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2022 FIFA World Cup

Mike Rogers

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The world cup starts in a little over a week. It's never during ski season (at least for us northern hemisphere fans).

Who do you have winning?

How does your home country look?

Canada has qualified for it's second World Cup, the first since '86. I was 4 years old the last time Canada played, so this will be my first opportunity to cheer for my home nation. It will be a tough road for Canada, but I think we wil be competitive. I don't think we'll make it past the group stage, but we won't be an easy out either.

I think this is going to be Brazil's year. They have so much depth and with the compressed schedules in the big club competitions, having a deep squad will be important.
 

James

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They’ve got some gorgeous looking stadiums from the slave labor.

Looks like there’s some very good 2nd group round matches.

Spain-Germany
England-USA
Argentina-Mexico
D311B44B-04B6-4517-827F-EFFE46915783.jpeg
 

doc

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Doubt US will make it out of group play, Between injuries decimating the team, and odd decisions around which goalies to keep, I don't think they have much of a chance.
On the bright side, one of the goalies who made the US side, Horvath, played with one of my sons for years in club soccer. My kids played D-1 college soccer; Horvath went off to Europe. Look what happened. Guess the route to soccer success is clear.
 

James

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Doubt US will make it out of group play, Between injuries decimating the team, and odd decisions around which goalies to keep, I don't think they have much of a chance.
Maybe you know too much. ogsmile

I don’t know anything.

Allegedly, group B has the best average ranking of teams

Anything to disagree with here- (other than the stupid categories at the bottom)

 

dbostedo

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Maybe you know too much. ogsmile

I don’t know anything.

Allegedly, group B has the best average ranking of teams

Anything to disagree with here- (other than the stupid categories at the bottom)

I'd like to see the median rankings, or maybe the average of the top three in each group. Since only 2 teams move on from a group, typically a "group of death" has had three really strong teams and one patsy. That could create an average ranking that's not so great

But I've heard more commentary about this cup that there isn't a group of death at all. And I agree with that. I don't see one.
 

James

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US needs to beat Wales in it’s first game. At the least, tie. Otherwise, it’s good chance it’s over to go on past group stage.
 

fatbob

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Germany
France

Probably someone like Croatia to punch high again.

Brazil will choke
Argentina not good enough for a fading Messi

Still odd timing and lack of a build up offseason might play some havoc with usual expectations. Really not seeing any of the tie in commercial hype cos it clashes with Xmas but at least in UK a fair amount of antipathy because of the utter corruption of FIFA/ Qatar.
 

pchewn

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Who I want to win: Argentina (because ...... Messi)
Who I think should win: Brazil (because ...... depth of talent)
Who I think will actually win: Germany (because ..... Germany)

Predictions:

  1. The USA will advance from group B in 2nd, win in the group of 16, and be eliminated in group of 8
  2. At least one team from Africa will make it to the quarter finals from a match with outrageous referee controversies.
  3. England will be eliminated in the group of 16 after doing fairly well in Group B. The press in England will call foul that the inventors of football lost. Everything but the actual team play will be at fault (refereeing, weather, venue, video-assisted refereeing, coach, food, amount of rest, .......)
  4. Germany will win and quietly go home and add the cup to their trophy case.
 

dbostedo

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First match today went as expected... looking forward to the US/Wales match tomorrow, though I won't be able to watch it. I'll be following along online as much as I can!
 

crgildart

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England! Also pulling for USA and Mexico. Got a friend from France. He laughed when I told him they lose to England in the knockout rounds.
 

JCF

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Benzema out now - No Pogba or Kante. Varane coming off an injury...
I had France as my favorite with Brazil and Germany...I feel bad for Mbappe. He might have stole the show with the A team.
 

Teppaz

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My home country is France and I'm extremely anxious because the team has been badly hit by injuries. Pogba and Kanté are out for example. Deschamps had to call quite a few youths with little experience. I'm sure they'd be fine in 4 years but for now both defense and midfield are a problem.
 

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