A1: Russia A2: Egypt B1: Spain B2: Portugal C1: Peru C2: France D1: Croatia D2: Argentina E1: Brazil E2: loses to Germany doesn’t matter F1: Germany F2: doesn’t matter loses to Brazil G1: England G2: Belgium H1: Colombia H2: Poland 49: Russia beats Portugal 50: Argentina beats Peru 51: Spain beats Egypt 52: Croatia beats France 53: brazil wins 54: england beats Poland 55: Germany wins 56: Colombia beats Belgium 57: Argentina beats Russia 58: Brazil beats England 59: Spain beats Croatia 60: Germany beats Colombia 61: Brazil beats Argentina 62: Germany beats Spain 64: Germany beats Brazil
Good call there with Croatia! I rate them very highly and it was a pity that they put up with a listless display against Portugal during Euro 2016.
Croatia barely qualified, with losses against Iceland and Turkey... and now Icelan again and Argentina...
interesting scenario, but I see France beating Croatia, then beating Spain, then losing to Germany (in your bracket). We shall see.
What's everyone's opinion here on Portugal. All the espn analysts among others in North America all seem to predict group stage exit or loss to Uruguay in the round of 16. For fans of the Portuguese team we all seem to be quite stumped by this? When to anyone who follows the team, agrees this is by far the deepest Portuguese team of all time and in my opinion the best starting lineup ever. Even the great 2006 team had nowhere near the depth, backup options off the bench weren't off the highest quality, hell 2/3rds of the starting midfield (costinha, Maniche) would have had a tough time making this team let alone nowhere near the starting lineup. No longer are we reliant on Ronaldo, young 21 year old winger Guedes looks like a 21 year old version of Ronaldo, very excited to see him up front beside Ronaldo and Bernardo Silva, quite a counter attack there. And also being a country of under 11 million people, the smallest nation I'm assuming to ever win the Euro's, and so tiny compared to all the traditional soccer powers, yet we have been a top 10 team for the past 18 years. You would think we would be really celebrated, for how competitive we have been with such a tiny country. In Portugal a lot of people talk have always about a North American bias against them, just curious to everyone's thoughts of why we are always so underrated going into tournaments, yet making it to 4 of the past 5 Euro semis, 2 finals, a World Cup semi final, since the year 2000. lol wouldn't that mean Portugal having a deep run in tournaments is more often the rule and not the exception, with the perception always seeming to be the complete opposite.
I agree with everything you write here about Portugal. It wouldn't surprise me at all to see Portugal win this World Cup.
Panama will play Tunisia in the final. Based on Panama games I've seen and what I know about Tunisia, Panama will win this World Cup, they have that never-say-die attitude which will help them to score last minute goal.
I noticed this bias against Portugal as well. Most pundits have Portugal losing against Uruguay in the Round of 16. Yes, it could happen as Uruguay is a good side but it's not objective when 70% of the picks or even more are in favour of Uruguay. There are some people out there who overrate Uruguay a bit. They were very strong though against Wales in March in the China Cup. They have a revamped midfield with some young guns as Bentancour, Nandez and Arrascaeta. They are good but lacking experience at the big stage of course. If Portugal performs similiarly they performed in EURO 2016 knockout stage (some more flashes are preferable) I would favour them over Uruguay. I think the bias against Portugal has still much to do with the way how they won EURO 2016. Many people are just not happy that a defensive team won it in the end. So it has somehow settled in people's minds that Portugal is ugly to watch and ultra defensive. On the other side most people think first of Suarez and Cavani when Uruguay comes to their mind. Then if something looks alike an affair where chances are almost 50:50 people will show their bias with picking the team they prefer more. Most people then tend to back the team that is more offensive or plays more attractively in their eyes.
I do agree Uruguay is a good team and they could very well beat on on their day. I would think Portugal would be favored though and would most likely advance. I agree there is a negativity from the Euros. What I cant understand is everyone perceives they played that way the entire tournament. The first 2 games verus Iceland and Austria Portugal dominated possession and had what like 30 shots on goal versus a few for those opponents, they just had poor finishing and couldn't put the ball in the net, including a missed penalty. And Hungary it was all offence, so 3 straight games of possesion "exciting" football. Croatia against a world class midfield Santos went defensive, Poland it was back and forth typical qtr final game, semis they won 2 0 and easily won the game, and went defensive vs France in the final. So when people say they Greeced the final and were boring to watch it bugs me, they really only did that twice versus two teams they knew they couldn't go toe to toe with in the midfield. The rest of the games they tried to boss and score.
