World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup begins on Friday in Germany. Team USA kicks off their campaign to win the cup on the 12th. I wrote this up a while ago, but I stick by everything in it still. All the info comes from my head and the 2006 FIFA World Cup website (fifaworldcup.com)
Teams arranged by groups in order based on the 2006 FIFA World Cup website. Numbers in parentheses are current world rankings.
Group A
Germany (19)
Costa Rica (26)
Poland (t29)
Ecuador (39)
Group B
England (10)
Paraguay (33)
Trinidad and Tobago (47)
Sweden (16)
Group C
Argentina (9)
Cote d’Ivorie (32)
Serbia and Montenegro (44)
Netherlands (3)
Group D
Mexico (4)
Iran (23)
Angola (t57)
Portugal (7)
Group E
Italy (13)
Ghana (48)
United States (t5)
Czech Republic (2)
Group F
Brazil (1)
Croatia (24)
Australia (t42)
Japan (18)
Group G
France (8)
Switzerland (35)
Korea Republic (t29)
Togo (61)
Group H
Spain (t5)
Ukraine (45)
Tunisia (21)
Saudi Arabia (34)
Group A: In by far the weakest of the groups, Germany, the runner-up from 2002, should have a simple task ahead of them. They find themselves with the highest FIFA ranking (FIFA ranking: 19th) of any of the teams in their group, and, playing host to the 2006 Cup, should get a huge boost from the home crowd at all of their matches. Unless the pressure proves to be too much for the Germans, causing an early exit a la France and Argentina in 2002, the hosts should easily win Group A. Poland (tied for 29th) should prove to be their toughest challenge. They certainly pushed England to the edge during qualifying, and don’t forget about Poland’s win over the United States in group play in 2002. This group also features a Costa Rican team (ranked 26th) full of talent, but playing just a step below the level of the perennial greats in international play, and Ecuador (ranked 39th), a team with just one win in World Cup matches, in 2002 against Croatia. Costa Rica is not to be taken lightly, but will have to step up if they want a chance to advance.
Prediction: Germany will win the group, Poland will advance as runner-up, Costa Rica will miss the next round in third, and Ecuador will finish last.
Group B: England (FIFA ranking: 10th) is always a favorite when it comes to the World Cup, however they always struggle. England has perhaps the best pair of strikers in the world, in Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen, on their team. A blow was dealt to them in Manchester United’s final match of the Premier League season when Rooney went down with a broken metatarsal bone in his right foot. He remains hopeful that he will be able to play, and was named to the roster despite the injury. Without him, however, the team may struggle, especially against Sweden (ranked 16th), a team they have not beaten in almost 40 years. This group also contains Paraguay (ranked 33rd), a team that has made it out of group play the last two tournaments, and coming into this year’s World Cup on the heels of a 1-0 win over Argentina at home; they will not lack confidence or energy. The dark horse in this group is Trinidad and Tobago (ranked 47th). They have never faced England, and have not faced anyone in their group in over 15 years. Look for this club to give the other sides trouble during the first stage but don’t hold your breath waiting for them in the second round.
Prediction: Without Rooney, England will advance by finishing second behind Sweden. Paraguay will finish third with Trinidad and Tobago bringing up the rear.
Group C: The group from Hell number 1. All four teams are ranked in the top fifty in the world, with two of the teams finding themselves in the top ten: Argentina at 9 and The Netherlands at 3. Argentina made an early exit in 2002, and find themselves in a tough spot here as well. In ten qualifying matches, Serbia and Montenegro (ranked 44th) allowed one goal. Full of confidence from this, they will be out looking for the upsets and trying to advance out of the group stage. Cote d’Ivorie (ranked 32nd) find themselves in their first World Cup and are certainly facing a trial by fire. Certainly the hardest group to predict, Group C should provide some very exciting matches.
Prediction: Argentina will avoid the fate that they saw in 2002 and advance in first place, Serbia and Montenegro will advance in an upset over the Dutch team. Newcomers Cote d’Ivorie will finish last.
