Worst Team of the World Cup Prediction Contest

Discussion in 'World Cup 2014: General' started by MexiKampeon, Dec 19, 2013.

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What team is most likely to finish with 0 points & worst Goal Differential

Poll closed Jun 19, 2014.
  1. Group B - Australia

    39.0%
  2. Group D - Costa Rica

    8.8%
  3. Group F - Iran

    24.3%
  4. Group F - Bosnia

    3.7%
  5. Group G - USA

    11.8%
  6. Group H - Algeria

    12.5%
  1. MexiKampeon

    MexiKampeon Member+

    Sep 10, 2012
    Club:
    CD Chivas de Guadalajara
    Nat'l Team:
    Mexico
    Every World Cup gives us a few unfortunate teams that fail to grab any points out of their group. On this occasion we have six teams most likely to compete for such honors....

    Australia in Group B (with Spain, Chile & Netherlands)
    Costa Rica in Group D (with Uruguay, England & Italy)
    Iran or Bosnia in Group F (with Argentina & Nigeria)
    USA in Group G (with Germany, Portugal & Ghana)
    Algeria in Group H (with Belgium, Russia & South Korea)

    Which teams will fulfill their unfortunate destiny? Which will play beyond its capacity & get a draw or win? Which will take the worst scorelines?
     
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  2. MexiKampeon

    MexiKampeon Member+

    Sep 10, 2012
    Club:
    CD Chivas de Guadalajara
    Nat'l Team:
    Mexico
    I think this is harder to predict then the evenutal champion...

    Bosnia... this seems like a much softer team than fellow Balkanite neighbors Serbia brought a few cups back... and that tournament ended disastrously bad for them including a mauling by Argentina which coincidentally is the seed in Bosnia's group.

    While Iran is one of the weakest teams to reach the World Cup... they have a history of at least pulling a result in their prior World Cups such as that 2-1 win over USA in 1998

    Algeria is another contender for weakest team but they have one of the easier groups with Russia & South Korea so while they will probably lose all three matches they should be somewhat close affairs.

    USA, Australia & Costa Rica are all about the same level, they are all in very tough groups, and most likely to lose all three matches in part because their competition is tougher than that facing Algeria. Costa Rica is somewhat lucky in that the teams they face are not high scoring offensive juggernauts so I don't expect a horrific goal differential.

    USA & Australia... I think over/under on both teams is a goal differential -9.... it will be a battle of attrition to see which defense keeps its psyche a little better after getting romped in the first matches.


    What are your thoughts?
     
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  3. thedragonrik58

    thedragonrik58 Member+

    Los Angeles Football Club
    Mexico
    Jul 5, 2011
    Palmdale
    Club:
    CD Chivas USA
    Nat'l Team:
    Mexico
    No offense to all you die-hard haters of the USA, but you guys are crazy if you think the USA is gonna be the worst World Cup team in 2014. These guys thrive on being underdogs, and they will rise to the occasion, just watch. I hope they get 0 points, don't get me wrong, but I doubt that it's gonna happen.
     
  4. themightymagyar

    Aug 25, 2009
    Indianapolis
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Oddly enough, you forgot Group A. I think Mexico has a pretty good chance to get 0 points. Honestly MexicKampeon, the way your posts read it sounds like you want to turn this into a rivalries thread. If you seriously think the US and Australia are at the same level, and that the US is going to have a -9 GD, then there's really no reasoning with you.
     
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  5. MexiKampeon

    MexiKampeon Member+

    Sep 10, 2012
    Club:
    CD Chivas de Guadalajara
    Nat'l Team:
    Mexico
    What is your reasoning for Mexico losing 3 matches? Mexico, along with Brazil & Germany, are the only teams to make it out of the group phase in every World Cup since 1994... Croatia & Cameroon are both good teams but neither have more than 50% chance against Mexico... and then there is the fact that Mexico is Brazil's boogie man... I think there is a good case Mexico ending with anywhere from 4 to 7 points.