They are the new Italy. Heavy D and try to get one on the counter attack. Effective Mourinho play. My Friend from Lisbon jokes they took the coach they lost to in Euro 2004 and used his tactics in 2016 to upset France lol. They are slated to finish second behind Spain in group B no? But if they finish first in group A: They have a solid team, r16 will not be bad facing group A’s Uruguay or Russia (though playing the host team in Moscow would be difficult). Could be a collision course with Messi in the quarterfinal (WOW) and then of course Germany in the semifinal. If they can overcome Germany, Brazil, France, and Spain await in the Final... Mentally, Portuguese will probably welcome a rematch with France (who they beat in Euro 16) or Spain (‘12 two penalty kicks from beating and when Spain had a superior team... they were the first team to dent Spain’s aura of invincibility after the Swiss loss in 2010). 6 years on they have added depth in the striker (no longer reliant on Postiga) and all four wing positions. Finally found someone in Andre Silva who can help Ronaldo up top. Their bench is fast as lightning if they can get deep into games expect the defense to pay off.
I really have no clue what system Santos is going to use. The past 3 friendlies have been pretty much an attack minded 4 3 3. Im expecting Ronaldo up front flanked by Guedes and Bernardo Silva on the counter. If that happens they arent setting up the way they did against Croatia and France in the Euros. I think Santos realizes they wont be able to win a world cup that way as they wont be able to get past several powerhouses and win with that formula if they have to play France or Argentina, and if they past them Brazil or Spain possibly. I think he knows he has a very good attacking lineup at his disposal and a team that can hold possession. That to me is the one huge difference between him and all of our other coaches in the past, he doesnt stick to methods that once worked and doesnt stay loyal to players who helped in the past if others are ready to take over, hence 13 players from the euros not making the team. We used to be so damn predictable both in lineup and system.
England I feel has a better chance than normal finally because after wc 14 and euro 16 they come in underrated and without expectations. Any arrogance has left the building and no more trying to fit Rooney in. He was great at his peak but had been deteriorating rather fast.
No way re 2006. That was a world class team and had the likes of Figo, Costa, Deco, Carvahllo, a young ROnaldo etc. That team was fresh off a euro 04 final and better than this team and the side that won euro. They just weren't as lucky. Do you know why Portugal aren't given much of a chance? Re read what you wrote. Their success has come at the Euros. Not at the World Cup. Semis in 2006, apart from that you haven't achieved anything at the World Cup since 1966. Twice in your history two semis and those are the only good results. You can talk stats during the group but it means nothing. You want a stat here's one. You won one game in 90 minutes. Why not mentioned that stat? Croatia outplayed you and you scored 30 seconds after they hit the bar. You should have been out then. You could have lost the shootouts to Poland but you were good in that game after being outplayed early. Beating a ramsey less wales was no great feat. France schooled you, hitting the bar at the end you were lucky. Second all qualifying until the last game. You can beat Uruguay and favourites imo if you meet them but quarter finals is all you'll go max
Yes ,no arrogance from players and hype from the media this time, looks like they have finally learnt their lesson, this is a young team with pace with a decent striker who on his day is much better than Rooney, an on form Kane and a keeper who doesn't make silly mistakes and the team playing like a team, passing the ball well,closing down players, England could give one of the favourite teams trouble . Sterling under Pepe has-been working on his finishing, with him on form and Henderson controlling the midfield ,Rashford partnering Kane, two players who will give any defence problems. With the defence we have got, England is going to need goals, similar to Liverpool's season, dodgy defence, great in attack.
I believe and hope Belgium can win as an undervalued underrated dark horse. They have a killer once in a generation lineup from front to back and everyone is at their peak currently with no injuries coming in. I believe they can do some damage and are ranked 5th from memory. Eden Hazard, Kevin DeBruyne, Courtois in goal, the Lokaku brothers, Vincent Company, the guy who looks like broccoli... I think they will surprise and it'd be nice to have someone other than Germany or Brazil win.
I agree, it's time for Belgium to finally step up and be counted amongst the great teams. Is Belgium the new England, great players for their clubs, Beckham, Gerrard, Lampard, Scholes, Owen, Rio etc,but just can't do it for the national team.
Yes I think that's why no one is predicting much success for Belgium because they have disappointed in National Team play and haven't ever quite gelled as a unit. Last World Cup this group was young, at the Euros they learned that losing hurts and for me it's now or never for this group and many have excelled and won hardware for their respective clubs thus learned to win individually. Can they pull it together for this tournament? I think so. Edit: Remember this was the team who drubbed the USA forcing something like 26 saves from Tim Howard. If a few of those miraculous saves hadn't been so miraculous...oh boy.
Germany, but read an article today that states FIFA will keep the cup. https://news.alphastreet.com/world-...ight-for-it-but-fifa-will-still-have-the-cup/