THEY WON THE World Cup 2018: FRANCE

Beware the team that starts slowly. The team that grinds out the only goalless draw of the tournament. The team with a ridiculous faker of injuries - HERNANDEZ v Australia was disgraceful. Beware the team with a point to prove, having been beaten in the Euro 2016 final at home. Beware the team with a good keeper, strong defence, talented midfield and creative strikers. Beware the team with the player who is ready to relieve Messi and Ronaldo of their duties as world’s best player. Mbappe could help this team to future success, certainly in Euro 2020.

THEY FINISHED 2ND: CROATIA

Three lots of extra time simply had to take their toll. And yet Croatia kept going, only in the last ten minutes did they look a beaten team. This generation took their nation further than before, further than the legends of 98, Davor Suker anyone? A nation of just 4 million the second best in the world. A remarkable achievement. And a team that plays attractive, attacking football. But ultimately it was only good enough for silver, but what a journey, the peak performance against Argentina, the comeback against England, the coolness the double penalty shoot out victory. Maybe one last hurrah for this set of players will come at Euro 2020.

THE World Cup FINAL 2018: FRANCE 4-2 CROATIA

So rare that the final is a goal fest. So rare it is punctuated by a multiple pitch invasion. So rare that VAR almost spoils it. So predictable that France won.

The Armchair extends muted congratulations to France as they win their second World Cup, 20 years after their first was secured on home soil. Next time the World Cup is held in a year ending in an 8, be sure to bet on them.

Much talk is of Mbappe, of whom big things are predicted and expected. He has already won a World Cup, that’s a pretty big thing in the bag already. But Mandzukic managed to score at both ends, a World Cup Final first. In fact, there had never been an own goal at this stage before.

Lloris was lucky when his arrogance allowed Mandzukic his goal in the right end. But Griezmann blotted his copy book with blatant fakery that led to the free kick that led to the dubious VAR penalty for handball, that pretty much led to Croatia losing this.

The Armchair didn’t hang around to see France lift the trophy. He wanted Croatia to upset the odds, but it never looked likely.

WHO WILL WIN THE World Cup FINAL 2018?

Alack, the Armchair was unable to post his prediction in the run-up to the final, but can honestly say he would have gone for a 2-0 win to FRANCE.

THEY FINISHED 3RD: BELGIUM

Has another golden generation missed the boat? The Armchair thinks so. A star studded line up came short against France in the semi, but proved they were easily the 2nd best team in the competition, despite finishing 3rd. Class all over the park, putting England in the shade on a steamy St Petersburg Saturday. What if they have let England win that group decider? It would have been a France v Belgium final. But it’s all ifs and buts, and maybe the Belgians will have to wait a generation to get a team as good as this on the field at the same time.

THEY FINISHED 4TH: ENGLAND

The Armchair cannot hide his surprise, nay, delight, that England reached as far as this. It was not on the cards, tarot or otherwise. And yet the opposition we faced made England’s path easy. Losing to Belgium in the final group game, meant Colombia and Sweden were the only teams standing between them and a semi. Belgium had to topple Brazil and did. England would not have. Kane was sharp for the group games, gone for the Knockout, a massive dip in form, many put down to an injury the England camp denied. So what was it? Knackered for the knockouts? Something similar happened in Euro 2016. Needs investigating. Trippier arguably England’s best, although Pickford deserves a mention and has just got one.

World Cup THIRD PLACE MATCH: Belgium 2-0 England

Strange that this tie still exists and that FIFA just doesn’t give all the losing semi-finalists a bronze medal. But both sides gave the match the respect they wanted, fielding pretty much full-strength teams. But again, Belgium proved they have the class that England lacks. Not a great game on a steaming Saturday afternoon, and the players will be glad to get home after more than a month away.

World Cup Semi-Final: ENGLAND 1-2 CROATIA (AET)

It’s wrong to say England underestimated Croatia. The Armchair did not and was proved right. Kieran Trippier scored too early with a splendid free kick, joining Sir Bobby Charlton and Gary Lineker as the only Englishmen to score in a World Cup Quarter Final. Croatia, the older team, were meant to tire. But it was England who ran out of a gas, the second half equaliser well deserved, the extra time winner a switch off moment from John Stones. And that was it. But The Armchair can’t help feeling that England dodged a bullet. For France would surely have put them to the guillotine had they made the final.