Group D: In 2002, Portugal (ranked 7th) was set to advance out of their group along with South Korea. All they had to do was beat the Koreans and would advance with a 2-0-1 record. They lost however, and found themselves going home. Wingers Luis Figo and Cristiano Ronaldo should provide for an entertaining combination to watch, and hope to get Portugal out of group play for the first time in 40 years. Mexico (ranked 4th) has to be the favorite in this group and they are also the most experienced. If Iran (ranked 23rd) can pull of another upset like they did against the US in 1998, they will go into their match against Angola (tied for 57th) with the second round in sight.
Prediction: Portugal will finish first ahead of Mexico. Iran and Angola will find themselves in third and fourth respectively.
Group E: The second group from Hell. Two teams in the top 5, 2nd ranked Czech Republic and 6th ranked USA, and all teams in the top 50. Fate is being cruel to first timers Ghana (ranked 48th). They drew a group that also includes seed team Italy (13th). Italy is always a favorite in the World Cup; however they have been dropping in the FIFA rankings. The US, on the other hand has been steadily rising. Forward Landon Donovan, who led the Americans to a win in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, returns to Germany where he played a few troubled seasons in the Bundesliga. He says that he has grown and has put the past behind him. The US advanced from out of group play in 2002, courtesy of a Portugal loss. This time around, they won’t need another team to lose to move on. The Czechs will be looking to win the Cup for Pavel Nedved, who un-retired from international play to participate. While the Ghanans are not a team to take lightly, they have too much to overcome.
Prediction: The Czech Republic will win the group, with the US finishing second to advance out of group play for the second time in a row. Italy will be disappointed by a third place finish. Ghana will finish 4th in their first appearance.
Group F: Brazil. Enough said. The Three R’s led Brazil to victory in Korea and Japan in 2002. This year, Ronaldo and Ronhaldino must do it without help of now retired Rivaldo. Almost no case can be made for them losing, especially in a group that consists of Japan (ranked 18th), Croatia (tied for 23rd) and Australia (tied for 42nd). Watching two of the best players in the world will be entertaining, and the race for 2nd should be interesting. It’s been a while for Australia, 32 years to be exact. They will not be easy, nor will Japan, coming off of success on their home field in 2002. Croatia was disappointed in 2002, and will be looking to make it out of group play this year; however, they face an uphill battle.
Prediction: Brazil runs away with the group. Japan finishes second. Australia surprises everyone in 3rd, and Croatia goes home early again in fourth.
Group G: Midfielder Zinedine Zidane missed the first two games of group play in 2002. France (ranked 8th) noticed his absence, although his return in the third game against Sengal, and France left the tournament goalless. This year, they hope to avoid the same fate. Their cautious play, however, may be exploited by other teams in this group, such as Korea (tied for 29th), who did advance out of group play in 2002. Switzerland (ranked 35th) hopes to rebound from a rough end to qualifying. Togo (ranked 61st) had the top scorer in qualifying, Emmanuel Adebayor with 11. None of these teams are to be taken lightly, however the energetic Koreans should hold the upper hand.
Prediction: France recovers from their disappointing exit in 2002 to win the group; Korea takes second, with Switzerland and Togo going home.
Group H: Spain (tied for 5th) hopes that Raul will be back in time for the tournament. If he is, look for them to dominate in this group fairly easily. If not, the gap between the teams will be smaller. Look for the Ukraine (ranked 45th) to provide a challenge, despite being the lowest ranked in the group. In the 2005 FIFA Confederations cup, in Germany, however, Tunisia (ranked 21st) played very well and will not be easy this time either. The Tunisians are also the only African team from 2002 to qualify this year. Saudi Arabia (ranked 34th) looks to repeat the success they had in 1994 and, in this group, have a chance to do it. Anyone can win this group, especially if Raul is unable to participate in group play.