    Also can you please make a case on why the USA and Australia are not similar level teams?
     
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  6. GrandeSoccer

    GrandeSoccer Member+

    Jun 20, 2010
    Club:
    Club América
    Nat'l Team:
    Mexico
    Yeah Group A should've been there, with Cameroon representing it.
     
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  7. Iranian Monitor

    Iranian Monitor Member+

    Aug 18, 2004
    Nat'l Team:
    Iran
    Perhaps the World Cup schedule should accommodate consolation matches to give us not just the top teams, but the bottom teams too? That way everyone in the World Cup will get to play pretty much the same number of games and we would have a better idea who is the weakest and strongest in the tournament. That way we can talk about the "worst team" in the World Cup as opposed to which one might finish last.

    But as things stand now, the most obvious candidates to go pointless in the World Cup (and hence finish last in the standings) are Costa Rica and then Australia.

    As for the rest of the teams in this polls, my views are as follows:

    Group F: "Iran/Bosnia": How about Nigeria?

    The last place team in this group could end up being any of Iran, Bosnia or Nigeria. Of course, as a fan of the Iranian team, I prefer to think the last place will be one of the others, but to create a poll that doesn't give even the option of voting for Nigeria, the team that I have actually picked to finish last in this group, make little sense. Especially since right now, Nigeria are the lowest ranked team in this group according to FIFA and more so since they finished at the bottom of a similar group in 2010 with Argentina (same), Greece instead of Bosnia then (Bosnia finished above Greece in the same group this time), and South Korea instead of Iran (Iran beating South Korea twice home and away and finishing ahead of them in qualifying as well).

    Group G: "USA": How about Ghana or even Portugal?

    This is the kind of group which can see the US finish last, even pointless. In fact, there is nothing extraordinary about the US losing to Germany, Portugal, and Ghana. It could happen. By the same token, though, Ghana might suffer the same fate as well. Even Portugal is not entirely safe in this group. Not that any team is ever entirely same in any group. Italy finishing last in a group with New Zealand, Slovakia and Paraguay in 2010 should have taught us that already.

    Group H: "Algeria" How about South Korea?

    This is not a group where I expect any side to go pointless. While I give South Korea a much better chance of getting out of this group than Algeria, South Korea has almost as much of a chance to finish last in this group. They should be in the poll as well.

    And, others have mentioned Group A. There the choices would be Cameroon, Mexico or Croatia. Any of them could end up with egg on their faces. Cameroon might appear the most likely candidate at the moment, but Mexico and Croatia aren't too far behind.

    But what happened to Honduras' group (Group E)? I think Honduras is actually the weakest team in this tournament on paper and otherwise. While their group is weak, Honduras could very well lose to Switzerland, France and Ecuador and end up pointless. Only a Concacrap fan whose team has been humiliated in that confederation would forget Honduras in that list!

    I should say that even the group with Japan, Ivory Coast, Colombia and Greece needs to have a nominee. Greece being the most obvious nominee from that group, even if none of the teams in that group are entirely above any of the other teams.
     
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  8. jay luis

    jay luis Member+

    Sep 14, 2013
    Corona, Nyc
    Club:
    Deportivo Cali
    Nat'l Team:
    Colombia
    lol you are underestimating colombia and their players my friend..but i agree japan and ivory coast are tough ..but nah (fingers crossed) lol…as for this thread…had to be a mexican that made it..Mexicans i appreciate your patriotism but croatia and camroon are no tahiti or australia! they are dangerous! Mexican sport programs are already talking about the second phase ! NO MAMES GUAY
     
  9. Iranian Monitor

    Iranian Monitor Member+

    Aug 18, 2004
    Nat'l Team:
    Iran
    #9 Iranian Monitor, Dec 20, 2013
    Last edited: Dec 20, 2013
    I am pretty sure Colombia have a good side and I didn't mean to suggest otherwise. Colombia is highly favored in my book to advance from this group. The real fight in this group is between Japan and Ivory Coast for the 2nd spot, although you can't totally rule out Greece advancing or assume that Colombia will definitely advance.