World Cup Semi-Final: FRANCE 1-0 BELGIUM

Would have made a better final that the one we are going to get. Probably the tournament’s best two teams lined up here, and disappointed. Belgium looked tired and totally incapable of breaking down the French defence once they slipped behind. The Armchair’s predicted winners of the tournament are out…

Who Will Win The World Cup 2018 Semi Finals?

The final four are known to the world, and perhaps two are a surprise to the world. But you don't get this far in a tournament without knocking in a few goals and helping knockout a few teams.

Here's how The Armchair envisaged this stage of the proceedings would look when he entered his predictions before the tournament started:

And here's how the actual semi-final line-up looks like:

FRANCE v BELGIUM
ENGLAND v CROATIA

So, in a topsy turvy tournament in which many a big team has fallen by the wayside early doors, the Armchair was 50% correct. Not bad.

But given this new line up, how does the Armchair see these ties shaping up?

OUCH! Yes, that is the sound of The Armchair plucking splinters from its undercarriage as he rests upon the fence. He believes both ties will be close and heading into extra time. He is sticking with BELGIUM to make the final, and thinks CROATIA will make it three out of three successful penalty shoot outs. But what a great Third Place Match that will leave us with!

THEY FINISHED 5TH: RUSSIA

What a start. 5-0 against anyone in your home World Cup campaign is going to get people excited, dreaming big. And that’s what Russia did. Rated as close to hopeless by many before the tournament started, they proved so much to so many and were so close to going one better.

But this will be regarded as a successful performance by the Russian teams. No big names, for sure, but big hearts all over the park, and big support from the stands. The Armchair salutes the home side and looking at his predictions before the tournament can say with confidence ‘I told you so.’

World Cup Quarter Final: Russia 2-2 Croatia (Croatia win on pens)

And so the hosts bow out, but much later than many imagined (not The Armchair by the way who predicted they’d get to the Quarter Finals but no further). But they so nearly did, an arrogant penalty miss and a dragged one past the post costing the nation an unprecedented semi-final place. What joy would there have been. As it was, a late equaliser sent the home fans into raptures, but for the second time, Croatia prevailed in a penalty shoot out, setting up a semi final against the new masters of the shoot out, England. 

THEY FINISHED 6TH: SWEDEN

Winning their group in somewhat fortuitous circumstances (the rest of the teams just flopped) helped Sweden secure an eminently winnable Round go 16 tie against Switzerland, whom they dispatched. But England proved stiffer opposition, and a nation that gels well as a team but lacks the quality in every department, finally went home from a competition having, like a boring fart who parks themselves in the comfiest armchair at a house party - perhaps overstayed their welcome.

World Cup Quarter Final: England 2-0 Sweden

Never has The Armchair felt so relaxed about a vital England game as this one. Yes, Sweden had a couple of great chances and Pickford pulled off some quality saves, but for a QF team, Sweden had precious little to recommend them. Get Zlat Back! England seemed in control and not overly concerned. Maguire was majestic. But Sterling still stuffed up his chances in front of goal. Kane had a quiet game but who cares, it’s like 1990 all over again. England are in the World Cup semi-finals. Unbelievably, but not undeservedly.

THEY FINISHED 7TH: BRAZIL

The Armchair doesn't want to sound arrogant, but he has great difficulty in understanding those who thought Brazil would win this World Cup. Even reaching the final should not have been entertained.

The same with Germany and Argentina. They might be big names from the history of the World Cup, but none of them had shown any kind of form coming into the competition, and all were player for player weaker than at least three other big teams, Spain, France and Belgium.

Neymar did OK but is an habitual faker, and in this tournament all that fakery has caught up with them. Penalties they might have falsely earned in the past have been wiped out by VAR. The culture of diving and faking needs to change if these nations are ever to enjoy success on the world stage again.

Brazil seemed to learn that lesson in the second half against Belgium, where chasing the game meant they couldn't afford to waste time on the fakery. But Belgium outclassed them and gave them a taste of their own medicine, winding down the clock and winding up the Brazilians with a little dose of fakery.

