Arsène Wenger, known for his keen tactical insight, has shared his World Cup 2014 predictions for Group H, and he’s not optimistic about Algeria’s chances.
Speaking on Eurosport, the Arsenal manager backed Belgium and Russia as the likely qualifiers from the group. His confidence in Belgium, in particular, is strong:
“Belgium has a plethora of exceptional players who are making their mark in all the major European clubs. If they find this balance, this harmony, they could cause a nice surprise.”
Wenger went on to praise Belgium’s preparation and individual talent, noting they’ve produced “some good players” who impressed during their warm-up matches. With stars like Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, and Thibaut Courtois, Belgium is viewed by many as a dark horse in the tournament.
Group H fixtures (in order for Belgium):
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Belgium vs. Algeria
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Belgium vs. Russia
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Belgium vs. South Korea
While Algeria, led by coach Vahid Halilhodžić, showed strong signs during their own preparation with wins over Armenia and Romania, Wenger’s comments suggest he sees them as underdogs in a tough group dominated by more seasoned European sides.