Prediction: Spain will win the group, with Ukraine coming in a close second. Tunisia will finish fourth and Saudi Arabia will be third.
Round 2
(1)Winner A vs. Runner B
(2)Winner C vs. Runner D
(3)Winner E vs. Runner F
(4)Winner G vs. Runner H
(5)Runner A vs. Winner B
(6)Runner C vs. Winner D
(7)Runner E vs. Winner F
(8)Runner G vs. Winner H
Round 3
(I) Winner 1 vs. Winner 2
(II) Winner 3 vs. Winner 4
(III) Winner 5 vs. Winner 6
(IV) Winner 7 vs. Winner 8
Semifinals
Winner I vs. Winner II
Winner III vs. Winner IV
Finals
Semifinal Winners
Bronze Game
Semifinal Losers
***Based on my predictions from Group Play. A post with updated predictions will be made after group play***
Second Round:
Matches:
Germany vs. England
Argentina vs. Mexico
Czech Republic vs. Japan
France vs. Ukraine
Sweden vs. Poland
Portugal vs. Serbia and Montenegro
Brazil vs. United States
Spain vs. Korea
Germany/England: Boosted by their home supporters, Germany will come out strong. In four World Cup matches against England, the Germans have a record of 1-2-1. If the English have Wayne Rooney available for the match, they will have a better shot. However the advantage of playing on their own turf, and the desire to avoid a repeat of their embarrassing 5-1 loss in 2002 qualifying, will be enough to get the Germans through to the second round. Winner: Germany
Argentina/Mexico: These two teams have met once in the World Cup: in 1930. In 2002, Argentina was eliminated in group play. Advancing this time will boost their confidence as they go into this match. Mexico, on the other hand, will be looking to avoid being eliminated in the second round, a fate that has met them each of the past 3 tournaments. Look for history to repeat itself again. Winner: Argentina.
Czech Republic/Japan: This will be a tough match for the Japanese, facing a strong Czech team making its first appearance in the World Cup as the Czech Republic. They will be motivated to win for Nedved and some of the other older players on the team. This will be the first meeting between the two teams in the World Cup. Winner: Czech Republic
France/Ukraine: Ukraine will be severely outmatched in the first meeting between these two teams in the World Cup. The French, having advanced this time look to repeat their victory in 1998 and will come one step closer here. Winner: France
Sweden/Poland: In 1974, Poland beat Sweden in the only World Cup match between the two teams. Despite being the underdogs here, Poland will put up a fight against the Swedes, but Arsenal’s Fredrik Ljungberg should lead the Swedes to victory. Winner: Sweden
Portugal/Serbia and Montenegro: These two teams will meet for the first time in the World Cup. Look for the Portugese duo of midfielders Luis Figo and Cristiano Ronaldo to provide the spark that will get Portugal into the next round. Winner: Portugal
Brazil/United States: In 2002, the United States advanced to the quarterfinals, beating Mexico 2-0, aided by a no-call on a handball in the penalty area by midfielder John O’Brien in the 57th minute. Karma caught up to the US in the quarter-finals when they lost 1-0 to Germany, despite dominating most of the game, partly due to a handball on the goal line by defender Torsten Frings in the 49th minute. Despite the handball, the United States lost because they failed to capitalize on opportunities throughout the entire game, a mistake that they cannot afford to make against Brazil. If luck is on the side of the US, they will see the quarterfinals again. If it isn’t, Brazil will beat them, as they did in 1994. Winner: Brazil
Spain/Korea: A rematch of the quarterfinal match in 2002, where Korea won on 5-3 on penalty kicks after a scoreless game and extra time. This time, without the support of their home crowd, Korea should find themselves outmatched. Winner: Spain
***All matches based on results of previous rounds. Updated predictions will be made following rounds***
Matches:
Germany vs. Argentina
Czech Republic vs. France
Sweden vs. Portugal
Brazil vs. Spain