What goes round...

World Cup Quarter Final: Brazil 1-2 Belgium

And so another former winner falls. All that remains are European teams, evidence that the continent is now the dominant force in world football, and has been since 2002, the last time a non-Euro team won the World Cup (Brazil).

Belgium's tactical switch proved a Martine Masterstroke. Not good enough to manage Everton apparently, the man has plotted Brazil's downfall, admittedly with a set of players far superior than anything seen playing in blue at Goodison Park.

Two up by half time, the second was a siege as the yellows poured forward. But Belgium poured scorn on their attempts most of the time, succumbing to header near the end. But they held on and deserved their win. Courtois pulled off save after save and their attached trio of De Bruyne, Hazard and Lukaku were immense.

The Armchair's predicted winners are still in it. And, as he predicted, they've seen off Brazil. 

THEY FINISHED 8TH: URUGUAY

With a population half that of London's, it's incredible how many good footballers Uruguay produces per head. Unfortunately one of their best ones was forced to sit out this tie, and it proved crucial as they lacked any sort of offensive threat without him and were simply guided out of the tournament by a superior French team.

Never a team to score a goal fest, they base their success on solid defence and inspired attack. But Suarez hasn't had a brilliant World Cup. And Cavani looked like he was moving into gear before his injury scuppered his nation's hopes.

World Cup Quarter Final: France 2-0 Uruguay

Oh, Cavani, where were thee? Your nation needed ye, and there you were injured.

A shadow of the team they were without you, never looked likely to score, and now homeward bound, while France dance on into the final (you need to bring more fans to the next game, though).

The Armchair predicted that France would reach the World Cup Semis and so it has proved. They never looked under threat today, though the Uruguayan keeper will not sleep well tonight, playing over and over the mistake that helped ensure his nation's hopes slipped through his fingers.

Another former winner of the World Cup gone, leaving just France and two others, Brazil and England. And the Armchair predicts we will lose another in tonight's game...

World Cup 2018 Quarter Final predictions

And so to the last eight.

A last eight that The Armchair predicted would look like this:

In what's been a World Cup full of shock early exits and over-performing 'minnows' here's how the Quarter Finals actually look:

FRANCE v URUGUAY
BRAZIL v BELGIUM
SWEDEN v ENGLAND
RUSSIA v CROATIA

So a 50% success rate there, with one tie exactly right. Note too, The Armchair correctly predicted that Argentina would fall and Russia would rise to the occasion. Spain lost on penalties, Peru underpeformed, Germany were shocking, and Senegal denied a path to the knockouts by the dubious yellow cards rule.

The Armchair's tip for title remain in the running, but BELGIUM face their biggest test, BRAZIL tonight. Pass that and the bet is definitely on.

Here's how The Armchair sees the World Cup 2018 Quarter Finals shaping up:

With Belgium beating Brazil on penalties...

THEY FINISHED 9TH: COLOMBIA

Oh dear. Oh dear. Oh dear. Colombia are as close to the bad boys of the tournament as you’re likely to get. A disgrace against England and few will miss them. They certainly missed Rodriquez in the last game, his presence could have tipped the scales in their favour. But the scales of justice were lenient. They deserved red cards for their appalling behaviour v England, But what goes around is circular, like a football, the one Dier slotted past their despairing keeper. Bye bye. And learn how to behave next time. 

THEY FINISHED 10TH: SWITZERLAND

Hmmm. Harumph. So-so. So what. They always seem to qualify from the group stage, not to The Armchair to back them to do that in Euro 2020. Yet, they never look likely to progress further. One of the teams that slipped through The Armchair’s viewing net this World. Didn’t see much of them so they made little impact, but others might be raving about their performances…

THEY FINISHED 11TH: JAPAN

Samurai you win. Samurai you lose. And sometimes you lose and yet can still be regarded as winners. That’s a fair summation of Japan’s World Cup 2018. They qualified on yellow cards, but against Belgium really showed how good a team they are. Only fatigue in the final 20 minutes cost them, against one of the tournament’s strongest nations. So no shame going out. Although having been 2 up with 20 to go, you think what if… what if…

THEY FINISHED 12TH: MEXICO

And so Mexico waves goodbye to another tournament in the early knockout faces. To face Brazil was unfortunate, as the Brazilians are always strong, too strong for most world nations. What if Mexico had won their group and faced Switzerland instead? A different story, which is why that let down in their last group game will really rankle.

