Sports data company Gracenote has pipped Brazil to lift the FIFA World Cup this year in Russia.
Brazil are favourites to win the FIFA World Cup this year, according to Gracenote. The sports data company performed around a million simulations of possible results on the basis of FIFA rankings to come to this conclusion.
Gracenote predicts that Brazil has 21% chances of winning the world cup, followed by Spain, with 10%. The data company has also taken into consideration the draws which teams could face in the knock-out rounds.
Gracenote notes that Argentina’s draw is difficult as compared to rest of the teams. The Lionel Messi-led side could face Spain as early as the quarter-finals if both the teams win their respective groups. Argentina is given the fourth-highest chance at world cup glory. Germany is third, while France completes the top-5.
Gracenote also claims that there is a 47% chance that this year’s World Cup winner will be from a country other than Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany or Spain.
Meanwhile, the knockout phase of the world cup will be dominated by European and Latin American countries.
Peru has been given a surprisingly higher chance of winning the world cup than teams like England, Belgium and Portugal.
Chances of reaching the knockout stages of the world cup:
Group A: Uruguay 77%, Russia 60%, Egypt 36%, Saudi Arabia 27%
Group B: Spain 76%, Portugal 58%, Iran 35%, Morocco 30%
Group C: France 69%, Peru 68%, Denmark 35%, Australia 27%
Group D: Argentina 82%, Croatia 57%, Iceland 35%, Nigeria 27%
Group E: Brazil 90%, Switzerland 51%, Serbia 31%, Costa Rica 28%
Group F: Germany 79%, Mexico 60%, Sweden 34%, South Korea 27%
Group G: England 71%, Belgium 71%, Tunisia 32%, Panama 26%
Group H: Colombia 77%, Poland 50%, Senegal 45%, Japan 29%