    P.S.

    Mexico is one of a very rare group of teams outside the big teams which has a good record against Iran. Given that they probably had a lot of arguments with Iranian fans before World Cup 2006, and ended up beating us in that tournament, its tough for Iranian fans to fully respond to their comments about Iran. Never mind, they are the only Concacaf side which has a winning record against us, with the last Concacaf side that we faced getting thrashed 8:1.
     
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  10. GrandeSoccer

    GrandeSoccer Member+

    Jun 20, 2010
    Club:
    Club América
    Nat'l Team:
    Mexico
    So are we if we play our best. ;)
     
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  11. MexiKampeon

    MexiKampeon Member+

    Sep 10, 2012
    Club:
    CD Chivas de Guadalajara
    Nat'l Team:
    Mexico

    Yes it IS ALL about Iran...
     
  12. Iranian Monitor

    Iranian Monitor Member+

    Aug 18, 2004
    Nat'l Team:
    Iran
    Explain to me on what basis you rate Iran as the weakest in the tournament, along with Algeria?

    If you want to go by FIFA rankings, Iran is #33 according to FIFA, which puts us ahead of all of the other Asian teams (Japan, S.Korea, Australia), ahead of Honduras, and ahead of Nigeria. That doesn't make us weakest.

    If you want to go by ELO rankings, Iran is #29, ahead of Nigeria, Costa Rica, Australia, Ghana, South Korea, Cameroon and Algeria. Again, that is not the weakest.

    If you want to go by World Cup record, as you pointed out, Iran has never gone pointless in any World Cup. We certainly wouldn't rate the weakest on this basis either, having finished 14th in 1978 (Mexico finishing pointless and last), 20th in 1998 (US finishing pointless and last), and 25th in 2006 (tied with the US).

    If you want to go by transfer market values, Iran's team rates above several others as well. Above Honduras, Costa Rica in Concacaf and if I recall correctly, ahead of Australia. We aren't weakest by this measure either.

    If you go by head to head records, Iran has a superior h2h record against the following teams in this World Cup: Bosnia (4 wins, 1 draw), the US (1 win 1 draw), Costa Rica (1 win and 1 draw), Russia (1 win), a superior head to head record against all of the Asian teams (Japan, South Korea and Australia); and several others as well. We would not rate the weakest on this basis either.

    If you look at World Cup odds, Iran looks in much better shape than several other sides as well. And that was the case before the draw as well.

    So when you have Honduras right in front of you (but don't even mention them in your poll), or Costa Rica (which lost to a struggling Australian team), you have to go and search for Iran for the weakest in the World Cup? Of course, its obvious why: Because Honduras and Costa Rica have defeated Mexico and if you say they are the weakest, that doesn't make Mexico look good.

    You can spin as much as you wish, but the most likely side to finish pointless is Costa Rica (from Concacaf), although Australia have the toughest group and are also in danger of finishing pointless. The weakest team in this tournament is Honduras (from Concacaf). And the confederation that has the highest chance of having several teams go pointless is Concacaf as well (Costa Rica, Honduras and the US). Even Mexico can't be entirely assured of doing much in this World Cup, given its miserable form in qualifying.
     