Germany/Argentina: It took a stroke of luck for Germany to get out of the quarterfinals alive in 2002. The United States outplayed them for most of the match, but they failed to capitalize on their opportunities. Germany, however, managed to score one and came out victorious, 1-0. Argentina, however, will not fail to capitalize on chances, and will send the Germans packing. Winner: Argentina
Czech Republic/France: The Czechs will put up a good fight, but Zidane will lead France into the semifinals, in hopes of repeating their success from 1998. Getting out of group play and into the quarterfinals will not be enough for the French who will be looking to forget about the embarrassment that was their 2002 appearance. Winner: France
Sweden/Portugal: The Swedes will put up a tough fight against the Portuguese, but in the end the Portuguese will come out victorious. Winner: Portugal
Brazil/Spain: Spain won’t have a chance against the defending champs. Winner: Brazil
Semifinals:
Matches:
Argentina vs. France
Portugal vs. Brazil
Argentina/France: The Argentines will have the crowd against them in the semifinals after dispatching the home team in their quarterfinal match. The pressure will get to France here, and, despite the backing of part of the crowd, they will fail to make the final match and attempt to reclaim the gold. Winner: Argentina
Portugal/Brazil: Brazil used to be a Portuguese colony. Not that it matters at all here, but it’s an interesting fact, since now the Brazilians will be the dominant ones in this relationship. Winner: Brazil
Medal Round:
Matches:
BRONZE: France vs. Portugal
GOLD: Argentina vs. Brazil
BRONZE: France and Portugal have met four times in the past ten years, three friendly matches and once in Euro 2000. France won all four, by a total of 11-3. This time, the Portuguese will come out victorious, spoiling France’s hope for a medal. Winner: Portugal
GOLD: These neighbors have met 18 times in the past 20 years, with Brazil winning 7, including the last 3. 8 matches ended in a draw, with only 3 being won by the Argentines. Brazil will be in its 8th Gold medal game, and their 4th straight. They will become the first team to repeat as champions since 1958 and 1962, when the Brazilians, led by a 17 year old Pele won the first and second of their titles. Winner: Brazil
GOLD: Brazil
SILVER: Argentina
BRONZE: Portugal
4TH: France
Teams arranged by groups in order based on the 2006 FIFA World Cup website. Numbers in parentheses are current world rankings.
Group A
Germany (19)
Costa Rica (26)
Poland (t29)
Ecuador (39)
Group B
England (10)
Paraguay (33)
Trinidad and Tobago (47)
Sweden (16)
Group C
Argentina (9)
Cote d’Ivorie (32)
Serbia and Montenegro (44)
Netherlands (3)
Group D
Mexico (4)
Iran (23)
Angola (t57)
Portugal (7)
Group E
Italy (13)
Ghana (48)
United States (t5)
Czech Republic (2)
Group F
Brazil (1)
Croatia (24)
Australia (t42)
Japan (18)
Group G
France (8)
Switzerland (35)
Korea Republic (t29)
Togo (61)
Group H
Spain (t5)
Ukraine (45)
Tunisia (21)
Saudi Arabia (34)
Group A: In by far the weakest of the groups, Germany, the runner-up from 2002, should have a simple task ahead of them. They find themselves with the highest FIFA ranking (FIFA ranking: 19th) of any of the teams in their group, and, playing host to the 2006 Cup, should get a huge boost from the home crowd at all of their matches. Unless the pressure proves to be too much for the Germans, causing an early exit a la France and Argentina in 2002, the hosts should easily win Group A. Poland (tied for 29th) should prove to be their toughest challenge. They certainly pushed England to the edge during qualifying, and don’t forget about Poland’s win over the United States in group play in 2002. This group also features a Costa Rican team (ranked 26th) full of talent, but playing just a step below the level of the perennial greats in international play, and Ecuador (ranked 39th), a team with just one win in World Cup matches, in 2002 against Croatia. Costa Rica is not to be taken lightly, but will have to step up if they want a chance to advance.
Prediction: Germany will win the group, Poland will advance as runner-up, Costa Rica will miss the next round in third, and Ecuador will finish last.
