2018 World Cup Team Profiles: Group F

In the sixth edition of our World Cup Team Profiles, Group F undergoes a thorough examination. Can Germany defend it's World Cup crown? Can Mexico push deep into the tournament? Can Sweden or South Korea cause some shocks? Let's take a look.

Want to hear more about these groups? Check out our Betting on the World Cup Podcast! You can listen to Stats Insider staff go in deep on each group. Here's their Group E & F Preview.

Average Group Outcome (According to Stats Insider Models):
Germany
Mexico
Sweden
South Korea

GERMANY

Average Finishing Place In Group: 1st
Odds to Qualify from Group (Percentage Chance): $1.15 (87.1%)
Odds to Win Group (Percentage Chance): $1.51 (66.1%)
Odds to Finish Bottom of Group (Percentage Chance): $23.81 (4.2%)
Odds to Win World Cup: $7.30 (13.7%)

Joachim Löw’s men return to the World Cup stage as defending Champions, and Löw has recently extended his contract even though many thought his era was ending after the German’s loss to France in the EURO 2016 Semi-Final. They qualified with aplomb, winning all ten qualifiers scoring forty-three goals in the process. In fact, until Germany’s 2-1 loss to Austria in recent friendly, they hadn’t been defeated since that loss to France.

Leroy Sané has been a controversial exclusion but despite his success at club level, but he hasn’t been able to replicate that same form on the International stage. Manuel Neuer has been made Captain for Russia 2018, and it’ll be interesting to see how he bounces back from a long-term injury.

Jérôme Boateng and Mats Hummels anchor a strong defence, ahead of the likes of Ilkay Gündogan, Marco Reus, Toni Kroos and Mesut Özil in midfield. This is an older version of the team that won in 2014 but nevertheless, they remain a strong contender. Timo Werner and Leon Goretzka are two potential breakout stars whilst Thomas Müller forever remains a deadly option up front.

Keep your eye on: Toni Kroos must control the midfield for the German’s to dominate the games the way that they can. He is one of the leaders of the side and might be the most influential because of Neuer’s prolonged absence. Nobody keeps a midfield ticking over the way he does, and he has incredible intelligence, calmness and precision unlike any other player in the world.

MEXICO

Average Finishing Place In Group: 2nd
Odds to Qualify from Group (Percentage Chance): $1.99 (50.4%)
Odds to Win Group (Percentage Chance): $6.53 (15.3%)
Odds to Finish Bottom of Group (Percentage Chance): $4.52 (22.1%)
Odds to Win World Cup: $140 (0.7%)

El Tri had little difficulty qualifying for the World Cup but Juan Carlos Osorio is under severe pressure to prove the mettle of his men this summer is legitimate. Guillermo Ochoa, Andrés Guardado, Héctor Moreno, Héctor Herrera and Javier Hernández form the core of a talented Mexican outfit and are the backbone of experience in a squad keen to prove themselves and get out of Group E.

Questions surround Osorio’s ability to maximise the talent in his squad, and whether his constant and renowned tinkering borders on overcomplicating things. Quarter Finals will be the aim of this group, even though they’ve only done it twice in previous World Cup’s.

They qualified with three games to spare in CONCACAF and were impressive in doing so. Are the Mexicans ready to meet expectations or will this be another predictable finish?

Keep your eye on: we know about Herrera, Chicharito, Guardado and Moreno, but this might be Hirving Lozano’s breakout tournament. PSV’s dynamic and versatile forward had an incredible campaign, tallying 19 goals and 11 assists in 34 games, attracting the interest of bigger European clubs. He can provide with his strong crossing and set-piece ability and can create with his sublime passing in open play.

SWEDEN

Average Finishing Place In Group: 3rd
Odds to Qualify from Group (Percentage Chance): $2.74 (36.5%)
Odds to Win Group (Percentage Chance): $8.76 (11.4%)
Odds to Finish Bottom of Group (Percentage Chance): $3.44 (29.1%)
Odds to Win World Cup: $290 (0.3%)

No Zlatan Ibrahimovic, no party for the Swedes? Hardly. Like Zlatan’s recent club showings, his teams have been better for his absence despite his impressive production. Janne Andersson and his men have moved on from their prodigal son, rebuilding the Swedish side without Ibrahimovic and they’ve been all the better for it.

They finished second in their European qualifying group behind France, then impressively upset Italy in the Playoffs. This is a hard-working, disciplined Swedish side that will be difficult to break down for their Group E rivals. Victor Lindelöf anchors a strong defence, and it was the platform on which the Swedes built their return to the World Cup for the first time since 2006.

Ibrahimovic’s shadow will linger over this side for a while yet but Russia 2018 is their chance to emerge from it all the better. Without him, they’ve proved to be a well-structured and organised team. Now, what can they muster this summer?

Keep your eye on: RP Leipzig’s Emil Forsberg is the main man in Andersson’s attack now that Ibrahimovic has gone and won’t be taking part this summer. He struggled at club level this season, but he is a talented attacker, an incredible dribbler when running with pace, and his ability to create for others from wide spaces or in the middle is something to see.

SOUTH KOREA

Average Finishing Place In Group: 4th
Odds to Qualify from Group (Percentage Chance): $3.84 (26.1%)
Odds to Win Group (Percentage Chance): $13.89 (7.2%)
Odds to Finish Bottom of Group (Percentage Chance): $2.24 (44.6%)
Odds to Win World Cup: $730 (0.1%)

South Korea struggled through qualifying, having issues in attack and defence and eventually finishing behind Iran in Group A of Asian qualifying. Uli Stielike was swiftly sacked and Shin Tae-yong was promoted from managing the country’s youth sides to the Seniors setup.

The country’s tactical setup is not clear either, with Shin constantly switching between a 4-4-2 and 3-at-the-back system with mixed results. The South Koreans have done the minimum and not really shown that they can make it out of their group. That’s not to say under their new management things can change, but a lot of work will need to be done for their situation to change.

Son Heung-min from Tottenham Hotspur, Ki Sung-yueng from Swansea City and Crystal Palace’s Lee Chung-yong are the stars of the side and keys to the team. They’ll need to shine and lead from the front if South Korea stand any chance to make it to the knockout stage.

Keep your eye on: the 2017 Asian Player of the Year has been a revelation as a key rotational player at Tottenham and will need to bring those goalscoring qualities with him to Russia. Skilled with both feet, he is fast and strong for his size. The 25-year-old will need to lead from the front and shine bright for his nation to have any hope.

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