The Official World Cup Futures Thread

[JRLM8]

Anyone else watch Brazil in the confederations cup last summer like I did? They came back vs a solid US team 2-0 to win 3-2 in the final. They scored one of the best team made goals in the friendly games vs Ireland.

Can we get a list or picture of what teams meet after qualifying? This way we can predict how far teams go...

Can we not talk about that loss to Brazil. It still hurts.

Here is the knockout stage:

And the groups:

[bostonbruins]

I was thinking the same about Germany , +1200 is ok, they always seem to hang around.

[Karayilan9]

Germany and Italy will be always be a danger

[Ace_of_Spades]

Aren't germany really old now?

[Karayilan9]

Germany pensioners team would still come up with a tactical masterplan and iron discipline to get past half these teams full of big ego's, little brains and unproven mangers.

[SoV]

Joachin Lowe is a bloody good manager.

[Jimmy0607]

I agree with Kari and turkkz Uruguay has a strong team and they are very organized , forlan and suarez are killing it , we just need an attacking midfielder , cristian rodriguez from porto is one of our best players but probably will not go to the cup because he's suspended the first wo games

A lot of people taled about serbia last world cup because of their qualifiers and they got murdered , so don't let qualifiers fool you

[lakerboy]

Jimmy i will make you a frinedly points bet. I say Uruguay wont get out of the group.
at pinny right now these are the odds

uruguay to advance +120
uruguay to not advance -135


i will take the -135 any time


so here is my offer. if your country(uruguay ) get out of the group i give you 120 points. if they dont make it out of the group you give me 100. sound fair to you?

[SoV]

I'm tempted by Uruguay to advance. Just looked at their group and it's:

Uruguay
France
South Africa
Mexico

Could take points off France, and can definitely get wins against SA and Mexico.

[suckerforparlays]

Not trying to intrude or throw your offer off lakerboy. Im liking Mexico and South Africa to make it out of there region though

[Jimmy0607]

Sounds great to me lakerboy

[suckerforparlays]

France is an old team rnt they? I no they still have Henry but shouldnt even be in the tourney. bunch of shit

[SoV]

Oh, nevermind. Mexico have Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Rafael Márquez, Giovanni dos Santos and Carlos Vela among others. They will go through with France, unless both Diegos, Lugano and Forlan have cracking games.

[Ace_of_Spades]

Uruguay won't make it out. Mexico will though, they are my dark horse in the tournament.

[SoV]

France is an old team rnt they? I no they still have Henry but shouldnt even be in the tourney. bunch of shit

Really? Apart from Henry, France have Anelka and Benzema up front. Yohan Gourcouff feeding them from midfield, which also includes Toulalan and Lass Diarra. Add Ribery and Malouda on the wings, Gallas at the back and Lloris in goal (easily one of the best upcoming keepers in the world) and I'll be surprised if Le Blues don't get past the group stage.

[Jimmy0607]

Mexico? Your darkhorse? Come on man , they will lose to south africa the first game , remember that, and laker remember this. Uruguay will beat argentina in the round of 16

[JRLM8]

Don't discount the home team. Every referee decision will go in their favor. No hosting nation has failed to advance to the second round. I don't think Sepp Blatter will let South Africa be the first.

[SoV]

Mexico? Your darkhorse? Come on man , they will lose to south africa the first game , remember that, and laker remember this. Uruguay will beat argentina in the round of 16

I'll bet you $10,000 that Uruguay won't beat Argentina in the round of 16. Actually, make that $1m.

[lakerboy]

Sounds great to me lakerboy

okay so can you say yes to confirm?

Mexico? Your darkhorse? Come on man , they will lose to south africa the first game , remember that, and laker remember this. Uruguay will beat argentina in the round of 16

- please jimmy stop

[SoV]

Don't discount the home team. Every referee decision will go in their favor. No hosting nation has failed to advance to the second round. I don't think Sepp Blatter will let South Africa be the first.

Plus, those annoying horns that SA will try to use to their advantage.

[lakerboy]

Don't discount the home team. Every referee decision will go in their favor. No hosting nation has failed to advance to the second round. I don't think Sepp Blatter will let South Africa be the first.

exactly thats why uruguay have no chance to make it out. in fact i say uruguay finishes last in the group. they had a better team in korea with recoba.

[zlate22]

serbia or england will win the cup

[JOHON8]

Looking at the chart that JRLM8 gave us (thanks by the way), it looks like Spains only real threat is Argentina towards the final. Brazil and England should meet in the semi final. Brazil knocked England out in these stages before, but England are in a common wealth country, with a solid team, revenge in mind, and their best chance of winning the world cup since ever so you decide.

