How's your World Cup fever getting on? Personally I'm at 'listening to Three Lions at least three times a day' but not quite at 'face painting the cross of St George on my face' levels. Fortunately EA and FIFA are here to crank up the excitement even more.
This time of year is usually the time to start yelling at the screen every time your favourite tennis player just misses the impossible drop shot that you wouldn't get close to making or deciding if cricket will ever be as good as it was in the summer of 2005.
But of course World Cup years aren't any normal year. Right now the football may be over after the Champions League and play-off finals but instead of wallowing in 'summer' sports we can bellow out Vindaloo, World in Motion and Wavin' Flag and watch the wondrous festival of football that is the World Cup.
Advert
It's unlikely right now that we'll all be in the fountains in Trafalgar Square on July 15th celebrating Gareth Southgate's men repeating the heroics of 1966 it's not exactly a foregone conclusion who will win.
So EA Sports decided to use the new World Cup mode on FIFA 18 to help them predict the winner and according to them it'll be Hugo Lloris lifting the trophy as France go all 1998 on us.
The headlines from the group stages sees Mo Salah's Egypt go out on the knockout rounds, finishing behind Uruguay and hosts Russia in Group A whilst Sweden go through at the expense of Mexico in Group F and Croatia finish above Argentina in Group D, a prediction I wholeheartedly agree with.
Advert
Brazil make sure Sweden go no further with a 4-0 walloping whilst Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo surprisingly crash out 2-1 to Luis Suarez' Uruguay.
Argentina pay for failing to top the group as they go out 1-0 to France and Lionel Messi is presumably once again seen as some sort of failure.
And England, typical England, make it through the Group Stages to find themselves up against Colombia in the last 16 but that's as far as it gets. The sides are inseparable after 90 minutes and Gareth Southgate's brave lions lose 5-4 on penalties, no surprise.
Belgium shock pre tournament favourites Brazil 2-0 in the quarters. France beat Uruguay and England's old pals Germany get revenge for them by beating Colombia. Spain complete the all European semis by ending Croatia's run.
Advert
Didier Deschamps side reach the final with a 2-1 win over Roberto Martinez's Belgium and whilst they don't quite replicate their 7-1 win from the last semis Germany make it into another final with a 3-1 win over 2010 champions Spain.
The final is a 1-1 draw that takes us down to the ultimate in football drama a shoot out in the World Cup final. Unlike their 2006 loss to Italy though it is France who reign supreme, winning 4-3.
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Football News, Russia 2018, FIFA, EA Sports, World Cup, France, FIFA 18