World Cup Predictions

Since the World Cup is coming up this Friday, I figure I'd post my predictions. These are not based on any deep knowledge of soccer, of football as they call it here.

Round of 16 Qualifiers (top 2 in each group in the group stages):

Group A: Mexico, France

Group B: Argentina, South Korea

Group C: England, USA

Group D: Germany, Serbia

Group E: Netherlands, Denmark

Group F: Italy, Paraguay

Group G: Brazil, Ivory Coast

Group H: Spain, Chile

Round of 16 Matches:

Mexico d. South Korea

Argentina d. France

England d. Serbia

USA d. Germany (upset pick!)

Netherlands d. Paraguay

Italy d. Denmark

Brazil d. Chile

Spain d. Ivory Coast

Quarterfinals:

England d. Mexico

Brazil d. Netherlands

Spain d. Italy

Argentina d. USA

Semifinals:

Brazil d. England

Spain d. Argentina

Final:

Spain 3-2 Brazil

On a related note, I will be going to the USA-Slovenia game on the 18th of June at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg, which should be a ton of fun. I've never been a soccer fan in particular, but the World Cup is by far the largest sporting event in the World. Many of the people I've met here are crazy excited that the first World Cup ever held in Africa is going to be right in their backyard this summer. I felt like I had to take the opportunity to go to a game, and it would be very cool to see the USA shake its reputation as a soccer lightweight in the coming weeks.

Update: Well, my predictions were pretty bad, although I did correctly pick Spain to win it all. The USA played some good games (and had a bit of help from Robert Green), but could've done better against Ghana. Unfortunately, my World Cup ticket never made it to me (though my folks sent it 4 weeks before the game), so I did not make it to the USA-Slovenia game. Oh well, I'll just have to go to Brazil in 2014.