World Cup Group Stage draw

[Pingudo]

What teams would you like to avoid in the group stage of the World Cup? What're the most fearful? easiest?

You'll have a seeded team, a non-seeded-euro team, and either an Asian, African or concacaf team.

The seeded teams are Brazil, Argentina, Germany, France, England, Italy, Spain (or Holland) and Mexico.

So potentially you could have a tough group like Germany, Holland, and Ghana.

Or you could have a slightly less challenging group like Mexico, Slovakia (or Switzerland) and Bahrain/Uzbekistan.

[Ciclon_Ecuatoriano]

What teams would you like to avoid in the group stage of the World Cup? What're the most fearful? easiest?

You'll have a seeded team, a non-seeded-euro team, and either an Asian, African or concacaf team.

The seeded teams are Brazil, Argentina, Germany, France, England, Italy, Spain (or Holland) and Mexico.

So potentially you could have a tough group like Germany, Holland, and Ghana.

Or you could have a slightly less challenging group like Mexico, Slovakia (or Switzerland) and Bahrain/Uzbekistan.

I think any group will be tough. but i would be lying if I didn't want Ecuador in a group with atleast one asian team *we can take any of them*, an african team *likewise* and the other doesn't matter, but it would be nice if it was either Italy or Mexico so we can get revenge for last time! haha

[kaviedes_freak]

What teams would you like to avoid in the group stage of the World Cup? What're the most fearful? easiest?

You'll have a seeded team, a non-seeded-euro team, and either an Asian, African or concacaf team.

The seeded teams are Brazil, Argentina, Germany, France, England, Italy, Spain (or Holland) and Mexico.

So potentially you could have a tough group like Germany, Holland, and Ghana.

Or you could have a slightly less challenging group like Mexico, Slovakia (or Switzerland) and Bahrain/Uzbekistan.

It would be ironic if Ecuador was to face Japan, as my girlfriend is Japanese... haha it would toss a wrench in our relationship for those 90 minutes. what am I saying, I almost forgot taht she is almost converted! ahha :D

but in all seriousness, I just hope Ecuador will do well, no matter what teams we have to face. I am proud we got to Germany, and like Kaviedes says,, we got a team that can challenge anyone. Let's just pray that God will take care of our best players and keep everyone healthy and in top form.

[regulator]

teams i wouldn't want to face in the 1st round:

brazil - just too damn good
germany - as hosts, the refs will be entirely in their favor.

i'm not sure how the seeding works, but mexico will probably receive a seed as #1 in concacaf + their fifa ranking is usually high. so an ideal group would be

mexico
african team
euro team
ecuador

i know that we can take mexico and give them a good game, as they are vastly overrated. as far as the african team, they will have little experience on the big stage, since most of them will be debutants. hopefully we can counter their athleticism with composure. and the euro team will be the toughest in my opinion. a team like netherlands or ukraine would be very tough, but then again no games in the world cup would be easy.

[viagoal]

Yes, I would agree to stay out of a group with host Germany and with powerhouse Brazil...

I would like to see Ecuador play Mexico and Slovakia... and a team from either Africa or Asia...

[kaviedes_freak]

Yes, I would agree to stay out of a group with host Germany and with powerhouse Brazil...

I would like to see Ecuador play Mexico and Slovakia... and a team from either Africa or Asia...

I don't think they put south americans in the same group, do they? I don't think it will be possible we will be with Brasil.

Mexico, as I mentioned before for revancha, also Italia i know we can take them both!

an african team and asian team would make things easier.

[afa10fef]

in my opinion i would like to avoid Mexico, for some reason we ALWAYS have trouble with them. I would like to play a powerhouse European (Spain, France, Italy), along with an African Team and Asian Team. Hows this sound:

Netherlands
Japan
Ecuador
Angola

interesting eh:?

[ecuafutbolfreak]

yeah, that sounds like a group we can play!
i think we would be favouites to get out with Holland if that was the case.

[astabooty]

What teams would you like to avoid in the group stage of the World Cup? What're the most fearful? easiest?

You'll have a seeded team, a non-seeded-euro team, and either an Asian, African or concacaf team.

The seeded teams are Brazil, Argentina, Germany, France, England, Italy, Spain (or Holland) and Mexico.

So potentially you could have a tough group like Germany, Holland, and Ghana.

Or you could have a slightly less challenging group like Mexico, Slovakia (or Switzerland) and Bahrain/Uzbekistan.

