*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).
Video games and esports, which are front and center at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity this week, have caught the attention of the entrepreneur and CEO of VaynerMedia. "I have been lurking in the grass, as they say," he told Cheddar's Jon Steinberg.
Canada was one of the only developed countries in the world that did not have a premier league for soccer. Until now. The Canada Premier League will kick off its inaugural season next year in the hopes of creating a soccer revolution ahead of the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted in the country, says CPL commissioner David Clanachan.
Any professional athlete faces pressure to win, but the stakes are higher at the World Cup, where soccer players carry the added burden of an entire nation's expectations. To rise to the occasion, athletes "have to have a shared vision and a greater purpose," says Jon Gordon, the author of 'The Power of Positive and Leadership.'
The battle between Microsoft and Amazon is heating up. According to a Reuters report, Microsoft is working to develop cashierless technology to compete with Amazon, which recently introduced its first check-out free grocery store in Seattle.
The Boring Company has won the bid to build Chicago's Hyperloop. Elon Musk's company was one of four competing for the project. The Hyperloop will connect commuters between the city and O'Hare International Airport.
The president of the Staten Island Yankees joins us to talk about his team's temporary rebranding. For all five of its Saturday night home games this season, the team will play as the Staten Island Pizza Rats. The team's president Will Smith tells us the story behind this campaign.
The minor league baseball team is temporarily rebranding itself this season to incorporate the famous rodent that dragged a pizza slice down New York City's subway steps. "It's an aggressive name, I think it's probably a little edgy, a little different," said Staten Island Yankees president Will Smith.
The U.S., Canada, and Mexico will jointly host the World Cup in 2026, bringing the sporting event back to U.S. soil after a 30-plus-year hiatus. "I think it offers an aspirational platform for young players today," says Dan Flynn, U.S. Soccer CEO.
The driving range-slash-entertainment venue includes bars and restaurants, turning golf into a fun activity for all demographics, says Topgolf executive chairman Erik Anderson.
The 2018 World Cup starts on Thursday, and Jason Gurwin, co-founder and CEO of FOMOPOP, discusses the best ways to watch all of the soccer games from Russia.
The Philadelphia rapper and die-hard 76ers fan Freeway wants LeBron James to forsake Cleveland and Los Angeles, and take his talents to the City of Brotherly Love.