THEY FINISHED 13TH: DENMARK

Another victim of PKs, pens, the shoot out, shoot, miss and you’re out. Not a classic Danish team by any stretch of Schmeichel’s arms. No Laudrup brothers as of old. But Scandinavian spirit in abundance. Punching above their weight and unlucky to not beat the better Croats.

THEY FINISHED 14TH: SPAIN

The penalty lottery accounts for another big name. They should never have let it get that far. Superior to Russia in every department apart from passion, they go out of a tournament they could have won. The Armchair predicted they would lose the final, not here, not now. But Iniesta takes a bow, and the team that triumphed in 2010 all but gone. Still, another generation is coming through, with Isco looking particularly talented.

THEY FINISHED 15TH: PORTUGAL

Another big name bites the dust, and it was never going to happen here like it happened in Euro 2016. Although they started with a cracking game v Spain and a hat trick for Ronaldo, their ageing centre backs and overall averageness (apart from Ronaldo) told. But maybe the great man has one more World Cup in him???

THEY FINISHED 16TH: Argentina

They were lucky to get this far. Bad form in qualifying continued, and really, this wasn’t a great team. Messi deserved better service but it wasn’t forthcoming. Mascherano was past his best and not wanted by most Argentinian fans. The manager unpopular too. Higuain and Aguero, great names on paper and for their clubs. Not so international. Time for Messi to retire for good this time and for a new approach.

ROUND OF 16: Colombia 1-1 England (England win on pens)

England put The Armchair through the mill. Made him hide behind his cushions. Made his wheels squeak in pure fright. Penalties! Followed a late, late equaliser for Colombia. Aaaarrrgh!

And Colombia were pretty disgraceful throughout, knowing they were inferior without James Rodriguez, with whom this would have been so different. Kane scored a pen, Colombia writhed and pulled and faked and protested. How someone in yellow didn’t see red is a mystery. But in the end, England’s penalties were strong, even Henderson’s whose was saved, and Pickford’s outstretched arm was strong. Respect to Dier who ended years of World Cup Shoot Out heartache. 

ROUND OF 16: Sweden 1-0 Switzerland

The Armchair is no fan of either of these teams and is wondering what the hell they are doing still in the competition. They reek of average. A good team spirit, maybe, but without the Zlat, Sweden has nothing to recommend them. Shaqiri has his moments, but whether he had any here, who knows. Certainly not the Armchair who didn’t watch this, but did see the goal that settled it. An own goal. Nuff said.

ROUND OF 16: Belgium 3-2 Japan

What a comeback by the team The Armchair has his money on, most of which he found down the back of his close friend Sofa. They looked on their way out, before Martinez shuffled his back, and what a transformation, from two down to three-two winners and a place in the quarters. Belgium showed a resilience that’s been missing from their last couple of tournaments. But a word for Japan who performed magnificently throughout. I guess that extra bit of quality showed. And The Armchair believes that Belgium has more quality than any other team in the competition, including the one they face next. Brazil. 

ROUND OF 16: Brazil 2-0 Mexico

The Armchair was not in front of his television for this one, or even to the side of it. But he thought it might go to extra time. It didn’t. Although Neymar’s goal has been overshadowed by his faking of pain after being trod upon on the sideline. It probably hurt an ickle but but not as much as he was making out. No wonder footballers have such a bad rep for being fakers, tarts. What about all the people in the world who suffer genuine pain all day. How does seeing some multimillionaire over-mothered footballer writhing around make them feel?

ROUND OF 16: Croatia 1-1 Denmark (Croatia win on pens)

Two goals in the first five minutes is sometimes a starter course for multiple goal thrillers. Not so here. This one went all the way, although Modric could have abridged proceedings had he converted a late penalty. He made amends by scoring in the shoot out, eliminating a Denmark team who were, quite frankly, punching way about their weight. Schmeichel was great in goals, his dad entertaining in the crowd with his reactions. But Croatia could be the real deal in this tournament. 

