2018 World Cup Group Stage

Nattering Naybob - I reviewed your 6/16 weekly headline posts and somewhat surprised to observe no World Cup picks or NBA Championship summary.
As you may recall, I do not follow what the US calls soccer but I am intrigued by your prognostications. Will there be picks down the road? - FDR
By popular demand...

In 2018 NBA Finals? our pre NBA final prediction 4-1 W's was posted.  Since the W's made a statement in taking a broom to the Cleveland LeBron's, I didn't feel there was anything more to add.

As for World Cup Russia, lets list some teams that qualified... Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal, Peru, Australia and Panama.

Some that did not... Netherlands, Czech Rep, Montenegro, Bosnia, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Ukraine, Turkey, Greece, USA and Italy.

Considering some of the qualifiers from regions of lesser competition, and those from higher levels which were eliminated...

Two things... the field of 32 would seem to be stacked for those qualifying from higher level regions, and FIFA need to extend the field from 32 to 48 for 2022 in Qatar.

Upsets?  What if somebody told you Argentina, Brazil and Germany, might not qualify for the knockout round? Crazy? Not so fast Joe...

Argentina have an uphill battle (Iceland, Croatia), making Messi's squad my first "upset" non qualifier.

If Germany (Mexico, S. Korea, Sweden) and Brazil (Switzerland, Costa Rica, Serbia) read their press clippings and don't wake up fast, both are also in for rude surprises.

At this point, who do we think will make the final? None of the three mentioned above. Hint: think jambon, manchego, vino tinto, tapas, UEFA Champions League and Iberian. TBD.

Following are our Matchday 1-3 group stage qualifiers to the knockout round. 

1st Round

1A Russia (host)
2B Portugal 
vs.
1C France
2D Iceland

1B Spain
2A Uruguay
vs
1D Croatia
2C Denmark

1E Brazil
2F Germany
 vs
1G Belgium
2H Colombia

1F Mexico
2E Serbia
vs
1H Poland
2G England

As for knockout round predictions, more to come, stay tuned, no flippin.

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