2018 FIFA World Cup predictions: Group D

Ladies and gentlemen!

We're already halfway through. This is my analysis of group D of the upcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Without further ado, here are my predictions!

Team: Argentina

Strengths: Argentina has participated in all but four FIFA World Cups, winning two of them in 1978 and 1990 and finishing in second place in 1930, 1990 and 2014. The current squad includes one of the best football players of all time with FC Barcelona's forward Lionel Messi who is the captain of the national team. The team includes experienced veterans like Paris Saint-Germain's midfielder Angel di Maria but also promising youngsters like Giovani Lo Celso, another Paris Saint-Germain midfielder.

Weaknesses: Head coach Jorge Sampaoli has been in charge for less than a year as we speak and the national team has head six different head coaches in the past eight years which underlines the fact that the team hasn't been particularly successful despite its incredibly talented squad. Argentina's qualification didn't run very smoothly either as the team lost against underdogs like Bolivia. Since then, the team has won two and lost two of its friendly games, including a surprising 2-4 defeat against Nigeria and a horrible 1-6 loss against Spain. 

Prediction: Despite its talented squad, Argentina has several important issues including an inexperienced head coach, unstable performances and the fact that the team's star players are already in their thirties. The quality of the squad is good enough to survive the group stage and to make it through the round of sixteen. However, Argentina could meet a stronger opponent like Spain in the quarter finals. I predict Argentina will be eliminated in the quarter finals.

Team: Iceland

Strengths: Iceland has shook up the world of football over the past few years. The team qualified for the 2016 UEFA European Championship for the first time ever and made it all the way to the quarter finals, beating England in the process and drawing against later champions Portugal. The team has now qualified for its first FIFA World Cup, winning its qualifying group in front of teams such as Croatia, Ukraine and Turkey. Expectations of and pressure on the team are still rather low since the small country is considered an underdog and this status could help the charismatic squad. Dynamic head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson has been in charge for five years and has guided the team through its unexpected successes. The homogeneous squad doesn't include any star players and convinces with excellent team spirit.

Weaknesses: Among the team's obvious weaknesses, one has to cite its lack of experience but this could even lift this squad up. Since its qualification, the team has only won two out of its six friendly games, losing against Czech Republic, Mexico and Peru. The squad is among the oldest of the tournament, as there are only five players under the age of twenty-five in the regular squad right now.

Prediction: Iceland will upset the world of football again and advance to the round of sixteen in spectacular manner. However, the team might face France in the round of sixteen. The French squad already eliminated Iceland 2-5 two years ago. History might repeat itself once more. Iceland will get eliminated in the round of sixteen.

Team: Croatia

Strengths: The team has a solid squad with many internationally experienced players such as Bayer Leverkusen's defender Tin Jedvaj, midfielder and captain Ivan Rakitic of FC Barcelona fame and Juventus F.C. attacker Mario Mandzukic. There also some promising youngsters who are still playing in Croatia who are slowly integrating the team such as Dinamo Zagreb's goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic and Hajduk Split's midfielder Fran Tudor.  

Weaknesses: Croatia hasn't won any titles since its inception back in 1990. The team failed to advance past the group stage since its surprising third place at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Head coach Zlatko Dalic has only been in charge of the team since last October.

Prediction: Croatia seems to be a team going through changes these days. It has a new head coach, slowly integrates younger players in the squad and has had quite mixed results over the past two years. This simply isn't enough to compete with Argentina's talent and Iceland's enthusiasm. Croatia won't survive the group stage.

Team: Nigeria

Strengths: Nigeria has had a lot more practice in form of competitive games than most countries at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The team made it to the final at the 2018 African Nations Championship and to the 2017 WAFU Nations Cup final. Out of eight games played so far in 2018, Nigeria has won five against respectable opponents such as Poland.

Weaknesses: Nigeria is missing a star player. Captain John Obi Mikel is past his prime and currently plays for Tianjin Teda. The team has called up seventy-eight different players over the past twelve months which underlines the fact that the squad hasn't found its regular squad yet. The idea to let Nigerian coaches work with the team over the past few years has failed terribly. Nigeria has had ten different Nigerian coaches between 2010 and 2016 and none of them was particularly successful. Current head coach is Gernot Rohr, a sixty-four year old German coach who hasn't had a very successful career.

Prediction: Nigeria's squad seems to be too disorganized to compete with the talented Argentinian squad, the motivated Icelandic squad and even the more balanced Croatian squad. Everything but finishing last in this group would be a massive success. Nigeria won't survive the group stage in my opinion.