La Liga Standings Reflection

End of the Year Standings for La Liga

              La Liga is on its two week winter break and now is an exceptional time to look and reflect on the current league standings for the 2018-19 season. La Liga has been highly competitive as FC Barcelona and Real Madrid have already suffered multiple loses. The top 4 doesn’t appear how it normally does in the past few seasons.

The Top 4

              The top four teams in order from first to fourth are FC Barcelona (37pts), Atletico Madrid (34), Sevilla (32), and Real Madrid (29). Real Madrid has played one game less than the three teams that currently sit above them in the table due to their participation in the FIFA Club world cup. Real Madrid won the international club tournament. Which is a nice moral boost to a team that is not doing well in the league especially by their standards. The galacticos have already lost 5 times this season, last season the team suffered 6 loses and finished third. And in the previous two seasons before that Real Madrid didn’t even reach 5 losses in each of their league campaigns. Based on these numbers, if Real Madrid wants to seriously compete for the league title, they will have to go on a near perfect run in the second half of the season.

              FC Barcelona just acquired Jeison Murillo on loan from league rivals Valencia CF. The defender will compete and fill in the defensive duties due to injuries from Samuel Umtiti and Thomas Vermaelen. Vermaelen has been hurt since he joined the Catalan club. For the very high standards that is expected from Barcelona I would say that they aren’t playing at their best and have issues as well. Messi is phenomenal and Demebele is performing productive performances even with the hiccups off the pitch. Sitting at the top of the table while their arch rivals are in 4^th is a nice holiday gift Barcelona can give to their fans.

              Atletico Madrid are in second place and are quietly performing better as the season progress. Los colchoneros have only lost once this season in La Liga by the hands of Celta de Vigo. Atletico drew against Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, but that should not be a real surprise as Atletico Madrid have the most ties (7) among the top 4 teams. Which is a reason why they are in 2^nd instead of 1^st during the break. To me, they are the most credible challengers to Barcelona for the league title.

              Sevilla are in 3^rd and play a style that is attack minded and score goals. The Andalusian side has 30 goals scored as a team, second only to Barcelona’s 48. The team is well balanced and coached well. If Real Madrid continues to struggle, they will finish not only behind Barcelona and Atletico, but to Sevilla as well.

Relegation Battle

              The bottom of the table of La Liga is not too much of a surprise as newly promoted from the Segunda (second division), are holders of the last two places in the table. Huesca sits at the bottom of the table with 8 points and Rayo Vallecano is in 19^th with 13 points. Those two club will need a good run of games in the second half of the season with a few other factors to get out of the relegation zone.

              The surprise this season, in a shocker rather than impressive, is Villareal in 18^th with 15 points. They are in 18^th and final position that sends a team to the Segunda. Last season Villareal finished 5^th earning a spot in the Europa League competition. They do have a game in hand and are only one point away from safety. The team above Villareal is Athletic Bilbao. The Basque team is one of three teams to have never been relegated to the second division. The other two are FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. However, unlike the two heavy weights, Athletic Bilbao has not had the same success and has been accustomed to playing for survival in the last season. Bilbao is a side that normally fights for a top 5 finish, but has been giving their fans anxiety as they have bobbled around the relegation zone this current and last season instead of chasing for a spot in a European competition.

My Favorites

              Valencia CF jumped from 15^th to 8^th on their last game before the winter break. Los che have 10 draws, 10! They are tied with Athletic Bilbao for the most ties this season, and Bilbao is in a relegation battle. The difference is that Valencia has 4 wins and only 3 loses. They have less defeats than the teams above them except for the top 3 teams. Last season the team performed well securing the 4^th and final UEFA Champions League position with games to spare. This year has been average in almost every aspect. Hopefully in the second half of the season Marcelino’s side perform a lot better.

              Real Betis is a fun team to watch. I am not necessarily a fan of the team but do enjoy watching them play and have followed their captain, Joaquin, from his younger days when he was marked as the next golden boy for Spain. Their coach, Quique Setien, coaches his side to play an intelligent attacking style. His philosophical approach to the game can be described as the opposite of Diego Simeone from Atletico Madrid. Betis defeated Barcelona at the Camp Nou which put Setien in an exclusive category. He has defeated both FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at their stadiums. Real Betis defeated Real Madrid last season, they have yet to play in the 2018-19 campaign. Real Betis currently sit in 6th place, same position they finished last season. The way this season has gone Betis could push for a UEFA Champions League position. 

Saturday Soccer Thoughts

Saturday Soccer Thoughts #1 (12/22/18)

               I watch too much soccer, which is not a real thing, but based on how many hours and my effort to plan my daily life around to watch football matches I needed a way to outwardly express some thoughts on what I just witnessed. Why? The main reason, pretty much the only reason, is that I do not have enough friends to talk about how passionate I am about soccer without potentially losing the limited number of human contacts I already possess.

              Arsenal defeated Burnley by a two goal margin, 3-1. Unai Emery’s men won the match after previously losing two consecutive to Southampton and Tottenham. Burnley was not happy with the match officiating but the creativeness of this Arsenal side was too match either way. My takeaway was that Mesut Ozil played the full match and was effective. Speculation around the London based club that Emery did not see Ozil in his plans, but it seems that those speculations have been put to rest for the moment, after all he started the German against a smaller club, no disrespect to Burnley.

              Crystal Palace shocked the football world by defeating Manchester City 3 goals to 2. Townsend with the goal of the year, it was a beautifully struck volley that gave the City goalkeeper no chance on reaching the well struck ball. This means that Liverpool now have a 4 point lead against Manchester City. Chelsea also experienced a set back with a 0-1 defeat to Leicester City.

              Manchester United scored 5 goals in the teams first match since the firing of Jose Mourinho. Cardiff City is not necessarily a premier league powerhouse, so one should not raise the expectations too high over the 5-1 result, but it is a free feeling that United fans and players should enjoy.

In La Liga, Real Betis drew against Eibar which will keep the Andalusia club in the Europa League position for now. Atheltico Madrid won their match against Espanyol to keep the pressure on FC Barcelona. The Catalan club also won their match against Celta de Vigo, 2-0, with goals from Dembele and Messi. Real Madrid where across the globe in the FIFA Club World Cup final against Al-Ain. Real Madrid came out victorious winning the tournament with a final score of 4-1.

              Bayern Munich defeated Frankfurt 3-0 to close the gap to 6 points on Borussia Dortmund who were also victorious from their Friday night match. Dortmund defeated Borussia Monchengladbach in a 1^st vs 2^nd place teams. The defeat drops Monchengladbach to 3^rd place in the Bundesliga and Bayern Munich moves up into second. RB Leipzig won 3-2 to keep pace with the top 3 clubs. Fortuna Dusseldorf have won their third league game in a row and are steadily moving away from the relegation zone.

 In the Serie A Inter Milan earned a point away from home against Chievo Verona, 1-1. Napoli won their match. AC Milan lost to Fiorentina by a score of 1-0, which could see Milan fall out of a European position if AS Roma defeat Juventus later on today in their match. Lazio won their match which makes them the sole possessor of the 4^th and final spot for the UEFA champions league group stage.

