We usually don’t make predictions, but this is too big an event not to ring in with an opinion. So we’re going to go out on a limb (up to a point) and give you our outlook on the draw beyond the first round.

Let’s look at history first. Only seven countries have hoisted the World Cup in the previous 18 tournaments. It is not by coincidence, then, that those seven – Brazil, Germany, Italy, Argentina, Uruguay, England and France – have made the most appearances in the World Cup. It is also no coincidence that these seven teams lead the world in matches won in World Cup competition. And it is also no fluke that the team that has hoisted the cup the most – Brazil five times – has never failed to qualify for the tournament…

…so it would stand to reason that it is not by accident that all seven of those seven teams are here in South Africa.

All but one World Cup – Sweden ’58 – has been dictated by a decided “home hemisphere” advantage. And history shows that it is worse for western hemisphere teams in the eastern hemisphere than it is the other way around. South American teams have reached a World Cup Final played in Europe only three times, and South American teams have reached the semi-finals in Europe only six times.

So here’s how we see this tournament playing itself out. Of course, it’s just our opinion – we could be wrong:

Second Round

Nigeria beats Mexico
Argentina beats France
England beats Ghana
Germany beats USA
Netherlands beats Paraguay
Italy beats Denmark
Brazil beats Switzerland
Spain Beats Ivory Coast

Quarter-finals

England beats Nigeria
Argentina beats Germany
Brazil beats Netherlands
Spain beats Italy

Semi-finals

England beats Brazil
Argentina beats Spain

The Final

Argentina beats England

– daveydoug- daveydoug