I don't know if there is a thread, but I am interested in seeing what everyones predictions for the final 32 are. I know qualification has already started, but for the most part I think every would have picked the group leaders/winners to be where they are right now. Africa South Africa Cameroon Nigeria Egypt Ghana Ivory Coast Asia Australia Japan Korea Republic Iran (Playoff: Saudi Arabia defeats Bahrain) OFC New Zealand (loses to Saudi Arabia) CONCACAF USA Mexico Costa Rica (Playoff: Honduras defeats Chile) CONMEBOL Brazil Argentina Paraguay Ecuador (Playoff: Chile loses to Honduras) UEFA Portugal Greece Czech Republic Germany Spain England France Italy Netherlands UEFA Playoffs Poland vs Serbia Turkey vs Republic of Ireland Croatia vs Israel Russia vs Denmark (Winners: Poland, Turkey, Croatia, Russia) The current standings have probably caused me to be a little bias, but I probably would have picked it close to this before a single game in the final round of qualifying was played.
The only real shocker is that Senegal didn't make the final round of African qualifying. And China went out early in Asia too, though they are not as strong. My picks (I'll try to pick as I would have before qualifying started). Africa (6) South Africa (host), Cameroon, Nigeria, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast. I went with all the favorites, though you get no points for second in Africa: Morocco (Cameroon) and Tunisia (Nigeria) are also very dangerous and would be my next best. UEFA (13): Spain, Germany, Italy, England, Netherlands, Czech Republic, France, Portugal, Switzerland. Playoff winners: Croatia, Turkey, Russia, Serbia. Other 2nds: Sweden, Greece, Poland, Ireland, Norway. Of course, with qualifying under way, I might inclulde: Denmark, Isreal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Belgium, Ukraine, Romania, Lithuania and Scotland. But I'll stick with my original picks for now, though Portugal and France look to be in trouble, and Denmark looks really strong. CONMEBOL (4.5) Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, Uruguay CONCACAF (3.5) USA, Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras Playoff: Uruguay over Honduras. Asia (4.5) Japan, South Korea, Australia, Iran, Saudi Arabia Oceania (.5) New Zealand Playoff: New Zealand over Saudi Arabia
Africa - South Africa, Togo, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Ghana. Asia - Australia, Japan, South Korea, Iran, North Korea Europe - Sweden, Portugal, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, Turkey, England, Croatia, France, Italy, Netherlands, Russia. North/Central America - USA, Mexico, Costa Rica. South America - Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Columbia. Oceania - Nil.
These predictions are originally from August 11, 2007 in this thread: https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=459390&page=5 One country is already eliminated (Iraq), while another country is also guaranteed to be eliminated (either Ghana or Mali). North America: Mexico United States Costa Rica South America: Brazil Argentina Paraguay Chile Uruguay Europe: Italy Germany France Spain Croatia Portugal England Netherlands Turkey Sweden Greece Bulgaria Czech Republic Africa: South Africa Mali Nigeria Ghana Egypt Ivory Coast Asia: Iran Iraq (now eliminated) Australia South Korea Japan
AFRICA South Africa (Host) Cameroon Nigeria Egypt Ghana Ivory Coast CONCACAF United States Mexico Costa Rica Honduras loses to Chile in playoff SOUTH AMERICA Brazil Paraguay Argentina Uruguay Chile defetas Honduras in playoff ASIA Australia Japan Korea Republic Korea DPR Saudi Arabia beat Bahrain in playoff then beat New Zealand in playoff OCEANIA New Zealand loses to Saudi Arabia in playoff EUROPE Portugal Greece Czech Republic Germany Spain England Serbia Italy Netherlands France defeat Denmark in playoff Croatia defeat Poland in playoff Russia defeat Republic of Ireland in playoff Turkey defeat Scotland in playoff
I'll play: Africa: South Africa (Duhh) Morocco Tunisia Egypt Mali Cote d'Ivoire Asia: Japan Australia North Korea South Korea Iran Europe: Germany Spain England Denmark Israel Slovakia Italy Netherlands Greece Croatia Ireland Portugal North America: United States Costa Rica Mexico Trinidad and Tobago South America: Brazil Argentina Paraguay Chile
