2010 FIFA World Cup Expert Picks: Finals

By John in Featured, Now!, Opinion, Soccer ⋅ July 10, 2010 at 3:11pm ⋅ Post a comment

Paul the Octopus has predicted a German victory over Uruguay. (Getty Images)

The final round is here, and Paul the Octopus has weighed in. He has agreed with our staff, picking the Germans to take 3rd place and the Spanish to win it all. While Germany is a unanimous pick, the Netherlands were favored by two of the seven experts to win, perhaps because we (in general) think the Finals will be decided deeper than the German game.

It’s been a rough month for many of the teams so far, and I think the North Korean squad was sent to live on a farm upstate by now, but six of us have stuck with you throughout all of it. Check below to see how we all think the final round will turn out. And be aware that not only are we all picking the MVP of the tournament, but all point values are doubled!!! That means that picking the game winner and the minute of the winning goal to within five is worth four points, and picking the MVP and the minute of the winning goal to within fifteen is worth two points.

And just in case a tiebreaker is needed, we’ve also picked the minute in the Spain vs Netherlands match-up in which the first yellow card is given. Whoever gets closest will break the tie, or if no yellow card is given, whoever guessed the latest time will do so.

	Name	Brian	Dan	Erikk	John	KC	Robert	Teddy
Uruguay vs Germany	Winner	—–	Germany	Germany	Germany	Germany	Germany	Germany
	Minute of Winning Goal	—–	64	23	43	42	70	60
Netherlands vs Spain	Winner	Spain	Spain	Spain	Spain	Spain	Netherlands	Netherlands
	Minute of Winning Goal	77	70	71	89	76	60	70
World Cup	MVP	David Villa	David Villa	Diego Forlan	David Villa	David Villa	Wesley Sneijder	Wesley Sneijder
Tiebreaker	Minute of 1st Yellow Card in Netherlands/Spain	27	31	55	12	20	23	15
Total	Points	49	56	42	42	41	45	43

…..

Semifinals

	Name	Brian	Dan	Erikk	John	KC	Robert	Teddy
Uruguay vs Netherlands	Winner	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands
	Minute of Winning Goal	75	77	34	26	113	40	30
Germany vs Spain	Winner	Spain	Germany	Germany	Germany	Germany	Germany	Spain
	Minute of Winning Goal	60	74	65	58	77	75	60
Total	Points	49	56	42	42	41	45	43

Table Legend

Four point picks are bolded.
Two point picks are italicized.
Zero point picks are crossed out.

…..

Quarterfinals

	Name	Brian	Dan	Erikk	John	KC	Robert	Teddy
Uruguay vs Ghana	Winner	Ghana	Uruguay	Uruguay	Uruguay	Uruguay	Uruguay	Ghana
	Minute of Winning Goal	75	77	71	34	34	60	60
Argentina vs Germany	Winner	Germany	Argentina	Germany	Argentina	Argentina	Germany	Argentina
	Minute of Winning Goal	85	56	55	90	69	70	80
Netherlands vs Brazil	Winner	Netherlands	Netherlands	Brazil	Brazil	Brazil	Netherlands	Netherlands
	Minute of Winning Goal	45	80	88	49	77	65	45
Paraguay vs Spain	Winner	Spain	Spain	Spain	Spain	Spain	Spain	Spain
	Minute of Winning Goal	65	34	43	28	58	40	75
Total	Points	42	50	39	39	37	41	38

Table Legend

Four point picks are bolded.
Two point picks are italicized.
Zero point picks are crossed out.

…..

