World Cup gambling on Sunday in the round of 16 could easily be a semifinal or final but Germany and England will be meeting with the loser being eliminated from the World Cup. The World Cup betting odds are about as close as you can get on this match with the English the slightest of favorites.
World Cup gambling has favored Germany and England in each of their group matches and neither team has been overly impressive. England was really disappointing in their three group matches but they did enough to get through as the second place team from Group C behind the United States. Germany was not very impressive either but at least they did get two wins in Group D.
England may have more talent but so far in this World Cup they have not shown much of it. Wayne Rooney has not scored yet but at least in the last match against Slovenia he looked better. He is the one player who could make a big difference on Sunday.
Germany and England have a history of playing great World Cup matches. They met back in the 1966 final at Wembley that England won 4-2. Geoff Hurst scored a hat trick for England in that final. Four years later it was Germany upsetting England in the quarterfinals. The teams met in 1990 in the semifinals and the game went to a penalty shootout that Germany ended up winning 4-3.
Both teams realize that this match could easily have occurred in the semifinals or the final. Since both teams are equally matched, it could come down to a penalty shootout in World Cup betting odds. England players have been practicing penalty shots since before the World Cup began so they are well prepared. England does have a concern with Rooney though as he has another ankle injury. This is the World Cup though so Rooney will play through it. For England to win though, they need Rooney to be at his best. So far he has not been at his best in this World Cup. Germany has survived so far without their captain Michael Ballack but perhaps this is the match where his absence and his experience will be missed the most.