CAF South Africa (host) Cameroon Egypt Cote d'Ivoire Ghana Nigeria AFC Australia Japan Iran Korea Republic Bahrain (defeats Korea DPR and New Zealand) AFC USA Costa Rica Mexico CONMEBOL Brazil Paraguay Argentina Chile Colombia (defeats Trinidad and Tobago in play-off) UEFA Denmark Greece Czech Republic Germany Spain England France Italy Netherlands Russia defeats Poland Serbia defeats Republic of Ireland Sweden defeats Israel Croatia defeats Scotland
This will be the 32 teams in South Africa Africa: Cameroon Nigeria Egypt Ghana Ivory Coast South Africa (wild guess) Asia: Australia Japan South Korea Korea DPR Iran North America: USA Mexico Costa Rica South America: Brazil Argentina Paraguay Uruguay Chile Oceania: / Europe: Denmark Greece Czech Republic Germany Spain England France Italy Netherlands Serbia Croatia Russia Sweden
This is what i think Africa Nigeria Cameroon Ivory Coast Asia Australia Japan Iran Iraq North America USA Mexico South America Brazil Argentina Chile Europe Denmark Greece Czech Republic Germany Spain England France Italy Netherlands Serbia Croatia Russia Sweden Portugal
You need 2 more teams from Africa not including South Africa, either 1 team from Asia or Oceania, a minimum of 1 team from CONCACAF but potentially two depending on the playoff with South America but really 1.5, a minimum of 1 team from South America but potentially two depending on the playoff with CONCACAF but really 1.5, and 1 less team from Europe.
Portugal Greece Czech Republic Germany Spain England France Italy Netherlands Denmark Russia Scotland Serbia Brazil Argentina Paraguay Uruguay Chile USA Mexico Trinidad & Tobago Japan Australia Korea Republic Korea DPR Iran South Africa Cameroon Nigeria Egypt Ghana Côte d'Ivoire
South Africa Cameroon Nigeria Egypt Ghana Ivory Coast Australia Japan Korea Republic Korea DPR Bahrain Denmark Greece Czech Republic Germany Spain England Serbia Italy Netherlands Portugal Russia Croatia France USA Mexico Costa Rica Brazil Argentina Paraguay Uruguay Equador
Picking Bahrain over Iran and Korea DPR obviously shows that don't know Asian football at all. Asia gets 4.5, where's Oceania? Also Iraq is already eliminated.
I think it just shows that he's going to pick an upset and not the s.o.s. Oceania probably wasn't listed because he's probably predicting that the Asia will win the playoff with Oceania. The Iraq think I cannot explain though.
I've got Korea DPR ahead of Bahrain. We only disagree on where Iran sits, and at the moment they've got a lot of work to do as their results so far have been less than they are capable of.
CAF South Africa (host) Morocco Nigeria Egypt Cote d'Ivoire Mali AFC Australia Japan Iran Korea Republic Bahrain (defeats Korea DPR and New Zealand) CONCACAF USA Mexico Honduras CONMEBOL Brazil Paraguay Argentina Chile Colombia (defeats Costa Rica in play-off) UEFA Denmark Greece Poland Germany Spain England Serbia Italy Netherlands Russia defeats Czech Republic Republic of Ireland defeats Sweden Turkey defeats Israel Croatia defeats Scotland
This is what i think Africa Nigeria Cameroon Ivory Coast Asia Australia Japan Iran Iraq North America USA Mexico South America Brazil Argentina Chile Europe Denmark Greece Czech Republic Germany Spain England France Italy Netherlands Serbia Croatia Russia Sweden Portugal
You must have not even looked at the groups or the slot allocations. Plus you only have 26 teams. You need 1 less from Europe, Iraq has already been eliminated so you need either 1 more from Asia or Oceania, plus another one from Asia as well, you need two more from Africa, a minimum of one more from North America and South America and another 1 from The Americas playoff.
A lot of people have put Portugal and France, I think Portugal will have to be very good to even gain a playoff place, and France are also struggling, otherwise pretty much the same as everyone else has put
The problem for us was the loss to Denmark, but a win against Sweden and we are back in business, that its what im hoping for. At least, for the playoff spot. If Denmark dont lose any more points, we must beat them in Copenhagen too.
I really like watching Portugal, they play some of the most attractive ball, but they've got real problems right now, and I really don't think they are going to be in SA. They've not only screwed up against Sweden and Denmark, but some of the minnows at home as well. These kind of results do not get you to a WC. Hope I'm wrong though.
It will be a shame if Portugal don't get there, but at least we won't have to play you in the QF again!