Who do you think will win the World Cup and why?

Infordin said:
Spain have the best 11 on paper, France doesn’t even come close.
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De Gea

Carvajal Ramos Pique Alba

Busquets

Iniesta Koke/Thiago

Silva Isco

Costa

With options like Saul who can be a match winner and good defensive cover looks a great set up. I think only 4 French would get into that team though they perhaps have more dynamic attacking options but you can only play 3 or 4 in the same lineup.
 
Dolf said:
Martial —- Griezmann —- Mbappe
—————- Pogba ———————-
————Matuidi — Kante
Kurzawa—- Varane — Umtiti — Sagna
——————Lloris —————

Plus amazing others:

Dembele
Payet
Ben Arfa
Mendy
Koscielny
Umtiti
Coman
Lacazette
Areola
Sissoko
Gameiro
Lemar
Giroud
Mangala
Tolisso.

You could make two great teams from that!
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dont think sagna has played for a couple of years for france... sidibe (monaco) is pretty useful though
 
Inter Yer Nan said:
De Gea

Carvajal Ramos Pique Alba

Busquets

Iniesta Koke/Thiago

Silva Isco

Costa

With options like Saul who can be a match winner and good defensive cover looks a great set up. I think only 4 French would get into that team though they perhaps have more dynamic attacking options but you can only play 3 or 4 in the same lineup.
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Which 4 are you thinking about? I can only think about Griezmann or Mbappé instead of Costa and perhaps Umtiti instead of Piqué.
 
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Crazy Horse said:
Belgium can put an incredible group of 11 players on the pitch. Like to think they could break the domination from the countries we're so used to seeing. On paper they could go all the way this time.
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bobby martinez masterminding a world cup win... I have my doubts though I do expect Belgium to embarrass England and Southgate might be one of the few managers Bobby is actually better than
 
whatwha said:
Who are Germany's best players these days? Who is their striker?
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Should be something like this:

-------------Neuer/MatS------------
Kimmich-Boateng-Hummels-Hector
--Khedira/Gündogan-Kroos---------
Müller----------Özil------Sané/Reus
---------------Werner----------------

Maybe Goretzka/Weigl as options next to Kroos, or Philipp Max instead of Hector.
 
I got a feeling about Belgium this time, they aren't talked about much after a few flops and their players seem to be finding their form. Might not win it but a final is very possible. They can match anyone on paper.
 
Denis79 said:
I got a feeling about Belgium this time, they aren't talked about much after a few flops and their players seem to be finding their form. Might not win it but a final is very possible. They can match anyone on paper.
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We don't have the depth in our squad to win a WC. As soon as something happens to Alderweireld, Kompany or Vertonghen, we are fecked. The only reason we lost against Wales couple of years ago were the injuries in our defense. We played Jordan Lukaku and Denayer for fecks sake.
 
Arbitrium said:
Spain are winning it. I think a few big teams will make an early exit alongside England.
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England have a very good team.
I do not know if enough to win but certainly to fight at least for semifinals
 
carvajal said:
England has a very good team.
I do not know if enough to win but certainly to fight at least for semifinals
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They will be lucky to make it out their group. They don’t play well together at all.
 
onemanarmy said:
We don't have the depth in our squad to win a WC. As soon as something happens to Alderweireld, Kompany or Vertonghen, we are fecked. The only reason we lost against Wales couple of years ago were the injuries in our defense. We played Jordan Lukaku and Denayer for fecks sake.
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What if they stay fit?
 
Arbitrium said:
They will be lucky to make it out their group. They don’t play well together at all.
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the last generation may be, but even if it is based on individualities it would be a crime not to go through against Tunisia and Panamá
 
carvajal said:
England have a very good team.
I do not know if enough to win but certainly to fight at least for semifinals
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They have a very good striker, some good supporting forward players and decent fullbacks. But the spine of GK, central defence and midfield is way too poor to reach the last 4.
 
Denis79 said:
What if they stay fit?
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Hard to say. I still think Spain, Germany, France and Brazil have better teams than ours, but with Lukaku, De Bruyne and Hazard, we can score against anyone. I had more faith at the EC 2016, but that ended badly. The players I mentioned before have matured though and we finally have a decent right wingback. They also seem hungry to prove something.

But I still think it will be one of the usual suspects.
 
Dolf said:
Martial —- Griezmann —- Mbappe
—————- Pogba ———————-
————Matuidi — Kante
Kurzawa—- Varane — Umtiti — Sagna
——————Lloris —————

Plus amazing others:

Dembele
Payet
Ben Arfa
Mendy
Koscielny
Umtiti
Coman
Lacazette
Areola
Sissoko
Gameiro
Lemar
Giroud
Mangala
Tolisso.

You could make two great teams from that!
Click to expand...
Well, we sent our second team to the confed cup and won :cool:
 
England, no matter if they win their group or not, will probably get either Brazil or Spain in the QF. It doesn't get much worse than that IMO. The same thing applies to Belgium. And then it looks like Spain or Argentina will be waiting in the SF. It doesn't look good either.

On the other hand, Brazil wins their group (quite possible) and then it's Mexico/Sweden/S.Korea and after that Belgium/England. In the SF they might face France. But the French will probably get a tough game in the R16 (Croatia) and a QF vs Portugal/Spain before they make it to the SF. Not the easiest of routes. The Germans will also face one between England/Belgium in the QF and then it will be one of Argentina/Spain in the SF.

