The World Cup: soccer’s most prestigious tournament that pits the globe’s leading nations against one another on the grandest of stages.
The competition’s knockout phase is generally when international behemoths trade blows in the fight for world domination, but occasionally the group stage throws up some tantalizing battles between heavyweights.
Each tournament, the term ‘Group of Death’ will be bandied about, with the unfortunate residents forced to contest a surprisingly competitive group at the first hurdle. They often contain at least two Goliaths—usually from Europe and/or South America—as well as several dark horses seeking to upset the odds.
Here’s a closer look at some of the toughest groups in World Cup history.
