FIFA 2014 World Cup - Official Discussion Thread

[Icehand Gino]

Think :

Group A :

Brazil the stronger team by a mile.

Interesting fight for 2nd between three teams that are very far from their best. I pick Mexico because they seem very consistent in World Cup groups.

1. Brazil
2. Mexico
3. Croatia
4. Cameroon

Group B :

Even if they seem on a slight decline, Spain is still an excellent team and i would pick them against Netherlands.

I think the first game (Spain v Netherlands) could kill confidence of the loser, and Chile have the talent to take the benefits.

1. Spain
2. Chile
3. Netherlands
4. Australia

Group C :

Very tight group, one of the hardest to pick.

Even with Falcao injury, Colombia seem on a good shape (very good qualifiers in CONMEBOL zone) and i would pick them as the stronger team in this group.

Japan produces very enteraining football, and it would be good to see them at least in round of 16. Cote d'Ivoire could choke like nearly every african team at the World Cup. Greece seems too weak.

1. Colombia
2. Japan
3. Cote d'Ivoire
4. Greece

Group D :

I find Italy far more talented than England, but they often seem little weak physically wise (vs Spain @Euro 2012, vs Japan @ CC 2013) and after a game at Manaus, they could be too weak for a challenge against Uruguay.

1. Uruguay
2. Italy
3. England
4. Costa Rica

Group E :

1998 win, 2002 fail, 2006 runners up, 2010 epic fail, should be a good year for us.

Ecuador seem weak when not playing at home, so would pick Switzerland as 2nd.

1. France
2. Switzerland
3. Ecuador
4. Honduras

Group F :

Argentina seem a obvious pick for 1st.

Will be tight for 2nd, but Nigeria is more experienced.

1. Argentina
2. Nigeria
3. Bosnia and Herzegovina
4. Iran

Group G :

The group of death, anything could happen.

I'll go with the more experienced teams but i have a pretty low confidence on these picks.

1. Germany
2. Portugal
3. Ghana
4. USA

Group H :

Everything could happen.

Massive pressure on young belgian side.
Russia often choke in group stage.
South Korea very far from their "best" (It's more difficult without joke referees)
Algeria one of the weakest teams.

Would go on the safer bets, but low confidence.

1. Belgium
2. Russia
3. South Korea
4. Algeria

Round of 16 :

Brazil vs Chile > Brazil (easy pick)
Colombia vs Italy > Italy (if italian team is not too exhausted, obvious choice)
France vs Nigeria > France (France is a good team against physically challenging teams, would be confident)
Germany vs Russia > Germany (easy pick)
Spain vs Mexico > Spain (easy pick)
Uruguay vs Japan > Japan (risky pick, but i think Japan has the potential to be the most surprising team)
Argentina vs Switzerland > Argentina (easy pick)
Belgium vs Portugal > Portugal (belgian team lacks of experience)

Quarter-finals :

Brazil vs Italy > Brazil (home field advantage seems too big for this matchup)
France vs Germany > Germany (easy pick)
Spain vs Japan > Spain (easy pick)
Argentina vs Portugal > Argentina (very tight game, only picking Argentina on feeling)

Semi-finals :

Brazil vs Germany > Brazil (Germany have a tendancy to choke in semi-finals on recent competitions)
Spain vs Argentina > Argentina (Spain seems on decline)

Third place match :

Germany vs Spain > Germany (Spain could be demotivated after losing their throne)

Final :

Brazil vs Argentina > Brazil (Home field advantage)

Hopes :

Spain and Portugal to fail on group stage (nothing against true spanish and portuguese fans, but some opportunist fans on these teams are unbearable, would teach them a good lesson).
Final four (or better) for France and Italy.
Algeria to make at least round of 16 (lot of friends there).
Japan to make at least quarterfinals (very entertaining team).

Sorry if i did some mistakes, i am not used to write in English.