2018 FIFA World Cup: Group F

Ladies and gentlemen!

It's time to take a look at the group of defending world champions Germany today. I'm quite busy these days, so pardon me if there are any mistakes in my descriptions. Do you agree with my predictions? Leave a comment if you like and enjoy the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia!

Team: Germany

Strengths: Germany are the reigning world champions. Die Mannschaft has also won last year's 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup with a reserve squad. The last time Germany hasn't at least reached the semi-finals of a World Cup was twenty years ago. Joachim Low is by far the longest-serving head coach of the tournament and knows his players very well. The team consists of a balanced mixture of experienced veterans like captain and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer of Bayern Munich, defensive midfielder Sami Khedira of Juventus F.C. and striker Mario Gomez of VfB Stuttgart but also exciting youngsters like Bayern Munich's full-back Joshua Kimmich, Bayer Leverkusen's wide midfielder Julian Brandt and RB Leipzig's striker Timo Werner. In addition to this, Real Madrid's midfielder Toni Kroos is the heart and soul of this team.

Weaknesses: Germany has only won one of its last six exhibition games, losing to Austria for the first time in three decades. Germany only won by one goal against Saudi Arabia at home one week before the start of the World Cup. There has also been some tension around the team because German-Turkish midfielders Mesut Ozil and Ilkay Gundogan took controversial pictures with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Sandro Wagner who was in the provisional squad wasn't chosen for the tournament and decided to retire from the German national team and made some controversial statements. The fact that Manchester City F.C.'s midfielder Leroy Sané didn't make the final squad was also discussed controversially in public even though the player reacted very professionally. There just seem to be a few too many controversies, discussions and distractions around the team these days

Prediction: Germany will win this group and reach the semi-finals again but this year's squad doesn't have the same team spirit as it was the case four years ago. I predict Germany to finish in fourth position.

Team: Mexico

Strengths: Mexico has participated in every of the last six World Cups and always been eliminated in the round of sixteen. The team has a lot of experience, Liga MX is still easily the strongest in all of Central and North America and a somewhat aged squad is complemented by youngsters like PSV Eindhoven's striker Hirving Lozano, C.F. Pachuca's midfielder Éric Gutiérrez and Club América's defender Edson Alvarez.

Weaknesses: There has been quite a controversy around El Tri before the start of the tournament. It was reported that all but one player of the squad participated in a wild sexual orgy with thirty prostitutes to celebrate West Ham United F.C.'s striker Javier Hernandez' thirtieth birthday. No matter to what point the rumors might be true, it has certainly put a lot of pressure upon the squad and harmed its reputation at home.

Prediction: Mexico will finish in second position behind Germany. However, Mexico is likely to meet Brazil in the round of sixteen and won't go any further.

Team: Sweden

Strengths: Sweden has eliminated four-time World Cup champion Italy in its qualification play-off match which was a big surprise. After the departure of star player Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Sweden has developed a strong team spirit. The team has a balanced squad with players who are between twenty-three and thirty-one years old. 

Weaknesses: Sweden has only won one of its six last exhibition games, losing against Chile and Romania while drawing against Estonia, Denmark and Peru. The team has only scored three goals in these six matches. Sweden has a solid defense but is lacking creative midfielder and strong strikers. The squad's best striker is currently Marcus Berg from United Arab Emirates' team Al Ain who has scored eighteen goals in fifty-seven games.

Prediction: A clever head coach, great defense and strong team spirit have helped Sweden surprise a weakened Italian side. This trick won't work twice. Sweden's squad is too weak to compete with international heavyweights like Germany and Mexico. The team won't survive the group stage this year.

Team: South Korea

Strengths: South Korea has managed to surprise the world once when it finished fourth at the 2002 FIFA World Cup it co-hosted with Japan. South Korea still has several elements nowadays that made this unexpected success happen. This resilient squad never gives up. It has a strong team spirit thanks to a homogeneous squad. Tottenham Hotspur F.C.'s striker Son Heung-min is one of the best football players this country has ever had.

Weaknesses: Head coach Shin Tae-yong has only been in charge for a year and has only won six out of eighteen matches. The team could only win three of its nine exhibition games this year, losing against Northern Ireland, Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Senegal. Most players don't have much international experience as they are playing in the weak K League 1. In the past five years, only one South Korean team could win the AFC Champions League.

Prediction: Resilience and team spirit are important elements but can't compensate the lack of depth and talent when playing against teams like Germany and Mexico at group stage. South Korea will be eliminated after three matches.