Thanks. Number 1 is which team will be the surprise of the event, number 2 is which team will be a failure and 4 is as you mentioned. That I don't know. What I do remember reading though is the Spanish newspaper of EL Mundo Deportivo prior to the quarterfinals, and that newpapers predicted that England and Spain would go through with Brazil and West Germany. They didn't believe that Argentina could win based on the ability of one player.
Menotti also thought that Argentina would lose, and in a certain way he was rooting against them because of his dislike for manager Bilardo.
Thanks. I know that Maradona had impressed early in the tournament, and during the England game (after both goals) one commentator David Pleat was acclaiming him as greater than Pele! The title-sequence included some of his plays against South Korea during the tounament too at some stage (can't find it on Youtube but think I've seen it before).
The England-Holland game from Euro '96 is on ESPN Classic now and some odds were just mentioned: For that game - Holland 13/8, draw 13/8, England 7/4. Germany 2/1 favourites to win tournament at that stage.
Well Brazil were always considered as favorites in almost every WC/ and rightly so Lets' roll back the years as I remember (!)- and it depends on the TIME LINE (which month before WC starts ...) - A few months before: Most predicted Brazil would BOUNCE back from their previous WC (undeservedly so) with same strong squad in Socrates, Falcao, Zico, Carreca, Leao, Junior ... But as the WC getting close to start, Zico was blown out as he could not recover his knee inured at times - However, people still believe Carreca could fill up Zico's boots well - in goals - and he did . Unfortunately the team still missed Zico's playmaking and vision to play as a "true winner" - Superstars of WC86? (again, few months before June86) Platini, Zico, Rummenigge were the usual suspects in attack - while Veteran Socrates, Scirea and Mathauss , Jenning were from center mid to defense... Many at times disregarded Maradona as among the top performers (versus Platini, Zico Socrates ...) for 2 reasons: 1- Argentina 86 team were just so average in talents except himself! 2- Plus Maradona was still struggling to lead the minnow Napoli from mid table up to TOP4 (coincidently, Platini was still good enough to lead Juve won SerieA same year! ) - Hence the idea of "one man show" was just a "nostalgic term" since last Pele. Garrincha ... of old days! ========================================= The aftermath: Maradona proved history could repeat itself and "one man show" was not just a "nostalgic term"! He did it at WC86 and REPEATED with Napoli in following year to win SerieA!
I just read another piece of the newspaper of Mundo Deportivo dated 20 May, 1986, and Platini proclaimed himself the best in the world and that France would be very difficult to knock off. Enzo Bearzot also considered them the favorites and that Platini would be the star of the event. On the other hand, he didn't see Argentina as a serious threat and considered them inferior to the 1978 team.
I'm not sure of the source but I remembered that the Euro '84 Wikipedia page does have odds listed: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_1984
In summary: France 5/8 West Germany 5/2 Belgium 7/1 Denmark 8/1 Spain 8/1 Portugal 14/1 Yugoslavia 16/1 Romania 16/1
I don;t have the source but I am quite sure the TOP3 favorites to win WC86 were Brazil, Germany and France. The closest teams were either Denmark (with Laudrup and Elkaeir) and Spain
Thread with same topic from a couple years ago. https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/past-world-cup-favorites.1422986/
I found the full list in another source: Brazil 9:4 West Germany 4:1 Argentina 7:1 Spain 7:1 Italy 11:1 USSR 12:1 England 14:1 Poland 20:1 Scotland 25:1 Belgium 25:1 France 25:1 Czechoslovakia 25:1 Before the draw took place there was one major difference: Scotland was ranked significantly higher by the London bookmakers, same or higher as Poland. But after the draw their odds became higher - and rank lower. Unfortunately, no odds around June 1982 exist.
Odds May 2002, Ladbrokes: Argentina 7:2 France 4:1 Italy 6:1 Brazil 6:1 Spain 9:1 England 9:1 Portugal 12:1 Germany 14:1 Russia 40:1 Cameroon 40:1 Paraguay 50:1 Turkey 50:1 Ireland 50:1 Croatia 50:1 Uruguay 50:1 Japan 66:1 Nigeria 66:1 Sweden 66:1 Belgium 80:1 Denmark 80:1 Poland 80:1
June 2006: Brazil 9:4 England 6:1 Italy 8:1 Argentina 8:1 Germany 8:1 Netherlands 12:1 Spain 14:1 France 14:1 Portugal 22:1 Czech Republic 33:1 Sweden 40:1
Interesting that only 2 people predicted Argentina to be the weak team of the WC. Contradicts what people say about Argentina being a bunch of nobodies + Maradona
That's exactly the KEY to your wonder ... Maradona name made the team look more valuable than themselves ... Besides, in that WC year, Italy were not rated high for they lack of attacking force (all defensive players) and France were a bit new "kids on the block" (with good potential though)
Sorry, I only just saw this. I've got access to it. If you want to use the access let me know. I can give you my library number for online log in.
Found the odds that Ladbrokes had at 31/05/1986, at the day of kick-off for the 1986 WC. It is: 3:1 Brazil 4:1 Argentina 6:1 Uruguay 10:1 Mexico 12:1 Italy 12:1 England 14:1 West Germany 14:1 France 14:1 Denmark Rest followed at 25:1 or lower.
According to World Soccer, following the WC draw: Brazil 5-2 Argentina 11-4 Uruguay 8-1 Mexico 10-1 France and Italy 12-1 Denmark 14-1 West Germany 18-1 England, USSR and Belgium 25-1 For information Scotland 66-1, N Ireland 150-1 I was surprised when you posted it, but it certainly holds up.
Do you know if it was already known that Passarella was not to play by the time these odds were given?
It was known by the time of the Ladbrokes odds but maybe not at the time of the odds you quote. It was throughout the first group stage a question whether Passarella would feature again (at least until he received a second set of physical problems, shortly before the third group stage game). I also don't know whether he would have a significant impact on the odds. He was great of course, but one player rarely has and he was already 33-years old.
I was just somewhat surprised to see Argentina so high in that table and France so low. I saw the reasons that explain France, but I dont see why Argentina should have been given such odds, other than for the fact that we had arguably the best player in the world in Maradona and the tournament was being held in Latin America. Argentina did not have an easy qualification campaign and was coming from a horrible WC experience in 1982, had just replaced the starting keeper of many years in Fillol (for Pumpido) after he (Fillol) had played all the qualification games, plus the team had lost a key man in defensive stalwart Passarella... I didnt know Brazil had been a big favorite for that tournament too... He was 33 alright, but had just been one of the highest rated defenders in Serie A for the 1985-86 seasons (Dbscalcio), and was probably seen as one of the leaders and main figures of the team at the time.
It was mainly because it was considered that there were no great teams in the world. Having read a number of tournament previews recently the widespread consensus was that most of the teams were either past their best or yet to reach it. Also the Mexican conditions were perceived as being a significant disadvantage to the European sides.