Experts Picks and Predictions for the 2014 World Cup of Soccer

Top Bet has had its say on just about everything about the World Cup, from the keys to victory for teams like Italy, Argentina, the United States, and England, possible Groups of Death, potential Golden Boot winners, and probable group and World Cup winners. But what do the experts from elsewhere in the media think is about to go down in Brazil?

Read on for our complete survey of soccer experts everywhere and create a betting account today to make the most of what should be a thrilling World Cup.
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Experts Picks & Predictions for the 2014 World Cup

ESPN FC

Prediction

Roger
Bennett

John
Brewin

Michael
Cox

Rafa
Honigstein

Gab
Marcotti

Group A Winner | Brazil | Brazil | Brazil | Brazil | Brazil
Group A Runner-up | Croatia | Mexico | Croatia | Croatia | Mexico
Group B Winner | Spain | Spain | Spain | Spain | Spain
Group B Runner-up | Chile | Chile | Chile | Netherlands | Chile
Group C Winner | Colombia | Colombia | Colombia | Colombia | Ivory Coast
Group C Runner-up | Japan | Japan | Japan | Greece | Colombia
Group D Winner | Italy | Uruguay | Italy | Italy | Italy
Group D Runner-up | Uruguay | Italy | England | England | England
Group E Winner | France | Ecuador | France | France | France
Group E Runner-up | Honduras | France | Switzerland | Switzerland | Ecuador
Group F Winner | Argentina | Argentina | Argentina | Argentina | Argentina
Group F Runner-up | B & H | Nigeria | Nigeria | B & H | Nigeria
Group G Winner | Germany | Germany | Germany | Germany | Portugal
Group G Runner-up | USA | Ghana | Portugal | Portugal | Germany
Group H Winner | Belgium | Belgium | Russia | Belgium | Belgium
Group H Runner-up | South Korea | Russia | Belgium | Russia | Russia

ESPN FC’s collection of experts were unanimous in their picks that Brazil, Spain and Argentina will win Groups A, B and F, respectively, while Colombia, Italy, France, Germany and Belgium were all but consensus picks.

They were also almost in agreement that Chile and not the Netherlands would take second in Group B, which would be a truly shocking outcome for the Dutch.

Roger Bennett made some of the more unexpected picks as he thinks Honduras and South Korea emerge as unlikely runners-up. They differed most with the Group E runner-up, as the five of them picked all four teams as a possible second-place finisher.

While we can’t get behind Bennett with his Honduras or South Korea picks, it’s more than a distinct possibility that Chile can creep into second in Group B. The Netherlands is a much-changed squad from 2010, and the uncertainty regarding the health of star striker Robin van Persie means that the Oranje are by no means guaranteed a spot in the last 16.

Similarly far from a guarantee is Group E, where John Brewin thinks that Ecuador will emerge as an unlikely group winner. It’s certainly true that none of the four teams are sure things. France is talented but is just four years removed from a total meltdown, and the announcement that Franck Ribery will not being suiting up for the French is a major blow.

Switzerland beat Spain last year but still managed to crash out in the group stage. Ecuador isn’t as good away from the advantage of its home field altitude. And Honduras are +100,000 to win the World Cup for a reason.

We picked France and Switzerland to come through for their quality and track record. Ecuador still has a chance to get through either, but Honduras going through would be an incredible shock.

