Fifa U-20 World Cup: Germany firm favourites in Group F

SV Werder Bremen star Davie Selke will be one of the favourites to claim the golden boot from the tournament. Photo / Getty Images

Counting down to the Fifa Under-20 World Cup, which begins today, the Herald looks at how each group stacks up. Today, Steven Holloway weighs up Group F.

Teams

Germany, who haven't won the Under-20 World Cup since 1981, are second favourites (behind Argentina) to win the tournament ($4.75) and will play alongside Honduras ($81), Uzbekistan ($81) and Fiji ($251). Honduras squeaked through Concacaf qualification with a playoff win over Guatemala and Uzbekistan progressed through Asia despite losing in the semifinals. Fiji produced a near-perfect campaign in the six-nation OFC qualifying campaign to reach their first Fifa tournament.

Favourites

Germany booked their ticket to the Fifa Under-20 World Cup here when they triumphed at the European Under-19 Championship in Hungary, beating Portugal by a solitary goal in the final. Making their 10th appearance at the World Cup, they are led by front-man Davie Selke and backed up by Niklas Stark (Nurnberg), Mark Stendera (Eintracht Frankfurt) and Julian Brandt (Bayer Leverkusen).

Dark horses

Uzbekistan have reached three Under-20 World Cups, making history at the previous event by advancing to the last eight. The current squad are packed with players who won the AFC Under-16 Championship in 2012.

Star man

Davie Selke will be one of the favourites to claim the golden boot from the tournament. The striker did just that as Germany won the European Under-19 Championship, scoring in every game bar the final. Having made 36 appearances for Werder Bremen since 2013, Selke will move to Leipzig next season.

Stat

For the first time in the 76-year history of the Fiji Football Federation, the nation's footballers will have the chance to shine at a Fifa World Cup. With first Australia and then New Zealand having a stranglehold on the region, the only other Oceania side to previously feature at a Under-20 World Cup was Tahiti in 2009.

Did you know

Group F features the fewest number of foreign-based players of any pool at the tournament. Honduras have three overseas-based players, Germany (Benfica's Hany Mukhtar) and Fiji (Divikesh Deo, part of Auckland City's youth team) each have one, while Uzbekistan's 21-man squad is drawn entirely from the nation's local leagues.

Prediction

Germany, eyes firmly fixed on larger objectives, will fancy their chances, while Uzbekistan and Honduras battle for second spot ahead of Fiji.