  13. MexiKampeon

    MexiKampeon Member+

    Sep 10, 2012
    Club:
    CD Chivas de Guadalajara
    Nat'l Team:
    Mexico


    Friendly matches are meaningless... when it comes down to it:

    • Iran has only 1 match won in its entire World Cup history, lost every other match except for 2 draws against fellow minnows
    • Your current squad has lower profile than you had in Germany 2006 and that was a 1 point performance (draw against the weakest African team)
    • Iran competes in Asia which is historically the weakest Confederation.. it typically yields the worst team of the World Cup most tournaments, and on most tournaments it fails to provide any team to the 2nd Round
    • Iran did not make the Semi Finals of the Asian Cup and achieved meh results against Asian minnows during qualifying

    All flags point to Iran continuing to be a minnow at the World Cup level
     
  14. Iranian Monitor

    Iranian Monitor Member+

    Aug 18, 2004
    Nat'l Team:
    Iran
    #14 Iranian Monitor, Dec 20, 2013
    Last edited: Dec 20, 2013
    When it comes down to it, you want to talk about historical records in the World Cup and a few matches, while ignoring the entirely of a record that gives Iran not jut the highest current ranking in the AFC but also the highest average ELO score among Asian sides. Alright, lets do it that way.


    We have been to only 3 World Cups and played 9 matches there, so 3 results in 9 games is 1/3 of the games. In 1978, we drew Scotland 1:1. In 1998, we beat the US 2:1. And in 2006, yes, we didn't do as well as we had hoped, managing merely a draw against Angola. But that is still not the worst record. In fact, Iran never finished as the worst. Indeed, since WC98, no side has even managed to beat us before the 2nd half. Not Yugoslavia (which was lucky to win on a late free kick), not Germany, not Mexico, not Portugal, nor the others. These were all games decided by 1 or 2 goal margins.


    True, but our WC06 side didn't show up healthy or ready. Our best players, particularly Karimi, weren't ready and had been out with injury for several months. In fact, even though Iran actually outplayed Mexico in the first 45 minutes, you never even got to face the team that included a healthy and fit Karimi. He was subbed against Mexico when the score was still 1:1. He didn't even play against Angola, who nonetheless was totally dominated by Iran.

    Btw, while Mexico beat us at the end, its other results were the same as Iran's: Mexico also tied Angola and lost 2:0 to Portugal! In fact, unlike Iran, Mexico lost 2:0 to Portugal's B team!

    Asia, Africa and Concacaf compete for the title of weakest. In the World Cups in which Iran has participated, we have never been the worse and, in fact, in 2 of them, the worst has been a Concacaf team (1978 it was Mexico and 1998 it was the US). Even in 2006, at the end, we just tied the US for the 25th position in the standing!

    As for teams from the AFC advancing to the second round, Japan and South Korea did so in 2002 and 2010. Australia is now in the AFC and they made the R16 in 2006. In the past, Saudi Arabia (1994) and NKorea (1966) have also made the 2nd round.

    Iran has the best all-time record in the Asian Cup in the overall standings. In its entire history, Iran has suffered only 7 losses in the Asian Cup in over 45 years in 12 tournaments we have participated in already! No team has as many wins, as many points, and none have finished among the top 4 as many times as Iran (8 times: 3 times champs, 4 times 3rd place, 1 time 4th). Even in the last Asian Cup, which Iran exited at the quarterfinal stage, we advanced out of our group with 3 wins and lost to S.Korea in extra time. That being our only loss to S.Korea in our last 6 matches, counting both our 2 World Cup qualifying matches in 2010 and our 2 World Cup qualifying matches in 2014.

    As for losing to minnows, while it happens on occasion, Iran generally doesn't lose many games at all. In 2010, we didn't qualify despite only losing 1 game in 14 matches. This World Cup, we topped our group despite 2 losses, but after winning our last 3 matches, 2 of them away from home including in Seoul. Overall, we have a winning streak of 6 straight matches we have won. The only "minnow" that beat us, incidentally, was Lebanon, whose win was a fluke which we avenged by beating them afterwards 3 times: 5:0 in Asian Cup qualifying in Tehran; 4:0 in the return World Cup qualifier in Tehran; and 4:1 in Asian Cup qualifying in Beirut.

    Actually, I don't think so, but we will have to wait and see. For now, I am pretty confident about our chances to do one thing we haven't done before: advance to the second round.
     