[Karayilan9]

Don't look too hard at teams player for player, managers, tactics, how they play as a team, captains and passion are the things to look for. Look at Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Cameroon, they have some of the worlds top talent but have awful managers who haven't grasped the concept of tactics, the teams are unorganized, have no passion and are just hopeless.

Uruguay are a dangerous side, good manager, well organized, the players are generally tall and strong and take set pieces seriously. So many Latin American teams weakest point is set pieces, Mexico will struggle dealing with Uruguay's set pieces and will not cause much threat against Uruguay with theirs.

France have a great team headed by an idiot, how Domenech is still there is anyones guess, a manager who has won nothing and picks players based on their star signs should be questioned.

[Ace_of_Spades]

Don't discount the home team. Every referee decision will go in their favor. No hosting nation has failed to advance to the second round. I don't think Sepp Blatter will let South Africa be the first.

Probably the first, Pienaar can't do it all alone. And it is a tough group.

[SoV]

I want my bet with jimmy0607.

[Ace_of_Spades]

I hate the fact that they play Blanco, i mean what the fuk, get his ass out of there.

[mihaita666]

whoever want to back france, think for a little while...and if you are able to name a stupider coach than Domenech, than back france

[lakerboy]

whoever want to back france, think for a little while...and if you are able to name a stupider coach than Domenech, than back france

without question he isnt bright - but he made the world cup final last time and you can say the players were the reason but regardless they still have good players. frnace is one of those squads that does nothing(2002.2008) or goes far.

[SoV]

whoever want to back france, think for a little while...and if you are able to name a stupider coach than Domenech, than back france

Maradona is certainly up there.

[JOHON8]

A lot of people seem to be defending Uruguay, but IMO South Africa has a better chance than them or even the other teams to qualify.

If you watched the Confederations Cup in the summer you know what I mean. Spain only beat them 2-0 and 1-0 in the group stages. In the semi final they only lost 1-0 to Brazil. Then they tied Spain 2-2 and took them to regulation where they only lost 3-2 for third place.

http://www.fifa.com/confederationscup/matches/groupstage.html

I really believe people are overlooking what SA is capable of. If an underdog can come so close to beating the top 2 countries in the world/the WC, then what is stopping them from beating or at least tying France, Mexico, or Uruguay in their home country playing the games of their life?! They have a very athletic, hard working squad and can upset any team in this group stage.

[Dark Horse]

bottom line is this- any team that has never won the world cup before isnt worth a penny to bet on.

Spain had never won anything until they won the European championship in 2008.

The one thing you can always be certain of is that British fans bet up the price of England. Shorting England is money in the bank.

It will be too cold for Brazil. They've benefited many times from scorching summer heat (that weakened European teams), but this will not be one of those times.

Italy has no chance. Nor does France. Both lack the quality this time around.

I don't think any of the African teams has a real shot at the title.

That leaves: Spain, Netherlands, Portugal, Germany, and Argentina.

Spain has essentially adopted its playing style from the Netherlands. Spain used to play very differently before their success in 2008. I have discarded Germany too often in the past. They're not exciting, but they can do a lot with very little.

If I had to pick two teams for the final I'd take Spain and Argentina.

[JRLM8]

While we are on the topic of betting on the World Cup and before I forget, this is from SI's Soccer Reporter Grant Wahl:

1. Gamblers take note: 25 #WorldCup teams pick training sites at altitude. 7 at sea level: Japan/Denmark/France/Algeria/Cameroon/Greece/Nigeria

Johannesburg's elevation is higher than Denver. If you follow international soccer, you know that Mexico and Bolivia have huge home field advantages because they play at high elevations.

So bet against those 7 teams in their first games at elevation because they won't be adjusted. For example, France plays Uruguay in their first game but it is at sea level so there is no advantage. However, in France's second game, they play Mexico at 1310 meters above sea level.

[Giuvara]

Nice thread guys;based on the group drawing i tried to foresee the future stages of the competition and put a blog entry with them,you can check it out.The conclusion i came to,at a first glance :

Semifinals: Brazil-Germany=>Brazil

Argentina-Italy=>Italy
Final: Brazil-Italy=> Brazil (The replay of the 94 final will have the same winner)


Also, we must take into consideration another factor-which team will adapt the fastest to those damn vuvuzelas which made me watch the Confederation's Cup on mute.I hear Brazilians and Mexicans also use them, so that might be a plus in their favour.

[Giuvara]

Oh, and i am very sorry JRLM for USA's defeat against Brazil in Conf. Cup, i really routed for yous guys, as i liked the way you played in the competition.