Group F
Germany
How qualified – Won UEFA Group C
Best performance – Winners in 1954, 1974, 1990 & 2014
Squad
GOALKEEPERS: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona), Kevin Trapp (Paris St-Germain)
DEFENDERS: Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Matthias Ginter (Borussia Monchengladbach), Jonas Hector (Cologne), Mats Hummels (Bayern Munich), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Marvin Plattenhardt (Hertha Berlin), Antonio Rudiger (Chelsea), Niklas Sule (Bayern Munich)
MIDFIELDERS: Julian Brandt (Bayer Leverkusen), Julian Draxler (Paris St-Germain), Leon Goretska (Schalke), Ilkay Gundogan (Manchester City), Sami Khedira (Juventus), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), Sebastian Rudy (Bayern Munich)
STRIKERS: Mario Gomez (Stuttgart), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund), Timo Werner (RB Leipzig)
Mexico
How qualified – Won CONACAF Group A
Best performance – Winners in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 & 2002
Squad
GOALKEEPERS: Guillermo Ochoa (Standard Liege), Alfredo Talavera (Toluca), Jesus Corona (Cruz Azul).
DEFENDERS: Carlos Salcedo (Eintracht Frankfurt), Diego Reyes (Porto), Hector Moreno (Real Sociedad), Hugo Ayala (Tigres), Edson Alvarez (America), Jesus Gallardo (Monterrey), Miguel Layun (Sevilla).
MIDFIELDERS: Rafael Marquez (Atlas), Hector Herrera (Porto), Jonathan Dos Santos (LA Galaxy), Giovani Dos Santos (LA Galaxy), Andres Guardado (Real Betis), Marco Fabian (Eintracht Frankfurt).
FORWARDS: Javier Hernandez (West Ham), Raul Jimenez (Benfica), Oribe Peralta (America), Jesus Manuel Corona (Porto), Carlos Vela (Los Angeles FC), Javier Aquino (Tigres), Hirving Lozano (PSV Eindhoven).
South Korea
How qualified – Second in AFC Group A
Best performance – Fourth Place in 2002
Squad
GOALKEEPERS: Kim Seung-gyu (Vissel Kobe), Kim Jin-hyeon (Cerezo Osaka), Cho Hyun-woo (Daegu FC).
DEFENDERS: Kim young-gwon (Guangzhou Evergrande), Jang Hyun-soo (FC Tokyo), Jung Seung-hyun (Sagan Tosu), Yun Yong-sun (Seongnam FC), Oh Ban-suk (Jeju United), Kim Min-woo (Sangju Sangmu), Park Joo-ho (Ulsan Hyundai), Hong Chul (Sangju Sangmu), Go Yo-han (FC Seoul), Lee Yong (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors).
MIDFIELDERS: Ki Sung-yueng (Swansea City), Jung Woo-young (Vissel Kobe), Ju Se-jong (Asan Mugunghwa FC), Koo Ja-cheol (FC Augsburg), Lee Jae-sung (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), Lee Seung-woo (Hellas Verona), Moon Seon-min (Incheon United).
FORWARDS: Kim Shin-wook (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur), Hwang Hee-chan (FC Red Bull Salzburg)
Sweden
How qualified – Won through UEFA Playoffs
Best performance – THird place in 1950 & 1994
Squad
GOALKEEPERS: Robin Olsen (Copenhagen), Karl-Johan Johnsson (Guingamp), Kristoffer Nordfeldt (Swansea)
DEFENDERS: Mikael Lustig (Celtic), Victor Lindelof (Manchester United), Andreas Granqvist (Krasnador), Martin Olsson (Swansea), Ludwig Augustinsson (Werder Bremen), Filip Helander, Emil Krafth (both Bologna), Pontus Jansson (Leeds United).
MIDFIELDERS: Sebastian Larsson (Hull), Albin Ekdal (Hamburg), Emil Forsberg (RB Leipzig), Gustav Svensson (Seattle Sounders), Oscar Hiljemark (Genoa), Viktor Claesson (Krasnador), Marcus Rohden (Crotone), Jimmy Durmaz (Toulouse).
FORWARDS: Marcus Berg (Al Ain), John Guidetti (Alaves), Ola Toivonen (Toulouse), Isaac Kiese Thelin (Waasland-Beveren).
Fixtures
17 June
- Germany vs. Mexico (4pm, BBC)
18 June
- Sweden vs. South Korea (1pm, ITV)
23 June
- South Korea vs. Mexico (4pm, ITV)
- Germany vs. Sweden (7pm, ITV)
27 June
- South Korea vs. Germany (3pm, BBC)
- Mexico vs. Sweden (3pm, BBC)
Group Preview
The defending champions Germany are the headline act in Group F and they will be expected to breeze through. It is important for the Germans to win this group if they want to go far in the tournament as there is a strong chance that the runners up will be facing Brazil in the second round. Mexico, Sweden and South Korea will be the teams most likely to oppose the Samba Boys in the first knockout round and those three look set for a big battle to qualify behind Germany.
Group Betting
I don’t really have much of a view in this group. I would be surprised if Germany don’t win it and I don’t think there will be any let up from them given the risk that coming second poses but the other three are all much of a muchness and the matches between themselves will provide the second qualifier. It wouldn’t be a massive surprise if a couple of those three matches were draws which probably adds to the intrigue but takes away much of the betting potential so the group isn’t really for me.
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Team Bets
There is only one bet I like among the four teams in the group too and that comes in the South Korea markets. The one in particular that I am interested in is the top goalscorer market for the Asian nation where I think the favourite is a good thing.
Son Heung-min is the leading light for South Korea in this tournament. The Tottenham star is a standout player for his nation and I’m expecting him to be their leading scorer in it. I don’t expect South Korea to score too many goals in the tournament but any that are scored should have him contributing the majority of them. He trades at roughly a goal every third game and if he can do that here we should see some returns.
Tips
WON – Back Son Heung-min Top South Korea Tournament Goalscorer for a 2/10 stake at 3.50 with BetVictor
Back him here:
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