So the 14 uefa teams are known Russia France Germany Belgium Portugal Poland England Spain Swiss Croatia Serbia Sweden Denmark Iceland.
So it looks like the group of death would be: Argentina England Denmark Nigeria Where all four teams could possibly top the group or finish bottom.
Either Denmark or Peru will grab that final pot 2 spot ... if Peru fail: Denmark, and hat-trick hero Eriksen, advance to pot 2 ... plus Serbia advance to pot 3 ... and the World Cup gains a very lovable underdog ... the Kiwis. Iceland have already made it ... now we need New Zealand to settle the great debate ... Viking Clap v. Haka. So New Zealand could make quite a few people happy ... let's hope the ref prevents Peru from playing dirty, again ... Winston Reid sounds very much up for the challenge in response to Peruvian taunts and this time it looks like Wood will be good to go from the start ... best of luck to New Zealand. Source: http://www.footballseeding.com/international-tournaments/world-cup-2018/
If Spain and England get drawn with Russia and Poland, you could end up with zero marquee group stage matches for the first time in quite a while. Best first round match might be whomever Mexico plays from Pot 1. 2014: Brazil-Mexico, England-Italy, Spain-Netherlands, Spain-Chile, Netherlands-Chile, Germany-Portugal, USA-Portugal, USA-Germany 2010: USA-England, Brazil-Portugal 2006: Argentina-Netherlands, USA-Italy 2002: England-Argentina
To be honest Nigeria's jump in form is largely due to recent results. And their AFCON record is terrible lately, apart from winning the only edition they featured in lately.
Argentina England Senegal Serbia is another possibility. As it stands the most threatening teams in pot 3 are Senegal, Sweden, Denmark, maybe Egypt, while in pot 4 Nigeria and Serbia. Team everyone will want from pot 1: Belgium, Poland, Russia Teams everyone will want from pot 2: Peru, Switzerland, maybe Colombia and Uruguay
You really believe most Conmebol teams will be prefered over their Uefa pairs, in that pot ? Well, that's maybe your opinion, which is valid, but in no way a general opinion. Last WC, at least 2 of those same teams, not only went further through in the WC than their Uefa pairs, but also defeated them directly in the pitch. In my personal opinion, the only top teams from that pot that most teams really would not want to face, are Uruguay and Spain. All the others, are perfectly beatable (none easy, in any case).
This time around? Yes. CONMEBOL save for Brasil seems on a decline. I would obviously prefer Colombia or Uruguay over Spain, a resurgent England, a very consistent Mexico and Croatia.
Chile didn't make it through against those other Conmebol teams, and to be honest the only easy ones from the bunch, for us, were Peru. But all the other teams, including Spain, last time we faced them all, we made them cry (specially Mexico, not so long ago, whom sure were the most happy that we didn't make it, this time). . whatever......, we are not in this one, so it don't matter much how any of these "qualified" teams could be, for us. . . Well, for the case, you may have your opinion, as I perfectly said it to you in my past post, but don't pretend as if it were a general opinion, as it really isn't.
Mexico for 30+ years has made it past every World Cup they've ever been put into. All the CONMEBOL teams are just playing worse football when you look at the quality of play. This round of friendlies just seems to confirm it (Argentina getting whooped by Nigeria and beating Russia on an offside goal, Uruguay losing to non-World Cup bound Austria and drawing Poland in a lacklustre game). Colombia and Uruguay are good teams, but its pretty obvious they are in the bottom half of difficulty level in pot 2.
Why Mexico? lol Croatia v Spain could be considered a marquee matchup, though perhaps I'm stretching. But certainly just as 'marquee' as Mexico v Spain.
Nobody can argue that Mexico isn't consistent, but they should also be going a bit further than round of 16. A soccer-crazed nation of over 100 million, yada yada.
Relax....you will see the likes of Poland Belgium England Croatia Sweden reach the round 16 and the 1/4 of the next world cup just like chile colombia and uruguay did in 2014. Just be patient my dear. You will get it.
Belgium, given their level, for sure. All the others mentioned in your post, aren't playing other lousy or average Uefa teams now, as they regularly do at their local qualifiers. To expect pretty much from them, is still something to see if they really can do it or not (last WC, the 2 others from that list, that did play in it, didn't preciselly have a very good run, where they even lost against concacrap teams).
You can be sarcastic as much as you want you will just witness with your eyes the teams you criticized for years get a round 16 just like Chile did and that will piss you off...they might even do more.... When only brazil argentina and uruguay can reach a world cup semi final in the last 50 years from commebol we will laugh together when we will see either england or portugal or poland or croatia or belgium or sweden in the next semi finals )
With Chile out of the competition, I really don't care how other teams do or not. I do hold certain simpathy towards other Conmebol teams, but if they don't win at the end, for me it will not be something that will make me cry or anything like it. I still love the game as it is, and will continue enjoying it as it comes. Now for your predictions on how other Uefa teams may perform, well as I told you before, it is still to be seen how they do when the moment comes. Till now, all we've seen from Uefa as a confed, WC after WC, is a steady decline in their level when faced against opponents diferent from Uefa. It depends on themselves to continue that same steady decline, or reverse it (where nothing gives a clue of it happening till now).
At least all the teams i talked about are here. Portugal Poland Croatia Belgium England Serbia i talked about these teams having good generations for 2018 before they qualified. But with denmark and sweden it is even better. You will see if it will be easy for anyone to deal with this group of teams. This is our time....i told you that years ago. And now you will watch it ^^
By the way greece was also in round 16 in 2014 no? We just destroyed them. 2014 is past...we will see in few months what are the present teams.