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 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 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…

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. 

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.

World Cup 2018: Belgium 5-2 Tunisia

The Armchair always takes an inordinate amount of interest in the affairs of the team he has invested money in to win the competition, and is always pleased to see the number 5 in their goals scored column. Not so the two against, nor the reported injuries to Lukaku and Hazard. But the win was enough to secure a path to the Round of 16, and the goal tally suggests here’s a group of players who are up for it, and who could go all the way…

The Armchair Predicted

Belgium 3-0 Tunisia

17 and 10

World Cup 2018: Belgium 3-0 Panama

And so, the team The Armchair has predicted to win this darn thing has kicked off. And at half-time, things were looking decidedly dodgy. 0-0 against perhaps the tournament’s weakest team. But an early 2nd half goal (another cracker) settled the Belgian nerves and they dominated in precisely the way The Armchair predicted.

The Armchair Predicted:

Belgium 3-0 Panama

7 and 6

Who Will Win The 2018 World Cup Final?

The Armchair couldn’t predict that Spain would sack their manager hours before the start of the tournament.

But The Armchair hopes the nation rallies behind whoever is given the hot seat and does a Denmark ’92 and makes the final.

SPAIN v BELGIUM

An all-European final with two teams packed with talent from front to back.

Never predict a thrilling goal fest of a World Cup final, because they rarely happen.

It will be tense, tight and other emotive words beginning with t, but The Armchair believes we will see a new name on the trophy.

BELGIUM TO WIN THE World Cup

Compare The Armchair's prediction, to a World Cup 2018 winners prediction based on historical FACT! 

Who Will Reach The 2018 World Cup Final?

It's worth bearing in mind that the Armchair correctly predicted 75% of the World Cup 2014 semi-finalists as evidenced if you click on this sentence.

The Armchair has predicted the following World Cup Semi-Finals and sees them panning out a bit like this:

FRANCE v SPAIN

A match up fit to be a final. Both teams have been in great form throughout the tournament, and pundits are split 50/50 on who will emerge victorious. Griezmann is on for tournament top scorer, Spain have played well as a team. This one’s going to penalties, where the tears will be les bleus. SPAIN TO WIN.

BELGIUM v SENEGAL

Billed as a festival of flair, the game is actually tight, nerves taking hold among two teams who know they are one step away from the biggest game of their lives. It is decided in favour of the team that packs the most international experience and expectation. BELGIUM TO WIN.

World Cup 2018 Predictions: Who Will Win The World Cup 2018 Quarter Finals?

The Armchair has predicted the following quarter finals in World Cup 2018. And without use of tarot cards or crystal balls, sees the following happening…

World Cup 2018 Quarter Final Predictions

RUSSIA v FRANCE

Home nation nerves will be jangling. Expectation as high as a Russian cosmonaut orbiting the world. Cup fever gripping everyone from the Kremlin to the Crimea. For France, they are where they expect to be. Mixing it in the latter stages of a tournament quite a few fancy them to win. And win this game they shall. FRANCE TO WIN

SPAIN v PERU

There are always tales of the unexpected in every tournament (Iceland in Euro 2016, Brazil’s thrashing in 2014) and Peru are shaping up to be 2018’s instalment. Although people in the know know they are good enough to get here. But good enough to beat a still strong Spain? Not quite, for me. SPAIN TO WIN.

BRAZIL v BELGIUM

What a final this would have made. Two teams packed with big names and both getting into the groove in this tournament, winning their groups and their first knockout. But the draw machine has brought them together in this pick of the quarter finals. And, although it will be tighter than neutrals might hope for, it goes to extra time, and once again, Brazilian dreams are shattered by a European team. Narrowly this time.

BELGIUM TO WIN.

GERMANY v SENEGAL

Let’s remember, Germany weren’t in great form coming into the tournament, and they haven’t been brilliant during it. And by now, Senegal have been battling with Peru to become everyone’s second favourite team. There are no neutrals in the stadium. All non-Germans want to see Senegal win this. And although head has an inkling for Germany, I’m going with the heart. SENEGAL TO WIN.

World Cup 2018 Predictions: Which teams will make the quarter finals?

The Armchair World Cup 2018 predicts these will be the last 8 teams left standing in the tournament:

RUSSIA v FRANCE

SPAIN v PERU

BRAZIL v BELGIUM

GERMANY v SENEGAL

Who Will Win In The World Cup Round Of 16: Bottom half of the draw.

Predicting is thankless, and only sets you up to be shot down. So many variables in football. Injuries can transform a team’s chances. A sending off can change a game. A referee can turn a result on its head.

But here goes…

BRAZIL v MEXICO

Inconceivable that everyone’s second favourite team, unless you’re Brazilian (in which case they’re your first favourite team) won’t progress further than the Round of 16. Bad enough they didn’t win the last World Cup which was held in their back yard. To lose now….whoah. Yet Mexico won’t make it easy. BRAZIL TO WIN

BELGIUM v POLAND

The stadium awash with red and white. A corner of Russia becomes Warsaw, the Polish fans urging their team to quarter final glory. But having won their group, the Belgians have calm confidence. Their line-up is the strongest in several generations, from keeper to striker. They know this is their chance. They have seen other nations' previous so-called Golden Generations fail. They’ll not make the same mistake here. BELGIUM TO WIN.

GERMANY  v COSTA RICA

The defending champions enter familiar territory. Such a hard team to knock out in the knock outs. And where have Costa Rica come from? Geographically, Central America of course. But they were unfancied before this all kicked off. I believe this one will go to extra time. GERMANY TO WIN

SENEGAL v ENGLAND

Africa’s sole remaining representatives left in the tournament, with the backing of a continent. Against young, inexperienced, unfancied, unloved England. The team on the receiving end of boos from Russian fans wherever they’ve played. This one goes all the way to the PKs, and every Englishman knows how that ends. SENEGAL TO WIN

Who Will Win World Cup 2018 Group G

World Cup Group G Teams

BELGIUM

ENGLAND

PANAMA

TUNISIA

And so to your blogger's home nation, and surely one of the easiest groups in which to predict the two qualifiers.

It will be disastrous if Belgium and England don’t both beat the other two teams and then decide the group winners in their final game.

It would be better for neutrals if Belgium played England first, putting more pressure on the loser in their following two games.

Belgium’s squad is one of the best. Has been for a few years now, but it meant nothing in Euro 2016. Could mean more here with more experience, and better coaching.

England are young and, for once, England Expects Nothing from its World Cup squad, apart from Group qualification.

Hats off to Panama for qualifying for their first World Cup. But let’s not write them off with words like plucky first timers. They have zero pressure on them. Who knows?

And Tunisia. They’ve qualified for World Cups before, but you get the feeling their big game will be against Panama to see who can wrap up 3rd Place.

World Cup Group G Betting

World Cup GROUP G Predictions:

1: BELGIUM

2: ENGLAND

3: Tunisia

4: Panama

Insane To Leave Out Sane?

Not good enough for the World Cup. That’s the take out of Joachim Low’s decision to leave out Leroy Sane from Germany’s World Cup 2018 squad.

Man City fans, and indeed Premier League fans will be puzzled, or a little fearful of the strength of German football that they can afford to leave Sane at home.

It follows Belgian Radja Nainggolan’s decision to quit international football following his surprise omission from the Belgian squad BEFORE it was trimmed to 23 players.

How many international squads would both these players be a shoe-in (or boot-in) for?

Slightly less surprising is Christian Benteke being cut from the final Belgian squad. He’s not been great for Palace this season.