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SPORTbible Team Predicts The World Cup Winners

SPORTbible Team Predicts The World Cup Winners

We asked your favourite people to abuse online who will win the World Cup, who will score most goals and just how far England can go.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

The wallchart is on the wall, the bunting is draped across the room, the projector is set up, there's a World Cup flag behind me on the wall and of course two crosses of St George. World Cup fever has really hit the SPORTbible office!

You know the funny thing is I'm not lying about a single thing there, the office manager got a little excited this morning but who can blame her, it's World Cup day after all.

This afternoon, probably for the first time ever, we'll be properly excited to turn over to watch Russia and Saudi Arabia play football.

With the World Cup kicking off and our fevers at an all time high, only to be heightened by those brave Three Lions on Monday evening, it's time to make our predictions.

I asked around our office who everyone thought would win the tournament, who would be top scorer and best player, who to look out for as the surprise package and of course how far England would get.

Five of the nine replies reckon France will win the World Cup with Bristol City fan Nas Jabbar, head of social James Parrott, WWE expert Josh Lawless, king of captions Mark Whitehead and social team's latest addition Alex Taylor all in agreement that Didier Deschamps side will repeat the feats of 20 years ago.

You can understand why they've picked France. Image: PA Images
You can understand why they've picked France. Image: PA Images

Head of editorial Jack Kenmare reckons that Brazil will bury the demons of four years ago by winning their sixth World Cup. Professional England fan Macaulay Fletcher and video guru Joey Mills think that somehow England will win it, answering three questions at once essentially.

There's been long arguments in the office about whether Gareth Southgate's side will win with Macaulay thinking only Brazil, France, Germany and Spain are better than the Three Lions.

Personally I'm backing Germany to become the first side to win back-to-back titles since Brazil managed it in 1962.

Jack and Josh both think Antoine Griezmann will back up his Golden Boot at the Euros by pulling off the trick again in Russia. Nas, James and Alex plump for Neymar to grab the most goals.

Neymar has scored 55 goals for his country. Image: PA Images
Neymar has scored 55 goals for his country. Image: PA Images

Having seen all the predictions and going last I decided to go for someone different in Gabriel Jesus whilst Mark thinks it's Romelu Lukaku's time to shine. Sadly Macaulay and Joey still can't see their Danny Rose tinted glasses and picked Harry Kane.

Five of us pick someone from the country we predicted to win the World Cup to pick up the best player award in Russia, which seems to make sense.

I've gone with Toni Kroos, Nas picks Griezmann, Macaulay obviously picks Kane, Joey almost as predictably goes for Raheem Sterling and Mark picks Kylian Mbappe to shine in his first World Cup.

Argentina's hopes rest on Messi's shoulders. Can he win a second Player of the Tournament award in a row? Image: PA Images
Argentina's hopes rest on Messi's shoulders. Can he win a second Player of the Tournament award in a row? Image: PA Images

Triple Neymar for Josh, Alex and James with only Jack plumping for Lionel Messi. We can all only apologise to Cristiano Ronaldo.

Joey thinks the Japanese will spring from their group to reach the quarters, added to his England prediction that means Belgium will only be making the second round.

Nas has Denmark making the quarters meaning either they or Croatia will need to spring a surprise in the Group Stages.

Will Croatia repeat Suker and the cast of 98? Image: PA Images
Will Croatia repeat Suker and the cast of 98? Image: PA Images

Fortunately three of us think Croatia will provide just that. I reckon the Croats will top their Group, beating Argentina to top spot and see them go out in the second round to France. Whilst that sees Croatia going out in the quarters for me, Mark and Josh both have them getting to the semis.

Jack's probably gone for the biggest surprise package of the lot with Peru making the quarters, which would likely need to mean the end of our Croatia hopes.

Alex and James both pick England as their surprise package to reach the quarters, although that hasn't really surprised the rest of us.

And that's because we've all picked Southgate's side to get to the last eight, well all apart from Mac and Joey of course...

Seriously considering the last few tournaments reaching the last eight would be bloody good for the 1966 winners, who have only been past the quarters once since.

It's likely they'd face Brazil or Germany at that point so it's not exactly a disgrace to go out to either of the two most successful sides in history.

Now remember all of this for four weeks time when you can use it against us.

Let us know your predictions.

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Topics: Football News, Russia 2018, World Cup news, World Cup, Russia