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Apparently 4 of the last 5 winners have gone out in the group stages 4 years later

That sounds right.

Germany this time around.
Spain were brutal in Brazil.
France imploded in South Africa with the bus strike and all.

I can remember what Italy did in 2010. I don't think Brazil went out early in 2006 though. Maybe it's the last 4 in a row?

Four of the last five winners haven't got past the group stage at the next tournament:

France won in 1998, finished bottom of their group in 2002
Brazil won in 2002, went to the quarters in 2006
Italy won in 2006, finished bottom of their group in 2010
Spain won in 2010, finished third in their group in 2014
Germany won in 2014, finished bottom of their group in 2018

Very interesting for the usual suspects. Italy didn't even make it. Germany are out. Argentina are poor. Brazil are underwhelming.
It's a great opportunity for a second rank team to win the tournament .

If Belgium really are 'it' they will never have a better chance.

The Tier-1 teams appear to have forgotten how to defend, and the Tier-2 teams appear to have forgotten how to attack.  Of them all, so far, only Brazil look like they can go through the gears ... sadly.

Brazil look to be slowly getting into gear...very slowly admittedly.

Like the UK in Eurovision a big nul points for me yesterday!

So what are the possible second round, QF games for Blighty ? Isn't the Colombia/Poland group the second round game ?

Yes. But Poland are gone and Colombia might not make it either.

England are at the very bottom of the draw.  They will play either Senegal, Japan or Colombia in the last 16.  If they win their group and the last 16 game they will play either Mexico or Brazil in the quarters

If they come second in the group and win their last 16 game, they will play either Sweden or Switzerland in the quarters.

Updated. Seems the smart move is to come second in the group??

No one gets any points in the S Kor Germany game

The BBC are so happy the Germans are going out

Could be their Year! 

It's certainly opening up the draw for them.

Germany bottom of the group!

No question there.

Germany incredibly slow to move the ball.   No speed in that team at all.  Werner looks out of his depth.

Do they need to score twice? The RTE commentators had said they needed to match Swedens result to go through. Sweden are two up.

BBC are saying that 1-0 to Germany (and 2-0 to Sweden) will send Mexico home.

Germany staring down the barrell!

Ozil has been shocking.  His body language is terrible.

[Gok Wan]

Alright, Gok Wan.

See myself as more of a Laurence Llewellyn Bowen man.

Germany back in the traditional green change strip after f**king about with reds and blacks.

Argentina always play better in the black shorts.  The white ones look shite.

Saudi Arabia 2 - 1 Egypt.  Nobody predicted a Saudi win much less the correct score!