2018 FIFA World Cup Prediction Contest

In the 1/8 round, things aren't much better, but if a miracle happens and the team advances to the 1/4 round, the potential opponents for the winner of Group A are so formidable that it would have been better to not advance from the group: France, Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Belgium (England).
However, for the team that finishes in 2nd place, after the 1/8 round, the potential opponents are Croatia, Denmark, Mexico, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal (Colombia).

For those planning to play for the long haul, it's better to aim for the lower half of the bracket.