Squad
World Cup Group A betting preview and prediction
Mexico are expected to take full advantage of their home nation status and advance through Group A at the FIFA World Cup, with El Tri priced at 1.08 to qualify for the knockout stages.
They are also clear favourites to top the group at 1.85 with international betting sites, underlining the gap between Mexico and their rivals on paper. While Mexico’s outright World Cup odds sit further back in the market, progression from this group is widely viewed as the minimum expectation.
The battle for second in Group A shapes as one of the more intriguing contests across the tournament. Czech Republic are narrowly favoured at 1.25 to qualify, with South Korea close behind at 1.33, suggesting little separates the two sides. Both bring strong tournament pedigree and contrasting styles, which could make their head-to-head clash fascinating as well as decisive.
South Africa, priced at 2.15 to qualify for the next round, are viewed as the outsiders but not without hope. They have the athleticism and unpredictability to cause problems if they can pick up early points.
Overall, Mexico look well placed to control Group A, but the race for the second qualifying spot will likely go right down to the final round of matches.
Group A Squads
🇲🇽 Mexico
- Manager: Javier Aguirre
- Captain: Edson Alvarez
- World Cup winner odds: 76.00
- Qualify Group A odds: 1.07
Mexico have several standouts in the squad with Santiago Gimenez, Edson Alvarez, Raul Jimenez, Johan Vasquez and veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa. Giminez could be the difference between them failing and making a deep run at the World Cup.
Preliminary squad
Goalkeepers: Alex Padilla (Athletic Club), Antonio Rodriguez (Tijuana), Carlos Acevedo (Santos Laguna), Carlos Moreno (Pachuca), Guillermo Ochoa (AEL Limassol), Raul Rangel (Chivas)
Defenders: Bryan Gonzalez (Chivas), Cesar Montes (Lokomotiv Moscow), Edson Alvarez (Fenerbahçe), Eduardo Aguila (Atletico de San Luis), Everardo Lopez (Toluca), Israel Reyes (America), Jesus Angulo (Tigres), Jesus Gallardo (Toluca), Jesus Gomez (Tijuana), Johan Vasquez (Genoa), Jorge Sanchez (PAOK), Julian Araujo (Celtic), Luis Rey (Puebla), Mateo Chavez (AZ Alkmaar), Ramon Juarez (America), Richard Ledezma (Chivas), Victor Guzman (Monterrey)
Midfielders: Alexei Dominguez (Pachuca), Alexis Gutierrez (America), Alvaro Fidalgo (Real Betis), Brian Gutierrez (Chivas), Carlos Rodriguez (Cruz Azul), Denzell Garcia (FC Juarez), Diego Lainez (Tigres), Efrain Alvarez (Chivas), Elias Montiel (Pachuca), Erick Sanchez (America), Erik Lira (Cruz Azul), Gilberto Mora (Tijuana), Isaias Violante (America), Jeremy Marquez (Cruz Azul), Jordan Carrillo (Pumas), Jorge Ruvalcaba (NY Red Bulls), Kevin Castaneda (Tijuana), Luis Chavez (Dinamo Moscu), Luis Romo (Chivas), Marcel Ruiz (Toluca), Obed Vargas (Atletico de Madrid), Orbelin Pineda (AEK), Jesus Angulo (Toluca)
Forwards: Alexis Vega (Toluca), Armando Gonzalez (Chivas), Cesar Huerta (Anderlecht), German Berterame (Inter Miami), Guillermo Martinez (Pumas), Julian Quinones (Al-Qadisiyah), Raul Jimenez (Fulham), Roberto Alvarado (Chivas), Santiago Gimenez (Milan)
🇿🇦 South Africa
- Manager: Hugo Broos
- Captain: Ronwen Williams
- World Cup winner odds: 501.00
- Qualify Group A odds: 2.10
South Africa do not name their full squad until May 27, but they have the talent to cause surprises at the World Cup. Goalkeeper Ronwen Williams is first-class, while Percy Muzi Tau, known as the Lion of Judah, can prove a handful and his electric playing style will make him the most dangerous player for Bafana Bafana.
South Africa are set to announce their squad on 27 May.
Coach: Hugo Broos
🇰🇷 Korea Republic
- Manager: Hong Myung-bo
- Captain: Son Heung-min
- World Cup winner odds: 476.00
- Qualify Group A odds: 1.40
Ex-Tottenham star Son Heung-min will captain South Korea, with the Los Angeles FC player set to partake in his fourth World Cup. The Asian Tigers have an EPL-heavy midfield with Birmingham’s Paik Seung-ho, Swansea’s Eom Ji-sung and Stoke’s Bae Jun-ho all in the squad. The Koreans will need to topple the Czech Republic if they are to advance through the group stage.
Coach: Hong Myung-bo
Goalkeepers: Jo Hyeon-woo (Ulsan), Kim Seung-gyu (FC Tokyo), Song Bum-keun (Jeonbuk)
Defenders: Kim Moon-hwan (Daejeon), Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), Kim Tae-hyon (Kashima Antlers), Park Jin-seob (Zhejiang), Seol Young-woo (Red Star Belgrade), Jens Castrop (Borussia Monchengladbach), Lee Ki-hyuk (Gangwon), Lee Tae-seok (Austria Wien), Lee Han-beom (Midtjylland), Cho Yu-min (Sharjah)
Midfielders: Kim Jin-gyu (Jeonbuk), Bae Jun-ho (Stoke City), Paik Seung-ho (Birmingham), Yang Hyun-jun (Celtic), Eom Ji-sung (Swansea), Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), Lee Dong-gyeong (Ulsan), Lee Jae-sung (Mainz), Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord), Hwang Hee-chan (Wolves)
Forwards: Son Heung-min (LAFC), Oh Hyeon-gyu (Besitkas), Cho Gue-sung (Midtjylland)
🇨🇿 Czech Republic
- Manager: Miroslav Koubek
- Captain: Ladislav Krejci
- World Cup winner odds: 270.00
- Qualify Group A odds: 1.36
Czechia will be reliant on their star striker Patrik Schick and he has the ability to trouble even the elite teams. He is in a race against time to play at the World Cup after missing recent club games with a leg injury. West Ham captain Tomáš Souček is another who will need to fire for Čeští lvi (The Czech Lions).
