After four years of eagerly awaiting the world’s most exciting sporting event to take place once more, fans can finally grab their vuvuzelas, and put on their favorite player's jersey because the World Cup 2018 is finally here. Fueled by rivalries drawn out through decades and a strident pride for one’s country, the matches we have all been waiting for are not too far away. On the 14^th of June, Russia will kick things off in their match against Saudi Arabia and football festivities will continue up until the end of July.

32 countries have been split up into 8 groups, with one “group of death” amongst them, as they will battle to reach the next round. It has been the rule since 1930, when the first world cup took place in Uruguay, that only two lucky contenders of each group will be able to move on to the round of 16.

Leaving the whole world to wonder which country is going the grasp those brilliant bragging rights?

Group A: How long will the host country of Russia be able to compete?

The first of the eight group consists of Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Uruguay. The most likely team to advance will be Uruguay. Though a hot-shot strike with a tendency to bit other players, Luis Suarez, may brew trouble for the South America soccer team — they still have a wider arsenal with the help of defensive Diego Godin and the quick-footed Edinson Cavani.

The competitors that will surely give the Urguayans the most trouble is their Middle Eastern opponent: Egypt. A country that hasn’t made the World Cup since 1990, they have hope with their breakout striker Mohammad Salah. Salah currently holds first place in hoists the 2018 EPL Golden Boot with 32 goals for Liverpool. He’s quick, smart, versatile, and spells a lot of trouble for the first group of the World Cup. But he and his Egyptian teammates may be halted short by the Russians who not only attain a decent squad but who have the advantage of playing in their own country. Losing in the first round would not be acceptable to their billion fans and iron-clad ruler Vladimir Putin, who will surely make a number of appearances this summer.

Winners: Russia, Egypt

Group B: Will Ronaldo finally win a World Cup?

For those of you that do not follow soccer, Cristiano Ronaldo is arguably the best player in the world right now. As a matter of fact, he’s been coined the Lebron James of soccer. However, he has never won a world cup. Portugal was victorious in the most recent Euro Cup of 2014, but the team can never put it together at the global stage. They will have to prove themselves from early on as they face the 2010 victors and favorites to win again: Spain.

The two of these teams in the same group spells millions of dollars for broadcasting agencies as the whole world will surely be watching their match on June 15^th. They will most likely be the victors of group B as they face each other, Morocco, and Iran in the first leg of the tournament. But will they make it as far as the finals? I guess we will have to watch and find out.

Winners: Spain, Portugal

Group C: The tournament victors come from this group

The winners of the 2018 World Cup will come from Group C and it will be France. Even though the French team had a meltdown during their campaign in South Africa, and actually resulted in the coach being fired and leading striker refusing to leave the locker room at halftime, they are back and better than ever.

The team is a safe haven for bookies and are likely to knockout the Germans for the top spot with an arsenal of speed and strength in players such as Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann. Not only that, but they have been placed in one of the easiest groups of the tournament and have the easy task of facing Denmark, Peru, and Australia. In my opinion, it will be France at the top of the table and at the top of the world.

Winners: France, Denmark

Group D: The group of death

The outstretched arms of Icelandic fans get ready to applaud yet another brilliant campaign from their nation's soccer team.

Many spectators will be watching Argentina as they are the favorites to win the group of death, but the cinderella story will be the Icelandic footballers. It's been reported that Iceland is the smallest population to ever qualify for a World Cup, but this will not stop them as they are looking to repeat their campaign from the Euro Cup in 2014, where they were eliminated in the quarterfinals. Even though there are some great competitors in the group, Croatia and Nigeria will fall short of the teams from Argentina and Iceland.

Winners: Argentina, Iceland

Group E: South American soccer will be superior

In a group that is stacked with Serbia, Switzerland, Costa Rica, and Brazil, I predict that it will be the South Americans to advance. Even though the Costa Rican team has witnessed a drought in wins since the last World Cup.

No one can forget the surge they created in the last World Cup, where they were eliminated in the quarterfinals. The team shocked the world when they beat Italy and Uruguay at the group stage. It would not be all that surprising to see them upset an unprepared Brazilian squad this summer in Russia.

Winners: Brazil, Costa Rica

Group F: The reigning victors are back for more.

Germany will most likely advance from the group, but who will their counterpart be? The defending champions will actually have to put in a mild amount of work because the other three teams in the group are pretty competitive.

Korea Republic always puts on a show but comes up short when the game finally reaches the 90th minute. Sweden has the gift of Zlatan Ibrahimovic. And Mexico has a lot of talent in their starting squad as well as being the only team for North Americans to root for. To say the least, it will be an exciting play of talent.

Winners: Germany, Mexico

Group G: Can England revive themselves and beat Belgium?

Belgium is back and better than ever with both the Hazard brothers on the pitch and arguably the best goalkeeper in the Barclays Premier League. Even better news for Belgium is that their contenders at the group stage are not all that competitive. England is probably the second-best team in the bracket, but they are still revitalizing their legacy after allowing club rivalries to ruin the great team that they used to have.

Winners: Belgium, England

Group H: Might as well skip

The last and final group of the tournament is the least exciting one. The obvious winners of the group will be James Rodriguez and the excellent squad arriving in Russia with him.

Colombia will have virtually no competitors in the group and there will surely be no upsets. The gap between Colombia and the other three teams is larger than the range that James Rodriguez can score from, and that is a lot given that he won the golden boot in the 2010 World Cup. Japan, Senegal, and Poland will all compete for the second place in the group.

Winners: Colombia, Japan