. Costa Rica has managed just 1 shot on target so far this tournament so there is a decent chance of a clean sheet for the Germans here.
4. Joakim Maehle (Denmark) – 4.5 million
At an affordable price, Maehle offers clean sheets and the chance of attacking returns too. During the World Cup qualification rounds, Maehle emerged as his group’s top scorer with 5 goals, despite being a defender. Matchday 3 is Denmark’s last chance at qualification, and they face Australia which could make for a decent watch. Maehle is yet to contribute effectively this tournament, but it’s hard to write him off considering his past performances.
5. Borna Sosa (Croatia) – 3.5 million
Sosa has been one of this tournament’s best budget options, returning 7 points in total despite such a low price. He has played every minute of the tournament so far, and could well start in Matchday 3 as well. If anything, Sosa releases useful funds to invest in the rest of the team, so he is a great pick regardless of his performance.
FIFA World Cup 2022 Fantasy Matchday 3 Wildcard Team: Best Midfielders
1. Bukayo Saka (England) – 8.0 million
Saka has started both of England’s World Cup matches, which is enough evidence to suggest that he is England’s preferred right-winger option for now. His 17 fantasy points total ranks highest amongst his teammates and are 6 points more than the next-best performer.
In fact, only 2 other players have scored more points this tournament than the 20-year-old. He had a quiet performance against the USA in Matchday 2, but the sides’ Matchday 3 fixture is a must-win so Saka should be ready to bounce back.
2. Davy Klaassen (Netherlands) – 6.0 million
Klaasen has 2 goal contributions for his country already and his 11 Fantasy points rank second amongst all his Dutch teammates. Netherlands’ final group stage is a must-win if they want to secure their place in the final. Fortunately for them, they face the hosts Qatar, who have already been eliminated, and have conceded 5 times in the last 2 matches.
3. Bruno Fernandes (Portugal) – 9.5 million
Fernandes contributed to two of Portugal’s three goals in their first matchday. He came out with 2 assists in the end, but throughout the game, he created 3 chances including 2 big chances as well. Portugal faces South Korea in Matchday 3, it looks like Portugal is in a good position to go through. Bruno Fernandes replaces Kevin De Bruyne as this team’s premium midfielder. The latter has failed to live up to his price tag so far and Portugal’s fixture looks more appealing than Belgium’s (vs Croatia).
4. Jamal Musiala (Germany) – 8.0 million
Musiala came out with an assist in the thriller against Spain in Matchday 2, but his all-around performance was nothing short of brilliant. The 19-year-old created 3 chances for his teammates, the most out of anyone else on the pitch, in addition to a big chance as well. He also missed a big chance himself too, but that at least shows he is getting into the right positions.
Germany plays Costa Rica in their final group-stage fixture, and this is their chance to fix up on their poor start. Costa Rica has conceded 7 goals this tournament – the lowest amongst all teams. Germany must win this game to have any chance at progressing into the next round, and so this is one of the fixtures to be targeting.
5. Hakim Ziyech (Morocco) – 7.0 million
Morocco just pulled off a shock 2-0 upset over group favorites, Belgium. It wasn’t a case of them scraping a win either – Morocco showed what they could do and gave a respectable Belgium side a very tough game. Hakim Ziyech was one of the key cogs in this team and his assist in added time helped finish the game off. Earlier in the match, he had the ball in the net too, with a fantastic free-kick, though that was ruled out by a small offside touch. Nonetheless, he clearly has a lot to offer, and he could help lift his nation up into the knockout stages.
FIFA World Cup 2022 Fantasy Matchday 3 Wildcard Team: Best Forwards
1. Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 10.5 million
Messi came through with a goal and an assist in the later stages of Argentina’s Matchday 2 fixture to keep his country’s hopes of making the knockouts alive. He has been involved in every goal for Argentina so far, and Argentina’s Matchday 3 fixture against Poland is a must-win as well.
2. Kylian Mbappe (France) – 11.5 million
After another fantastic showing in Matchday 2, Mbappe is now on 3 goals after just 2 matches in this tournament. With 22 points in total, he is the highest-scoring Fantasy player in the game, and he is a must-have pick. The only issue is he could be a rotation risk since France has already qualified for the knockouts.
However, Mbappe is not the type of guy who would willingly take a rest in a World Cup game. It’s very likely he is chasing more goals to add to his record in the hope of securing the 2022 World Cup Golden Boot. Do keep a note of his teammate, Olivier Giroud (7.5 million), who if Mbappe does not start can come as a useful transfer last moment.
3. Richarlison (Brazil) – 7.5 million
Richarlison‘s spectacular bicycle kick still holds as one of the best goals of the tournament so far and it’s clear he plays the role of a lethal goal-scorer in this team. Brazil plays Cameroon in Matchday 3, a game in which Brazil are favorites to win.
FIFA World Cup 2022 Fantasy Matchday 3 Wildcard Team: Full Team and Strategy
Mbappe (vs Tunisia) is by far the most obvious captain choice. However, his rotation risk is a slight issue. Should he not start, make sure to quickly switch the armband over to another premium pick such as Messi (vs Poland) or Bruno Fernandes (vs South Korea).
A smart move would be to initially set the armband on a Netherlands player, such as Klaassen (vs Qatar) since they play during the first time slot of Matchday 3. If that doesn’t work out, there is the option of switching to someone like Saka (vs Wales) since they play in the next time slot. We can use the captaincy change rules like this to try out different options in the hope that they haul keeping in mind that you can change your captains only once.
Did you find our analysis of the FIFA World Cup 2022 Fantasy Matchday 3 Wildcard Guide useful? Are you considering anyone from here? Drop your comments in the comment section below!
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