*By Christian Smith*
The statistical computer models and data-driven simulations have all concluded that Brazil, Germany, and France are most likely to win the 2018 World Cup in Russia, but there are upstart teams and rising stars that could flip the tournament.
"The dark horse that the experts are picking and that I'm incredibly enthusiastic about is Belgium," said Jeffrey Marcus, publisher of the [World Cup newsletter The Banter](http://jointhebanter.com). "Belgium has never won a World Cup, but they have what people call the 'golden generation' ー every single player at every single position right now is world class."
Marcus, who covered the 2006 World Cup in Germany and the 2010 tournament in South Africa, said the best teams don't interest him as much as the teams that have the best stories, including Peru and Egypt.
Peru dominated South American soccer in the 1970s with Argentina and Brazil, but hasn't played in the World Cup since 1982. The team's star striker, Paolo Guerrero, earned a last-minute reprieve from a doping ban to be allowed to play at this World Cup. He said his positive test was a result of drinking tea made from coca leaves that a Lima hotel waiter served him. It’s a common enough Andean beverage, but it also shows up like cocaine in a drug test.
Along with the veteran Guerrero, Peru will be boosted by 22-year-old Renato Tapia, a hard-charging midfielder who Marcus said will turn heads at this World Cup. Peru may struggle to beat France, Australia, and Denmark in Group C, but Marcus said he is attracted to the team's story and its potential to surprise.
Egypt is led by one of the world's best players, Mohamed Salah, who Marcus called "the most positive player in the tournament." Egypt has only qualified for the World Cup twice before ー in 1990 and all the way back in 1934 ーand the Pharaohs have never made it out of group play. This may be the team's year. Egypt plays Uruguay on Friday in Group A.
The other teams in their group officially kicked off the tournament on Thursday, as the host Russia defeated Saudi Arabia 5-0 in Moscow.
The round-robin group stage will last for two weeks, after which the top two teams in each of the eight groups will advance to the round of 16. The World Cup final will be July 15 in Moscow.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/the-world-cup-2018s-heroes-and-villains-to-watch).
Snap is planning to roll out new Spectacles after its first version failed spectacularly. An investor group strikes a last-minute deal to buy the Weinstein Co. Global markets are tanking on fears of a trade war following President Trump's tariff announcement. And we're talking eSports with Mike LaBelle, the New York Red Bulls' first official eSports athlete.
The U.S. Men's Curling Team shocked the world by winning gold at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games last weekend. The team made history by becoming the first American curling team to win gold. Team members Joe Polo, Matt Hamilton, Tyler George, John Shuster, and John Landsteiner join us to talk about their victory.
James Ruth, senior director for Major League Soccer, and Mike LaBelle, the New York Red Bulls' first official Esports athlete, discuss the new EMLS Cup. The EMLS Cup is in partnership with FIFA 18 and kicks off April 5th.
The pro FIFA player, signed by New York Red Bulls, walked Cheddar through his training process. He says that gamers should avoid fast food the evening before!
The Hive's hosts Jon Kelly and Kristen Scholer discuss the latest news in politics, business, and technology. From Hope Hicks' sudden departure from The White House to the Kardashian's impact on social media, we have you covered.
Vanity Fair's Hive: We’re joined by the crew at Vanity Fair's Hive to discuss Hope Hicks' resignation. On Between Bells: TV reboot fever, and E!'s Seacrest problem. With Diply, The Hollywood Reporter, Zimbio, and more.
Tide made waves with its flurry of Super Bowl commercials.
One of those featured the beloved Old Spice Guy, Isaiah Mustafa, who stars in the Freeform series, 'Shadowhunters.' He stops by to tell us about the upcoming season of the show, and what "the man your man could smell like" actually smells like.
Adriaen Black is a made- to- measure luxury apparel company known for clothing some of the biggest names in sports.
Now, Founder Andrew Jang is launching a project to design custom interview attire for teens in New York City's YMCA College and Career Access Programs. Jang stops by with a few of his clients: Oakland Raiders Quarterback EJ Manuel, Jermon Bushrod of the Miami Dolphins, Eric Berry of the Kansas City Chiefs.
The directors of the new Netflix documentary series "Flint Town," Drea Cooper, Zackary Canepari, and Jessica Dimmock, discuss the new show. "Flint Town" follows the lives of several police officers in the troubled city of Flint, Michigan.
Spotify files to go public. Dick's will immediately stop selling assault rifles. President Trump meets with lawmakers on gun control. White House communications director Hope Hicks is resigning from her post. Facebook launching a new initiative to take on sites like LinkedIn and Glassdoor.
