World Cup Predictions!
World Cup time is finally here and as if there needed to be any more buzz surrounding this anticipated tournament, it’s being held in the footballing mecca of Brazil. Fans from around the world will be going wild in Brazil’s legendary party spots and even in Manaus, in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. [ad-1519080]
Bettors around the globe are captivated as we wait to see who will advance into the later rounds and ultimately take home the hardware.
The following is a perspective to whet your appetite and offer some thoughts on some teams that should shine this summer in Rio.
(All Odds from Bovada)
Studs
BRAZIL – 3/1
We would be remiss if we didn’t mention the fabled World Cup hosts. Brazil has an unparalleled footballing pedigree, winning the World Cup five times, most recently in 2002.
Brazil’s squad rather resembles Chelsea FC, as defender David Luiz and attackers Oscar and Willian should play prominent roles. Barcelona standout Dani Alves will join Luiz in the backfield, providing a sturdy insurance policy for world-class goalkeeper Julio Cesar.
The 22-year old Neymar, who is Alves’s teammate at Barca, will be expected to amaze on home soil.
Brazil unquestionably has the talent and depth to win the World Cup and delight hordes of home supporters. It wouldn’t surprise me to see them succumb to the dizzying pressure and slip up in perhaps a semi-final match, but maybe I am overly skeptical.
ARGENTINA – 9/2
The gambling community likes the South American footballing superpowers in this year’s World Cup, and why not? Like their neighbors to the north, Argentina is a juggernaut capable of winning it all.
There is a heavy Manchester City flavor to Argentina’s squad as defenders Martin Dimichelis and hard-nosed Pablo Zabaleta will have intrinsic roles, joining striker Sergio Aguero.
Up front with Aguero will be Gonzalo Higuain and Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, still one of the world’s elite players. Messi’s club teammate Javier Mascherano is still a critical player as an orchestrating midfielder.
It’s interesting to think that perhaps a couple of Argentina’s top players are slightly past their prime, but this is still a top-tier side that can travel north into Brazil and command respect. It also doesn’t hurt that Argentina are placed in relatively easy Group F with Bosnia-Herzegovina, Nigeria and Iran.
GERMANY – 11/2
Germany always gets one of the head seats at the table in Europe, and rightly so. Deutschland has claimed four World Cup titles (most recently in 1990) and several runner-up finishes as well.
Currently ranked #2 in the world, Germany rely on brilliant fundamentals in the squad.
Really, there are too many big names to list in the German squad. Suffice it to say that they can populate a starting 11 with impact players from Champions League clubs. Heavy representation from Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and England’s Arsenal FC explains Germany’s class pedigree.
A potential semi-final contest against the tournament’s hosts already has me salivating.
SPAIN – 6/1
If Germany gets a head seat at the table in Europe, then Spain is the father that carves the turkey.
Winners of the last three major tourneys (Euro 2008, 2012; World Cup 2010) Spain are literally on the top of the world – in rankings (#1 in the FIFA rankings) and otherwise (Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid just did battle for Champions League club supremacy). There’s plenty to like and be happy about if you enjoy Spanish soccer.
I am of the belief that lightning can strike for the same team only so many times – especially on the World Cup stage – but Spain has shown no signs of relenting, so that philosophy could make me look foolish.
The usual studs like Barcelona’s entire midfield (Iniesta, Xavi, Cesc Fabregas) and Real’s Sergio Ramos will join up-and-comers like defender Cesar Azpilicueta from Chelsea and the white-hot Diego Costa from Atletico. It should be a gifted squad from top to bottom and Spain is the one team that Brazil doesn’t want to come up against, according to national legend Pele.
Decent Odds
BELGIUM – 18/1
Belgium has quietly assembled a fantastic squad and I really like their chances of advancing deep into this year’s tournament.
Led by Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany, Belgium should be stingy due to him, some representation from London clubs (Arsenal’s Thomas Vermaelen and Tottenham’s Jan Vertonghen), and the best young goalkeeper in the game, Thibault Courtois.