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  15. RiquelmeD10S

    RiquelmeD10S New Member

    Dec 18, 2013
    Club:
    CA Boca Juniors
    Where is Mexico and Honduras? LOL
     
  16. It's called FOOTBALL

    LMX Clubs
    Mexico
    May 4, 2009
    Chitown
    Mexico nunca sera el peor equipo del mundial.
     
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  17. MexiKampeon

    MexiKampeon Member+

    Sep 10, 2012
    Club:
    CD Chivas de Guadalajara
    Nat'l Team:
    Mexico

    So let me see... your argument for Iran not being a minnow, is that Iran is not good enough to qualify consistently from the weakest Confederation (which according to you isn't that weak because every 20 years one of the Asian teams makes it to the 2nd round)... I fully understand that you support your team but there is no evidence to dispute my theory that it is likely one of the teams to leave winless.
     
  18. Neuwerld

    Neuwerld Member+

    Oct 15, 2007
    California
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Australia has a tough group, but they are the sort of team that will probably be able to battle one of their opponents to a draw.

    Costa Rica has been pretty good this cycle. I think they can get a point, or even three if they have a great game.

    Iran and Bosnia are in a weaker group. I think them and Nigeria will split some points somewhere.

    The US is in a difficult group, but they are pretty close to the level of Ghana and Portugal. They will get at least a point somewhere. Ghana and Portugal are both beatable. 1, 3, or 4 points are all reasonable possibilities with some good performances. Maybe 5 if Germany has an off day.

    I voted Algeria. Belgium and Russia are comfortably better and I think South Korea has a clear edge as well.

    That's ridiculous. -9 is the type of GD teams like China and North Korea end up with. Even the awful 98 US team in a group with Yugoslavia and Germany only ended up on -4. And there's no way Ghana "romps" over the US. If they win, it will be by 1 or 2. Portugal won't either. They aren't the sort of team that blows out opponents, especially in tournaments, and especially teams near their level. Germany is the only team that might beat the US by 3.

    Mexico wouldn't get killed in group G and neither will the United States.

    Australia isn't as good as the US, and they won't approach -9 either.
     
  19. Iranian Monitor

    Iranian Monitor Member+

    Aug 18, 2004
    Nat'l Team:
    Iran
    No, my argument is clear, while yours keeps changing.

    For me, what matters most is how this Iranian team would compare to its opponents in its group? Having a record of 4 wins and 1 draw against Bosnia, including beating them in Bosnia in 2009 with pretty much all of their present stars, obviously makes me comfortable enough looking to that match up. There is no guarantee we will beat Bosnia again as we have done the last 4 times we have faced them (scoring 15 goals in the process), but we are talking about probabilities, not guarantees.

    As for Nigeria, I look at this group and compare it to Nigeria's group in 2010. In 2010, Nigeria had Argentina, South Korea and Greece. Nigeria ended with 1 point in that group, which they earned against S.Korea. This time they have Argentina (same), Iran (qualified ahead of South Korea in the same group, with a better h2h record as well), and Bosnia (qualified ahead of Greece in the same group). I can mention that Iran is rated above Nigeria by FIFA and ELO, or other things, but when it comes down to it, I have predicted a repeat of 2010 for Nigeria: a loss to Argentina and Bosnia and a draw with Iran.

    While nothing is for certain, and I admit that we can even break with tradition and go pointless despite that never occurring before, the fact is that there is a lot more reason to think Iran will even advance from its group to imagine that it will finish as the worse team. The latter is simply baseless prediction, as of now, on any measure.
     
  20. Socrates76

    Socrates76 New Member

    Dec 20, 2013
    Algeria, think about it..
     
  21. Iranian Monitor

    Iranian Monitor Member+

    Aug 18, 2004
    Nat'l Team:
    Iran
    Ordinarily, I would agree. But it will be tough. Australia are in the worst shape they have been in years. There have been Australian sides that didn't qualify to the World Cup (e.g., 1998 and 2002), much better than what they have now. And getting a point from Spain, or Holland, or even Chile, will be a tall order. It might happen, but the safer bet is that it won't.


