Country | FIFA Rank | Odds to win WC |
---|---|---|
Argentina | 4 | +500 |
Saudi Arabia | 51 | +80000 |
Mexico | 13 | +13000 |
Poland | 26 | +15000 |
Argentina
Led by one of the greatest to ever play the game, Argentina boast a length unbeaten run & come off winning the Copa America after a longtime drought. All eyes will certainly be on Messi to lead one of the tournament’s favorites on a run, but let us not forget he’s backed by a talented squad that possesses the skill & experience needed to back him up in such a bid. Julian Alvarez is having a career year at City, despite being behind the likes of the legendary Haaland, while Alexis Mac Allister & Brighton are the surprise competitors fighting for a European spot in the EPL. And that’s not to mentioned seasoned players like Di Maria, Lautaro Martinez, Dybala, & Correa, among others. Argentina are clear favorites to top Group C & I think they’ll do just that, with an added bonus of being able to rest key players should they asset their position early in the tournament.
Prediction: Winner Group C
Saudi Arabia
Only Ghana (60) enter the tournament ranked lower than FIFA’s 51st ranked Saudi Arabia & sadly they’ll be playing for pride above all else. Often qualifying for the tournament but rarely making it past the group stage, Saudi Arabia struggle to put the ball in the back of the net & their Group C counterparts should simply be too much for them to handle.
Prediction: Eliminated in Group Stage
Mexico
El Tri have made it to the round-of-16 in seven straight World Cups, & they’ve been eliminated in that same round in all 7 of those bids. They say history repeats itself, & I’m backing that result here today. We’ll discuss the round-of-16 later, but as for the group stage I expect them to finish comfortably behind Argentina in second in the group with victories against both Saudi Arabia & Poland. Referred to as ‘Chucky’ by his beloved fans. Hirving Lozano will look to continue his form on the world stage following his goal that led Mexico to a historic win against Germany in 2018 before his big money move to Napoli, garnering the most expensive transfer fee for a Mexican player. Stuck on repeat for nearly 3 decades, Mexico look set to kick things off on the same foot & make it out of the group stage for an impressive 8th consecutive round-of-16 appearance.
Prediction: 2nd Place in Group B
Poland
Lewandowski’s incredible goal-scoring prowess showed no signs of slowing down after his big money move to Barcelona & he’ll be hoping to lead his team out of this year’s group stage following a disappointing result in Russia in 2018. Will his wall full of accolades across Germany & Europe be enough though? We see a dramatic drop in quality behind Lewy’s name on the team sheet, though not backed by unknown names with top-tier experience in Szczesny & Bednarek in the back, Zielinski at the heart of the pitch, & Milik in support up front. Young Roma midfielder Nicola Zalewski will be one to watch for the Polish side & with seven senior caps already under his belt he’ll be looking to impress. While I wouldn’t discount Poland entirely from making it to the round-of-16, Mexico has the experience & history behind them to disappoint The Eagles once again.
Prediction: Eliminated in Group Stage