Only four teams can win world cup

Spain  Spain or Spain or Spain.

Only 1 team can win the World Cup

2 teams won the last AFCON

Cheers, ABBA. That makes the market far more favourable for backing in now!

Unless they can get Neco Williams and Yamal on the field and playing like they did in the Euro's you can knock that back to only 3 teams can win the WC.

That’s Spain Jonahed by ABBA! Three more to go!!

Well if you think that  you can make profit

""but lads,you are missing the point,there are 4 SPAINS and we seen one of them Today

Foolish people getting carried away again. I remember the last WC when so many were quick to write the Argies off after a silly defeat in the opening match. Just like the Argies did, Spain remain as 1 of the solid favs to go all the way. Especially as not every opposition they play will have 11 men camped in their own box, relying on a tiny amount of counters.

Yeah, some will be able to defend like that and be able to counter effectively.

And we'll see which sides those are, only once they've been able to achieve it.

without a fit yamal and williams spain are toast. no way are they winning it with the team that started today

There will be shock winners this year. Morrocco could well be that team, but it could be about 12 others, as well

Wont be a shock winner, too many rounds, the cream will rise to the top and a France, Portugal, Spain or England will win. Teams like Morocco haven't got the quality to sustain a run to the end.

Have France peaked too
EARLY?

France for me, esp after that 2nd half. They need to defend better though.

Yep
The goalie looks shaky

Watching Spain was reminiscent of their WC exits to Russia and Morocco on pens but Yamal looks as though he's fit. if not match sharp and that alone changes their dynamic completely..he and Williams really were the difference in them at the last Euros, I'd be a bit more concerned at Williams getting back to anywhere close to his very best due to sheer number of recent injury lay offs but in such a long tourny Yamal especially should improve as it goes on..

It's too much on Yamal imo for Spain. Same as Barca. That poor lad's getting run into the ground and will be finished by 25. But apart from him it's like a team of Xabi Alonso's. Just loads of possession, trying to pull teams out of shape, which doesn't happen so much nowadays. Far too predictable.

I do fear for his longevity I must admit..Barca should probably be a bit more selective about his starts especially in an injury hit season..

slightly disagree on the last point as the Euros showed when you add the more dynamic wide players it transforms everything..

Yeah, but I'm not convinced Williams is all that for starters. Seems to have been the next big thing forever, but not delivered much. Like a modern day Lee Sharpe to me. Yamal is the real deal but can he play a full tournament. Beyond that, I don't think any of the other attackers are very good, they're playing the wrong keeper, and the defence has seen better days. Never quite made out why they've been at the same odds as France for this.



(cue the inevitable glorious win)

Argentina? No, I'm not buying it, especially at those odds.

France concern would be Rabiot in a MF 2 that is asked a lot of with their sometimes work shy attacking talents...a team better than Senegal should have had a couple yesterday but the forward options are certainly a scary bunch when firing..

Messi looked a lot sharper than I was expecting (lloked evry bit as good as last time) for Argentina though Algeria were poor..

holy typo !

Argentina looked like a proper team last night and they actually did succeed in the dying art of moving it quickly and passing through the lines, creating space, they all look comfortable receiving the ball, the best so far and I'm going to have to reconsider that someone other than the usual suspects might win, Argentina clearly the best team performance so far IMO.

Said this about Messi pre-tournament Messi looking quite good for a 38 year old in recent friendlies albeit against sub standard oppositions, still the movement, passing and vision is still there, unfortunately I backed him for most assists and didn't even think he'd be their main goal scorer. Kind Regards.

My money's been on France for a while, though I've had some play money on the yanks. Also think Morocco are over-priced and could give us a good run for our money.

Put a line thru P O R T U G A L

Defense not big enuf

We are down to three yeeee haaaa

Never write off the Germans, and lets face it, England should have had 6 or 7 tonight. If Portugal show some courage and drop Ronaldo they may just have a chance....but they won't, even though it means they are effectively playing with 10.

England cant win no defence

Jun 17, 2026 -- 3:12PM, PorcupineorPineapple wrote:

Yeah, but I'm not convinced Williams is all that for starters. Seems to have been the next big thing forever, but not delivered much. Like a modern day Lee Sharpe to me. Yamal is the real deal but can he play a full tournament. Beyond that, I don't think any of the other attackers are very good, they're playing the wrong keeper, and the defence has seen better days. Never quite made out why they've been at the same odds as France for this.(cue the inevitable glorious win)

Obviously I don't include Victor Munoz in all those other attackers. That lad's a superstar.







Nicely done.

No Brazil or Germany? I don't have any bets (apart from taking evens Kane would have a shot on target last night) Netherlands and Belgium a long way behind their peaks of the past.

Better add
THE DUTCH

I certainly wont be adding the dutch

France 5.3
Spain  7
Argies 7.2
Ingerland 9
Portgul 13

Samba boys 16.5 !!!

