Jose Mourinho predicts England will progress out of World Cup group

Brighton 0-4 Man City: Champions loom large behind Arsenal in title race as they cut gap to one point after Phil Foden brace, Kevin de Bruyne diving header and Julian Alvarez strike
Arne Slots breaks silence over Liverpool move, with Feyenoord boss admitting 'it is no secret I'd like to go' and insisting he is 'confident in the clubs reaching agreement' for him to succeed Jurgen Klopp
Liverpool's Premier League title hopes have gone up in smoke just as Jurgen Klopp and Mohamed Salah started to run on empty, writes DOMINIC KING
Roy Keane has a 'DINOSAUR mentality', blasts West Ham striker Michail Antonio - after Man United legend made thinly-veiled dig at him for podcasting and 'having a laugh' after defeats
John Terry reveals Rio Ferdinand has blanked him on the beach in Dubai in a bitter 13-year-long spat over claims the ex-Chelsea captain racially abused his old team-mate's brother Anton
Dougie Freedman is on Newcastle's shortlist to replace Dan Ashworth as sporting director... but the Magpies could face competition from Man United
Crysencio Summerville to have 3+ shots on target and Leeds to win priced at 6/1 - as the Whites travel to London to take on the struggling QPR
Why the next Liverpool boss would be foolish and naive to try to imitate Jurgen Klopp's freestyle football, writes IAN LADYMAN
Gary Neville reveals why he WON'T be at Nottingham Forest's clash with Man City this weekend amid Sky row, as he accuses Mark Clattenburg of acting 'like a Navy Seal' and giving the team an excuse NOT to win
Jazmin Sawyers 'devastated' after being ruled out of Paris 2024 Olympics through injury... as the British long jump star suffers ruptured Achilles in training
Dan Ashworth 'set to take Newcastle to arbitration' in bid to force through Man United move and end gardening leave, after Old Trafford club 'rejected £20m compensation wanted by Magpies'
Luke Littler taunts Liverpool fans over Merseyside derby defeat... as the Man United fan is jeered at Premier League Darts before beating Gerwyn Price
England and Liverpool legend John Barnes banned from being a company director after his media firm failed to pay £190,000 in tax
John Terry reveals untold story of how he led Chelsea mutiny and threatened to refuse to fly to Malaysia because young players were sat in first class instead of him under manager's demand
The night Nottingham Forest were REALLY robbed by a dodgy ref! 40 years on, the incredible tale of the official who took a bribe
Arsenal fans fear key factor in this weekend's north London derby against Tottenham could have a huge impact on their title pursuit
Tennis star Corentin Moutet attempts shot with his FOOT after accidentally throwing his racket away on serve during a deciding set tie-break
Chelsea receive welcome boost as Cole Palmer trains with his team-mates after missing his side's 5-0 capitulation at Arsenal due to illness
Sky Sports reporter is manhandled by security as he asks beaming Feyenoord boss Arne Slot about the Liverpool job
Virgil van Dijk becomes the first Liverpool player to break their silence on Arne Slot's potential move to the Reds... as defender gives his verdict on the Dutchman's pending arrival
The next king of the Kop! Arne Slot is a Pep Guardiola disciple who orders his teams to attack relentlessly like Jurgen Klopp. He ticks EVERY box for Liverpool
Chelsea risk a dressing room mutiny if Mauricio Pochettino is axed, but furious fans have reached the end of their tether after another dismal season... so, should the club back or sack the Blues boss this summer?
FA Cup Final tickets for a FIVER! Man United subsidise seats for Under 16s at Wembley when they face Man City next month
MAN CITY NOTEBOOK: Scouts are keeping a watchful eye on Bruno Guimaraes amid long standing interest in Lucas Paqueta - while Olivia Rodrigo gig on Etihad Campus is set to clash with Wolves match

Portuguese tips Holland to get out of Group of Death with Spain
Mourinho doesn't believe Suarez and Uruguay will progress
England to face Didier Drogba's Ivory Coast in his last-16
Roy Hodgson's semi-final would be against either Brazil or Holland

Published: 07:29 EDT, 2 June 2014 | Updated: 11:50 EDT, 2 June 2014

e-mail

110

View
comments

Jose Mourinho has played it safe when predicting which teams will reach the last-16 of this month's World Cup.

The Chelsea boss, clearly keen to keep friends over here onside, said that England will progress out of their group alongside Italy.

That means the Portuguese believes Luis Suarez and Uruguay will fail to get out of one of the tougher-looking groups.

VIDEO Scroll down for Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta scores a brilliant chip in Spain training

Buttering up: Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has predicted that England will progress out of their group

Tough ask: Steven Gerrard's Three Lions face Costa Rica, Italy and Uruguay in Group D

Struggle: Uruguay are hoping that star striker Luis Suarez will be fit for the start of the tournament this month

MOURINHO PREDICTS

Brazil or Holland to play either Ivory Coast or England in semi-finals

France or Nigeria to play either Germany or Belgium

AND

Spain or Mexico to play Italy or Greece

Argentina or Switzerland to play Russia or Portugal

'I'm very emotional, I go always with my friends,' Mourinho told Yahoo Sport. 'If I say England out, next season they won't let me coach here.'

There was a recurring theme to his choices, with the personalities and countries closest to the manager's heart unsurprisingly going through.

Louis van Gaal's Holland, Didier Drogba's Ivory Coast and Nigeria are all predicted to get out of their respective groups.

Interestingly in Holland's group - where they will play Spain, Chile and Australia - Mourinho claims the favourites will go through, but that the South Americans could easily finish in the top two.

At the forefront: Louis van Gaal is good friends with Mourinho after a spell in charge at Barcelona

As for his native Portugal, Mourinho is backing them to edge out USA and Ghana to finish second behind Germany in a group where he expects no team will finish on zero points.

Meanwhile, he is expecting France - who have won one World Cup group match in 12 years - to perform much better this time around and win their group ahead of Switzerland.