'Champions don't choose their opponents' OR 'throw the Belgian match to avoid Brazil'.....

I was looking at the bracket and how Belgium and England played knowing one of them would get an easy Round of 16 opponent in Japan followed by a hard Quarterfinal opponent in Brazil or Mexico and the other would get a hard (or at least harder than Japan) Round of 16 opponent in Colombia followed by an easy (or at least easier than Brazil) Quarterfinal opponent in Switzerland or Sweden.