Let them Leeave

Opinion 

     The myth that stadiums will bring economic prosperity is just that, a myth. The local economy doesn't generate profits, in fact, if the local government gave subsidies to the team owner to build or upgrade the stadium the city participated in cooperate welfare. The ticket sales and all the profits that go along with a team's stadium is meant to profit the owner not the city.

     I do not have an issue with taxpayers knowingly and willfully participating in helping out via public funds to build a sports stadium. The issue I have is that most owner's at the professional sports level demand assistance to fiance the stadium where their team will play and the owner will profit. In the majority of the cases the public does not get a say when city councils decide on making the subsidies available. 

     Team owners who are heavily in the business world understand that the amount of funding they receive from the city does amount to local economic prosperity. Any report or finding that claims to find any growth usually is focused on the stadium and not local business where the substitution effect is the reason for the economic 'growth'. The substitution effect is an explanation of what would happen if the stadium was not there, for the most part the money would still be circulating, but instead of going to the stadium it would go to other businesses. The point is that 'growth' is not an accurate way to describe stadium prosperity.

    If the city wants a team so be it. Plenty of people enjoy sports for leisure and a way to unwind after a long day from work. However, these hard working people should not be threatened by team owners when it comes to their beloved hometown team. Owners of a team will threaten to leave is the city does not provide some sort of public funding assistance, a hand out. This normally shifts in favor of the team owner and fans become angry at the city for allowing their sports team to leave. 

    The team owners are seen as the positive good guy while the city becomes this negative bureaucratic entity that hates the people. This is a simple con job by the team owner using the emotion of fear to get what they want. The people, for the most part, do not know that the funding the city provides to the team owner is their own tax dollars. 

    Which I will say this to all the fan bases in the world and urban developers, let them leave! Take their bluff, force them to find another town that will put up with their traffic jams and closed road due to hosting events. Let them leave to find another city that will give them handouts. An excellent example is the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). The people voted to deny the city from giving over 100 million dollars to the Charger's owner for a new stadium.

     The owner then decided his bluff was called and forced a move to Carson, California where the team shares a 27,000 capacity stadium with the LA Galaxy professional soccer team. I am not advocating for people to hate their teams or for city's to prevent construction projects on stadiums. All I ask for is transparency for the people of the city.        

        

Arsenal is in top 4 hands

     Arsenal lost their first two games of the season against Sarri's Chelsea and Pep's Manchester City, two teams that are in realistic contentions to win the league this season. Since those two defeats Arsenal has won 7 straight matches in all competitions, they went undefeated for the month of September. Arsenal are in good hands.

     I had a few friends, Arsenal supporters, ask me about Unai Emery. I responded with a stereotypical safe answer "That he is a good coach and will play more structured than his predecessor, Wenger. To expect more emphasis on wins and points over style." I was asked, I am assuming, because most of my inner soccer circles know that I support the Spanish club Valencia, and wondered who Emery really was. I reassured them that he is good coach that can work within limits and punch above his team's weight every season.

     A quick Recap on Emery's career, he started coaching Almeria who he took to the first division in Spain and finished in the top 10 the following season. Valencia hired him as the club needed fresh ideas and a coach that would not burden their already dire financial situation. In his four seasons leading the helm in Valencia Emery finished 3rd three times following a 6th place finished in his first season.

     Why does this matter? Because there a similarities that might bring hope to Arsenal fans. Take a historical note for some context, when Emery was in charge of Valencia for those four years (2008-2012) it was during Pep's dominance with Barcelona and Real Madrid's acquisition of Cristiano Ronaldo. This means that Emery with a cash restricted budget and forced to sell players such as David Villa, David Silva, and Mata guided Los Che to win the "other league"- the Spanish Media dubbed the 3rd place team as the "other winner" due to Barcelona and Real Madrid's dominance.

     The similarities I see with Arsenal are clearly mental fabrications with the only focal point being Unai Emery, but humor me. The English Premier league at the moment has two really good sides in Pep's Manchester City and Klopp's Liverpool, with Sarri at Chelsea having a really good start to the season as well. But the first two are the one's who have had time to mold their team and anything less than winning the league will be considered a failure. Where does this leave Arsenal? Well to Emery, in a very familiar situation.

     I am not disregarding Emery's other past work, in fact he replicated his understanding of coaching in La Liga when he returned from a horrible Stint in Russia to lead Sevilla to Europa League dominance while finishing in the top 5 in two of his three full seasons in charge. His time at Paris Saint-Germain is what probably exposed him to the rest of the footballing community that didn't follow La Liga aside from Barcelona and Real Madrid. I considered his time at PSG as an enigma due to the ridiculous expectations of a club attempting to splash their way to a Champions league with no real soccer foundation to sustain it.

    Arsenal will definitely not go undefeated for the rest of the year, but I wont be surprised if they can clinch a top 4 finish. At the start of the season, I was excited for the English Premier league more than usual due to the top 6 teams' managers. Pep at Manchester City, Klopp at Liverpool, Sarri at Chelsea, Pochettino at Tottenham, and Mourinho at Manchester United. In my mind Emery at Arsenal was the biggest improvement in relative terms as I consider him a top manager.

     Unai Emery doesn't have the budget restrictions at Arsenal he has had in Spain or the over the top expectations implemented at PSG. He acquired two young center midfielders that fit his approach to the game. Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi, who will work hard in the midfield of the pitch and that is what Emery wants. Emery is meticulous in his approach to managing the game and expects his team to work just as hard. With this approach Arsenal may not be the same free flowing stylistic team most fans associate with the badge, but they will be in the top 4 competing every year Emery is in charge.

    I know this may not be good enough for some Arsenal fans, but believe me when I say, it is better to have a ship navigated by a captain that can complete the voyage than a captain that will sink that ship to the depths of the ocean pretending to know where shore lies. Still not good enough? (Please see Manchester United.)         

The Old Trafford woes continue

     Manchester United and the Spanish side Valencia finished in a 0-0 draw. The red devils hosted the match, which their bus happen to be late arriving to, at Old Trafford. Either side could have taken 3 points, but at the end of the match a draw was what both teams could muster and deservedly so. Valencia in the first half attacked down the left flank with the Guedes and Gaya connection, but wasted plenty of crosses and build up play for the majority of the match.

     Manchester United did not have a clear idea when it came to the attack, relying heavily on the long ball. Their most dangerous moments seemed to come via dead ball, whether it be from a corner or free kick. Pogba did what he could to deliver dangerous and effective passes, but the team as a whole seemed out of sync. So much that I forgot Alexis Sanchez was on the pitch.

     Neto, the Valencia goalkeeper had a decent night with a few saves for the night. I enjoy the center back pairing between the Argentine, Garay, and the Brazilian, Paulista. I think when fit that is the best defensive pairing for Los Che. Garay was solid winning long balls in the air and putting his body in front of the ball to prevent any Manchester United player shot from reaching his Keeper.

