FIFA World Cup 2018
Posted: Tue May 29, 2018 6:57 am
Only 16 days till kickoff!
With the expansion to 32 teams, it is doubtful if there is any group of death any longer.
Eight groups with four teams in each, the two best from each group go on to the elimination phase.
These are the groups, and I've listed the most recent FIFA ranking (from May 17th) for each team, as well as the average for the group:
Group/team Ranking
Grupp A 49,0
Uruguay 17
Egypt 46
Russia 66
Saudi Arabia 67
Grupp B 22,5
Portugal 4
Spain 8
Iran 36
Morocco 42
Grupp C 17,5
France 7
Peru 11
Denmark 12
Australia 40
Grupp D 23,0
Argentina 5
Croatia 18
Iceland 22
Nigeria 47
Grupp E 17,0
Brazil 2
Switzerland 6
Costa Rica 25
Serbia 35
Grupp F 25,0
Germany 1
Mexico 15
Sweden 23
Korea Republic 61
Grupp G 21,3
Belgium 3
England 13
Tunisia 14
Panama 55
Grupp H 28,5
Poland 10
Colombia 16
Senegal 28
Japan 60
The first thing we notice is that Group A is ridiculously low in talent. The two lowest ranked teams of the tournament, Russia and Saudia Arabia, have ended up in the same group, and there are only four more teams (Nigeria, Panama, Japan and South Korea) in the entire tournament that are lower ranked than Egypt, the second best team of Group A. Also, there are three teams in Group C (France, Peru and Denmark) that have a better rank than Uruguay, which is the best team in Group A. The reason it has gotten this lopsided is that Russia, as hosts, were placed as one of the eight highest seeds as the groups were drawn, while in reality it has the second worst ranking of all teams participating. Thus Uruguay was drawn from the group seeded 9th through 16th, and was one of the worst in that group as well. Uruguay should move on quite comfortably, and then probably Russia, what with home court advantage and all. Egypt's best player, Salah, of Liverpuddlian fame, is injured, but may be back before the group play ends.
Group B: Two really good teams, Spain and Portugal, with two less good, Morocco and Iran. The teams from the Iberian peninsula move on.
Anything else would be shocking.
Oh well. That brings us to group C, which I assume is the closest thing to a Group of Death in this tournament. France is ranked 7th, Peru 11th and Denmark 12th. Poor Australia (rank 40) really had tough luck ending up with this lot. I'm pretty sure France moves on, and then it is a toss up between Denmark and Peru.
Group D is tricky. Argentina should move on, but then it's harder to tell. Croatia is ranked better than Iceland, but Iceland has shown in the past that they can beat anyone. What they lack in skill they make up for with hard work and heart! And Nigeria is better than its ranking implies. This group is really up for grabs.
Group E is kind of like group B. Two good teams, Brazil and Switzerland, that should move on. Still. Serbia is the best worst team of any group, ranked 35th, which is better than all teams in group A, save Uruguay, and Costa Rica, ranked 25th, could also score an upset.
Group F: Germany, ranked #1 in the world, should be in a class of its own. Likewise, South Korea should end up dead last. Mexico is ranked slightly higher than Sweden at present, but I'm not so sure they can seize the second spot. In my opinion it's a toss up who gets second place. Both teams should beat Korea and lose to Germany, and then it's down to the game between the two themselves. Yet if one or more of those games end in a draw, that could change everything.
Group G is also a contested group. Belgium ought to win, and Panama should be discarded. Then you have England and Tunisia of roughly the same strength (ranked 13th and 14th) in the middle. I would tend to think England is more likely to advance, but that's probably only because I've bought into some of the hype the English media always manage to work up regarding their rather average team.
Group H then finally; On paper it looks like Poland and Colombia, but watch out for Senegal! African teams tend to be better than their ranking suggests. Still. Really should be Poland and Colombia, shouldn't it?
With the expansion to 32 teams, it is doubtful if there is any group of death any longer.
Eight groups with four teams in each, the two best from each group go on to the elimination phase.
These are the groups, and I've listed the most recent FIFA ranking (from May 17th) for each team, as well as the average for the group:
Group/team Ranking
Grupp A 49,0
Uruguay 17
Egypt 46
Russia 66
Saudi Arabia 67
Grupp B 22,5
Portugal 4
Spain 8
Iran 36
Morocco 42
Grupp C 17,5
France 7
Peru 11
Denmark 12
Australia 40
Grupp D 23,0
Argentina 5
Croatia 18
Iceland 22
Nigeria 47
Grupp E 17,0
Brazil 2
Switzerland 6
Costa Rica 25
Serbia 35
Grupp F 25,0
Germany 1
Mexico 15
Sweden 23
Korea Republic 61
Grupp G 21,3
Belgium 3
England 13
Tunisia 14
Panama 55
Grupp H 28,5
Poland 10
Colombia 16
Senegal 28
Japan 60
The first thing we notice is that Group A is ridiculously low in talent. The two lowest ranked teams of the tournament, Russia and Saudia Arabia, have ended up in the same group, and there are only four more teams (Nigeria, Panama, Japan and South Korea) in the entire tournament that are lower ranked than Egypt, the second best team of Group A. Also, there are three teams in Group C (France, Peru and Denmark) that have a better rank than Uruguay, which is the best team in Group A. The reason it has gotten this lopsided is that Russia, as hosts, were placed as one of the eight highest seeds as the groups were drawn, while in reality it has the second worst ranking of all teams participating. Thus Uruguay was drawn from the group seeded 9th through 16th, and was one of the worst in that group as well. Uruguay should move on quite comfortably, and then probably Russia, what with home court advantage and all. Egypt's best player, Salah, of Liverpuddlian fame, is injured, but may be back before the group play ends.
Group B: Two really good teams, Spain and Portugal, with two less good, Morocco and Iran. The teams from the Iberian peninsula move on.
Anything else would be shocking.
Oh well. That brings us to group C, which I assume is the closest thing to a Group of Death in this tournament. France is ranked 7th, Peru 11th and Denmark 12th. Poor Australia (rank 40) really had tough luck ending up with this lot. I'm pretty sure France moves on, and then it is a toss up between Denmark and Peru.
Group D is tricky. Argentina should move on, but then it's harder to tell. Croatia is ranked better than Iceland, but Iceland has shown in the past that they can beat anyone. What they lack in skill they make up for with hard work and heart! And Nigeria is better than its ranking implies. This group is really up for grabs.
Group E is kind of like group B. Two good teams, Brazil and Switzerland, that should move on. Still. Serbia is the best worst team of any group, ranked 35th, which is better than all teams in group A, save Uruguay, and Costa Rica, ranked 25th, could also score an upset.
Group F: Germany, ranked #1 in the world, should be in a class of its own. Likewise, South Korea should end up dead last. Mexico is ranked slightly higher than Sweden at present, but I'm not so sure they can seize the second spot. In my opinion it's a toss up who gets second place. Both teams should beat Korea and lose to Germany, and then it's down to the game between the two themselves. Yet if one or more of those games end in a draw, that could change everything.
Group G is also a contested group. Belgium ought to win, and Panama should be discarded. Then you have England and Tunisia of roughly the same strength (ranked 13th and 14th) in the middle. I would tend to think England is more likely to advance, but that's probably only because I've bought into some of the hype the English media always manage to work up regarding their rather average team.
Group H then finally; On paper it looks like Poland and Colombia, but watch out for Senegal! African teams tend to be better than their ranking suggests. Still. Really should be Poland and Colombia, shouldn't it?