GROUP E
If you could only pick one group as your holiday destinations for eternity, then Group E is the clear winner. Escape in Costa Rica, grow in Japan, bronze in the Spanish sun. And to be honest, just let Germany be.
As to the football, neither Spain or Germany are quite as strong as some are suggesting, but are comfortably stronger than Costa Rica and Japan. Germany should top the group, given they don’t do consecutive stinkers on the world stage, as they seek to end eight long years of hurt.
GROUP F
A warm hello to Canada! Hopefully you can be more accommodating than your neighbours of the true name of this beautiful sport, and not pedal this soccer nonsense. Either way, there’s something about the Canadians’ upbeat camaraderie that excites us. And Alphonso Davies in full flow. Belgium will win the group, we can all agree there, but we have a sneaking suspicion that Canada will mark their debut tournament with a run to the last 16.
Yes, yes, we know Croatia are being robbed here. They just topped a Nations League group containing France and Denmark and are seeking to go one better after reaching the final four years ago. But it’s unavoidable that their best players are four-and-a-smidge years older than at Russia 2018 and in Croatia’s case, that’s really not a good thing.
GROUP G
What’s so exciting about Serbia? Dusan Tadic, Filip Kostic, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Dusan Vlahovic, Nikola Milenkovic and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, that’s what. They are primed for a deep run in the tournament, even if Max Allegri is making it his life’s work to ruin Vlahovic at Juventus.
That leaves Brazil top, Switzerland third, and sincere apologies to Cameroon.
GROUP H
The Hipster Special aka the only group any nation could finish first or fourth. Unsurprisingly, we’ve been boring and plumped for Portugal to top the group, even if it feels like we are deliciously close to the ultimate Cristiano Ronaldo tantrum given his woes in Manchester.
Anyway, this group is all about one match: Ghana v Uruguay on December 2. Luis Suarez is still charging around celebrating after Asamoah Gyan’s penalty thwacked the crossbar 12 years ago in South Africa, so it would take a brave person to bet against the most revved-up Ghana team in history from making amends.
And with that (hopefully controversial) Ghanaian win, the knockout stages are upon us. What a ride we’re having…