Must be value

Seen them @ 20 the other day. Jumped as high as 30 for a few quid. They were my main bet pre-tourney..as more of a hopeful punt that they could do something special under the guidance of the Don Group game spells evidence suggests they're potentially ripe for being exposed by 1 of the elite sides. However, their lack of defensively solidity is somewhat offset by the attacking sparks they carry, and at the very least we can almost guarantee they won't be involved in any dull KO matches. I remain optimistic they'll at least have a decent run at it.

Brazil's midfield is going to get thoroughly ripped apart when they come up against a decent side, Morocco gave notice in their first half of just how vulnerable it is, there's every chance IMO that when Brazil do go out it'll be on the end of a hiding.

Of course there's that possibility. From defence through to attack they're clearly not organized or structured well enough to boss games from start to finish against top sides. But to win any KO tourney you don't have to be that side. You just need to carry enough of an attacking threat, on top of having the ability to withstand and/or rally against opponents spells of territory&possession.

For all that Brazil were completely awful in that 1st half of their opener, it's undeniable that they gained much better control in the 2nd period. The game ended with Morocco having an XG of 1.47 vs 1.27. Morocco having 14 shots overall(12 of which came in the 1st half) to Brazil's 12. Morocco having only 3 shots on target to Brazil's 5. Any sustained period of pressure with a quick accumulation of chances can often result in the false, exaggerated analysis of an entire 90 minute match.

Brazil could easily gain some nice momentum as they progress through the rounds, given they hardly have a daunting path in front of them. Japan/Sweden, Norway/Ivory Coast, England/Mexico. Only when they get to the semis vs either Argentina or Portugal would they be slightly concerned, and thought of as proper underdogs.

This Brazil side would be the perfect opponent for England and I think it would have Ancelotti worried sick, in an open game I would expect England to run all over them, I wouldn't rule out a Japan doing much the same either.

Be interested to see if Ancelotti changed it slightly against a team he was more worried by..could easily add another holding player (Ederson for example though seems to prefer Fabinho which at this stage of his career is a little surprising)  and still have a very credible attacking threat..the current mf 3 of Casemiro, Guimares and Paqueta feels and indeed looks rather too optimistic for where Brazil are as a team..

Double your money, if England and Brazil met in the quarters, which they're on course to do, what to think England's odds will be ?

1.77-1.80 Eng   Bra 2.22/ 2.32

obvs dependent on what happens between now and then..if Eng have another poor game in the group or one or other play different to market expectations in 2nd round..

van remember Eng going off favs vs Germany in 2010 (last 16)

I think England should be a shade of odds on but think the word "Brazil" will hold up their price and think England will be hovering around even money.

that's why I asked doubleurmunney, I know what the odds will be, but he seems to think that Brazil would walk through England and will not be underdogs til the semis, the outright market itself will tell you who'd be favs considering they are both expected to make that quarter final.

One can be underdogs by the odds, but odds don't always reflect reality. e.g. World Champs Argentina double figure odds while England are giddily pushed into 2nd favs I don't believe England will make it as far as Brazil. I envisage Meheeco knocking them at 16.

Brazil are not a team.

You English DoubleYourMoney ? or a sweaty Jock, cards on the table

Looking around for a bit of value and a trading play, Mex at 70 caught my eye. They might not win it but they look as if they could go far enough to make some money on the way.

if brazil play england  I fancy the latter and I expect the betting will too.

japan may yet beat brazil

TD I have a suspicion Brazil are not enough of a team to go deep in this tourney.

Would like to see Colombia make the final though.

i agree nobby

Japan are a very scary opponent for Brazil IMO.

"Japan are a very scary opponent for Brazil"

Think he was laughing at this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aE4BdIP6bvc

1 off freak result where the FT scoreline is pretty meaningless in any game where you're well beaten. Being KO'd by Japan here, in whatever manner, rates more embarrassing than being demolished by a very good German side. A nation with established pedigree.

Brazil were faves to beat Germany, being humiliated at home in your home tournament 7-1 at odds of over 500/1 by a team who scrapped past America and Algeria in the same tournament, is far more embarrassing than losing to a 4/1 shot.

You can pick and choose all you want, quote silly CS odds after they've happened. The FACTS are Germany made it through that tournament unbeaten, and held an unquestionable pedigree. Japan are a nation on the improve, but at this point in their development, they remain a minnow. A minnow that any Brazil side in a WC KO match should be passing through.

minnow they're the record Asian Champions winners, four times. Cape Verde are minnows, it's a 4/1 shot, it would not be that embarrassing, they have players from Serie A, Bundesliga, La Liga, Ligue 1 and the Eredivisie.

Course they should win though, don't think Japan are all that even if they drew against Holland, Japan are like an orchestra, everything's in harmony and in sync but in music parlance they don't have that powerful money note like Brazil do, i.e a Vinicius, they have nothing to bring the house down, they have a ceiling and their journey probably ends tonight.

Graph tells the story of the match. Domination for Brazil as expected.. at least among those of us with a footballing brain Japan playing like the minnows they are, relying on nothing but a few counters, and actually looking a little more sluggish to break than normal. Quite likely they were all being weighed down by the dung in their pants. Absolutely petrified of even a "fallen giant" version of Brazil. Back to Yakyu and Martial arts for them.