Group B: England (FIFA ranking: 10th) is always a favorite when it comes to the World Cup, however they always struggle. England has perhaps the best pair of strikers in the world, in Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen, on their team. A blow was dealt to them in Manchester United’s final match of the Premier League season when Rooney went down with a broken metatarsal bone in his right foot. He remains hopeful that he will be able to play, and was named to the roster despite the injury. Without him, however, the team may struggle, especially against Sweden (ranked 16th), a team they have not beaten in almost 40 years. This group also contains Paraguay (ranked 33rd), a team that has made it out of group play the last two tournaments, and coming into this year’s World Cup on the heels of a 1-0 win over Argentina at home; they will not lack confidence or energy. The dark horse in this group is Trinidad and Tobago (ranked 47th). They have never faced England, and have not faced anyone in their group in over 15 years. Look for this club to give the other sides trouble during the first stage but don’t hold your breath waiting for them in the second round.
Prediction: Without Rooney, England will advance by finishing second behind Sweden. Paraguay will finish third with Trinidad and Tobago bringing up the rear.
Group C: The group from Hell number 1. All four teams are ranked in the top fifty in the world, with two of the teams finding themselves in the top ten: Argentina at 9 and The Netherlands at 3. Argentina made an early exit in 2002, and find themselves in a tough spot here as well. In ten qualifying matches, Serbia and Montenegro (ranked 44th) allowed one goal. Full of confidence from this, they will be out looking for the upsets and trying to advance out of the group stage. Cote d’Ivorie (ranked 32nd) find themselves in their first World Cup and are certainly facing a trial by fire. Certainly the hardest group to predict, Group C should provide some very exciting matches.
Prediction: Argentina will avoid the fate that they saw in 2002 and advance in first place, Serbia and Montenegro will advance in an upset over the Dutch team. Newcomers Cote d’Ivorie will finish last.
Group D: In 2002, Portugal (ranked 7th) was set to advance out of their group along with South Korea. All they had to do was beat the Koreans and would advance with a 2-0-1 record. They lost however, and found themselves going home. Wingers Luis Figo and Cristiano Ronaldo should provide for an entertaining combination to watch, and hope to get Portugal out of group play for the first time in 40 years. Mexico (ranked 4th) has to be the favorite in this group and they are also the most experienced. If Iran (ranked 23rd) can pull of another upset like they did against the US in 1998, they will go into their match against Angola (tied for 57th) with the second round in sight.
Prediction: Portugal will finish first ahead of Mexico. Iran and Angola will find themselves in third and fourth respectively.
Group E: The second group from Hell. Two teams in the top 5, 2nd ranked Czech Republic and 6th ranked USA, and all teams in the top 50. Fate is being cruel to first timers Ghana (ranked 48th). They drew a group that also includes seed team Italy (13th). Italy is always a favorite in the World Cup; however they have been dropping in the FIFA rankings. The US, on the other hand has been steadily rising. Forward Landon Donovan, who led the Americans to a win in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, returns to Germany where he played a few troubled seasons in the Bundesliga. He says that he has grown and has put the past behind him. The US advanced from out of group play in 2002, courtesy of a Portugal loss. This time around, they won’t need another team to lose to move on. The Czechs will be looking to win the Cup for Pavel Nedved, who un-retired from international play to participate. While the Ghanans are not a team to take lightly, they have too much to overcome.
Prediction: The Czech Republic will win the group, with the US finishing second to advance out of group play for the second time in a row. Italy will be disappointed by a third place finish. Ghana will finish 4th in their first appearance.
Group F: Brazil. Enough said. The Three R’s led Brazil to victory in Korea and Japan in 2002. This year, Ronaldo and Ronhaldino must do it without help of now retired Rivaldo. Almost no case can be made for them losing, especially in a group that consists of Japan (ranked 18th), Croatia (tied for 23rd) and Australia (tied for 42nd). Watching two of the best players in the world will be entertaining, and the race for 2nd should be interesting. It’s been a while for Australia, 32 years to be exact. They will not be easy, nor will Japan, coming off of success on their home field in 2002. Croatia was disappointed in 2002, and will be looking to make it out of group play this year; however, they face an uphill battle.