Preliminary squad
Goalkeepers: Lukas Hornicek (Braga), Martin Jedlicka (Banik Ostrava), Antonin Kinsky (Tottenham), Jan Koutny (Sigma Olomouc), Matej Kovar (PSV Eindhoven), Jakub Markovic (Slavia Prague), Jindrich Stanek (Slavia Prague)
Defenders: Vladimir Coufal (TSG Hoffenheim), David Douděra (Slavia Prague), Matěj Hadas (Sigma Olomouc), Tomas Holes (Slavia Prague), Robin Hranac (TSG Hoffenheim), Stěpan Chaloupek (Slavia Prague), Vaclav Jemelka (Viktoria Plzen), David Jurasek (Slavia Prague), Ladislav Krejci (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Karel Spacil (Viktoria Plzen), Adam Sevinský (Sparta Prague), Martin Vitik (Bologna), Tomas Vlcek (Slavia Prague), Jaroslav Zelený (Sparta Prague), David Zima (Slavia Prague)
Midfielders: Lukas Ambros (Gornik Zabrze), Michal Beran (Sigma Olomouc), Pavel Bucha (FC Cincinnati), Lukas Cerv (Viktoria Plzen), Krystof Danek (LASK Linz), Vladimir Darida (Hradec Kralove), Patrik Hellebrand (Gornik Zabrze), Adam Karabec (Lyon), Ondrej Kricfalusi (Banik Ostrava), Tomas Ladra (Viktoria Plzen), David Planka (Banik Ostrava), Lukas Provod (Slavia Prague), Matěj Rynes (Sparta Prague), Lukas Sadilek (Gornik Zabrze), Michal Sadilek (Slavia Prague), Hugo Sochůrek (Sparta Prague), Alexandr Sojka (Viktoria Plzen), Tomas Soucek (West Ham), Pavel Sulc (Lyon), Denis Visinský (Viktoria Plzen)
Forwards: Adam Hložek (TSG Hoffenheim), Tomas Chorý (Slavia Prague), Mojmir Chytil (Slavia Prague), Christophe Kabongo (Mlada Boleslav), Jan Kliment (Sigma Olomouc), Jan Kuchta (Sparta Prague), Vasil Kusej (Slavia Prague), Ondřej Mihalik (Hradec Kralove), Vojtěch Patrak (Pardubice), Vaclav Sejk (Sigma Olomouc), Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen), Matej Vydra (Viktoria Plzen)
Group A teams, match-ups and betting preview
Teams: Mexico, South Africa, Korea Republic, Czechia
🇲🇽 Mexico v 🇿🇦 South Africa
(played six times, Mexico unbeaten with four wins and two draws)
Mexico have consistently had the better of this match-up and should again control proceedings, although South Africa can make things competitive if they stay organised. The Bafana Bafana tend to lift at World Cups and a big performance against the hosts to open the tournament, could catapault them into the mix to qualify for the knockout stage.
🇿🇦 South Africa v 🇨🇿 Czechia
(played once, a 2-2 draw at the 1997 Confederations Cup)
An intriguing clash with little history. Czechia may have the stronger squad on paper, but South Africa have shown they can match them.
🇲🇽 Mexico v 🇨🇿 Czechia
(played five times, Mexico with a slight edge)
One of the key matches in the group. Mexico’s experience at major tournaments could prove decisive against a well-organised Czech side.
🇰🇷 Korea Republic v 🇨🇿 Czechia
(played twice, one win each)
A tight match-up between two disciplined sides. Korea’s energy against Czech structure could cancel out, making this one difficult to split.
🇲🇽 Mexico v 🇰🇷 Korea Republic
(played 14 times, Mexico with a clear edge in wins)
Mexico have historically enjoyed this match-up and their attacking quality should give them the advantage again.
🇿🇦 South Africa v 🇰🇷 Korea Republic
(played four times, Korea Republic with the edge)
Korea’s pace and pressing game could trouble South Africa, but this feels like a match that could swing either way depending on execution.
World Cup Group A prediction & best bet
Mexico clearly have the edge in Group A at the World Cup, with their experienced squad proven on the big stage, while their home advantage will be telling. If they can shake off the early tournament nerves and account for South Africa in the World Cup opener on June 11, we expect them to advance through Group A. They are short at 1.67 to top the group, odds we will avoid, because if they drop an early game, you will get a lot better value.
Czechia are now the team expected to finish second and advance through Group A, but we prefer the Koreans, given their EPL-laden midfield and organisation. They are also paying 1.50 to move through to the knockout stage. Overall though, El Tri would be bitterly disappointed to miss the knockouts via this relatively soft group.
Mexico to sweep Group A undefeated, while South Korea to cause a minor upset and join them.
South Korea to advance into the knockout stage @ 1.50 with football betting sites.