     Gaya, the left back, had an excellent game on both ends. Completed his defensive duties as well as timing his runs forward effectively overlapping Guedes where the two seem to play well off one another. Guedes had a mediocre game for his standards. From what I saw last year, this looked like Guedes has some preseason rust on him still, but was the most threatening player on the pitch for both teams when it came to attack in open play.

     As a whole the Valencia side were much better in the build up attack and noticeably had a plan on moving the ball forward and attempted to control the midfield via passing than using the long ball approach. But, overall the team was wasteful in the final aspect of the attack. plenty of crosses from beautiful build up wasted. However, this Valencia side looked better than the way they started this season's campaign. If this can build off this performance moving forward they can easily challenge for a spot in the knockout stages of the UEFA  Champions League tournament. At the end of the day a point at Old Trafford is not a bad result even given how poor the home side's  form as been. 

What the Heck is a UEFA Nations League?

     Yesterday the first games of the UEFA Nations league kicked off. Gareth Bale scored a stunning goal for Wales as they dominated a an Irish side that was not at their best. The UEFA Nations league is a new international soccer (football) tournament with a format that seems simple enough, but complications quickly follow when attempting to address qualifications for the Euro 2020. The 55 teams and members of the UEFA confederation are split into four leagues, A, B, C, and D. 

      

      League A and B both have 12 teams that are divided into 4 groups of 3 national teams. League C is made up of 15 teams that are broken down into 3 groups of 4 teams and 1 group of 3 teams. And League D is made up of 4 groups that consists of 4 teams in each. The teams were placed in each league based on their UEFA rankings. For example, the top 12 teams are in League A and the next 12 teams are in League B and so forth. 

     There will be teams that are promoted and other teams that will be relegated. The last teams in League A get relegated to B, the last placed teams in B get relegated to C, while the top teams in League B, C, and D will get promoted to the respective leagues above them. In League C the worst 3rd placed team will be relegated to League D. Each team will play their opponents in their group twice, home and away. 

League Finals is a 4 team knockout tournament that consists of 2 semifinal games, a 3rd place game and a Final to determine 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place. 

 

    Jonathan Wilson presents perhaps a better explanation than myself as I attempt to really communicate at a simplistic level.

Teams are in the current groups and leagues, but the positions teams are in their group is random as most teams have not played a game. Teams in promotion and relegation spots are not concrete. 

 

League A
Group 1	Group 2	Group 3	Group 4
France	Belgium	Portugal	Spain	Qualify to League Finals
Germany	Switzerland	Italy	England
Netherlands	Iceland	Poland	Croatia	Relegated to B
League B
Group 1	Group 2	Group 3	Group 4
Ukraine	Russia	Austria	Wales	Promoted to A
Slovakia	Sweden	Bosnia & Herzegovina	Denmark
Czech Republic	Turkey	Northern Ireland	Republic of Ireland	Relegated to C
League C
Group 1	Group 2	Group 3	Group 4
Scotland	Hungary	Norway	Romania	Promoted to B
Albania	Greece	Bulgaria	Serbia
Israel	Finland	Slovenia	Montenegro	Possible Relegation to D
	Estonia	Cyprus	Lithuania	Relegated to D
League D
Group 1	Group 2	Group 3	Group 4
Georgia	Belarus	Azerbaijan	Macedonia	Promoted to C
Latvia	Luxembourg	Faroe Islands	Armenia
Andorra	Moldova	Malta	Liechtenstein
Kazakhstan	San Marino	Kosovo	Gibraltar

 

2018 UEFA Super Cup Recap

     An intense match that consisted of plenty of goals with the Diego Costa versus Sergio Ramos match up made for an entertaining UEFA Super Cup. Real Madrid who are coming of their third UEFA champions league winners faced off against the Europa League winners. The Europa League winners happen to be Real's crosstown rival, Athletico Madrid. The night ended with an Athletico Madrid victory after extra time was needed to separate the two teams. In the end, Real Madrid failed to hold onto their 2-1 lead as the match ended 4-2 in favor of Athletico.

     A few thoughts that crossed my mind as the match progressed focused mainly on Real Madrid. Los Galacticos allowed a goal in the first minute from an error and miscommunication between Sergio Ramos and Varane. Diego Costa's shot sizzled past the Costa Rican goalkeeper, Keylor Navas, as the shot went in near post. A shot that a goalkeeper at the highest caliber should make. The second goal was due to Marcelo keeping the ball in play only to put him in a disadvantage position over his opponent. The left back's error went on to cost the team that allowed the sequence of passes for the second goal to be scored tying the match at 2-2. The third goal-oh what a beauty!- was due to Varane holding onto the ball way too long on his own end. School boy error to say the least. The fourth goal was due to Real Madrid being stretched on the counter and most likely not being tactically aware of their poor positioning as Real Madrid had 5 defenders in the box covering two players only to have Vitolo and Koke show up at the edge of the box to combine for the fourth goal.

     Why do I bring this up? Mainly because I enjoy watching and analyzing the sport I love, but also to fuel my bias. I am a fan of Keylor Navas and have a bit of disgust on how Real's board treats their players even club legends such as Raul, Guti, and Casillas. To be fair, any team can upgrade and should, that's part of the game. However, these goals demonstrate that the issue is on the back line more so than the goalkeeper. This summer Madrid went on to purchase Courtois from Chelsea. Which is not bad, he is an excellent goalkeeper and much younger than the 3 time champions league winner Madrid currently have guarding the posts. The purchase would seem ideal if the team followed up with a defender or two. The transfer deadline is coming to a close soon in the up and coming days and any signing would seemed rush, especially after this defeat. I would have prioritized a center back (Bonucci) and a right back (Pavard), but I am not the Real Madrid board and aren't clear what their future intentions are. Today's match I saw a Real Madrid that looked vulnerable at the back and it wasn't due to the goalkeeper. I understand that this is a sort final that falls under the preseason category, but it still reveals a lot about the teams that participate in it.

     That being said, Athletico Madrid looked better organized and are a team that can contest Barcelona for the La Liga crown. Diego Simeone has had a lot more time at the reigns compared to Real Madrid who seem to be on a rebuilding cycle. But, this time around Ronaldo isn't here to make up for the aging back line.        

Beyond the Game

     The 2018 men's FIFA World Cup is coming towards the final 4 games. The 2 semifinals match, where the winners advance to the finals and the losers play to be recognized as the third best team in the tournament. Instead of breaking down Belgium vs France or England vs Croatia as most articles will tend to do I want to focus on three stories that caught my attention. These 3 stories are not related nor have an agenda as their are other stories that occurred that are just as fascinating to others. What these stories to share is that they are related to the World Cup except they don't necessarily involve the game itself.

     Mikel John Obi is a Nigerian player who has represented Nigeria in multiple international tournaments for his country. It was revealed that before Obi played the third group stage match against Argentina his father had been kidnapped. Obi's father was rescued from his captors, but was sent to the hospital for medical treatment.