Most people said Brazil would win including me, gave them 2-0, it was 2-1.

Well done on your overtly confident Brazil prediction as well, the footballing giants absolutely smashed the footballing minnows....needing an injury time winner

Yes, it was very nice Brazil managing to get past Japan, you don't want them losing against one of the lesser lights by the odd goal, you want Brazil to progress far enough to meet one of the heavyweights who will have the tools to thoroughly expose that midfield properly.

When Brazil do exit the World Cup I wouldn't be at all surprised if it is an humiliating one.

Before this match it was all about how Brazil should be scared of Japan. Now it's desperately projecting humiliating defeats against a heavyweight later on

Mexico odds now in to 38-40 (from 70). Next up is the winner of England v DRC at the Azteca. Mexico have a formidable record at this stadium and are yet to concede a goal in the tournament. I think my bet has further to run and will hold for another round.

Japan are not minnows. But they've got to the 1st KO stage 3 WCs in a row now and been KO'd all 3 times after taking the lead, twice in injury time. They were also missing 4 of their best players in Minamino, Endo, Kubo and Mitoma. Brazil should not have been scared of them at the start or even at HT the way they were playing.

France look the most likely, Portugal i don't think they'll win it and Spain have a chance, but for me its France or Argentina

Japan clearly minnows in WC terms. With respect, trying to threaten a WC powerhouse with Asian Champion wins would be like multiX Conference winners turning up to the CL and expecting to do similar.

The gambling market is way out of kilter,Spain started as favs,won their group,conceded no goals and then drifted out in price

France are a goals machine with individual brilliance and deserve to be clear favourites. Too short for me to back them at this stage of the tournament though.

No-one said that Japan would beat Brazil, just that they would be a scary opponent, and that is how it transpired, what rescued Brazil in the end was the "shirt" and not the players that wore it as Japan began to look for the finishing line and allowed Brazil or rather Vini JR to overwhelm them.

Incidentally I am a Brazil fan, but this is the Brazil I'm a fan of, an extinct Brazil from a bygone age and still the greatest sadness of any World Cup was that this team did not win it. Perhaps my opposition toward them is born out of wanting to see the Brazil the older among us remember rather than the more pragmatic mortal version we see today....anyway enjoy!!!!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkMH5WnuPfU

It didn't transpire that Japan were a scary opponent for Brazil. At a WC, any side can KO another, but it's the overall impression that counts most. Paraguay KO'd Germany, but everyone  still understands they're the inferior side. This Japan "scaring" or bossing even this Brazil, even if we appreciate it's not a vintage version, was simply not realistic.

While we're on overall impressions the overall impression, well it's more an overall fact is that Brazil do not have a functioning midfield, despite Casemiro popping up with his goal he spent most of the game moving around as if he was towing a caravan, we all understand the concept of looking at the established team and the lesser team in a match up and identifying that the "name" will win, that's not groundbreaking.

It was stated that Japan would be a scary opponent for Brazil and as it transpired it looked very much like that with Brazil squeaking past them, despite the insistence that they battered them 2-1, the Brazil sides I want to see should be cruising past Japan 5-0 not the abomination we see wearing the shirt in recent years,

Infact, and this would only apply to Brazil, if they can't play like they "used" to, they should not be allowed to enter a World Cup as it damages the legacy.

give it another 4 weeks or so, at the rate dblurmunney is digging, his head should pop up somewhere in Australia back end of July

The reason I want Brazil to be hammered by a decent side in due course is that I see it very much as a beloved pet or family member suffering greatly and need it to be put out of its misery....quickly!!!

The simple fact remains while Brazil are currently not operating at a level of previous generations, they're wrongly and stupidly being dismissed as complete no-hopers. The more balanced approach is to acknowledge they have limitations, but limitations that don't stop them being too good for the likes of Japan. Again, if you want to jump the gun with fanciful bloodbath endings, with the pretence of being a beloved fan, that's your moronic choice to do so.

Putting them out of their misery is the kindest thing to do.

Ok folks we are down to two now spain aint winning nothing, France Argentina and i may have got this wrong.

Are you trying to trick us with a double negative!!

Have you got an opinion or do you just come on here to annoy everyone.

Who do you think is going to win world cup?

No idea. I’ve seen about a ten games this whole tournament. As soon as England are out I will watch even less.

A poor WC for Europeans with these kick off times.

Spain are deffo in the argument but I don't think they'll defend well enough against a much better side, you can also see them being bullied by an aggressive team.

I disagree, I think Spain pull it out the bag, I wish id taken 14s

Kenbo for someone with no idea you got a lot to say!

The squeaky wheel gets the oil!!!

Stop it winner you are spamming i think

Colombia v Argentina for a quarter final South American treat, which could go either way, value and my money is on Colombia, other half of draw cant see anybody beating France but they do have 2 banana skins to overcome in Morocco and Spain and their price does not reflect the jeopardy, if France/Argentina slip up then the whole thing is wide open.

Did bet Colombia at 50/1 as an outside bet they look good but a bit casual not sure they can beat Argentina

Four still in