The World Cup is unique in team sports in that the world championship series only takes place every four years like the Olympics. Countries large and small from all around the world are busy trying to qualify for a berth in the big event.
In the USA it is called Soccer but, for most of the rest of the world, it is known simply as football. If you are in Europe, for example, and say something about a football game, everyone will naturally assume that you are talking about what we call Soccer. One must specify “American Football”.
Each region of the world has its own set of qualifying matches leading up to the actual event which will take place down in Brazil next year. The USA team has been doing very well in its series with Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras, Mexico and Jamaica. So far, Costa Rica and the USA are leading the pack with Jamaica and Panama all but out of competition.
In a strange turn of events, Mexico lost its match with Costa Rica recently but actually saw its odds on the big board shorten for the big event in 2014. Go figure. El Tri, as the Mexican team is known, should have been knocked down after losing to the Ticos but late goals by the second string US team beat Panama which kept the Mexicans in competition.
Back in September, Mexico was listed at 80-1 to win the World Cup but, even after two miserable showings, the odds on El Tri have been shortened to 60-1. They are in fourth place in the CONCACAF series behind the US, Costa Rica and Honduras.
Oddsmakers seem to be counting on the fact that there is still a year to go before the actual matches in Brazil begin which will give the Mexico time to improve. The odds on the USA team, although they win consistently, remain static at 50-1.
Of course, this division is not where the real powerhouses of world Soccer reside, never really has been. The perennial big guns of Brazil, Germany and Argentina are right back at the top of the favorites chart, their usual position.
Host team Brazil is listed as favorites to take the Cup this year on their home field at 11-4 followed closely by Argentina and Germany who are tied for second place at 9-2 with the Spanish coming in this time around at 5-1. Belgium rounds out the top five at 12-1.
