After winning the 2014 World Cup with Mario Götze’s late goal against Argentina, Germany failed to advance past the group stage in 2018 and 2022. With the expansion to 48 teams in the group stage and 32 teams advancing to the knockout stages, it will be difficult for a top 10 team to be eliminated in the group stage. Difficult, but not impossible.
In that incredible 2014 World Cup run, Bayern Munich legend Thomas Müller earned the Silver Ball for scoring five goals. If anyone knows what it takes to get it done on the biggest stage, it’s the Raumdeuter.
“At first glance, when you read the names of the opponents, advancing from the group is obviously a must,” Müller told MagentaTV (via @iMiaSanMia). “With Ivory Coast, we have the African champions, and with Ecuador, the runner-up in the South American qualifiers. I don’t know much about Curaçao. When you look at the overall situation, where the eight best third-placed teams out of twelve groups also advance, then advancing to the knockouts is once again a must.”
The combination of Ecuador (23rd), Ivory Coast (42nd), and Curaçao (82nd) represents a decent degree of difficulty, but Germany is the heavy favorite (-200) to win Group E.
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