World Cup Predictions: Winners, Surprises and England’s Best XI

It’s here. The World Cup begins tonight and we get the views of the This Is Anfield writers and contributors on who they think will take the plaudits in Brazil. Have a read and share yours in the comments.

We asked the team for their predictions for the overall winner, runner-up, who will be the “surprise” of the tournament, how far England will get, the top goalscorer, and what their starting XI for England would be.

HENRY JACKSON:

Overall Winners: Brazil

Runners Up: Argentina

Surprise Package: Chile

England: Group Stages

Tournament Top Goalscorer: Higuain

England XI: Hart, Johnson, Cahill, Jagielka, Baines, Gerrard, Henderson, Lallana, Sterling, Rooney, Sturridge (4-2-3-1).

ADAM GRIFFIES:

Winners: Spain

Runners up: Brazil

Surprise package: Colombia (QFs at least)

England: Last 16

Top scorer: Messi

England XI: (4-3-3): Hart; Johnson, Cahill, Jones, Baines; Gerrard; Henderson, Barkley; Sterling, Sturridge, Rooney.

JACK LUSBY:

Overall Winners: Germany

Runners Up: Brazil

Surprise Package: Chile

England: Last 16

Tournament Top Goalscorer: Luis Suarez

XI: Hart; Johnson (begrudgingly…), Cahill, Jagielka, Baines; Gerrard, Henderson; Lallana, Barkley, Sterling; Sturridge.

MAX MUNTON:

Overall Winners: Argentina

Runners Up: Brazil

Surprise Package: Switzerland

England: Quarter-finals

Tournament Top Goalscorer: Lionel Messi

England XI (4-1-2-2-1 / 4-3-3): Hart, Johnson, Cahill, Jagielka, Baines, Gerrard, Henderson, Barkley, Lallana, Sterling, Sturridge.

DAN HOLLAND:

Winners – Argentina

Runners up – Brazil

Surprise – Belgium

England – lose to Brazil in QF

Top Scorer – Sturridge

England XI – Hart; Johnson Jagielka Cahill Baines; Hendo Gerrard Barkley; Sterling Sturridge Chamberlain.

MARK PEARSON:

Overall Winners: Brazil

Runners Up: Germany

Surprise Package: Colombia

England: Last 16

Tournament Top Goalscorer: Fred

England XI: Hart; Glen Johnson, Shaw, Cahill, Jones; Gerrard, Wilshere, Henderson, Sterling; Sturridge, Rooney (midfield diamond).

AARON CUTLER:

Overall Winners: Argentina

Runners Up: Brazil

Surprise Package: Chile

England: Group Stage

Tournament Top Goalscorer: Higuain

England XI: Hart, Johnson, Cahill, Jagielka, Baines, Gerrard, Henderson, Lallana, Rooney, Sterling, Sturridge.

TOM McMAHON:

Overall Winners: Brazil

Runners Up: Argentina

Surprise Package: Switzerland

England: Quarter Finals

Tournament Top Goalscorer: Lionel Messi

England XI: Hart, Johnson, Cahill, Jagielka, Baines, Gerrard, Henderson, Lallana, Sterling, Sturridge, Rooney.

MATT SPROSTON:

Overall Winners: Argentina

Runners Up: Brazil

Surprise Package: Bosnia

England: Top group then lose in the quarter finals to Spain

Tournament Top Goalscorer: Fred

England XI: Hart, Johnson, Baines, Cahill, Jagielka, Gerrard, Henderson, Sterling, Lallana, Rooney, Sturridge.

MATT LADSON:

Overall Winners: Argentina

Runners Up: Brazil

Surprise Package: Chile

England: 2nd in group, out in quarter final

Tournament Top Goalscorer: Messi (hat trick vs Nigeria, Iran or Bosnia gets him halfway there)

England XI: Hart; Johnson, Cahill,Jagielka, Baines; Gerrard, Henderson, Lallana, Sterling; Lambert, Sturridge (midfield diamond).

JOSEPH COPELAND:

Overall Winner: Uruguay. Luis Suarez is in the form of his life, and it seems like nothing can stop him. It’s also time for Edinson Cavani to be played as a true forward for his country, not a winger. If the Cavani-Suarez partnership is properly formed, it will be hard to stop this team going forward.

Runner-Up: Germany. More frustration for one of the football richest countries in the world. They can overcome injuries to reach the Final, but that’s where they’ll run out of steam.

Surprise Package: Brazil will not make the Quarterfinals. They have plenty of flair, but the pressure of hosting a World Cup is more than this young group have had to endure and they will lose to the Netherlands in the Round of 16. As a result, the host nation will fall apart with stunned supporters wreaking havoc across the land.

England: I can’t see England getting out of Group D. Uruguay and Italy are better overall squads, and it will show. A win over Costa Rica will not be enough to ease the heat on Roy Hodgson following the early exit.

Tournament Top Goalscorer: This is simple, Luis Suarez. Followed closely by Arjen Robben from Holland and Thomas Muller for Germany.

England XI: Hart, Johnson, Cahill, Jagielka, Baines, Gerrard (C), Sterling, Wilshere, Milner, Rooney, Sturridge.

Check back later when three of the This Is Anfield team share their more in-depth previews and World Cup predictions.

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