Predictions
Our Postmedia scribes offer up picks for the coming odyssey to crown a world champion
KURTIS LARSON GROUP WINNERS
Uruguay Group Group A: B:
Spain Group C: France Group D: Croatia Group E: Brazil Group F: Germany Group G: England Group H: Poland LAST FOUR: France, Brazil, Argentina, Germany FINAL: Germany vs. Brazil CHAMPION: Brazil AWARDS GOLDEN BOOT: Antoine Griezmann, France GOLDEN BALL: Neymar, Brazil GOLDEN GLOVES: Manuel Neuer, Germany BEST YOUNG PLAYER (U21): Kylian Mbappe, France WHAT WE’RE SAYING SURPRISE GROUP STAGE EXIT: Portugal (Send hate mail to Dan Bilicki). CINDERELLA TEAM: Morocco.
PLAYER YOU’LL DISCOVER: Egypt ’keeper Essam El-Haeary, 45, becomes oldest player in World Cup history. BLOWOUT ALERT: Belgium vs. Panama (Group G). VIDEO REVIEW: Yes, please.
WILL FINISH WITHOUT SCORING: Panama BEST FANS: The Swedes.
WILL TRUMP ATTEND A MATCH?: Putin is keeping his seat warm.
TAKE IT TO THE BANK: England will reach the quarterfinals. BETTER TOURNAMENT — MESSI OR RONALDO: Messi.
WILL URUGUAY’S LUIS SUAREZ BITE SOMEONE: No, but Portugal’s Pepe might.
TEAM CANADIANS SHOULD ROOT FOR: Anyone in CONCACAF. TEAM CANADIANS SHOULD ROOT AGAINST: The U.S. Wait, what? the U.S. didn’t qualify?
DAN BILICKI GROUP WINNERS
Group Group Group A: B: C: Uruguay Spain France Group Group Group D: E: F: Germany Brazil Argentina Group Group G: H: Belgium Colombia LAST FINAL: FOUR: Brazil France, vs. Spain Brazil, Spain, Germany CHAMPION: Brazil AWARDS GOLDEN GOLDEN BOOT: BALL: Neymar, Neymar, Brazil Brazil GOLDEN BEST YOUNG GLOVES: PLAYER David (U21): De Gea, Kylian Spain Mbappe, France WHAT WE’RE SAYING SURPRISE GROUP STAGE EXIT: Portugal CINDERELLA TEAM: Serbia, Morocco. PLAYER YOU’LL DISCOVER: Timo Werner, Germany’s next great striker. BLOWOUT ALERT: Uruguay-Saudi Arabia VIDEO REVIEW: It doesn’t hurt.
WILL FINISH WITHOUT SCORING: Saudi Arabia, Iran and Panama. BEST FANS: Iceland’s Vikings.
WILL TRUMP ATTEND A MATCH?: Can he sit still for 90 minutes?
TAKE IT TO THE BANK: A British tabloid will rip Three Lions star Raheem Sterling for no good reason. BETTER TOURNAMENT — MESSI OR RONALDO: Messi
WILL URUGUAY’S LUIS SUAREZ BITE SOMEONE: Let’s hope he fills up on Borscht pre-game. TEAM CANADIANS SHOULD ROOT FOR: Wherever your parents or grandparents are from. Except if they’re Italian, Dutch, American or Chilean, then just root for which kit you like best. TEAM CANADIANS SHOULD ROOT AGAINST: England. If it wins, the world will never hear the end of it.
PAUL CHAPMAN
Group Group A: B: Uruguay Spain GROUP WINNERS Group Group C: D: France Argentina Group Group E: F: Germany Brazil Group Group G: H: Colombia England LAST FINAL: FOUR: Brazil Brazil, vs. Spain Germany, Spain, Uruguay CHAMPION: Brazil AWARDS GOLDEN GOLDEN BOOT: BALL: Phillipe Gabriel Coutinho, Jesus, Brazil Brazil GOLDEN GLOVES: Allisson Becker, Brazil BEST YOUNG PLAYER (U21): Trent Alexander-Arnold, England WHAT WE’RE SAYING SURPRISE GROUP STAGE EXIT: Portugal. CINDERELLA TEAM: Senegal. PLAYER YOU’LL DISCOVER: Mo Salah, Mo Salah running down the wing. Salalalala, the Egyptian King. BLOWOUT ALERT: England-Panama.
VIDEO REVIEW: Yes.
WILL FINISH WITHOUT SCORING: Saudi Arabia. BEST FANS: Brazil.
WILL TRUMP ATTEND A MATCH?: Yes, front row seats in Section P. TAKE IT TO THE BANK: Sergio Ramos will intentionally injure someone and not even get carded, and England loses on penalties. BETTER TOURNAMENT — MESSI OR RONALDO: Messi.
WILL URUGUAY’S LUIS SUAREZ BITE SOMEONE: Hopefully Ramos.
TEAM CANADIANS SHOULD ROOT FOR: Panama, because they knocked out the U.S. Stick that up your tariff. TEAM CANADIANS SHOULD ROOT
AGAINST: Iceland. Do we really need to be reminded again and again that a country with half the population of Vancouver is at the World Cup and we couldn’t get anywhere near the final qualifying round?
DEREK VAN DIEST GROUP WINNERS
Uruguay Group Group A: B:
Spain Group C: France
Group D: Argentina Group E: Brazil Group F: Germany Group G: Belgium Group H: Colombia LAST FOUR: Portugal, Brazil, Germany, Spain FINAL: Brazil vs. Germany CHAMPION: Brazil AWARDS GOLDEN BOOT: Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal GOLDEN BALL: Neymar, Brazil GOLDEN GLOVES: Thibaut Courtois, Belgium BEST YOUNG PLAYER (U21): Gabriel Jesus, Brazil WHAT WE’RE SAYING SURPRISE GROUP STAGE EXIT: Mexico. CINDERELLA TEAM: Peru. PLAYER YOU’LL DISCOVER: Cristian Pavon, Argentina. Arguably the best player in South America not playing in Europe. BLOWOUT ALERT: Belgium vs. Panama. VIDEO REVIEW: No. Creates more problems than resolves while killing flow of game. WILL FINISH WITHOUT SCORING: Panama. BEST FANS: Denmark.
WILL TRUMP ATTEND A MATCH?: No, who cares? TAKE IT TO THE BANK: Luis Suarez picks up a red card. BETTER TOURNAMENT — MESSI OR RONALDO: Ronaldo.
WILL URUGUAY’S LUIS SUAREZ BITE SOMEONE: No, but will lash out in another stupid way. TEAM CANADIANS SHOULD ROOT FOR: Belgium, they’re friendly and polite as well and will be fun to watch. TEAM CANADIANS SHOULD ROOT AGAINST: Russia. They’re our biggest hockey rivals don’t need them to do well in soccer too.