Group B
Group B Results and Final Placings
Estrella Galicia (Spain): V : Casablanca (Morocco): 1-0
? (Iran): V : Super Bock (Portugal): 0-1
? (Iran): V : Estrella Galicia (Spain): 0-1
Gallas Cerveja (Portugal): V : Casablanca (Morocco): 1-0
Casablanca (Morocco): V : ? (Iran): 1-0
Estrella Galicia (Spain): V : Gallas Cerveja (Portugal) 0-1
PORTUGAL: 9 Qualify
SPAIN: 6 Qualify
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MOROCCO: 3
IRAN: 0
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Estrella Galicia (Spain): V : Casablanca (Morocco): 1-0
For the first time Casablanca actually didn’t taste too bad today, but smoother and more enjoyable than the other two days. Still hadn’t much in the way of actual taste though. For that reason I will give the win to Estrella Galicia, as I really enjoy this beer cold from the fridge, perfectly smooth, and the malts hitting the spot. Yeah one nil to Spain.
? (Iran): V : Super Bock (Portugal): 0-1
SuperBock on its own, nice and smooth. No competition, so Portugal take top sport in my World Cup of Beer, Group B.
? (Iran): V : Estrella Galicia (Spain): 0-1
Estrella with no competition, enjoyable enough cold on a hot summers day watching the football.
Gallas Cerveja (Portugal): V : Casablanca (Morocco): 1-0
Had a Gallas IPA, was ok, much better than the bland lager Casablanca that has proven to be a disappointment so far in the beer world cup, a bit like their football team to be honest!
Casablanca (Morocco): V : ? (Iran): 1-0
Unlike the football Casablanca won this one, just as well as it was pretty shitty, but with no competition from Iran, they take the win.
Estrella Galicia (Spain): V : Gallas Cerveja (Portugal) 0-1
Gallas Wit Cinco de Abril Versus Estrella Galicia. Although I enjoyed both beers, I will give this one to Gallas, as it was just that bit more fruity and tasteful. 1-0 to Portugal.
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Three nations here that I can play around with. Iran dont do beer, full stop, a big no, no! But interestingly Morocco do, a lager called Casablanca from, eh, Casablanca. While I got two standard beers from Spain and Portugal, football special Super Bock, and Estrella Galicia. But I also got some interesting Portuguese beers from Gallas Cerveja which might shake the group up. But lets see…….
Gallas Cerveja
Super Bock
Estrella Galicia
No beer, no fun from Iran, guess a good kebab will suffice though
Still the best World cups for me in terms of atmosphere or world cup songs was the Korea/Japan event where the passion came from the stands, and the 1990’s when music was still something to behold. 
So I probably wont be looking at the opening ceremony. The music might be trash, sorry, will be trash, and I couldn’t really stomach seeing the corporate in their suits guffawing in the prawn sandwich seats, while doing the two step to look down with the kids. 
There is a quiet confidence with this England team and the manager has also done very well to blood the team with a lot of new young players and letting some big names retire early. This is an England team without the big stars and big egos of English teams past. Wayne Rooney is finally gone, thank Christ, and there are no Beckham, Gerrard, Lampard, Owens type players to raise expectations. Ok Harry Kane could arguably fill that bracket, but he is still relatively unproven at international level, and with him we have Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford, Danny Rose and Dele Alli, a bunch of players who have had good seasons with their clubs the last few years, and who if they gel together can propel England far in this World Cup. 
They are in a relatively easy group. Ok Belgium are tough, but England should have too much for Tunisia and Panama, and I’d fully expect them to come out of the group without too much bother. Their last game against Belgium should be a great head to head to see who gets to play either Colombia, Senegal or Poland in round two, all beatable teams for England either way. But after that it is either Brazil or Germany in the last eight awaiting, and both teams are tough to break down. But the good thing for England is that Southgate has the team well drilled on penalties, a nice change from previous managers who didn’t think it necessary! England should get to the last eight, but after that they might need Kane to hit the form of his life to go beyond that. 
I have to be honest, I dont think they actually played much decent football at that tournament, a lot of it was smash and grab stuff. But to be fair to the Icelanders, it wasn’t a tournament with a lot of quality on show. We did learn though, that this team can compete and can beat the top teams. And they will never give up, playing right to the 90th minute and beyond. Which goes to show you that a team which such a strong work ethic always have a chance. I guess that’s why we love watching them. 
They have a tough group though. Argentina, Nigeria and Croatia, three teams that are no pushovers. The only thing with Argentina is that they are notorious slow starters and Iceland might just catch them cold on the first day. After that I’d imagine they might be a bit too clever for Nigeria, and would be well able to match them physically. Last match against Croatia they might just need a draw, but it might be hard to keep Modric and co quiet for 90 minutes. I expect Iceland to go close but at the moment my head says that Argentina and Croatia will just shade it. The fact I didn’t mention any players shows that its the team and their cohesiveness that is the main thing for Iceland, but sometimes you need a top star to change a game and that’s where I feel in such a tight group could be where they come up short. But I could be wrong, and like so many people in the last Euros, Iceland just might prove us all wrong. Again! 
I’d expect them to canter in their group. Switzerland and Serbia are muck and Brazil will play some samba football putting them to the sword. Costa Rica might give them some game, but also wont have a chance of an upset. Nine points and lots of goals should see them ease into the second round where they might get to probably play Mexico. Belgium or even England in the last eight might be interesting but you would imagine that Brazil would edge them to make the semis. Might get France/Portugal/Spain in the semis to set up a possible final with Germany and a chance to really set the record straight. Now wouldn’t that be some final?
All eyes will be on Neymar, coming into the World Cup at 26 and in peak physical fitness, this really can his World Cup. I am also looking forward to seeing Liverpool ace, Roberto Firmino, and also Gabriel Jesus of Man City. Both players having great seasons in the EPL. Both the whole squad looks decent and although my heart skipped a beat when I saw the name Fred, rest assured it is a new younger Fred who plays in Ukraine with Shakhtar Donetsk, phew!
Messi they wouldn’t have even made it out of their group. Getting hammered 6-1 recently by Spain and only just about getting qualification (once again thanks to Messi in the last game) doesn’t bode well for this years games. They already lost to group rivals Nigeria recently as well. 
But you can never discount Messi. The 5 time World Player of the year will surely once again drag his team kicking and screaming over the line. I expect them to get out of the group, just about. With a tough second round game against either Denmark or France that might cause issues to them, and if they get trough that they have Spain or Portugal in the last eight. It wont be easy and it seems every game is a challenge. I don’t think they can do it as Sergio Aguero is carrying a niggly injury and Gonzalo Higuain is a crock of shit.
A pretty good Denmark team could seriously cause them problems in the group stage, but otherwise they should dispatch of a poor Australian team and a Peru team who are probably still in shock of actual qualifying. The Denmark game is last of the three, and it really could go either way. To early to call for me. The difference in winning is avoiding a possible Argentinian team in the second round. Or play Iceland/Nigeria/Croatia? A possible semi’s with Germany or Brazil lie in the long grass depending on results. 
Didier Deschamps has surprised me in how well he has done with the French national team, he has got them far considering the mess he had taken over from Blanc and Domenech before him. They play generally good football under him and we dont tend to see any strife that has rocked previous French teams. But it is France and they are hard to predict. Could get to the last eight, but I dont think they have just enough to get past Germany or Brazil.
Nice talk with Seth Burkett, an ex professional footballer in Brazil and author of the well received book “The Boy in Brazil”
