Beginning on June 14, the global sporting spectacle of the 2018 World Cup will take place in Russia for the very first time. Thirty-two of the planet’s best football squads will clash with only one walking away with the World Cup title. With over 3 billion people expected to watch the games unfold, there will be plenty of action to be had on every game in every round. For those looking to work up an extra sweat from the sidelines, here are a couple picks that you might want to consider rooting for, with a little investment on the side.
Brazil: It’s the chalkiest of all the picks. Brazil is seemingly always the forefront odds-on favorite in any tournament they enter. Football is in the Brazilian’s blood, in their culture and, when it comes to the World Cup, they have the deepest tradition of winning. Brazil has won the entire tournament five times: 1958, 1962, 1970 and 2002 more than any other country.
Brazil’s not-so-secret weapon is Neymar, a player consistently ranked as one of the best players on the planet. The biggest question facing the Brazilian squad though is, is Neymar healthy? After recovering from foot fracture will Neymar have the explosiveness to deliver Brazil their sixth World Cup crown? Experts agree, they have the best chances.
Germany: Oddsmakers have the tough German squad just a fraction behind Brazil, and why wouldn’t they. Germany is looking to defend the title they won just four years ago in 2014. It was the fourth title win in the nation’s history and they are looking to go back to back to tie the Brazilians for the most World Cup wins. There are plenty of players to watch on the German squad, even though many from the 2014 championship squad retired. However, the speedy Timo Werner hopes to step into the spotlight and show off his goalscoring skills that made German media nickname him Turbo Timo. Germany has the talent and national know-how on what it takes to emerge from the World Cup with a “W.”
Portugal: If you are looking for a potential score from a team just outside the top 5, perhaps Portugal is good for the payday. One might think that the reigning European champions would be at the top of the heap when entering the 2018 World Cup. However, in the country’s six appearances in the World Cup, they have never sealed the deal. What they do have is all-world footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, the international superstar. Ronaldo, appearing in his fourth, and potentially last, World Cup has never seen the same amount of success as some of his peers, like Argentina’s Lionel Messi. By all accounts though, Ronaldo, at 33, is perhaps the best version of himself right now. He is potentially poised to defy the oddsmakers and cement his legacy with a fantastic finish in Russia, 2018.
Panama: Looking for the longest of long shots? Panama is your team. Entering their first World Cup, Panama is essentially given no shot at winning it all. The team faces international powerhouses England and Belgium in the first round and their team’s top-scorer is 37 years old. For Panama, it would take a miracle. But if they did, and that longshot came in, the person who showed a little faith would be more than handsomely rewarded.
Site like Footy Accumulators can provide the latest information on World Cup betting tips as well as predictions and the latest odds. The action doesn’t stop with just the teams, you can even select who is likely to win the prestigious Golden Boot, awarded to the best player in the tournament.
The World Cup is set to entertain the planet on when host nation Russia takes on Saudi Arabia on June 14 in Group A action. The games don’t stop until the 2018 Final, schedule on July 15.
