Our predictions for the World Cup 2018
There’s only a couple of days until the FIFA World Cup 2018 officially starts. It’s like when you’ve booked a holiday, but it is months and months off so you don’t think about it or get excited for it. Then one day, you remember your holiday is a week away. It’s still a way off but you begin to get hyped and just imagine how buzzing you’ll be when it’s only a few days until departure. Well, that’s where we are at now with the World Cup!
So, it’s about time we put our knowledge and footballing-integrity on the line by predicting what we think is going to happen.
Our predictions for the World Cup 2018
Winners
As much as we would love England to bring ‘football home,’ we just can’t see us going all the way. The quarters or semis is what we think for the Three Lions.
In terms of winners, the usual suspects are in contention; Argentina, Germany and Brazil. Then the secondary contenders are the likes of France, Portugal, Belgium and Spain who all have a chance. Realistically, it is down to those seven, but who’s to say we won’t get another Greece 2004 scenario.
Our money is on Brazil, though, with the likes of Neymar in their prime. If Lionel Messi is on form Argentina will be dangerous, but it is hard to see past the 2002 winners.
Verdict: Brazil
Golden Boot Winner
The World Cup top goalscorer often correlates with the success of the team they play for. For instance, if you are banging in ten goals at a World Cup, unless they are all in one game, it’s likely your team is going to go far in the tournament.
With that in mind, it would make sense for us to go with Neymar. Ironically, despite being the best two players of this generation (perhaps ever), we don’t think Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi will be in with much of a sniff. Luis Suarez we think is a good shout, with Romelu Lukaku up there as well given the decent group Belgium are in.
Verdict: Romelu Lukaku
Golden Glove Winner
Hugo Lloris has proven to be a top keeper with Spurs and being in a French team that could go far in the tournament, he will be a good shout. Those South American sides who are favourites put more emphasis on attacking football so their defence will be far from a priority. The Germans with their efficiency will undoubtedly reach the latter stages in Russia, so Manuel Nueur is another good shout.
But we have to go with who we believe is the best goalkeeper in the world at the moment, David De Gea. Thanks to a faulty fax machine stopping his transfer to Real Madrid, United have kept him and we truly believe he is the reason why they are not a mid-table team.
Verdict: David De Gea
Surprise Packages
Every tournament, you get one team who has no right to beat one of the big guns, or progress past the group stages, yet they somehow do it.
Think Ghana nearly beating Uruguay in 2010, Costa Rica topping their group in 2014 and even Iceland terrorising England at the last Euros.
With Mo Salah back fully fit, his Egypt side has a chance after the season he has had. The other African sides pose a threat, and who is to say Iceland won’t repeat their impressive feat again. But based on the immense season he has had and the fact that nobody would have given them a chance this time a year ago, we have to go for Egypt.
Verdict: Egypt
Best Football Boots in the World Cup
And finally, perhaps the most important prediction we will make for the World Cup – which boot-producer will have created the most successful boots for the World Cup?
As we did for Euro 2016, we are again going to put football boots through the ultimate test on the ultimate stage and decide which boots really is the best: Adidas? Nike? Maybe even Puma, New Balance or Umbro?
So who do we predict will come out on top this year? Ronaldo headlines for Nike with his customised, Portuguese Nike Mercurial CR7s. His rival Messi, will head Adidas’ campaign wearing his Nemeiz Messi 18 boots. Antoine Griezmann is Puma’s biggest hope, wearing the Future 18.1s.
But, it’s not just those three players wearing representing their boots at the World Cup, oh no! For every single goal scored at the World Cup, points will be allocated based on what boot the player/s involved were wearing. Points will also be awarded for clean sheets and each team’s MOTM.
So based on all this, our prediction for most successful, and by default best, boots at the World Cup is Nike to shine!
Verdict: Nike
Do you agree with our predictions? Who do you have picked for each category? Let us know in the comments or reply to us on social media.
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