Hardest group:
Holland (if seeded). If not, Germany (home team)
Holland (if not seeded). If not, Portugal.
Ivory Coast

Easiest:
Spain or England
Ireland
China

[Ladic]

I would like this group:

England
Ecuador
Ukraine
Costa Rica

[Pingudo]

in my opinion i would like to avoid Mexico, for some reason we ALWAYS have trouble with them. I would like to play a powerhouse European (Spain, France, Italy), along with an African Team and Asian Team. Hows this sound:

Netherlands
Japan
Ecuador
Angola

interesting eh:?

I don't think this would be possible since the the second pot would mainly contain euro teams, so you're missing a second euro team there. The draw is divided into 4 pots:

1. all the 8 aforementioned seeded teams
2. other 8 euro teams
3. one way: 7 teams from concacaf and asia, plus last euro team
4. 5 from africa, plus 3 remaining south american teams (assuming Australia is eliminated by 5th SA.

So the 3 possible rivals are:

1. a euro team or mexico (seeded teams pot)
2. a euro team (euro teams pot)
3. an african, asian, or concacaf team

[Pingudo]

Easiest:
Spain or England
Ireland
China

This is very unlikely as China is already eliminated :)

[ecuafutbolfreak]

I don't think this would be possible since the the second pot would mainly contain euro teams, so you're missing a second euro team there. The draw is divided into 4 pots:

1. all the 8 aforementioned seeded teams
2. other 8 euro teams
3. one way: 7 teams from concacaf and asia, plus last euro team
4. 5 from africa, plus 3 remaining south american teams (assuming Australia is eliminated by 5th SA.

So the 3 possible rivals are:

1. a euro team or mexico (seeded teams pot)
2. a euro team (euro teams pot)
3. an african, asian, or concacaf team

that's right... and someone said china, but china is not even in the WC, from asia, it is Japon, S. Korea, S. Arabia and Iran. I hope we get S. Arabia, or Iran, we would whip their sorry asses so hard they wouldn't want to ever compete in a WC. :D

[afa10fef]

I don't think this would be possible since the the second pot would mainly contain euro teams, so you're missing a second euro team there. The draw is divided into 4 pots:

1. all the 8 aforementioned seeded teams
2. other 8 euro teams
3. one way: 7 teams from concacaf and asia, plus last euro team
4. 5 from africa, plus 3 remaining south american teams (assuming Australia is eliminated by 5th SA.

So the 3 possible rivals are:

1. a euro team or mexico (seeded teams pot)
2. a euro team (euro teams pot)
3. an african, asian, or concacaf team

why mexico? and not the U.S?i thought the U.S finished first

[astabooty]

This is very unlikely as China is already eliminated :)

:) i was just trying to think of an easy asian team.

[ecuafutbolfreak]

:) i was just trying to think of an easy asian team.

haah yeah, if they were here, it would be easy! i think Japan and S. Korea are the top asian teams and the only ones who deserve any respect. it would not be easy, but we can take them.

Iran and S. Arabia would be whipping boys for us!

[Pingudo]

why mexico? and not the U.S?i thought the U.S finished first

It's not based on who finish first in the qualification round, it's based on a complex formula that takes into account the last 3 world cups and the FIFA coca-cola rankings of the last three years. The teams at the top of this list are Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Mexico, Germany, Italy, England and France. I think Holland is next, so if Spain or France fail to qualify, Holland will have a seed.

[regulator]

why mexico? and not the U.S?i thought the U.S finished first

concacaf is not done yet, but mexico is currently ahead of the usa with 1 game left to play for both teams. also, as someone already mentioned, the formula for seeding is more complex than just standings, although standings do play a part in it.

[astabooty]

haah yeah, if they were here, it would be easy! i think Japan and S. Korea are the top asian teams and the only ones who deserve any respect. it would not be easy, but we can take them.

Iran and S. Arabia would be whipping boys for us!

not so sure about iran. they have some solid players and a star in karimi. i think s. korea would not be as difficult as them. japan are prob the best.

[Chicago76]

why mexico? and not the U.S?i thought the U.S finished first

The old seeding formula, which is what many of us are assuming will be used again this time around, has Mexico comfortably seeded among the top 8. The factors going into the formula are: 50% WC performance in 94, 98, and 02 (weighted 1/6, 2/6, 3/6, respectively) and 50% FIFA world rankings from the last three years. Mexico compares favorably in the World rankings and outperformed the US by a lot in the 98 WC.