ROUND OF 16: Spain 1-1 Russia (Russia win on pens)

If there’s one thing The Armchair has learned in all his years of tournament blogging, it’s always  expect the hosts to do a little better than their ranking would dictate. And Russia came into their tournament as the lowest ranked team of all the competing nations. Now, having beaten many people’s favourites, Spain, they won’t end the tournament in such a lowly position. Spain were disappointing here, their goal an own goal and their play too lateral to break down a Russian side given such an impetus by the vociferous home crowd. They bought a ticket for the lottery of penalties and hit the jackpot. 

ROUND OF 16: Uruguay 2-1 Portugal

It’s Cavani who’s grabbing the headlines for Uruguay this World Cup, his brace here steering his nation past the Euro 2016 champions and into the quarter finals, again. No magic from Ronaldo here, and on the day Messi exited the tournament, the other of those players who have had a duopoly on the world’s best player award for much of the last decade also exited. The Armchair didn’t fancy Uruguay much this World Cup, but that’s looking like a mistake…

ROUND OF 16: France 4-3 Argentina

The day Messi took a back seat and Mbappe came of age. A seven goal thriller, which Argentina took close to extra time. But the French ran out deserved winners, their second from Pavard, a right back, a veritable stunner and strong candidate for goal of the tournament. It’s taken a while for France to get into gear, and Argentina were never really firing here, but take nothing away, this French side looks like it’s got the ingredients to win it. 

THE ROUND OF 16 PREDICTIONS

And so the field is cut in half. Those that flunked the group stage fly home. Those that excelled stay and do battle in the knock out phase.

Here's how The Armchair predicted things would look at the World Cup 2018 Round of 16 stage

before the start of the tournament :

And here's the actual line up of  Round of 16 ties: with predictions

The Armchair predicted 2 TIES DEAD ON (Fra v Arg, Bra v Mex.) And 11 of the 16 teams to get this far.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: GERMANY

BIGGEST SURPRISE: Denmark / Sweden / Japan

The Armchair's two finalists are still IN and can still both play each other in the final: BELGIUM v SPAIN.

World Cup 2018 Group G Final Games: Belgium 1-0 England; Panama 1-2 Tunisia

A couple of stats here. Panama’s goal means all teams in World Cup 2018 scored at least twice. And Belgium beat England for the first time. The Armchair predicted Belgium to win this group, and so they did. But the game against England was no classic. With both sides already qualified they chose to rest players and the quality suffered but Belgium showed they have greater strength in depth. England won’t even mind losing as, on paper, it makes their route to the final seem easier. In the other game, Panama took a surprise lead, but Tunisia eventually turned things round to deliver the expected result.

THEY FINISHED 17TH: SENEGAL

The last African team standing fell at the final hurdle in disappointment circumstances. Anything bar defeat against Colombia would have seen them through but they lost and will be disappointed that they didn’t go for it earlier. They entertained in their previous two, but maybe the pressure told in the last.

World Cup 2018 Group H Final Games: Japan 0-1 Poland; Senegal 0-1 Colombia

So so close. To lose out on the number of yellow cards will leave Senegal fuming, The Armchair shares their anger. Wanting to throw a cushion at the television The Armchair thought Senegal would be the only African team to make it out of the group stage, but they failed in the last game, narrowly. Losing that game 1-0, but losing out to Japan on the aforementioned tiebreaker. Colombia walk off with first place in the group and Poland salvaged some pride with a win in the final game, after two disappointing defeats.

THEY FINISHED 18TH: SERBIA

Not much to remember them by. Just OK, you know. Nothing outstanding. 3 points from 3 games. This is the epitome of average. A win against the team that finished bottom in the group, defeats to the other two. Nothing spectacular, and they are going home.

World Cup 2018 Group E FINAL GAMES: Serbia 0-2 Brazil; Switzerland 2-2 Costa Rica

The expected sometimes happens, And Brazil are always expected to get to the knockouts, but then so are Germany and we all saw what happened to them. No such disasters for Brazil, with Serbia dispatched and the group won. Serbia’s defeat left the way open for the Swiss to claim their spot which they duly did.