     Switzerland playing against Serbia in a group stage match doesn't really excite most fans from the stateside. But those who enjoy international politics were in quite of a treat. The split of Yugoslavia was not pretty and tension has remained in the post years. Two Switzerland players, Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri, celebrated their goals by using their hands to make a two headed eagle. A symbol that is on the Albanian flag. Both players have ties to Kosovo due to their ethnic Albanian heritage. Kosovo is a former Serbian province that declared independence in 2008. Tension remains high between Serbia and Kosovo as Serbia doesn't recognize it as an independent state.

     The third story involves a Croatian player. Croatia's defender, Domagoj Vida, scored the goal to give Croatia the lead in extra time against Russia. Croatia went on to win the match in penalty kicks. Vida posted a video with his former Dynamo Kiev teammate shouting "Glory to Ukraine" which is used as an anti-Russian slogan in Ukraine. FIFA has warned the Croatian defender.

    Their are plenty of stories, a lot more uplifting, than these three stories that have come out of the world cup. I picked these stories not to set an agenda nor distract from the amazing tournament it has been this far, but to show that the game is so much more than just a 90 minute game. It is what makes the World Cup so fascinating. It is a gathering of fans all around the world to celebrate the beautiful game and cheer for their team that includes everything, the good, the bad, and the ugly.   

World Cup Quarterfinals July 7 Quick Guide

      The round of 16 concluded two days ago with England breaking their world cup curse and defeating Colombia in a penalty shootout. The 2018 World Cup has been exciting to watch, the drama is unmatched and it seems as if this world cup is scripted, the writers have no idea of continuity. There are 8 teams left after the round of 16 and the matches will only become more tense and dramatic. Russia, Croatia, Sweden, England, Uruguay, France, Brazil and Belgium are among the 8 world's best international teams in the 2018 world cup edition.

July 7

     Sweden vs England

     Saturday will be an all European affair. The first quarterfinal match of the day will be between Sweden and England. Sweden with their defensive approach to the game has taken this side to the quarterfinals. I see Sweden as a poor man's Italy and I don't mean it as an insult to either nation. Sweden defends tight and compact with 11 players, but lack the quality to create anything threatening to their opponent. The counter attack and pouncing on their opponents mistakes is what Sweden does well and have been doing since the qualifying stage. 

    England has finally one a penalty shootout in a World Cup! The curse is finally broken. Now to "bring it home." As mentioned earlier post I am not really sold on the idea that the English national team is one of the best in the world even in historical contexts. They are a footballing nation that has everything to be the best from money, infrastructure, and great players. They just are not the best. However, I like this English side and think the their coach, Gareth Southgate, has done a great job managing the English national team. I want England to go through. Yet, they have a poor record against teams that defend well (Italy) and haven't necessarily dominated Sweden in recent history either. England are favorites, but I am going to use my upset call on this match. I wouldn't be surprised at all if  Sweden win sending home the English side with only their luggage in hand.

    Russia vs Croatia 

    The host are still in it. Russia will attempt to beat Croatia to reach the semifinals of the tournament. I do not see that happening as I rank Croatia as a much better team than the awful Spanish side that the Russians defeated in the round of 16 on penalties. Russia can go through, this is why the game is played, however, the only way I can confidently say Russia will go through is if they hold the Croatian side for 120 minutes and force a penalty shoot out. From their I will favor the Russian side to go through due to the Croatian sides poor display in shooting penalties against Denmark.

   Croatia are one of the better teams in this World Cup. They have a very talented midfield that can control the tempo of the match and dominate the other side. The only sides to score against Croatia in this world cup were Iceland and Denmark with a goal a piece. Croatia are clear favorites and I don't see any reason why they shouldn't be. The only way I will jump ship is if this match does to a penalty shootout.        

Round 2, The Quarterfinals 2018 World Cup Quick Guide

   The round of 16 concluded two days ago with England breaking their world cup curse and defeating Colombia in a penalty shootout. The 2018 World Cup has been exciting to watch, the drama is unmatched and it seems as if this world cup is scripted, the writers have no idea of continuity. There are 8 teams left after the round of 16 and the matches will only become more tense and dramatic. Russia, Croatia, Sweden, England, Uruguay, France, Brazil and Belgium are among the 8 world's best international teams in the 2018 world cup edition.

July 6

     Uruguay vs France

     The first match of the quarterfinals will be Uruguay and France facing off. This is an enticing match due to the quality of the teams. France destroyed the Argentina side to reach the quarterfinals. Kylian Mbappe demonstrated to the rest of the world that the next footballing star is here. The French side has talented players across the field from their veteran captain goalkeeper to Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann. I can understand why the sports websites I visit tend to favor the French. 

     

     Uruguay may share a border with Argentina but that's the only similarity that I can think of that their soccer teams share because of how far these two national teams are in terms of structure and consistency on the pitch. Uruguay is a team that is well organized and that can tactically defend any opponent that they face. Uruguay's head coach, Oscar Tabarez, has been in charge since 2006 and has implemented from the youth to the national team level on how he wants his side to perform. Do not let this confuse you into believing it's due to lack of quality. This is done with purposeful intentions and following their game plan. Uruguay's first goal against Portugal was the longest one-two between Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani that resulted in a beautifully executed goal. This match is worthy of a semi-final, but only one will advance. I do not understand the numbers I see in the sports websites that I visit in having France as clear favorites. Uruguay have a game plan and a coach who can adjust his team accordingly. I personally want and think Uruguay will win, but France are the favorites here. But the odds should be closer to 50-50 than 63-37. 

     Brazil vs Belgium 

     The next match later that day will be between two early tournament favorites, Brazil vs Belgium. Any time Brazil enters an international competition they can be easily be penciled in as tournament protagonist. The 5 time world cup winners pride themselves in their footballing abilities and their approach to play the game in a Brazilian fashion. That being said this Brazilian side share a very good defensive record this tournament. The Brazilians have only conceded 1 goal this world cup. The only other team left in the quarterfinals to do that is their South American neighbors, Uruguay. 

     Belgium has an insane overabundance of talent in their squad. Romelu Lukaku, Eden Hazard, and Kevin De Bruyne are the three intelligent and talented players that easily stick out on any roster sheet. This Belgium side is considered by some a "golden generation" that should be challenging to win the tournament and I can understand why. For me this talented Belgium side have not clicked or found a unison rhythm in their play. However, this team can definitely challenge tournament heavyweights. I don't have a clear bias in this match and can see Brazil winning the match. However, Casemiro is out for Brazil due to suspension. If Marcelo starts over Felipe Luis in this match I can see Brazil getting easily countered by the Belgium side. It won't be a 7-1 humiliation or necessarily a defeat, but I see it as a tactical mishap that increases Belgium's probability in winning the match.

