WORLD CUP PREDICTIONS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n5dJwWXrbo
ISHOWSPEEDS SONG IS GOATED
4 LONG YEARS. 4 long, long years since Russia but the worlds most coveted tournament returns. 32 countries battling each other for immortality and the right to be called ‘Champions of the World’. The FIFA world cup is back baby. Back with a different format, a December edition. Listen, I don’t care when the world cup is played, I am just hyped that it is here again.
With that being said it’s time to give my god-awful predictions before the world cup begins.
I will cover groups A-D in this part before jumping into groups E-H in the next part.
Group A: Netherlands, Senegal, Qatar, and Ecuador.
The host’s Qatar is partaking in their first ever world cup. Headed into this tournament Qatar have struggled losing to Canada, drawing with Jamaica, Slovenia, Lazio and Morocco’s A team and losing to Croatia’s under 23, so it isn’t looking too promising for the Middle Eastern Nation. However, statistics will be on their side. Only 1 nation in the entire history of the competition have failed to make it out of their group. South Africa in 2010. But this isn’t a great measure as historically speaking Qatar and South Africa are the 2 weakest teams to host the competition.
Ecuador has a talented squad with some ballers like Caicedo and Estupinan the Brighton duo. They’ve kept 6 clean sheets in their last 6 games, granted some of the opposition isn’t the greatest but their issue is scoring as they’ve failed to score in 4 of those games, so expect every game vs the South Americans to be toughly contested and a dogfight.
Senegal have had devastating news that their talisman and captain Sadio Mane requires surgery and therefore will miss the World Cup. Tragic really, but the AFCON champs will still have a lot of firepower and depth in their 4–2–3–1 system, expect them to line-up with Edouard Mendy, Bouna Sarr, Kalidou Koulibaly, Abdou Diallo, Fode Ballo Toure, Cheikhou Kouyate, Idrissa Gueye, Ismaila Sarr, Keita Balde and Boulaye Dia with either an extra attacker like Bamba Dieng or another midfielder like Nampalys Mendy giving them a strong hard working 11. However, the loss of Mane may impact them drastically.
Now the resounding favourites for the group, the Netherlands, who will have a lot to play for with the diagnosis of their manager Louis Van Gaal and missing out on the last world cup. Expect the Dutch to come flying out of the gate. Netherlands have not lost since their Euro exit to the Czechs so expect them to absolutely annihilate this group. Their back 3 is elite with Van Dijk, De Vrij, De Ligt, Ake and Timber as options and the midfield of Koopmeiners and Frenkie should be one of the better ones in the competition. Not to forget the forward line that has the inform Cody Gakpo. They should dominate this group and could go very far this year.
Final Group Standings:
Netherlands (9)
Senegal (6)
Ecuador(1)
Qatar (1)
Group B: England, USA, Wales, and Iran.
England have been in poor form prior to this World Cup. However, their quality should enable them to slip through this group unchallenged (well). I think the flexibility between back 3 and back 4 will help them and set pieces will also take this team far. Not all the way though because they hate playing in these sorts of conditions. While they sometimes struggle to break down teams, they have enough quality between Mount, Foden, Saka, Sterling, Kane, and Bellingham to counter this.
USA struggles to create chances regularly and are entering the tournament on the back of draws to Saudi, El Salvador and a loss to Japan which is not the best run-in to the tournament. They rely heavily on hitting the opposition with pace and given that the other three teams in their group tend to sit deeper this is not going to be a pretty tournament for the Americans.
Wales are the weirdest team in the tournament for me because it is impossible to know how they will operate because quite frankly they do not know how they will operate either. Their 5–2–3 gives them a solid defence and a good seven in defence with three players who break with pace between Daniel James, Harry Wilson, Gareth Bale and Brennan Johnson as well. While they have not won a game since their final’s qualifier against Ukraine, Wales always have a weird energy where they turn up times one hundred (for lack of a better term) at major tournaments.
Iran. I genuinely do not know what to think of Iran because their two best players are forwards that cannot play together in Carlos Queiroz’s 4–1–4–1. However, Iran have shown me enough to believe that they can qualify for the next round for three reasons.
1. The conditions: Iran will be the only team used to this extreme heat.
2. The coach relies heavily on not making mistakes. Meaning they do not leave gaps anywhere and will make it tough for teams to score against them.
3. Third times the charm. Iran have been super unlucky in the last 2 times they were in the tournament, and I firmly believe they can learn from these mistakes this year.
