Germany and Spain are the 100% focus of the group, but trap matches are written all over. Germany and Spain encounter each other for the fourth time (Germany leads 2-0-1), but Germany looks to bounce back after their shocking group stage exit in 2018. Meanwhile, Spain is looking for their second straight knockout stage appearance and have a mix of experience and young talent. The Samurai Blues of Japan should play spoiler and advance to the knockout stage again. Costa Rica has plenty of veterans that span from 2014 and want to shock the world with a third all-time Round of 16 appearance.

SPAIN (7)

PREVIOUS APPEARANCES (16TH APPEARANCE)/LAST APPEARANCE (2018)

FARTHEST IN LAST APP. (ROUND OF 16 IN 2018)

Spain has a mix of talent across the board led by Sergio Busquets. They have an offense capable of scoring, which should be enough to advance. However, their defense allowed six goals in their last World Cup appearance and unfortunately exited the Round of 16 against Russia. They looked inconsistent and hope to learn from that in order to make a big run.

GERMANY (11)

PREVIOUS APPEARANCES (20TH APPEARANCE)/LAST APPEARANCE (2018)

FARTHEST IN LAST APP. (DIDN’T ADVANCE IN 2018)

Germany recuperated from their hangover after a 2014 World Cup title that led to their group exit in 2018. This is a very talented and consistent squad led by veterans Thomas Muller and Manuel Neuer. It’s assumed that they will advance the group without issue. They rarely exited a group stage and rarely finished in second place of a group in history. Can their defense still stifle opponents without Jerome Boateng’s presence after he concluded his career from the squad?

JAPAN (24)

PREVIOUS APPEARANCES (7TH APPEARANCE)/LAST APPEARANCE (2018)

FARTHEST IN LAST APP. (ROUND OF 16 IN 2018)

Japan moves on from their leading scorer Keisuke Honda and will be led by vets Yuto Nagatomo and Eiji Kawashima. This is a quality squad that survived and advanced to the Round of 16 despite the loss to Colombia in the last group match in 2018. It’s not likely that Japan will continue into the knockout stage since their last two scoring averages in World Cup play were underwhelming. Also, trying to defeat Germany and Spain in the same group will be a daunting task.

COSTA RICA (31)

PREVIOUS APPEARANCES (6TH APPEARANCE)/LAST APPEARANCE (2018)

FARTHEST IN LAST APP. (DIDN’T ADVANCE IN 2018)

Costa Rica appears in their sixth World Cup since 1990 and have about 23% of their returning squad from a surprising knockout stage run in 2014. This is an aging squad that suffered immensely to Group E’s 2018 opponents (Brazil, Serbia, and Switzerland. Unfortunately, Costa Rica faces a gauntlet group and will likely not advance unless they find a miracle from the likes of Bryan Ruiz and Joel Campbell, somehow.

MATCHUPS:

GROUP MATCH 11: GERMANY VS. JAPAN (NOVEMBER 23RD)

GROUP MATCH 10: SPAIN VS. COSTA RICA (NOVEMBER 23RD)

GROUP MATCH 25: JAPAN VS. COSTA RICA (NOVEMBER 27TH)

GROUP MATCH 28: SPAIN VS. GERMANY (NOVEMBER 27TH)

GROUP MATCH 43: JAPAN VS. SPAIN (DECEMBER 1)

GROUP MATCH 44: COSTA RICA VS. GERMANY (DECEMBER 1)

WHO SURVIVES THE GROUP:

GERMANY

For most of their appearances, they always come out hot and destroy their first opponent (sorry, Japan). But after that, they usually cool down or fall flat in the second game (it could happen against Spain). Don’t worry because Die Mannschaft have rarely finished second in group stage four times in the group stage era. They could tie with another team but expect Germany to win the group for sure.

SPAIN

Spain will run into some obstacles. They could potentially win the group, but it won’t be a cake walk by any stretch. It’s possible they could finally defeat Germany, but it doesn’t mean they’re in control just yet. Spain will battle hard to win the group, but it probably won’t be enough to avoid their potential matchup with Belgium in the knockout stage.

RESULTS

GERMANY 7 POINTS

SPAIN 7 POINTS

JAPAN 3 POINTS

COSTA RICA 0 POINTS