               

     

     

Just got into the World Cup? No worries I got You: World Cup Knockout Guide

     The group stage for the 2018 men's FIFA World Cup has finally come to its conclusion. With plenty of upsets and surprises the final games of the group stage provided plenty of intense drama for fans all over the world. Germany was the biggest upset, to most fans, to not make it out of the group stage. The group stage is over and the knockout stage has begun. So enough talking about the past. Of the 32 teams that started only 16 remain. If your a new fan do not fret, I have quick guide to catch you up with what's going on. From now on any team that loses is eliminated.

     France and Argentina will be the first match of the knockout stage Saturday morning-(Pacific Standard Time). France is a team full of young talented players such as Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe. Yet, the french national team hasn't played to their best capabilities or maybe due to the names on the team one assumes they can play better. Argentina is a complete mess. There is no visible strategy and after the Croatia lost there where rumors that the head coach would be fired before the third world cup game. Argentina beat Nigeria to advance in dramatic fashion. It is chaos. France on the other hand is the opposite of Argentina. The french have a team structure and a plan or an idea of what they want to do. France should be the team to win, but I worry that Argentina's chaos might work as an advantage due to the french will have no idea what they will be facing. Having a team on their toes while having a player like Lionel Messi on your side can be a winning formula in the knockout stages of this tournament. 

     Later in the day Portugal will face Uruguay. Portugal had to rely heavily on their superstar Cristiano Ronaldo in the group stage when the faced Spain and Morocco. The Portuguese team as a whole doesn't give me the confidence they will reach the final this tournament. Uruguay is a team that is built to win this tournament. By that I mean that I don't think they will, but the team structure, the defensive and rough philosophy accompanied by the Edson Cavani and Luis Suarez pairing up front give Uruguay the best chance in any match to win against any opponent. I don't see Uruguay winning this tournament, but I can see them beating Portugal. The winner of this match will go on to play the winner of the France vs Argentina match where there is a possibility of a Ronaldo vs Messi Quarterfinal. 

     On July 1 Spain will play the host in the round of 16. Russia may have the home field advantage, but that's the only positive I can see from this Russian side who played a weak Saudi Arabian team and an Egyptian team in political turmoil. Spain have not played well at all in this tournament which might boost as a morale for the Russian side, but I don't see Spain giving up any ground to the host. As long as Spain doesn't overlook their opponent they should set up a date with the winner between the Croatia vs Denmark match. 

     The next match for that day will be Croatia vs Denmark. Of the two, Croatia is by far the better team this tournament with Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic controlling and creating from the midfield. Denmark were a bit fortunate to get 3 points against a Peruvian team that played better. I really don't see Denmark advancing past Croatia who to me have been one of the top two teams of this tournament so far based on performances. 

     July 2 will be a very emotional day for me. Brazil and Mexico will battle it out for a spot in the quarterfinals. The best teams from North and South America will go at it in a knockout match. Brazil started off a bit slow with that draw against Switzerland, but have been flying high and all over the pitch since then. Phillipe Coutinho has been the best player for me this far, but Neymar is a talented and dangerous player who has been performing well. Mexico started off well by defeating Germany in their opening match and South Korea after, only to need the Koreans' help after Mexico lost to Sweden by a score of 3-0. For this match my brain says Brazil, but my heart and soul say Mexico. 

     Belgium vs Japan will be the second match of the day. On paper Belgium are the better team, but Japan showed that they aren't a team to be overlooked and will take advantage of an opportunity that becomes available. Belgium should beat Japan, but they will face the winner of the Mexico-Brazil match. That may linger in their minds a bit more than it should due to multiple sports journalist labeling their side of the bracket as the "stronger" side. Which Belgium are aware because in their last group game against England they used plenty of their bench players. Maybe Belgium just wanted to rest their starters and we the fans are over thinking and assuming too much, but it does seem probable. Belgium will go through, but if this team is going to go far they will have to play very strong opponents the whole way. 

     Sweden and Switzerland will battle it out for an opportunity to play Colombia or England in the quarterfinals. Sweden was a surprise to most that didn't keep a close eye and overlooked them due to the name and that frankly their style of play isn't necessarily attractive to watch. Sweden is a team that can defend with all 11 players and composed enough to seek the one goal that will further benefit their style of play. Switzerland will have a tough time breaking through the Swedish team. I can see this match going to extra time and eventually a penalty shootout. 

     Colombia vs England! England got their wish (I assume) on being seeded on the "weaker" side of the bracket. However, England will be tested right away against a Colombian side that has been on of my favorites to watch. Not to stereotype, but Colombia play with a South American flair that is fun to watch and the players have excellent technique that when the Colombians move the ball around the field it truly resembles the joyous dance they perform after they score. I like England, most that know me understand that I don't normally rate the English as being above average in the international footballing world. England beat a weak Tunisian side and a first timer in Panama only to lose to Belgium's B team. In England's defense they also used plenty of their bench players to start their last match against Belgium. I am torn between these two, but I will lean towards Colombia. The winner of these two on paper will have a really good chance on reaching the semifinals.  

            

We Know it was Just A GAME

   
      On the 17th of June 2018 it was father's day. Sunday was special for a variety of reasons, one big reason was that it falls under the world cup calendar. It was extra special for Mexican dads that follow and cherish the Mexican national team, El Tri. The defending world cup champions, Germany, were defeated by a 1-0 scoreline by the Mexican national team. It was a group match which means that a win, loss, or draw wouldn't necessarily mean the end for either team. Each team is guaranteed to play 3 matches to determine if they reach the knockout phase of the tournament.

     The celebration was wild! Irving "Chucky" (pronounced CHOOKY) Lozano scored the winning goal for Mexico in the 35th minute. Once the final whistle blew emotions filled the stands, the players, and those fans all over the world who bleed red, white, and green watched from. My Twitter feed blew up with memes and Gifs of joy and support of the Mexican victory. I loved it.

     I will take this moment to thank the Mexican national team for giving my dad one of the best gifts he probably has and will ever receive on father's day. Hearing him shout "Chooky is number 1!" filled me with even more emotion than I already was after the match concluded.

     WE KNOW IT WAS JUST A  GAME. We get it. Myself, along with the rest of the mexican and non-mexicans who support the national team. But, what many (mostly stateside) fail to understand that soccer is an amplifier of emotions. Sports tend to do that at a pretty intense level, but the world cup puts it beyond reach of anything on this planet. To reiterate, what I say often with confidence, sports are political. They are also a glimpse of hope, a window to show others, the world, who one is and the Mexican national team, as many other national teams are as well, are exactly that too many people.

      Mexico is geographically located in North America, yet their soccer resonates closer to South America. The language, the flair, the passion has always been similar to those nations south of Mexico. However, due to their geographical location, the Mexican national team is part of the CONCACAF (The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) federation under FIFA (Federation International of Football Associations). Historically, the world cup has been dominated by European and South American national teams. Mexico has been that one team that is talented, but never really at the standard of the very best.