Right now, it seems almost impossible for Spain/Portugal/France to avoid three "big" matches from the QF to the Final. And as a bonus, France will probably face Croatia in the R16. I'd place my bets on either Brazil or Germany. But football's a funny game, you never know what can happen.
 
Some really strong national teams at the moment. Spain, Brazil, Germany, and France and Belgium could be a contender as well. Going with Germany because they have the most structure as a team. This goes a long way.
 
Too many factors involved in terms of prediction. Fatigue going into a tournament is a major issue which is why I fancy Brazil really. Neymar will be relatively fresh due to his injury as will Coutinho as he has moved to Barca and hasn't featured in CL or in every game for them.

Fernandinho and Casemiro are two great DM's, and will provide good protection in defence as well as contributing offensively. Marcelo is a big game player and this could be his last WC. Two solid goalkeepers in Alisson and Ederson who can distribute from the back, good depth at CB in Marquinhos, Luiz, Miranda and Thiago Silva.

Also they won't have as much pressure on them this time, they were handling it relatively well in 2014 until Neymar and Thiago Silva were ruled out but being there in Brazil, the pressure was immense on the team and that would have filtered down to the players somewhat. Being out in Russia and not having the home expectancy and massive favourites tag will be better for them.
 
There's always 1 surprise team, not sure who's going to be this time. For the trophy, Brazil, France, Argentina and Germany in the semis if draws permit. Would love a Brazil vs Argentina final.

I think France may win the next one with the team they have, Brazil will be my bet for this year, all their players seem to be ready.

Will Neymar be considered better than Messi and Ronaldo if he helps his team win the world cup?

Edit : Better at the moment, not overall.
 
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Why do people reckon Martial will start for France? I'm not even sure he will make the squad.
 
Dolf said:
Martial —- Griezmann —- Mbappe
—————- Pogba ———————-
————Matuidi — Kante
Kurzawa—- Varane — Umtiti — Sagna
——————Lloris —————

Plus amazing others:

Dembele
Payet
Ben Arfa
Mendy
Koscielny
Umtiti
Coman
Lacazette
Areola
Sissoko
Gameiro
Lemar
Giroud
Mangala
Tolisso.

You could make two great teams from that!
Click to expand...

Sagna?
 
England vs Nigeria in the finals to be won by England because both teams are desperate to prove a point. When you see it happen, don't forget where you heard it first.
 
crappycraperson said:
That MF seems too light weight, Coutinho is too lazy to work in a 2 man midfield IMO.

Don't see it with France. All the hype around them is predicated around folks believing Martial will reproduce his form from 2 seasons ago for France NT and Mbappe will deliver on the hype. I just think Brazilian attacking unit is better with more proven stars and Neymar is more likely to live up to the hype than Mbappe.
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Yes, but in the nt Coutinho is really hard worker. And thats more a midfield 5 in the 3-5-2.

By his interviews i think Tite will try a midfielder with two DMs in the next friendlies. In the wc it could be:
Alisson
Marquinhos Miranda
Dani Alves Marcelo
Casemiro Fernandinho
Coutinho
Willian Gabriel Neymar​
 
Belgium is my candidate, has a good team and great players, from the arc with Cortuis, in the Vertonghen defense. Vermaelen and Alderweireld, in the middle of Bruyne, Witsel, Hazard and Carrasco and up to Lukaku.
 
Charles Miller said:
Yes, but in the nt Coutinho is really hard worker. And thats more a midfield 5 in the 3-5-2.

By his interviews i think Tite will try a midfielder with two DMs in the next friendlies. In the wc it could be:
Alisson
Marquinhos Miranda
Dani Alves Marcelo
Casemiro Fernandinho
Coutinho
Willian Gabriel Neymar​
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I already posted that team and said 2 DMs would be best for them :)
 
Brazil or Spain. I've managed to catch up on a good amount of the qualifying games from the favourites now and these two just seem to have the most cohesion about them.

Brazil aren't that flashy, but Tite seems to really have a solid concept in mind tactically and you can see the hunger is there from the players. There was an inevitable machine like quality to them in qualifying, especially over the second half of it.

Spain have the most skilled side and having been humbled at the last world cup, they don't look complacent at all.
 
Got to be Brazil for me, I think they have the best squad on paper:

-------------Alisson--------------
Alves Silva Marquinhos Marcelo
-----Casemiro Fernandinho-----
----Willian Coutinho Neymar---
--------------Jesus---------------

Ederson, Miranda, Sandro, Fred, Paulinho, Costa, Firmino

Just a really strong squad all round. Others who I think look really strong are Germany, France and Spain with Belgium and Argentina outsiders but still think Brazil has the best squad.
 
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I'm beting on France. None of the other big names are as strong as they have been in the past, maybe this will be the tournament where France's ridiculous squad of young talent rises to the occasion.
 
I think it will be Spain or Brazil. They have the most balanced squads, but Brazil probably just edges it for me, Neymar can be their key to winning it for them.
 
Brazil have a strong and well balanced side but I don't think there will be as many Premier League players as some expect. From what I remember Fernandinho and Willian don't start much, with Paulinho and Renato Augusto getting quite a lot of minutes. I think it's more likely that Gabriel Jesus will start ahead of Firmino too.
 
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