There’s something to be said for winning the UEFA Euro 2008 tournament as Spain did. At least oddsmakers think so.
Led by prolific scorers David Villa and Fernando Torres, as well as shifty midfielder David Silva and solid goalkeeper Iker Casillas, Spain boasts the talent and experience to make a run at the World Cup title. The Euro champs are the current favorites at 4-1.
Brazil and soccer seem to go together flawlessly. Entering the tournament second with 9-2 odds, Brazil has an excellent shot to win its third World Cup in 16 years. Kaka and Luis Fabiano provide constant pressure on offense, but head coach Dunga has placed a strong emphasis on defense, which has this team thinking more about stopping goals than scoring them. The thing is, Brazil can score, too.
Rounding out the top three is legendary Argentina. The country garners praise every World Cup, but has not won the tournament since 1986, when head coach Diego Maradona led the way with a hand ball or two during the tournament. He will only be able to help from the sidelines in 2010, but with fantastic forward Lionel Messi pacing the Argentina attack, Maradona should rest easy about his team’s chances. The odds have Argentina at 13-2.
The United States sits at a distant 12th, tied with Mexico and Chile at 80-1 odds.
Here are the complete odds for all 32 teams to win the World Cup:
Spain, 4-1
Brazil, 9-2
Argentina, 13-2
England, 8-1
Holland, 10-1
Germany, 14-1
Italy, 16-1
France, 20-1
Portugal, 25-1
Ivory Coast, 50-1
Serbia, 66-1
Mexico, 80-1
USA, 80-1
Chile, 80-1
Cameroon, 100-1
Paraguay, 100-1
Uruguay, 100-1
Ghana, 125-1
Nigeria, 150-1
South Africa, 150-1
Australia, 150-1
Denmark, 150-1
Greece, 200-1
Switzerland, 250-1
South Korea, 250-1
Slovakia, 300-1
Japan, 400-1
Slovenia, 400-1
Algeria, 500-1
Honduras, 1000-1
New Zealand, 2000-1
North Korea, 2000-1
