World Cup Countdown

With the domestic football seasons in England at an end apart from the FA Cup final today and the league pay-offs and almost coming to an end or at an end in most other European countries then all eyes are starting to turn to the World Cup in South Africa and World Cup betting The two clear favourites are Spain and Brazil but I am not so sure. I have seen far too many World Cups to know that huge favourites often do not perform.

My first ever World Cup was Argentina in 1978 and the reigning world champions West Germany along with Brazil were clear favourites in that tournament and neither of them reached the final. In fact Brazil were even bigger favourites in 1982 along with holders Argentina with Maradona in his prime and both countries failed to get past the second stage.

Brazil were firm favourites in 1998 after winning it in 1994 but they at least did reach the final despite never playing to their potential in that final and losing 3-0 to France. But in recent times, it is hard to see a more dramatic case of a huge favourite biting the dust than in 2002 when France went into that tournament as reigning World and European Champions. Not only did they not win the tournament or even reach the semi-finals but they were eliminated in the World Cup group stages finishing bottom of the group without even scoring a single goal.

Brazil were firm favourites again in 2006 as defending champions but lost to the French along the way. So the lessons from history then are clear and that favourites don’t really stand that much more of a chance than the rest of the field combined. This is a serious factor because if you blindly believe that a nation like Spain will automatically win the World Cup just because they are a great side then you are failing to take into account not only the chaotic nature of sporting events but also the other really great sides in the tournament as well.

Teams like Argentina, Italy, France, Holland, Germany, Portugal, England to name just a few. In the latter stages of any cup competition then luck will play a vital role. But this applies to the group stages as well. Take Germany for example, they will be firm favourites to progress from their group that includes Ghana, Australia and Serbia but yet every one of those teams is a potential banana skin for the Germans.

It would not fall beyond the realms of probability for the Germans to miss out on qualification. Serbia came top of their qualifying group that included France so that will be very difficult and Australia put in some fine performances in the last World Cup and now can clearly beat any side on their day. The fact is that there are a lot of nations who are dangerous and who can beat anyone on their day and there are three such teams in Germany’s group.

Carl “The Dean” Sampson