     For those who question the passion of the Mexican people for their national soccer team baffles me. I question whether they are sports fan themselves which then is even more baffling, but the common person who sees the neanderthal in sports fandom as mob mentality, I can understand that. To address both, the Mexican national team is sacred to most Mexicans for a variety of reasons. Stepping into the social and political realm again for those not familiar, Mexicans know what is going on in their country. They are aware of the government corruption, the scandals, the drug trafficking and issues that surround the country. They live there guys. If your motive is to hate on the Mexican national team due to confusing it with the Mexican government or that being poor due to that same government cheating its own people some how makes them less aware or lazy and dumb I loudly will like to tell you to "GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE."

    The Mexican national team is the small window that allows Mexicans to express and demonstrate themselves as a collective to the world view without much bias and outside interference. The Mexican federation isn't innocent themselves, but the players play the game that brings so much joy to the people that most still support their players knowing the shadow that lurks.

     I am not attempting to start a fandom war or state that Mexican fans are better than others. From videos from social media one can see that Mexican fans do enjoy themselves and are inviting for others to join in with their celebratory lifestyle.

     Soccer means so much to Mexicans because it is an outlet, a beacon of national pride, a commutative collective that most Mexican don't find at the government level or much acceptance from their northern neighbor. I study sports and still don't completely understand why my parents' and my national team makes my heart rate increase and fill my head and soul with such passion when Mexico plays. I understand, it isn't the most logically sound thing in life, but I don't care. I love this sport. And Mexicans love their national team. And beating Germany in the world cup was one of the greatest moments in sports that I can proudly say I witnessed. And I wasn't alone. 
           

      

2018 FIFA Men's World Cup (Group H)

Group H

Poland (10)

Senegal (28)

Colombia (16)

Japan (60)

              Group H, the last group of the 2018 World Cup. To clarify, the letters have no correlation with the strength of the teams that make up a group. Teams are picked on random based on which pot they were assigned to. Yet, this group is fitting to be drawn into Group H. This isn’t to say there isn’t world class quality players, but the group has no traditional powerhouse team. Poland, Senegal, Colombia, and Japan are the four national teams that make up group H. Japan has been the most consistent, this will be their six consecutive world cup appearance. Poland will be the historically more experienced team as this will be their 8^th world cup appearance. To use those fun facts as a perspective, Japan is the team that will most likely finish last in the group while Poland is the highest ranked team according to FIFA rankings. Yet, the best performance of any of the four teams belongs to Senegal and Colombia. Senegal in their first world cup appearance reached the quarterfinal stage in 2002. 2018 in Russia will be Senegal’s second world cup appearance. Colombia were eliminated in the quarterfinals by the host in 2014.

              The amazing aspect of this is that this group will have two teams that will reach the round of 16. I am aware that each group will have two teams reaching the latter stage, that’s how it works, but my excitement is two national teams that are not house hold names will make the round of 16! That being said my predictions for this group have shifted from day to day. Colombia will finish 1^st while second will be Senegal. Poland has a great striker in Robert Lewandowski and can finish in second, but I am going with the unpredictability of Senegal over the predictable Poland. The top 3 teams can all interchange which is why I keep switching on which teams will advance. Japan is the only team I can clearly see not making it out of the group. This is a Japanese national team that isn’t as strong as their predecessors and from the players that I have been able to keep up with have not played well, often, or are sidelined with an injury. But, I could be wrong and I actually enjoy those moments.

              I will stick to these two national teams. Colombia and Senegal.  

2018 FIFA Men's World Cup (Group G)

Group G

Belgium (3)

Panama (55)

Tunisia (14)

England (13)

              I have been discussing teams based on the order in which the national team was drawn. Hence the order is not alphabetical or based on FIFA world rankings, but in the order in which the teams were plucked from the designated pots into the groups. I will break away from my short tradition on this group. Why? England, that’s why. For those who read or more likely discuss sports with me in person understand that I see England a bit different then most of my anglophone speaking people. To some, especially supporters of The Three Lions, will see me as having ill will or some sort of hostility towards the English. I can assure them and to one and all that I have no such feelings. I study history of sports and my emphasis and main focus is football (soccer). From what I gathered I don’t see England as elite or a world class footballing national team. Are they good? Yes. Excellent and memorable players? Definitely. But, to place them in the same historical category as Brazil, Italy, Germany, France, and Argentina is a stretch too far for even the most bias supporter. I see them closer to Uruguay. For those who are upset or disagree with that statement by all means lets discuss it. Chances are I already know who and why, but that will be for another time and I prefer in person discussions.

              The reason for the clarification on my English stance will come to fruition in my closing statements. Moving on. Belgium is national team that at the moment has players to win a World Cup. Whether they can or can’t will be based on how they perform in Russia this summer. A “golden generation” is what Belgium has and if they fall short of a semi-final it will be seen as a failure.

              This will be Panama’s first World Cup appearance. Well-earned and deserved. Unfortunately, I don’t see Los Canaieros playing a fourth game. Tunisia won their two most recent friendlies with a score of 1-0 for both games. They were against Iran and Costa Rica, both world cup qualified teams. As impressive as that may seem I don’t see the Tunisians beating the English or Belgium for the first and second spot to advance to the knockout stage.

              Now who will win group G? England! I predict England finishes first and the lack of experience from the Belgium national side will cause them to slip up and finish behind their former EU partner. I am a fan of Gareth Southgate, the English national team’s coach, and think he is did an excellent job managing England during the world cup qualification stage. I mean this sincerely, I am rooting for England to win the World Cup as my underdog team.   

2018 FIFA Men's World Cup (Group F)

Group F

Germany (1)

Mexico (15)

Sweden (23)

South Korea (61)

                Unlike the past groups, group F is one that I have a personal investment in. Mexico is the birthplace of my parents and where I get my food, traditions, and language. Most of the time I have temporary bias when I support a team or player. At times I enjoy watching Spain then get tired of them and watch Brazil and the same goes with club teams. I enjoy watching football in general. But, Mexico is different. It is a personal bias. Fans will understand when I speak of my team it is with passion and emotion. However, as I went through academia and studied sports I learned how to separate myself momentarily to critique the teams I support in a more honest manner.

                Germany are not only clear favorites to win the group, but they are perceived to be favorites to lift the world cup again. The German national side has quality all around and what makes their dominance frightening or admirable is that plenty of their younger players are already playing significant amount of minutes in big clubs around Europe. The issue German coach, Joachim Low, will have is who will have to leave out of his 23-man roster for the 2018 World Cup. That being said, Germany is beatable. Die Mannschaft lost to Brazil in a friendly 1-0. One could state that a friendly isn’t always the best method to judge a team which can be the case. Germany did lose when it mattered. They lost to France by a score of 2-0 in the semi-finals at the Euros. This isn’t to diminish the German national team in anyway. They are favorites to win the World Cup and justifiably so. I would just shed light to those that are not aware that the mighty can fall.

