About the Group of Death

The term “Group of Death” is generally attributed to journalists at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. Group 3, comprising Brazil, England, Romania, and Czechoslovakia, was dubbed the "grupo de la muerte," a characterization with which Brazil manager João Saldanha agreed. These journalists proved to be impressive prognosticators; Brazil went on to win both the group and the tournament.

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The most common explanation behind the formation of Groups of Death is the many quirks associated with World Cup seeding over the years. For many decades, seeding was done at the whim of the FIFA Organizing Committee. From 1990 to 2006, prior World Cup performance was a significant factor, meaning seeding was partially based on results from over a decade earlier. Pots (used to actually draw the groups) were also divided geographically until 2018. These imprecise grouping methods were liable to create imbalanced and overpowered groups, hence the phrase Group of Death.

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From a fan’s standpoint, the Group of Death is a convenient excuse for underperforming national teams. From personal experience, I can confirm that this is certainly true for Americans, who have a subpar international soccer record, unrealistically high World Cup hopes, and a rabid sports media apparatus. The US is far from the only fertile ground for Group of Death discussions, however. England, for example, is understandably upset after being drawn in the hardest group in 4 of the last 7 World Cups, and the Mexican media takes pride in discussing “el famoso ‘Grupo de la muerte’” they coined half a century ago. 

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Discussions and debates about the Group of Death have become a staple of World Cup coverage, entertaining fans and TV pundits alike. Sadly, as seeding quirks are phased out and the Cup is expanded, we may be on the verge of losing this tradition. See The Future for more.