However the group stage draw isn’t actually a draw only for the group stage: It’s a highway map for the whole match, too. If England is to win — because it believes it will probably, this time, with quite extra logic than that of the stopped clock — the incline grows instantly steeper as soon as the knockout stage begins. Senegal, probably the most full workforce Africa has despatched to a match for greater than a decade, could lie in wait within the final 16. Then it might be France, the reigning champion, within the quarterfinals. No matter lies past that is probably not instantly related.
There’ll, after all, be some groups who’re happy with their fates: France, actually, ought to have little bother with Denmark and Tunisia and certainly one of Peru, Australia and the United Arab Emirates. The 2 South American contenders, Brazil and Argentina, will probably be assured, too.
Even the US shouldn’t be too displeased. “We now have the youngest squad on the World Cup,” Berhalter stated. “For us, that’s a profit. The fellows are fearless.” England is perhaps snug favorites to win their group, however there isn’t a motive to consider the US — returning after an eight-year absence — can’t end second.
And there’ll, after all, be groups who’re left to rue their lot. Canada, for instance, gracing this stage for the primary time since 1986, has a bunch and not using a true heavyweight however in some way tougher for it: Croatia and Belgium completed second and third 4 years in the past, whereas Morocco sailed via the arduous means of African qualifying.
Finally, although, Van Gaal was proper: There isn’t any means of understanding, eight months prematurely, who has been fortunate and who has not, of which is the sleek draw and which the tough. After all of the pomp and the circumstance, the video montages and the advertising and marketing spiel dressed up as mission statements, all you may say with any certainty is that it’ll, when it comes, be colourful.