Round of 16

	Name	Brian	Dan	Erikk	John	KC	Robert	Teddy
Uruguay vs South Korea	Winner	Uruguay	Uruguay	Uruguay	Uruguay	Uruguay	—–	South Korea
	Minute of Winning Goal	80	33	53	52	25	—–	56
Argentina vs Mexico	Winner	Argentina	Argentina	Argentina	Argentina	Mexico	Argentina	Argentina
	Minute of Winning Goal	55	53	39	37	65	65	21
United States vs Ghana	Winner	United States	United States	United States	Ghana	United States	United States	United States
	Minute of Winning Goal	77	87	76	15	84	80	79
Germany vs England	Winner	Germany	Germany	Germany	England	Germany	Germany	England
	Minute of Winning Goal	70	74	63	105	65	35	80
Netherlands vs Slovakia	Winner	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands
	Minute of Winning Goal	45	78	21	23	34	30	32
Paraguay vs Japan	Winner	Paraguay	Japan	Paraguay	Paraguay	Paraguay	Paraguay	Japan
	Minute of Winning Goal	63	38	44	87	22	68	60
Brazil vs Chile	Winner	Brazil	Brazil	Brazil	Brazil	Brazil	Brazil	Brazil
	Minute of Winning Goal	58	23	17	29	58	55	40
Spain vs Portugal	Winner	Spain	Spain	Spain	Spain	Spain	Portugal	Portugal
	Minute of Winning Goal	81	59	56	105	112	70	55
Total	Points	36	43	33	35	32	31	33

Table Legend

Four point picks are bolded.
Two point picks are italicized.
Zero point picks are crossed out.

…..

Group Stage

	Name	Andrew	Brian	Charlie	Dan	Erikk	Jeff	John	KC	Robert	Teddy
Group A	Winner	France	France	France	France	Uruguay	Mexico	France	France	Mexico	France
	2nd Place	Mexico	Mexico	Mexico	South Africa	France	France	Mexico	Uruguay	France	Uruguay
	Total Goals	6	6	6	5	7	6	5	6	8	6
Group B	Winner	Argentina	Argentina	Argentina	Argentina	Argentina	Argentina	Argentina	Argentina	Argentina	Argentina
	2nd Place	South Korea	Greece	South Korea	Nigeria	Nigeria	Nigeria	Nigeria	Greece	Nigeria	South Korea
	Total Goals	8	8	8	6	9	7	9	8	6	7
Group C	Winner	England	United States	England	England	England	England	England	England	United States	England
	2nd Place	United States	England	United States	United States	United States	United States	United States	United States	England	United States
	Total Goals	7	5	5	4	7	5	11	6	6	5
Group D	Winner	Serbia	Germany	Ghana	Germany	Germany	Germany	Germany	Germany	Australia	Germany
	2nd Place	Germany	Australia	Germany	Ghana	Serbia	Serbia	Ghana	Ghana	Germany	Ghana
	Total Goals	5	6	6	5	8	6	7	8	6	8
Group E	Winner	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands	Netherlands
	2nd Place	Cameroon	Cameroon	Cameroon	Cameroon	Denmark	Cameroon	Cameroon	Cameroon	Cameroon	Denmark
	Total Goals	10	5	4	4	10	8	8	5	10	9
Group F	Winner	Italy	Italy	Italy	Italy	Italy	Italy	Italy	Italy	Italy	Italy
	2nd Place	Paraguay	Slovakia	Paraguay	Paraguay	Paraguay	Slovakia	Slovakia	Paraguay	Slovakia	Paraguay
	Total Goals	6	10	6	3	10	5	10	8	6	8
Group G	Winner	Portugal	Portugal	Brazil	Brazil	Brazil	Brazil	Brazil	Portugal	Brazil	Brazil
	2nd Place	Brazil	Brazil	Portugal	Portugal	Portugal	Cote d’Ivoire	Portugal	Brazil	Portugal	Portugal
	Total Goals	8	8	8	6	8	7	9	8	11	6
Group H	Winner	Spain	Spain	Spain	Spain	Spain	Spain	Spain	Spain	Spain	Spain
	2nd Place	Honduras	Switzerland	Chile	Chile	Chile	Chile	Chile	Chile	Honduras	Chile
	Total Goals	11	9	8	5	10	9	6	8	10	9
Total	Points	17	20	21	26	17	18	18	19	17	22