Just as we predicted, Argentina would end up playing the final and even winning it all.
But how did our other predictions turn out? Let’s take a look at what we thought were each country’s expected performances and how they ended up doing.
(GSE = Group Stage Exit)
Afterwards, we’ll summarize our thoughts and analysis on this World Cup.
Group A
Senegal Prediction: last 8. Result: Last 16
Ecuador Prediction: GSE. Result: GSE
Netherlands Prediction: Last 8. Result: Last 8
Qatar Prediction: GSE. Result: GSE
Group B
England Prediction: Last 16. Result: Last 8
USA Prediction: Last 16. Result: Last 16
Iran Prediction: GSE Result: GSE
Wales Prediction: GSE. Result: GSE
Group C
Argentina Prediction: Top 2. Result: Number 1. World Champion.
Saudi Arabia Prediction: GSE Result: GSE
Mexico Prediction: Last 16. Result: GSE
Poland Prediction: GSE. Result: Last 16
Group D
France Prediction: Last 16. Result: 2nd. Runner-up.
Denmark Prediction: Last 8. Result: GSE
Tunisia Prediction: GSE. Result: GSE
Australia Prediction: GSE. Result: Last 16
Group E
Spain Prediction: Last 16. Result: Last 16
Germany Prediction: Round of 16. Result: GSE
Costa Rica Prediction: GSE. Result: GSE
Japan Prediction: GSE. Result: Last 16
Group F
Belgium Prediction: Last 4. Result: GSE
Morocco Prediction: GSE. Result: 4th place.
Canada Prediction: GSE. Result: GSE
Croatia Prediction: Last 8. Result: 3rd place.
Group G
Brazil Prediction: Last 4. Result: Last 8
Serbia Prediction: Last 16. Result: GSE
Cameroon Prediction: GSE. Result: GSE
Switzerland Prediction: GSE Result: Last 16
Group H
Korea Republic Prediction: GSE. Result:
Portugal Prediction: Last 8. Result: Last 8
Uruguay Prediction: Last 16. Result: GSE
Ghana Prediction: GSE. Result: GSE
Final tally
In short, we predicted 10 of the final 16 countries correct. Not too bad.
Out of the final 8, we predicted 4 correct. At 50%, it’s an ok prediction.
Out of the last 4, we predicted only one though.
Here’s what went wrong in our predictions:
We thought France would be hamstrung by the amount of injured players. Instead, it seems to have spurred them on to do great things.
We thought Belgium for one would have performed better. It seems the magic just wasn’t there this time. Also worth noting is that from their group Morocco and Croatia went on to finish 3rd and 4th overall. But still, one would expect any team with Kevin De Bruyne to perform well, or at least to a certain standard. Roberto Martinez failed in his task to get the most out of the players at hand, that is the logical conclusion.
We thought Denmark would make it out of the group stage, and even on to the last 8. They only managed to score one goal though, and that was in their loss against France.
Overall thoughts on the 2022 World Cup
This was a World Cup where teams focusing on defensive organization got the better of teams having trouble scoring. Morocco, Croatia, Portugal, Australia, teams tough to play against. Look at Brazil, that breezed through the tournament up til the point where they met the Croatian Wall. Or Portugal, that failed to make a dent in the Moroccan defense. Those defensively solid teams then went on to take advantage of this, either through their performances in a penalty shootout or through exploiting any mistake made ingame.
What will always be remembered from this World Cup though, is its final. What – a – game!
Where most pundits had pegged this game to be nerve-wracking with both teams focusing on not conceding a goal, what a spectacle it turned out to be! This game had it all. An early pair of goals for one side, with the other seemingly not capable of doing anything to turn the tide. But then, in just a few minutes time, they turned it all around and scored twice to equalize! As if that wasn’t enough, the game went to overtime in which both teams scored again. Talk about a rollercoaster of emotions on display in the stadium, and I’m sure also for the fans watching at home and in the streets and squares of Buenos Aires and Paris.
A penalty shootout is almost like a coin toss to see who wins. Unless you have a penalty-stopping specialist like Emiliano Martinez in goal of course. And a couple cool cats to make sure their penalties end up in the back of the net. The rest, as they say, is history.
