| Country | FIFA Rank | Odds to win WC |
|---|---|---|
| Portugal | 9 | +1600 |
| Ghana | 61 | +25000 |
| Uruguay | 14 | +4000 |
| Korea Republic | 28 | +20000 |
Portugal
Would you believe me if I told you Cristiano Ronaldo was 37 years old this World Cup? He certainly doesn’t look it when he’s on the pitch & he leads a Portuguese side who have recently won international silverware via the EURO 2016 & the 2019 UEFA Nations League. And while all eyes will be on Ronaldo to lead the squad to their first World Cup trophy, support from the likes of European stars such as Joao Felix, Rafael Leao, Bernardo Silva, & Bruno Fernandes, among others, gives them the perfect combination of skill & experience to do so. I think Portugal enter the tournament in a better spot than their FIFA ranking suggests & they’re capable of beating any team in the world, as they’ve already shown on a number of times in the last handful of years. I would be surprised if Portugal didn’t escape Group H with a perfect 3-0 record & they’ll be confident in their ability to replicate their recent international success.
Prediction: Winner Group H
Ghana
Ghana are the lowest ranked team in the tournament & with the aging Andrew Ayew as the country’s captain & talisman it’s hard to see them advancing from their group. Qualifying for their first World Cup in 2006 & impressing in South Africa where they went out to Uruguay in the quarter-finals, Ghana will hope to replicate their Cinderella run from 2010 here in Qatar. While they will certainly be capable of giving Korea a run for their money, earning a result against the likes of Portugal & Uruguay seems anything but likely & I simply don’t see the Black Stars emerging from Group H.
Prediction: Eliminated in Group Stage
Uruguay
Two-time world champions Uruguay are another squad who enter the tournament with a potent blend of experience & talented new faces. Any World Cup fan will be familiar with names like Diego Godin, Luis Suarez, & Edinson Cavani from their impressive 2010 semi-final run, & while those stars have aged quite a bit since then they are backed by emerging talents with plenty of European experience in Francisco Valverde & Darwin Nunez. I wouldn’t exactly call them a dark horse given their history at the tournament & wealth of recognizable names, but their FIFA ranking & odds to win might say differently. While I don’t think they’ll be able to win Group H up against a more talented Portuguese side, I expect they will finish second in the group & put up a fight against whoever they face in the round-of-16.
Prediction: 2nd Place Group H
Korea Republic
Korea find themselves in an impressive 10th consecutive World Cup, though they’ve not made the tournaments knockout stage since 2010 in South Africa. Led by Tottenham superstar Son Heung-min, the Taegeuk Warriors don’t possess a wealth of talent beyond their captain & will need a bit of luck on their side if they’re to qualify ahead of group favorites Portugal or Uruguay. Never short on confidence as evidenced by their 2-0 victory over Germany in Russia in 2018 that sent the German giants crashing out of the competition, Korea will certainly believe they have what it takes to pull off another upset & hope to replicate their success from South Africa by making it into the knockout round, though I wouldn’t put my money on that happening.
Prediction: Eliminated in Group Stage
