Recently Franz Beckenbauer has suggested if Ivory Coast can make it out of the Group stages then they stand a good chance of making it to the Finals. First of all I completely agree, but for reasons of a mathematical nature and instead I will raise the question of whether this is really as bold of a statement as it first sounds.

Ivory Coast are in a group with Holland and Argentina. If they manage to beat 1 of those teams and beat SerbiaMontenegro then they face the knockout stage and if they make it past that then they go on to the quarter-finals. If Ivory Coast can beat one of Holland or Argentina then they have proven they are already a good team, and furthermore if they can beat or draw the other match (Holland or Argentina) then they will most likely finish first in their group and play the 2nd place of another group further making it easier in the knockout stage. Once a team gets into the quarter-finals they are 2 wins away from the Finals.

The challenge for the next couple of weeks is to make it out of the Group stage. After that the experts and predictors will be saying "If team X can just make it out of the knockout stage then they will stand a good chance of making it to the Finals".

Cliche cliche, I just wish I was as recognized as Beckenbauer to be able to make such "predictions" without really being questioned.