The debate as to whether or not the Confederations Cup is important to football or not will roll on for years. But at least if fills a summer void in between major tournaments. The next World Cup may well be over a year away still, but the focus will be on the country as it prepares for the opening match of the Confederations Cup 2017. As the name suggests this is a battle between the leading representative from each of the eight Confederations around the world, along with the forthcoming hosts of the World Cup.
This is a quadrennial event and generally, it is a tournament which weighs down heavily on the side of the front runners, simply because of the vast gap between the likes of the standards of UEFA and CONMEBOL compared to the rest of the world. Proof of that comes from the fact that nine of the ten previous editions have either been won by a South American or a European team. So it’s pretty easy fodder for the most part for the top two nations entering into the Confederations Cup and that makes betting at least a little bit easier for the event.
Joining hosts Russia are:
Germany (2014 World Cup Winners), Australia (2015 Asian Cup Winners), Chile (2015 Copa America Winners), Mexico (2015 CONCACAF Cup Winners), New Zealand (OFC Nations Cup Winners), Portugal (Euro 2016 Winners), Cameroon (2017 Africa Cup of Nations winners).
The notable thing here is that there is no Brazil this time around. The Selecao have won the last three editions of the tournament, so with their absence that will at least open things up a little bit and we may actually get a little more of a competitive tournament going on this year. That is because Germany are sending out an experimental squad including youth, Portugal proved how strong they are last summer and there is Mexico as well who are carrying some pretty solid form at the moment as well.
The action starts on June 17 with the opening match between Russia and New Zealand from St Petersburg. The format is simple, just two groups of four nations in the first round and the top two go through to the semi-finals. So the winner of Group A takes on Runner Up Group B in the final four and then the reverse of that for the second semi-final. The Final takes place on July 2nd, which is the sixteenth match of the tournament. There is a third place play-off match as well at the tournament.
Seedings (based on FIFA World Rankings)
Pot 1: Hosts Russia (55), Germany (3), Chile (4), Portugal (8)
Pot 2: Mexico(18), Australia (48), Cameroon (65), New Zealand (110)
Confederations Cup Betting 2017 Odds
Portugal 5/2, Germany 2/1, Chile 9/4, Mexico 9/1, Russia 9/1, Cameroon 20/1, Australia 33/1, New Zealand 500/1
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Confederations Cup Betting 2017 Preview
Portugal and Germany are 5/2 outright joint favourites with Bet365 for the tournament and that’s not too surprising looking at the line up of the eight nations taking part. Neither have ever won it before and in fact, Germany have been to the final four just once before, finishing third back in 2005 when they were hosting the event. Of the three times that the tournament has been won by a European nation, on two of those occasions it was France who triumphed (Denmark the other). This is the first time in the history of the tournament that three European teams have been in one edition of it and both Portugal and Russia are making their debut.
So with no Brazil around, it is Chile who is carrying the banner for South America in this one and this is their debut as well. There is a fair chance that they will be competing in Russia next summer at the World Cup and they are a decent price of 9/4 to come through the pack if the other two are not all that interested. Mexico are tinkering along in decent form at the moment
Group A Preview
Russia, New Zealand, Portugal, Mexico
Russia: This is a chance for Russia to build some momentum for themselves ahead of next summer because they haven’t been all that great. They have only gone W2 D2 L2 in their last six games but they don’t look like a side that you can put a lot of faith into as well, not even on home soil. They are lacking a spark and quality at the moment and there is a decent chance that they won’t get out of the group. Their goalscoring hopes will mostly rest on the shoulders of Fedor Smolov who enjoyed a great domestic season with Krasnodar. They did play out a friendly 1-1 draw with Chile last week in a friendly, but other than in their opener against New Zealand, it’s hard to see them getting any other group wins.
New Zealand: The All Whites are obviously expected to be the whipping boys of the group and they will struggle to pick up any points in this one. They are sending a strong squad there and they are pulling in their resources from across the world as only six of their players are domestic based. However, that having been said, most of their players play outside of Europe’s top tier leagues. Other than potentially scraping out a dull draw with Russia in their opener, they are going to struggle and may not even get a goal on the board in the group.
Portugal: They are one of the favourites to win the title and they should have enough to win this group really. They are sending a strong squad out there for the largest pat which includes a certain Cristiano Ronaldo. The Real Madrid star is 6/4 outright favourite at bet365 to finish as top goalscorer for the tournament. Bernardo Silva is there, so too Nani and Ricardo Quaresma, Pepe and Bruno Alves. Portugal are such a tough side to break down and they are carrying great form as well with five wins in their last six played. They have only suffered two defeats in their last seventen games played and can top this group.
Mexico: Mexico are a decent punt to get through to the semi-finals by finishing second behind the Portuguese. They have enough in them to take out Russia and certainly New Zealand and they are running well at the top of the CONCACAF World Cup 2018 qualification zone so will be back here next summer. They will be bringing a strong side but miss key playmaker Jesus Manuel Corona for this one. El Tri actually makes a decent dark horse bet for the entire tournament if the likes of Germany and Portugal end up not being all that interested in the affair. Javier Hernandez is a 6/1 option in the top goalscorer market at Bet365.
Group A Prediction: Portugal, Mexico, Russia, New Zealand
Group B Preview
Group B: Cameroon, Chile, Australia, Germany
Cameroon: Cameroon were the last side to qualify for the tournament, having won this year’s Africa Cup of Nations. They don’t particularly look a strong outfit as they are in a bit of a transition at the moment, but they earn credit for their win over Egypt in February to win the ACON. Cameroon’s last appearance at the tournament was in 2003 which ended in tragedy with Marc-Vivien Foe collapsing on the pitch and later dying. There will probably be tributes to him around but the Indomitable Lions are probably going to struggle to get out of the group. There’s a solid team there but a lack of star power.
Chile: La Roja swept through to capture the last two editions of the Copa America and so will be some kind of force you would imagine in his one. They have their star power in Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal and are a passionate, committed team. Arsenal’s Sanchez is 9/2 second favourite to finish as the tournament’s top scorer. This is their debut, but they are on a bit of a roll at the moment in major tournaments and should be competitive. They are a quote of 11/10 to Reach The Final at bet365 which isn’t a bad punt, and if they do get there, no-one will want to face them.
Germany: While Germany will generally go into any tournament as one of the front-runners, this one is no exception but they aren’t at their strongest. Coach Joachim Loew hasn’t taken his full squad at all and indeed, has pretty much decided to go with experimenting with a lot of younger player,s including some which have been pulled from the Under 21 European Championships for this one, like Timo Werner (11/2 tournament top goalscorer) and Julian Brandt. They are a young side, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t going to be a threat but you have to think, that just because they aren’t at full strength, this is the perfect time to oppose them.
Australia: One of the weaker sides to be taking part in the tournament and this is their third appearance in the Confederations Cup, but the first time as AFC representatives since joining up with the Asian Confederation. They are incidentally, the first ever nation to be crowned champions of two different Confederations. They haven’t been without their relative successes in past performances, they finished second to Brazil in 1997 and finish third in 2001. They are spirited, but the quality needed to perhaps edge them past both Chile and Germany to get to the finals, is probably not there.
Group B Prediction: Chile, Germany, Cameroon, Australia
Confederations Cup Betting 2017 Prediction
Just because Germany aren’t at full strength, there is a reason to swerve them in this one. Portugal are going strongly at this and so to will Chile, and therefore we can drop a game by looking in the To Reach Final market at Bet365 where both of them are an 11/10 option to roll with. Good value in backing either of them and if you wanted to go all the way Chile at 9/4 looks fantastic value.
