How far will Brazil and Argentina go...supercomputer has the answer
Collected Photo
Having overcome the group stage hurdles of the current North American World Cup, teams are now immersed in the thrill of the knockout rounds. To determine the fate of the world's best teams in reaching the quarterfinals, artificial intelligence and modern technology have now taken the field. The world-renowned "Opta Supercomputer," which analyzes data and statistics, has produced a fascinating forecast of each team's chances in the knockout battles.
According to the supercomputer's calculations, the two arch-rivals—Brazil and Argentina—are ahead by a considerable margin over their opponents in the race to reach the last eight. This data analytics machine accurately predicted the outcomes of 14 out of 16 teams from the group stage through to the Round of 16. Now, to determine the knockout stage fate, the supercomputer has run nearly 10,000 virtual match simulations to calculate the probability percentages for each team.
According to the supercomputer's mathematical calculations, ahead of tonight's match against Norway at the MetLife Stadium, five-time world champions Brazil have a 66.41% chance of reaching the quarterfinals, while Erling Haaland's Norway stands at just 33.59%.
On the other hand, Lionel Messi's Argentina has an even higher probability than Brazil. In the Round of 16 clash against Egypt, the Albiceleste are clear favorites. The successors to Alfredo Di Stéfano's legacy have a 79.16% chance of advancing to the quarterfinals, while Egypt's probability is only 20.84%. The most one-sided prediction made by the machine was regarding the France vs. Paraguay match (France 86.68%, Paraguay 13.32%), which has already proven to be exactly accurate.
After 10,000 simulations, the Opta Supercomputer has predicted the probabilities of knockout-stage teams reaching the quarterfinals. Let's take a look:
Portugal 37.78% vs. Spain 62.22%
USA 50.95% vs. Belgium 49.05%
Mexico 45.73% vs. England 54.27%
Switzerland 43.05% vs. Colombia 56.95%
Canada 34.30% vs. Morocco 65.70% (Morocco has already qualified for the quarterfinals)
While the supercomputer favors Brazil and Argentina, a famous Brazilian statistician—often called the "World Cup astrologer"—has come forward with a different calculation. Disagreeing with Opta's data, he claims that Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal has the highest probability of lifting the trophy this time. According to his calculations, Spain will be the runners-up, and Neymar-Vinícius's Brazil will be knocked out before the semifinals.
In another statistical analysis, the Getulio Vargas Foundation's School of Applied Mathematics has stated that Spain has a 15.57% chance of winning this World Cup, while Brazil's probability is 4.68%. Of course, on the pitch, no computer or statistical calculation holds sway. Whether the two Latin American powerhouses can make it to the last eight by proving the technology's strong 66% or 79% predictions correct—that remains to be seen.
