World Cup Fever

Feeling it? No, me neither.

The largest and longest ever World Cup Finals begins tomorrow in Mexico City and despite the fact it is on my doorstep I have felt strangely insouciant to it.

Of course when I say doorstop, this World Cup Finals transverses across an entire continent but you’d hardly know it was happening around my way.

It’s been a quite ugly lead up to this tournament. I am sure I once read that politics and sport should never mix, but they’ve been blended together for this one in a NutriBullet. Watching Infantino having his tongue up Trump’s backside is one of the many unsavory (sic) moments we have witnessed and I am sure there will be many others to come.

I fear empty stadiums, snail paced matches due to the heat, games stalled for lightning delays, more immigration issues, plenty of Trump spasms and probably England going out before it all get’s started.

Yet, I have never not been totally submerged in a World Cup tournament yet. Not since my first recollection of one in 1974 – a blatant opportunity again to plug my articles celebrating my 10 years of writing my Blog 😊.

And I am sure I will be again, well hopefully, but despite my romantic football mind loving that Haiti and DR Congo (Zaire for us oldies) are back in and we have Curacao and Cape Verde too, there are so just so many group games that on paper I could easily decide to put my socks into pairs instead.

I mean almost every team could qualify from the groups, even Scotland. Any real jeopardy does not probably start until 3 weeks in.

The early rounds may well see teams rotate players and I suspect there will be many dead rubbers. Win your first game and you are almost guaranteed to make it into the next round. However trying to route countries pathways through the tournament is almost impossible due to the thousands of permutations.

I am going to a game in the Round of 16 in Atlanta, and I haven’t got a clue who will be in it at this stage. Maybe that is the fun of it, but I suspect by then we will have witnessed the likely later tournament teams and possible winners.

As for picking the winners, I find it hard to see past France. Their team has world class quality everywhere and plenty of options in their squad that I’d love to see in the English one.

Spain doesn’t have the same depth. Brazil looks a shadow of its many former selves. Argentina I am sure will go far, and the heat will suit them. Portugal have a lot of good players, but will the Ronaldo factor go against them?

Germany will always be there when it matters and I quite like the look of the Dutch team, but they and Belgium will once again likely be the bridesmaids and not the brides.

As for England, we lack in key areas and are so reliant on Kane. I really am not sure about Tuchel. Tactically he is one of the best and I hope he knows what the team will look like because I don’t. Plus, will he engender a team spirit over a long period of time to take us all the way. I fear not.

The hosts are not really getting much love amongst the bookies, but Mexico are the best of them, and I think home advantage will really suit ‘El Tri.’ Let’s be honest USA fans will be outnumbered at most of their games, at least they would have if the games were priced fairly.

As for an outside bet to go a long way. I’ll go with Norway and Switzerland from Europe. Ecuador from South America, and Morocco from Africa.

I am sure the fever will take hold once it get’s started. I’m open to it.