Argentina to beat Germany. Given injuries, fatigue and the lack of preparation time, this feels a very hard World Cup to predict so if the European stranglehold is to be broken, it may have to be now. Argentina and Brazil are both in great form – albeit having played limited European opposition, but I worry about the back of Brazil’s midfield, whereas Argentina, even without Giovani Lo Celso, have a nice balance and the narrative thrust of Lionel Messi in his final World Cup. Germany and Spain look the most coherent European teams, but Germany perhaps have a little more experience.