https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_FIFA_World_Cup_seeding#Pots im surprised nobody opened this up yet. what is your dream group for your team? what could be the group of death? what could be the easiest group? as an Iran fan, i would want this group: russia peru Iran panama i think germany, brazil, messi, france, and spain are the only teams that are virtually guaranteed to take 3 points off of us; if we wanted to get a point from any other team, we could. but to advance you need to win at least one match as well, which is why i am hoping we get panama, as all the non AFC teams (we cant be drawn with AFC teams) in pot 4 are decent teams that will be hard (no more than a 50% chance) to get 3 points from. having said that, i would still want us to avoid all pot 2 teams except peru/mexico/colombia. i am upset that we wont have a chance to play iceland or egypt as they are in the same pot; i really wanted to play those teams (not because they are weak, but i just wanted to see us face them). but dont forget that getting an easy group is not a guarantee for qualification to the round of 16; this is the world cup and all teams are decent and can cause upsets, and if your team gets an easy group, the other teams in your group also may see it as an easy group and will be just as hungry to qualify. group of death will be if spain gets drawn with germany or brazil. weakest group would be: russia peru senegal saudi/panama
As a Peru fan, agreed Then again, given how long it's been since Peru played in a WC, I'm half-inclined to want as big an opponent as possible out of Pot 1 to get that full experience. Bring it on, France!
For Spain I'd like... - Russia, preferrably in the tournament inaugural match - Either of the three CAF teams in Pot 3 - Saudi Arabia Group of death for Spain to me would be... - Brazil - Iceland or, perhaps, Iran - Nigeria although, tbh, I don't know much about this present Nigerian team. My mind still suffers from '98.
For Nigeria group I want Poland Switzerland Iran Nigeria group I dont want Brazil Spain Sweden Nigeria Group of Death Brazil Spain Sweden Nigeria Group of Life Poland Switzerland Iran Panama
After watching Australia completely own Honduras both home and away my expectations for Concacaf perhaps barring Mexico are not very high. For Australia I would like Russia Peru Costa Rica For Portugal not really fussed who we get Peru Costa Rica Saudi Arabia
In my (subjective) rankings, the teams in each pot -- and I will assume Peru gets passed NZ -- would rate in order (strongest - weakest) and grade (A - F) as follows: Pot 1: 1- Brazil (A+) 2- Germany (A) 3- Portugal (A-) 4- Argentina (A-) 5- France (B+) 6- Belgium (B) 7- Poland (B) 8- Russia (C+) Pot 2: 1-Spain (A-) 2- England (B) 3- Mexico (B) 4- Uruguay (B) 5- Switzerland (B) 6- Colombia (B) 7- Croatia (B-) 8- Peru (C+) Pot 3: 1- Sweden (B) 2- Denmark (B-) 3- Senegal (C+) 4- Iran (C+) 5- Egypt (C+) 6- Costa Rica (C+) 7- Iceland (C+) 8- Tunisia (C) Pot 4: 1- Nigeria (B-) 2- Serbia (B-) 3- Morocco (C+) 4- Japan (C+) 5- Australia (C+) 6- South Korea (C) 7- Panama (C-) 8- Saudi Arabia (C-) --- As such, the weakest draw would be: 1- Russia (C+) 2- Peru (C+) 3- Tunisia (C) 4- Saudi Arabia (C-) The toughest draw would be: 1- Brazil (A+) 2- Spain (A-) 3- Sweden (B) 4- Nigeria (B-) For Iran, the easiest draw on paper would be the one persianfootball mentioned (1-Russia 2- Peru 3- Iran 4- Panama), but I have been persuaded by the comments I have read that all things considered (including media exposure and attention), the best draw for Iran would be: 1- Russia (C+) 2- England (B) 3- Iran (C+) 4- Panama (C-).
With the way Argentina is playing defensively they would have problems with Croatia and Egypt. They'd crush Panama though.
I got this: GROUP A RUSSIA MEXICO EGYPT SERBIA GROUP B BRAZIL SWITZERLAND ICELAND NIGERIA GROUP C BELGIUM URUGUAY SWEDEN AUSTRALIA GROUP D POLAND ENGLAND COSTA RICA SAUDI ARABIA GROUP E GERMANY COLOMBIA IRAN MOROCCO GROUP F ARGENTINA CROATIA DENMARK JAPAN GROUP G FRANCE SPAIN SENEGAL PANAMA GROUP H PORTUGAL PERU TUNISIA KOREA Ill say this seems interesting
Group A: 5 stars: Germany, Brazil. 4 stars: Portugal, Argentina, France, Belgium. 3 stars: Russia. 2 stars: Poland. Group B 5 stars: Spain. 4 stars: England, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay. 3 stars: Croatia. 2 stars: Peru, Switzerland. Group C 3 stars: Iceland, Costa Rica, Sweden. 2 stars: Denmark. 1 stars: Iran, Senegal. 0 stars: Tunisia, Egypt. Group D 3 stars: Japan, South Korea, Serbia. 2 stars: Nigeria. 1 stars: Australia, Saudi Arabia. 0 stars: Morocco, Panama. - o - Death groups: Brazil / Spain / Sweden / Japan. Germany / Spain / Costa Rica / South Korea. Weak groups: Russia / Peru / Tunisia / Panama Poland / Switzerland / Senegal / Morocco
I got (Nigeria lucked out, Serbia OMG): GROUP A RUSSIA URUGUAY SWEDEN PANAMA GROUP B PORTUGAL COLOMBIA ICELAND SAUDI ARABIA GROUP C POLAND CROATIA TUNISIA AUSTRALIA GROUP D BRAZIL MEXICO DENMARK MOROCCO GROUP E BELGIUM PERU IRAN NIGERIA GROUP F GERMANY SWITZERLAND SENEGAL KOREA REP. GROUP G ARGENTINA ENGLAND EGYPT SERBIA GROUP H FRANCE SPAIN COSTA RICA JAPAN
My Dream Group would be Russia Mexico Tunisia Australia Nightmare Group would be Brazil Spain Denmark Australia
I would like: Poland Peru Iran Panama or Poland England Iran Panama Strongest would be like somebody already said: Group of Death Brazil Spain Sweden Nigeria
Yeah: Peru can have a rematch with Poland for 1978 and 1982, while Iran can have a rematch with Peru for 1978... Otherwise, I cannot remember any games between Poland and Iran in football, but volleyball rivalry is pretty strong, so football would do as well, and Panama is new so I cannot recall any games against them - would be something fresh. If we get England instead of Peru, I would like it too, since we have long lasting rivalry with them as well, and are long overdue for a victory.
Another group simulator: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/russia-2018-world-cup-draw-simulator/ This one also includes a knockout stage (with upsets) and gives a champion. I really hope Group A is balanced (or 'weak') for the sake of Russia and the tournament, and that England is drawn into Brazil, Argentina, or Portugal's group (as some of the best England games in my lifetime involved those teams).
Pot 1 & 2: No matter who the host is. I never want the Host nation in our group. I am fine with any other team from Pot 1 as long as we do not get Spain or England from Pot 2. Pot 3: Iran Pot 4: Not really fussed who we get from pot 4. If I have to pick one team that I really want to avoid, my choice would be Nigeria only because we had them in last WC.