One of top 3—Brazil, Spain & Portugal—will exit early

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vishal

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Blame it on Fifa’s draw. But if world No. 1 Brazil puts a foot wrong in the group stage, it might end up meeting No. 2 Spain in the last 16 stage of the World Cup.
If that doesn’t happen, a Portugal (No. 3) vs Spain clash is likely at the same stage. Whatever course the tourney takes, one thing is certain: one of the top three Fifa-ranked teams will be out by the end of the prequarters.

Here’s why. Spain, bracketed with Chile, Honduras and Switzerland, is the overwhelming favourite to top Group H. In the next round, it will take on the team that finishes second in Group G, which comprises Brazil, Portugal, Ivory Coast and North Korea.

The extraordinary possibility of the world No. 1 playing the No. 2 or the No. 2 running into No. 3 in the knockout stage is the outcome of Fifa’s strange draw: the system is designed to avoid early intra-zonal clashes.

Topping Group G won’t be easy for any team. Portugal is capable of surprising the Samba boys. Ivory Coast, despite an injury to striker Didier Drogba, has the firepower to overcome, or at least hold, Brazil.

So, Brazil, Spain or Portugal will be out by the pre-quarters, a prospect any football lover would hate.
 
Plus, I wouldn't put it past Switzerland to put up a good fight.
There's more than the sum of the skill of the players, and a lot of the "smaller" teams are made of players that mostly play in the same country, a few even in the same team, so they will be a lot more familiar with each other, and that just might overcome the deficit in skill.

Happened time and again in the big tournaments (Cameroon - Argentina in 1990 anyone?)
 
Portugal were shambolic in the qualifiers and now they're getting their comupunce as it looks nearly impossible for them to reach the quater finals, I shan't be losing any sleep over it.
 
I also think Portugal will go out in the group stage.
 
I wouldn't put Portugal in the same bracket as Brazil and Spain. I do think they will qualify from the group though with Brazil.
 
JP Woody said:
I wouldn't put Portugal in the same bracket as Brazil and Spain. I do think they will qualify from the group though with Brazil.
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I agree with this, on both counts.

Can still see them qualifying ahead of the Ivory Coast.
 
Ivory Coast will qualify instead of Portugal. How can the not take Moutinho?!? The captain of one of Portugal's biggest clubs, hunted by so many top european clubs. Has he fallen out with the manager?
 
Spain and Brazil will both crash and burn at this world cup as they've been given the dreaded vote from Pele (or the Pele curse as some call it) -- he may have been the greatest player to grace this world, but he is terrible at football predictions.
 
TBH i don't really care, it's about time FIFA stopped trying to make things harder for England (English clubs especially) so I'm glad they are interfering elsewhere for once.
 
I just dont want Spain and Brazil to face each other so early in the WC. :(

And yeah .. I am also worried about Pele Curse... he thinks Spain is favorite this time :(
 
vishal said:
I just dont want Spain and Brazil to face each other so early in the WC. :(

And yeah .. I am also worried about Pele Curse... he thinks Spain is favorite this time :(
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Pele tells who ever is interviewing him what they want to hear. He will tell Spanish media he thinks Spain will do well,he tells English media that England will do well and so on and so on. In fact if all Pele's predictions were correct nobody would be eliminated after the 1st round. I wouldn't worry about it.
 
I can't see us going out in the group stages tbh.

We've got a good recod against Brazil (bar the 6-2 loss vs them).
We're a better team than Ivory Coast, but they have Africa on their side, but I still think we are good enough to beat them.
North Korea will either be the whipping boys of the group or the team that cost someone a place in the next round. Hopefully, we'll beat them and qualify. Don't see us getting past the quarter finals though.
 
Haters.

Spain is godlike, Brazil is godlike. Ask around, we always liked to be the underdogs. I've been saying this for ages, y'all might just get surprised. our defensive line is just ace with Coentrão - R. Carvalho - Pepe (if he doesnt play in midfield) - Miguel (still a **** of a footballer). Danny is starting to play football at last, great speed, great touch, and a good vision of the field. Deco in an inspired night can be devilish with his passes, so as Veloso. Hugo Almeida/Liedson just need to push the ball past the goal line.

Plus, Ronaldo is hungry, he is tired of comments on him not performing for Portugal, so his game should start to connect any game now.
 
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