Prediction: Brazil runs away with the group. Japan finishes second. Australia surprises everyone in 3rd, and Croatia goes home early again in fourth.
Group G: Midfielder Zinedine Zidane missed the first two games of group play in 2002. France (ranked 8th) noticed his absence, although his return in the third game against Sengal, and France left the tournament goalless. This year, they hope to avoid the same fate. Their cautious play, however, may be exploited by other teams in this group, such as Korea (tied for 29th), who did advance out of group play in 2002. Switzerland (ranked 35th) hopes to rebound from a rough end to qualifying. Togo (ranked 61st) had the top scorer in qualifying, Emmanuel Adebayor with 11. None of these teams are to be taken lightly, however the energetic Koreans should hold the upper hand.
Prediction: France recovers from their disappointing exit in 2002 to win the group; Korea takes second, with Switzerland and Togo going home.
Group H: Spain (tied for 5th) hopes that Raul will be back in time for the tournament. If he is, look for them to dominate in this group fairly easily. If not, the gap between the teams will be smaller. Look for the Ukraine (ranked 45th) to provide a challenge, despite being the lowest ranked in the group. In the 2005 FIFA Confederations cup, in Germany, however, Tunisia (ranked 21st) played very well and will not be easy this time either. The Tunisians are also the only African team from 2002 to qualify this year. Saudi Arabia (ranked 34th) looks to repeat the success they had in 1994 and, in this group, have a chance to do it. Anyone can win this group, especially if Raul is unable to participate in group play.
Prediction: Spain will win the group, with Ukraine coming in a close second. Tunisia will finish fourth and Saudi Arabia will be third.
Round 2
(1)Winner A vs. Runner B
(2)Winner C vs. Runner D
(3)Winner E vs. Runner F
(4)Winner G vs. Runner H
(5)Runner A vs. Winner B
(6)Runner C vs. Winner D
(7)Runner E vs. Winner F
(8)Runner G vs. Winner H
Round 3
(I) Winner 1 vs. Winner 2
(II) Winner 3 vs. Winner 4
(III) Winner 5 vs. Winner 6
(IV) Winner 7 vs. Winner 8
Semifinals
Winner I vs. Winner II
Winner III vs. Winner IV
Finals
Semifinal Winners
Bronze Game
Semifinal Losers
***Based on my predictions from Group Play. A post with updated predictions will be made after group play***
Second Round:
Matches:
Germany vs. England
Argentina vs. Mexico
Czech Republic vs. Japan
France vs. Ukraine
Sweden vs. Poland
Portugal vs. Serbia and Montenegro
Brazil vs. United States
Spain vs. Korea
Germany/England: Boosted by their home supporters, Germany will come out strong. In four World Cup matches against England, the Germans have a record of 1-2-1. If the English have Wayne Rooney available for the match, they will have a better shot. However the advantage of playing on their own turf, and the desire to avoid a repeat of their embarrassing 5-1 loss in 2002 qualifying, will be enough to get the Germans through to the second round. Winner: Germany
Argentina/Mexico: These two teams have met once in the World Cup: in 1930. In 2002, Argentina was eliminated in group play. Advancing this time will boost their confidence as they go into this match. Mexico, on the other hand, will be looking to avoid being eliminated in the second round, a fate that has met them each of the past 3 tournaments. Look for history to repeat itself again. Winner: Argentina.