The English Premier League has done a good job of signing some of Belgium’s top talent and those players have really blossomed in an excellent league. Up front, expect Chelsea’s Eden Hazard and Everton teammates Romelu Lukaku and Kevin Mirallas to thrive.
It would not surprise me to see Belgium make a quarter-final, and perhaps advance even beyond that.
FRANCE – 22/1
The FFF has been quite dicey in recent years but they are hoping for a strong showing under manager Didier Deschamps in 2014. In a manageable Group E (grouped with Switzerland, Honduras and Ecuador) that might just happen.
While France were runners-up in 2006, the had a miserable showing in 2002 and 2010 and may be hoping that World Cup success skips a tournament for them, which would mean 2014 should be fruitful.
It could be Bayern Munich veteran Franck Ribery’s last World Cup, so he’ll be pushing his teammates to go out with a bang. Goalkeeper and team captain Hugo Lloris is a special player and will be central to any success France has.
France’s back four all play in the Premier League and that stability will be buttressed by the athleticism of youth like Paul Pogba (21, Juventus) and Blaise Matuidi (27, Paris St-Germain). In all, France is a solid squad that could truly make a go of it in Brazil.
Dark Horses
ENGLAND – 20/1
A lot of the ink spilled thus far has to do with the fantastic players representing England’s Premier League. The confounding thing for supporters of the Three Lions is that most of those top players aren’t English.
Media-hounded manager Roy Hodgson has selected a sensible squad for Brazil and he hopes that the combination of youthful pace will mesh well with some veteran experience.
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The most central aspect to England’s success in Brazil, though, will be seeing talisman striker Wayne Rooney live up to the billing in an international tournament. Rooney has moments where he looks like one of the world’s best, but he has mostly fallen flat when all the chips are down.
A strong tournament from Rooney will help England emerge from a murderous Group D that includes Italy and Luis Suarez’s Uruguay. No one ever celebrates a player’s injury or lack of fitness, but Suarez’s recent knee surgery might just be the little edge England needs to squeak out of the Group stage.
NETHERLANDS – 25/1
Lately, Belgium has been the sexy pick out of the Low Countries in international football, but only a fool would forget about the Oranje.
A veteran trio up front of captain Robin Van Persie (Manchester United), Arjen Robben (Bayern) and Wesley Sneijder (Turkey’s Galatasaray) should lead the charge in terms of the Dutch thumping the ball into the net.
There could be some concern over the Dutch back four, which is young and rather unproven. Particularly in a World Cup when the world is watching, the pressure is suffocating and it would be more relieving to see some veterans back there that you know could handle it.
The Netherlands can field as much talent as nearly anyone, but how the defenders and goalkeeping stands up will be a major question mark, in terms of the overall success of manager Louis Van Gaal’s side.
PORTUGAL – 25/1
The Portuguese are a team that makes you shrug your shoulders. On one hand, they barely qualified for this year’s World Cup, needing goal differential to squeak in.
On the other, they have the world’s best player in Cristiano Ronaldo.
The 29-year old Ronaldo is now a veteran and had a season for the ages at Real Madrid. As good as he is, one man can’t do it alone. He’ll need assistance from Manchester United’s Nani (14 career goals for country) and Helder Postiga from Lazio (27 career goals for Portugal).
Ronaldo could always put up a legendary performance and put the country on his back, but I’m not sure Portugal as a whole has the same depth as some of the other top countries in this tournament.
The Rest
- Italy – 22/1
- Uruguay – 28/1
- Colombia – 33/1
- Chile – 40/1
- Russia – 100/1
- USA – 100/1
- Ivory Coast – 125/1
- Mexico – 125/1
- Switzerland – 125/1
- Croatia – 150/1
- Ecuador – 150/1
- Japan – 150/1
- Bosnia-Herzegovina – 200/1
- Ghana – 200/1
- Greece – 200/1
- Nigeria – 250/1
- South Korea – 300/1
- Australia – 500/1
- Cameroon – 500/1
- Algeria – 1000/1
- Costa Rica – 1000/1
- Honduras – 1500/1
- Iran – 1500/1
