Germany vs. Curaçao
Germany does not enter the World Cup in the top five, but they remain an outside contender to take home the trophy. There is a high probability they emerge from the group and into the knockout round, with a realistic chance to reach the quarterfinals.
Germany does lack a prolific goal scorer, so they will need multiple players to contribute to the score sheet. Arsenal star Kai Havertz will need to step up, along with attacking midfielder Leroy Sané, if Germany wants to make a deep run.
Curaçao, a tiny Caribbean island nation, is the smallest nation to ever qualify for a World Cup. They play with pace, passion, and skill that could disrupt any defense, including giving trouble to the German defense and captain Joshua Kimmich.
Prior to 2010, Curaçao players competed for the Netherlands, and now, led by a Dutch coach, they will be tactically well organized to attempt the huge task of taking down Germany, one of the giants of global soccer. Don’t expect a blowout, because Curaçao’s strength is in their defense.
Pro Paul’s Pick: Germany wins.
Netherlands vs. Japan
This game is a top featured headliner. Both countries have the potential to go deep into the tournament.
The Netherlands, known for their “Dutch touch,” always seem to come together at the right time, and I do not anticipate this tournament to be the exception. Ranked in the top 10 in the FIFA rankings, confidence is streaming even further after one prominent mathematical prediction had the Oranje winning the Cup.
Star players Denzel Dumfries and Virgil van Dijk are like a wall in the back, with the Dutch allowing only four goals against in qualification. However, that was with the presence of goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, who will be absent from the World Cup due to injury.
Japan comes into the tournament as a sleeper, not being featured or talked about much. Entering the tournament ranked 12th in the FIFA rankings, Japan is heavily favored to advance out of the group and hopes to finally break the “Round of 16” curse that has haunted them in past Cups.
Japan is capable of stunning the world, having beaten European powerhouses Spain, Germany, and England, as well as South American giants Brazil, in recent years. The tight passing and quickness of midfielder Takefusa Kubo and striker Ayase Ueda will keep Holland on their toes throughout this match.Pro Paul’s Pick: Netherlands wins.
Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador
This is one of the most exciting matchups in the early stages.
The Elephants of Ivory Coast are powerful, ambitious, and poised with talent. They will be aggressive in the attack and will battle hard in duels when necessary.
Ecuador can handle major attacks, proving they have one of the best defenses, if not the best defense, in this tournament. Ecuador’s two star center backs are Piero Hincapié and Willian Pacho. Hincapié, 24, plays for Arsenal on loan from Bayer Leverkusen and has 51 international caps with three goals. Pacho, also 24, is with Paris Saint-Germain and has 34 caps with two goals for Ecuador.
This past Champions League final featured both of these players, with PSG and Pacho coming out on top. That kind of defensive quality will be crucial against an Ivory Coast team that has the power and talent to cause real problems.
This is going to be a thriller of a match.Pro Paul’s Pick: Ecuador wins.
Sweden vs. Tunisia
Sweden, a late playoff qualifier, does not enter the tournament as strong of a team as they have been in the past. But that is not saying they won’t somehow start clicking all of a sudden and go on a winning streak.
There is some room for hope, especially with Sweden having two premium strikers in Viktor Gyökeres and Alexander Isak. However, lacking depth in defense will remain a concern for the Swedes as they try to secure a spot in the knockout round of 32, either through one of the top two group spots or another path forward.
Tunisia has never advanced into the second round in seven previous tries and realistically may only advance as one of the eight best third-place finishers. That makes this game against Sweden just about a must-win situation due to a tough group draw with the Netherlands and Japan.
The Eagles’ roster is a blend of players from European and domestic leagues, led by key midfielders Ellyes Skhiri and Hannibal Mejbri. These two leaders will have a lot on their plate in rallying their teammates to stay focused for 90 minutes while going after a crucial three-point victory.