Final Group Standings:
England (7)
Iran (5)
Wales (2)
USA (1)
Group C: Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Poland.
Argentina are the favourites for this tournament. Massive favourites. Messi has been sensational for the team and Scaloni has transformed them into a great unit that has not lost for 3 years. Last losing in June of 2019. This team has become a force to be reckoned with and while they have injuries to Correa and Lo Celso, they still have enough to overcome this group, easily. Their issue used to be in defence and the goalkeeping department but now with Emi Martinez, Juan Foyth, Lisandro Martinez, Christian Romero, Nicolas Tagliafico, Marcos Acuna, Nicolas Otamendi, and Nahuel Molina just to name a few they have a strong defence to partner with their star-studded attack. Easy 9 points.
Saudi Arabia are the team I feel the most for in this group. Though they have been in decent form, the other 3 attacks in this group are way too strong for them to deal with, nothing much to say here. Bottom, winless.
Wouldn’t be surprised if now they wipe the group.
Mexico is the easiest team to predict in this world cup so I will spare you the long paragraphs and descriptions and instead give you a brief history lesson. 2018, out in round of 16. 2014, round of 16. 2010, round of 16. 2006, round of 16. 2002, round of 16. 1998, round of 16. 94’ same story. 1986 was the last time they made it past the round of 16. So, should I really change the trend?
Poland is the team that could either completely tank this world cup or could set the world on fire. However, I don’t think they will be in the right frame of mind with everything that is going on at home. Condolences to all the families affected by this tragedy. But this is the summary of Poland at this tournament. You ready?
How far can one man (Robert Lewandowski) take a team in a tournament?
Final Group Standings:
Argentina (9)
Mexico (6)
Poland (3)
Saudi Arabia (0)
And finally Group D consisting of: Australia, Tunisia, France, and Denmark.
I hate to be the one that says this because I have plenty of mates down under right now, but Australia will be absolutely blown away by the level of competition they are about to play. The next 3 games will be the best teams they have faced in years, maybe since the previous world cup as the only other quality team they play, Japan, have beaten them twice in the last 2 games they’ve played each other, while they will be used to the conditions, I do not think they’ll be used to the competition.
Tunisia have lost 1 game in their last 6 games and scored 11 times so that is looking very promising for them. They are super well drilled and tough to beat. However, their record against ‘big teams’ isn’t promising so I think they will be the team that allows France to break the world cup curse.
While the squad isn’t the greatest on paper, their results against Japan and Chile show that they can more than put their chances away.
France. Where to begin. I am dreading making this prediction because Germany, Spain and Italy the last 3 winners all failed to make it out the next group stage. And Nkunku, Pogba, Maignan, Kante, Kimpembe and possibly Benzema being injured and out of the world cup leaves a bad taste in my mouth. However, they still have major quality, and this isn’t necessarily a tough group for them to beat so essentially they should make it through despite their poor patch of form.
Varane being half fit doesn’t look too promising either.
France have tried to play in a back 3 as of late so maybe expect them to line up with Lloris, Kounde, Saliba, Upamecano, Pavard, Tchouameni, Rabiot, Hernandez, Griezmann, Mbappe and Giroud.
And finally, the Great Danes. Denmark have been the talk of the town as of late. Their stylish way of football and big results as of late (beating France twice) should mean that they top this group. At least I think they will. Their 11 could be one of the best in the entire tournament in Schmeichel, Wass, Andersen, Christensen, Maehle, Delaney, Hojbjerg, Eriksen, Skov Olsen, Dolberg and Damsgaard is arguably the most well rounded in the entire tournament. I whole heartedly believe that they will progress through these group stages with ease and they are definitely one of the dark horses of this entire tournament. They’ll even have solid bench depth with Rasmuss Kristensen, Simon Kjaer, Matthias Jensen, Christian Norgaard, Martin Braithwaithe and Yussuf Poulsen all being in the squad, even their form headed into the World Cup is great.
Final Group Standings:
Denmark (9)
France (6)
Tunisia (3)
Australia (0)
Now that I’ve given all my predictions for the first 4 groups watch how everything collapses like my Arsenal in 10th place last year prediction so I should just say congrats to all the teams I said would finish in 3rd and 4th for qualifying for the knockouts and my condolences to all the teams I said would progress, I didn’t mean to knock you out.
STAY TUNED FOR THE REMAINING GROUPS 😊