                Mexico is a team that if you want to make a safe bet on getting out of the group stage you will definitely earn that money back. The issue with Mexico is that after the group stage one could double their gambling earnings by betting against Mexico winning their round of 16 match. Since the 1994 World Cup Mexico has been eliminated in the round of 16. That is six, SIX times! In Mexico there are talks of superstition and a curse of the fifth game. However, even though I love the stories I do not who heartedly believe in them. Mexico is a talented national team where players have the speed and technical ability to match anyone of the favorites, yet they do lack tactical discipline to beat the favorites. Mexico will finish second in the group which means they will face the winners of group E in the round of 16. Chances are that BRAZIL will win group E. So, is it really a curse or just bad luck? Why not just finish first?

                Sweden in certain newspapers are perceived as finishing 2^nd in the group. Which is not unrealistic, the games still have to be played, but I don’t see Sweden making much of a run this summer in Russia. They did beat Italy in a play-off to earn a spot at the World Cup. But, that was an Italian side that was tactically handicap due to their coach and a national team that has not been playing up to its name for the past decade. Sweden has a chance to finish second, but to me that chance is very minimal. The Swedes play compact, pragmatic, and disciplined football. I don’t think they have the talent upfront to beat even the likes of Mexico.

                South Korea is a team I wish was a lot better than they currently are. I want to cheer for them simply because of Son Heung-min. He is the winger/forward who plays for Tottenham Hotspurs in the English Premier league. I enjoy watching Son play, but his supporting cast doesn’t have the quality to make a serious run to finish second in the group.   

  

                For group F Germany are the clear favorites to finish first with Mexico in second.  

2018 FIFA Men's World Cup (Group E)

Group E

Brazil (2)

Switzerland (6)

Costa Rica (25)

Serbia (35)

                Brazil headlines Group E in this summer’s World Cup. Brazil comfortably finished first in the CONMEBOL qualification with a 10-point lead over their closes rivals, Uruguay, who finished second. The 2014 World Cup was hosted in Brazil that ended in a manner that most Brazilians wish didn’t happen. There were protest on the streets by the Brazilian people who preferred improvement in social services than FIFA’s white elephant gift. Adding to the devastation Brazil went on to infamously lose 7-1 to Germany in the semi-finals. I am pretty sure as the tournament looms closer none of the Brazilians need a reminder of their painful exit from the previous world cup. Brazil are favorites to come out as the winners of group E given that they are an improved team and that their competition isn’t up to par with the selecao. Not only are they favorites to come out first in their group Brazil is also -as in most, if not every world cup-  favorites to win the tournament.

                Brazil’s most difficult hurdle to get through will be Switzerland. I don’t necessarily believe Switzerland is the currently the 6^th best team in the world, but they provide a different challenge to the Brazilian national team. Switzerland has players such as Xherdan Shaqiri, Stepham Lichtsteiner, and Ricardo Rodriguez that play in big clubs or in Shaqiri’s case a league with a high-quality level. Switzerland isn’t the most exciting national team to watch, but they have been consistent qualifying for their fourth consecutive world cup. Which is impressive given that the UEFA qualifications can come down to a bit of luck for smaller nations based on which of the more traditional powerhouse teams are in the group. In Switzerland’s case it was Portugal. Both teams finished with 27 points, but Portugal finished first due to tiebreaker rules. Switzerland can maneuver their way into finishing second and reaching the round of 16.

                Costa Rica were a breath of fresh air last world cup. Los Ticos finished 1^st in a group that was made up of 3 previous world cup winners; England, Uruguay, and Italy were the three teams that made up the “Group of death.”  Costa Rica reached the quarter-finals in Brazil only to be eliminated by the Netherlands in a penalty shootout. Could Costa Rica perform a repeat of their miracle run? Of course, but it is less likely. If Costa Rica manages to get second place they will play the winner of group F, which will most likely be Germany. The Costa Rican side has more experience coming in as most players will return from the 2014 squad, yet from what I seen there are plenty of players that haven’t had a good campaign this season to reinforce them as legitimate giant slayers.

                Serbia finished first in their world cup qualification group. I wouldn’t put to much emphasis on the first place due to the strength of the group. As I mentioned before the UEFA qualifications could be brutal or giving to smaller footballing nations. In Serbia’s case it was a gift. Their group consisted of Republic of Ireland -who finished 2^nd- Wales, Austria, Georgia, and Moldova. Georgia and Moldova had a combination of zero wins. This shouldn’t be a knock on the Serbian national team. They were drawn in a group and they did what they planned out to do which was qualify for the World Cup in Russia. In the analyzing aspect it is difficult to say Serbia will come out as first or second without saying it simply to be as giving as Serbia’s UEFA qualification group.

                Brazil will finish first and second will be Costa Rica. Yes, Costa Rica!  

2018 FIFA Men's World Cup (Group D)

Group D

Argentina (4)

Iceland (22)

Croatia (18)

Nigeria (47)

Argentina will have plenty of spectating eyes on them and it won’t be due to how well La Albiceleste play their football. Lionel Messi will be the main reason why most of the world will be watching the Argentinean national team. Argentina had a difficult time during the world cup qualifications. Messi scored a hat-trick to secure Argentina’s spot in Russia 2018. The national team hasn’t played well at all, with the quality of players this Argentinean side has there should be no difficulty against most national teams even without Messi. Yet, that is far from the case. At times players that perform excellent for their respective clubs are somehow weakened by the kryptonite that is woven in their national team’s jersey. Argentina lost to Spain in an embarrassing fashion. 6-1. A goal shy on matching Brazil’s 7-1 to Germany in 2014. Messi did not dress up for the match. He spotted in the stands overseeing what he will most likely have to work with in the summer and no psychic or fortune teller is needed to read what was going on in Messi’s head. Argentina are an awful side. I wish I could say there is a positive to this side, but the only thing I can think of is that Messi is on the team.

Argentina are a traditional safe pick to win the group, but if they perform the way they have during the qualifications and friendlies they will not make it out of this group. Nigeria, for some reason will face Argentina for the 3^rd consecutive time at the world cup, will have a better chance on advancing to the knockout stages than Messi’s national team. How? I wouldn’t put too much emphasis on friendlies, but that is what I will go off on. Nigeria beat Argentina 4-2 overcoming a 2-goal deficit. To be fair, Argentina has beaten Nigeria in their last two meetings at the World Cup. Nigeria is a national side that has great players that can come together and play well can definitely make it out of this group. A side with a mix of experience and youth can finish second whether it be behind or ahead the Argentinean Messi led side.

Croatia and Iceland both finished first in their qualifying groups to earn an automatic bid for the World Cup. Unfortunately, that is the only similarities I see between the two sides. Iceland will be making their first appearance at the World Cup and is worth celebrating. However, I don’t see them repeating a run at the world cup similar to their Euro run in France. Croatia is a national team that has a talented midfield led by Luka Modric. I think Croatia has the capability to finish first in group D.

Of all the groups so far, I can see Group D as the most intriguing one to keep an eye on. As mentioned earlier Argentina on paper should be the winner of this group, but the way they have been playing I can see the serious possibility of Croatia and Nigeria advancing to the knockout stage.