CBS Sports

Main Header 1

Jeff
Borzello

Tom
Fornelli

Evan
Hilbert

Jerry
Hinnen

Jason
La Canfora

Mike
Singer

Group A Winner | Brazil | Brazil | Brazil | Brazil | Brazil | Brazil
Group A Runner-up | Croatia | Croatia | Mexico | Mexico | Croatia | Mexico
Group B Winner | Spain | Spain | Spain | Netherlands | Spain | Spain
Group B Runner-up | Chile | Netherlands | Netherlands | Spain | Netherlands | Netherlands
Group C Winner | Colombia | Colombia | Colombia | Colombia | Colombia | Colombia
Group C Runner-up | Ivory Coast | Ivory Coast | Greece | Ivory Coast | Ivory Coast | Ivory Coast
Group D Winner | Italy | Italy | Uruguay | Uruguay | Uruguay | Uruguay
Group D Runner-up | Uruguay | Uruguay | Italy | Italy | Italy | Italy
Group E Winner | France | France | Switzerland | France | Ecuador | France
Group E Runner-up | Honduras | Switzerland | France | Switzerland | Honduras | Switzerland
Group F Winner | Argentina | Argentina | Argentina | Argentina | Argentina | Argentina
Group F Runner-up | B & H | B & H | B & H | B & H | Nigeria | Bosnia & H
Group G Winner | Germany | Germany | Portugal | Germany | Germany | Germany
Group G Runner-up | Portugal | Portugal | USA | Portugal | USA | Portugal
Group H Winner | Belgium | Belgium | Belgium | Belgium | Belgium | Belgium
Group H Runner-up | Russia | Russia | Russia | South Korea | Russia | Russia

CBS Sports’ six footy experts were unanimous in their belief that both Colombia and Belgium will top Groups C and H, respectively. They were also nearly in agreement that the Ivory Coast, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Russia will be runners-up.

Surprisingly, two more experts backed Honduras to spring a surprise and finish second in Group E, while none gave England a shot to progress to the last 16.

As discussed in our complete World Cup predictions, we disagree with the CBS guys with how Groups C and H play out; we had Ivory Coast over Colombia and Russia over Belgium. The loss of Radamel Falcao is still a tremendous blow for Colombia, and despite the talents of their remaining strikers, none are in the same league as Falcao in terms of quality.

And with Belgium, people are too easy to anoint this talented crop of youngsters, but Russia’s coach (Fabio Capello) and players are fare more experienced, which should give them the edge.

England’s total exclusion from the knockout stage is a surprise, but understandable. Seeing as they are in the Group of Death, the young England squad may simply be overwhelmed by such strong opposition in Italy and Uruguay.

Prediction

Jeff
Borzello

Tom
Fornelli

Evan
Hilbert

Jerry
Hinnen

Jason
La Canfora

Mike
Singer

Champion | Brazil | Brazil | Brazil | Brazil | Argentina | Brazil
Runner-up | Argentina | Italy | Argentina | Netherlands | Germany | Spain
3rd Place | Germany | Spain | Portugal | Germany | Brazil | Argentina
4th Place | Spain | Germany | Spain | Argentina | Spain | Germany

CBS’s experts also took a stab at predicting the final four all the way to the eventual champion. Five out of six predicted hosts Brazil emerge victorious on home soil, with Jason La Canfora going with Argentina. Not very bold, fellas. Two of them went for a Brazil-Argentina final, with Brazil winning on both occasions. Italy, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands were the other countries picked to make the finals.

Four out of six think Germany will once again be losing semifinalists, the same number that see Spain falling short of another world title. Evan Hilbert believes that a Cristiano Ronaldo-inspired Portugal makes it to a valiant third-place finish.

We agree with Jeff Borzello and Evan Hilbert that it’ll be an all-South American final between storied rivals Brazil and Argentina. But unlike them, we see the Argentinians prevailing. Argentina has a relatively easier path to the final compared to Brazil, which should see them fresher physically. And in the final, Golden Ball and Golden Boot winner Messi will fire them to victory.

Wild Animals and Inanimate Objects

Expert | Prediction
Nelly the Elephant | USA beats Germany in Group G
FIFA Simulation | Germany beats Brazil in the final

But of course, what’s a World Cup without some non-humans making predictions? Paul the Octopus shot to worldwide fame when he correctly predicted the 2010 World Cup final, but sadly, he’s passed on. Taking his place in the animal predictor hierarchy is Germany’s Nelly the Elephant.

However, one of Nelly’s predictions won’t be taken too kindly in his home country as she thinks the Germans lose to the United States in their Group G match. Whether that loss costs Germany a place in the last 16 remains to be seen, but Nelly better hope her prediction is wide of the mark, or she’ll never forget the uproar.

It’s probably more likely that the Germans listen to a video game than some silly elephant. That’s because EA Sports’ FIFA 14 title ran a simulation of the entire tournament and concluded that Germany will become this year’s champions after it defeats hosts Brazil in the final. It also had the Germans beating Argentina and Spain en route to the final, which is pretty impressive. It it happens, of course.

Happy World Cup-ing, everyone.
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