    Lets say Costa Rica's supposed good form is more indicative of Costa Rica being good, and not their Concacaf opponents being average. In making this assumption, I have to forget that Costa Rica just lost to Australia, which as I have mentioned isn't in the best of shapes right now. Still, it would be a tall order for Costa Rica to do much against any of Italy, Uruguay or England. They might go down looking good against some of them, but my money is on Costa Rica losing all 3 matches. In fact, Costa Rica are the safest bet to go pointless in this tournament.
    You are right, but that doesn't mean going pointless is out of the picture for the US. That is possible even if isn't likely.
    I think there is enough balance in this group for Algeria to earn a point or 2. Indeed, I don't think South Korea will beat Algeria, even if I give S.Korea a much better chance to upset Belgium than I would give Algeria.
     
  22. Sudžuka

    Sudžuka Moderator
    Staff Member

    Jan 27, 2013
    I'm going to pick Mexico, 0 points and -17 goal differential, quite possibly the worst team to qualify. They only managed two wins against the powerhouse Panama and Jamaica yet qualified(says a lot about concacaf), they eventually got saved by the kindness of the US and idiocy of Panama, embarrassing.
     
  23. TigersOfAsia

    TigersOfAsia Member

    Aug 19, 2011
    Canada
    Nat'l Team:
    Korea Republic
    What makes you think that? We have a good record against African teams..
    3-1 win vs Mali
    2-1 win vs Zambia
    2-1 win vs Ghana
    2-1 win vs Nigeria
    2-0 win against Ivory Coast

    Mind you, all these games were played late 2010 til now. (I don't like bringing up matches from 2002 like somebody YOU)
    Indeed, I don't think anybody expects Iran to pick up a single win in this World Cup.
     
  24. Iranian Monitor

    Iranian Monitor Member+

    Aug 18, 2004
    Nat'l Team:
    Iran
    I don't see any results against North African teams. They are more like the Middle Eastern teams in the AFC that trouble South Korea.;)

    3 more points:

    1- No matter how much you try to put down Iran, you won't change the facts that are burning inside you, namely that Iran has a better h2h record against S.Korea overall historically; that Iran beat you twice in the World Cup qualifiers, home and away, finishing above S.Korea; that S.Korea have only 1 win against Iran in 6 tries since 2009; or that S.Korea is ranked well behind Iran by both FIFA and ELO. Ranked way below Iran by both.

    2- All that said, I actually give S.Korea a decent chance to get out of its group. I think S.Korea will get a result against Belgium, and if that result is a win, you will get through with 4 points the way I see the rest of the results in this group.

    3- If you want me to talk about Iran's more recent results, say since World Cup 2006, it will show us with only 1 loss to a UEFA side in 7-8 matches, beating Russia and Bosnia among UEFA sides in this World Cup in this period. You will see only 1 loss against CAF sides in this same period, in around the same 7-8 number of games, although admittedly we haven't played any of the CAF teams in the World Cup. And you don't want me to again talk about our record against Asian teams such as yours;)
     
  25. TigersOfAsia

    TigersOfAsia Member

    Aug 19, 2011
    Canada
    Nat'l Team:
    Korea Republic
    Kind of like those teams Iran struggles against? ;) Yet, we still have a winning record against the middle eastern teams. Good for you and your record. Wanna know Korea's record against Japan? 40-22-12. Do you see me going around claiming Korea is better than Japan?

    And it's a shame that nobody really rates Iran on the world stage. I understand there's a burning desire inside of you to consistently defend Iran on these boards, but unless Iran starts achieving some meaningful result on the international stage or start producing bulk loads of players plying their trade in the top league of Europe, you're going to have to keep defending your team.:thumbsup:
     
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