Argentina is the odds-on favorite to win Group B in 2010 World Cup odds. They have the best player in the world in Lionel Messi and they should have little trouble advancing to the knockout round in World Cup betting.
World Cup odds list Argentina at -230 to win Group B. Nigeria is a distant second choice at 4-1 while Greece is about 5-1 and the Korean Republic about 10-1. Group B is really all about Argentina and Messi. He dominated for Barcelona this year but he has yet to carry that play over to Argentina. “I don’t feel pressure playing in the Argentina shirt,” Messi said, “In Spain I’m also in a team that has to win everything.” Argentina is coached by Diego Maradona and so far the head coach and the star player have never really been on the same page. The World Cup is a chance for Maradona to prove he can coach and a chance for Messi to prove he can do for Argentina what he has done for Barcelona.
After Argentina it appears that it will be between Nigeria and Greece for the other team that advances out of this group. Greece is putting a huge amount of importance on their first match against South Korea. Greece has a good playmaker in Sotiris Ninis who helped Panathinaikos to a League and Cup double this season. “I think that first match against South Korea will be deciding our future in the tournament,” Ninis said, “We all have faith in this team and we are desperate to do well but we have to remain focused and give it all we got. These are essentially knock-out matches and you have no time to correct things.”
Nigeria has some good scorers in Obafemi Martins, Ikechukwu Uche and Yakubu. Midfielder John Obi Mikel is a good one and Nwankwo Kwanu is the veteran. The key for this team will be whether or not manager Lars Lagerback can get his players to come together. Nigeria opens against Argentina and they are capable of winning that match.
The Korean Republic (South Korea) did well in 2002 in the World Cup making the semifinals. The team is led by Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-Sung. They also have Ki Sung-Yueng and Lee Chung-Yong in the middle. Korea has no defense though and in this group that is a major problem.