Czech Republic/Japan: This will be a tough match for the Japanese, facing a strong Czech team making its first appearance in the World Cup as the Czech Republic. They will be motivated to win for Nedved and some of the other older players on the team. This will be the first meeting between the two teams in the World Cup. Winner: Czech Republic
France/Ukraine: Ukraine will be severely outmatched in the first meeting between these two teams in the World Cup. The French, having advanced this time look to repeat their victory in 1998 and will come one step closer here. Winner: France
Sweden/Poland: In 1974, Poland beat Sweden in the only World Cup match between the two teams. Despite being the underdogs here, Poland will put up a fight against the Swedes, but Arsenal’s Fredrik Ljungberg should lead the Swedes to victory. Winner: Sweden
Portugal/Serbia and Montenegro: These two teams will meet for the first time in the World Cup. Look for the Portugese duo of midfielders Luis Figo and Cristiano Ronaldo to provide the spark that will get Portugal into the next round. Winner: Portugal
Brazil/United States: In 2002, the United States advanced to the quarterfinals, beating Mexico 2-0, aided by a no-call on a handball in the penalty area by midfielder John O’Brien in the 57th minute. Karma caught up to the US in the quarter-finals when they lost 1-0 to Germany, despite dominating most of the game, partly due to a handball on the goal line by defender Torsten Frings in the 49th minute. Despite the handball, the United States lost because they failed to capitalize on opportunities throughout the entire game, a mistake that they cannot afford to make against Brazil. If luck is on the side of the US, they will see the quarterfinals again. If it isn’t, Brazil will beat them, as they did in 1994. Winner: Brazil
Spain/Korea: A rematch of the quarterfinal match in 2002, where Korea won on 5-3 on penalty kicks after a scoreless game and extra time. This time, without the support of their home crowd, Korea should find themselves outmatched. Winner: Spain
***All matches based on results of previous rounds. Updated predictions will be made following rounds***
Matches:
Germany vs. Argentina
Czech Republic vs. France
Sweden vs. Portugal
Brazil vs. Spain
Germany/Argentina: It took a stroke of luck for Germany to get out of the quarterfinals alive in 2002. The United States outplayed them for most of the match, but they failed to capitalize on their opportunities. Germany, however, managed to score one and came out victorious, 1-0. Argentina, however, will not fail to capitalize on chances, and will send the Germans packing. Winner: Argentina
Czech Republic/France: The Czechs will put up a good fight, but Zidane will lead France into the semifinals, in hopes of repeating their success from 1998. Getting out of group play and into the quarterfinals will not be enough for the French who will be looking to forget about the embarrassment that was their 2002 appearance. Winner: France
Sweden/Portugal: The Swedes will put up a tough fight against the Portuguese, but in the end the Portuguese will come out victorious. Winner: Portugal
Brazil/Spain: Spain won’t have a chance against the defending champs. Winner: Brazil
Semifinals:
Matches:
Argentina vs. France
Portugal vs. Brazil
Argentina/France: The Argentines will have the crowd against them in the semifinals after dispatching the home team in their quarterfinal match. The pressure will get to France here, and, despite the backing of part of the crowd, they will fail to make the final match and attempt to reclaim the gold. Winner: Argentina
Portugal/Brazil: Brazil used to be a Portuguese colony. Not that it matters at all here, but it’s an interesting fact, since now the Brazilians will be the dominant ones in this relationship. Winner: Brazil
Medal Round:
Matches:
BRONZE: France vs. Portugal
GOLD: Argentina vs. Brazil
BRONZE: France and Portugal have met four times in the past ten years, three friendly matches and once in Euro 2000. France won all four, by a total of 11-3. This time, the Portuguese will come out victorious, spoiling France’s hope for a medal. Winner: Portugal
GOLD: These neighbors have met 18 times in the past 20 years, with Brazil winning 7, including the last 3. 8 matches ended in a draw, with only 3 being won by the Argentines. Brazil will be in its 8th Gold medal game, and their 4th straight. They will become the first team to repeat as champions since 1958 and 1962, when the Brazilians, led by a 17 year old Pele won the first and second of their titles. Winner: Brazil
GOLD: Brazil
SILVER: Argentina
BRONZE: Portugal
4TH: France