2018 FIFA Men's World Cup (Group C)

Group C

France (7)

Australia (40)

Peru (11)

Denmark (12)

                France is a team that is loaded with talented players, from the starting eleven to those sitting on the bench. Not only is the French national team gifted with depth, but the age of most of the players is 26 and younger. This can be analyzed as a team that is built for the future. However, the world cup is played in 2018 and no national team can loan itself success by borrowing from the future. France leads Group C heading into Russia this summer as favorites to win the group and even make a deep run in the tournament. Les bleus were runners-up in the Euros and would enjoy reaching the final in the summer for another opportunity to win an international trophy.

                Australia is the lowest ranked on FIFA’s ranking system of the teams in group C. The Socceroos have qualified for their fourth consecutive World Cup which is an achievement in itself since before qualifying for Germany in 2006 the Australian national team had a 30-year absence. I don’t see the socceroos causing too much trouble for any of the other teams and will most likely be eliminated once the group stage is over.

                Peru and Denmark are close and not just in the FIFA rankings. The two national teams will participate in their fifth world cup in their respective history. I think the two national teams are ranked slightly higher than they merit based on their quality of play. However, they are close in quality which is somewhat indicated by the rankings. How Peru and Denmark perform against Australia will be a key factor in which team will advance to the knockout phase of the tournament. Any slip up against the Australian team will open up a huge opportunity for the other. 

France is an easy pick to finish first, but who will finish in second is a bit more difficult to state with historically assured confidence. I will side with Peru to advance simply because I was memorized by the fans in the stadium who passionately cheered on their national team during the qualification and after it was set that La Blanquirroja would be in Russia in this summer. Denmark has not lost in their last 11 matches winning 6 of them and drawing with the likes of Germany and Chile. They have quality players and can finish 2^nd. My tiebreaker was my emotional attachment to Peru after watching the two national teams play their playoff matches to qualify for the World Cup. I admit that’s not the usual manner in which I attempt to analyze football, but as the world cup nears the emotions are starting to quickly ascend.  

2018 FIFA Men's World Cup (Group B)

Group B

Portugal (4) FIFA Rankings

Spain (8)

Morocco (42)

Iran (36)

The 2018 FIFA men’s world cup is approaching and the world will soon have their sights on Russia this summer. This year FIFA decided to take a different route in determining how the teams would be placed in the allocated four pots in which the teams are randomly picked to form the eight groups for the initial phase of the tournament. The premise behind FIFA’s decision was to make it more balanced, where a group couldn’t have three teams that were all in the top 10 FIFA rankings. Spain was not rank as high and as a result were drawn in a group with the European Champions.

Portugal may be the higher ranked team in Group B, but I see it as Spain’s to lose. La Furia Roja have not lost a match since March 2017 and their two most recent friendlies they tied Germany and beat Argentina 6-1. Spain is going through a bit of a transition under their head coach, Julen Lopetegui. Lopetegui has introduced younger players into an aging squad in a manner that has not disrupted the team’s success that some teams face during a similar process. Alvaro Morata isn’t playing well at Chelsea and Diego Costa only has 3 goals since he became available to play for Athletico Madrid in January. Yet, that won’t bother the coach or fans as Rodrigo from Valencia and Iago Aspas have been in excellent form this year for their clubs and played in the last two friendlies.

Portugal are the European champions, but I am still a skeptic on the quality of the team. Cristiano Ronaldo is on fire at the moment scoring goal after goal, but that is not what I mean when I discuss the quality of the Portuguese national team. They are European champions and that can’t be disputed, but the manner in which they won it can be. I don’t see a team replicating what Portugal did at the Euro’s and winning the world cup. The lack of quality as a team is due to the age of the defensive back line. Bruno Alves is (36) years old, Rolando (32), Jose Fonte (34), Luis Neto (29) and if Pepe gets called he is 35. Those are Portugal’s current centerbacks. In their last two friendlies Portugal narrowly defeated Egypt with two 90 minute goals from Ronaldo and lost to a Netherland’s team that failed to qualify for the world cup.

Morocco has qualified for the 2018 world cup after a twenty-year absence. Morocco hasn’t lost since June 10 2017 and has a variety of players playing all across Europe. Their captain, Medhi Benatia, most recently known for bringing down Lucas Vasquez in the 90^th minute to award a penalty to Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals, anchors the Moroccan defense. When Portugal and Morocco face each other in their group stage match I can only see Ronaldo getting the best of Benatia.

Iran is a team that is well organized and has been steadily getting better. They are a team that plays well and can match their opponent’s tempo. In their last world cup appearance in 2014 the Iranians finished last in their group. However, it did take Lionel Messi to produce a bit of magic and score a magnificent goal to give Argentina a 1-0 win.

On paper it is easy to dismiss Iran and Morocco, but I would say that Portugal and Spain should not over look these two national teams. All four teams in group B finished as winners in their respective qualifying groups to make it to Russia. I will still take Spain to win the group, but Portugal might have problems if they don’t take 3 points from Iran and Morocco as I don’t see them defeating Spain.  

2018 FIFA Men's world Cup (Group A)

Group A

Russia (66) FIFA Rankings

Saudi Arabia (70)

Egypt (46)

Uruguay (17)

Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Uruguay make up the four teams that make up group A in the 2018 men’s FIFA World Cup. For most viewers, this group as a whole seems dull and other than a few singular story lines can be deemed as a group that won’t be fondly remembered. The host, Russia, aren’t necessarily exciting to watch and don’t have the same structure as they did under Guus Hiddink. South Africa beat Russia to it, but Russia has a high probability in joining them as the one of two teams to host the tournament and not make it out of the group stage.

The two main reasons why I see Russia having a disappointing summer is because of Egypt and Uruguay. Egypt has not made a world cup appearance since 1990 and to add to the unimpressive record the Egyptian national team has never made it past the group stage. The past doesn’t determine the outcome of present or future performances. At the moment, Egypt have a player that is having an incredible season. Mohammed Salah, who plays his club trade in Liverpool, is a winger that is on his way to win the golden boot in the English Premier League.  As a whole Egypt isn’t a team that can disturb any of the traditional powerhouse teams, but the Pharaohs should have enough to beat Russia and Saudi Arabia.

Uruguay is a safe pick to finish first. The Celeste finished second in the CONMEBOL world cup qualifying region which is regarded as one of, if not the most rigorous region to qualify from. Uruguay has won the tournament twice, but their latest triumph has been well over sixty years. In 2010, led by Diego Forlan, Uruguay finished fourth in South Africa. As mentioned before, the past does nothing to win in the present or future, only create shackles of failure or success. Uruguay has strikers that can score and cause problems to any back line. Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani, and Christhian Stuani are strikers who are scoring goals for their respective clubs and if they can replicate their form for their national team Uruguay could be a dark horse in this summer’s tournament and challenge the favorites to win it.

Saudi Arabia isn’t much of a threat to any one in the group and the only news from the national team was when a handful of national team players went to Spain in January to play football in the first and second division.

Group A is the group of the host, but unfortunately for them fixing results won’t be enough for them to get through. Uruguay is a team that can reach the further rounds and Egypt have a scoring machine in Salah to get them by.