Europe To Have Fewer Than Half Of Round Of 16 Teams Again
Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 3:43 am
Teams from Europe have struggled in each of the past two World Cups after making up more than half of the Round of 16 teams since the field expanded in 1986.
The Netherlands and Greece have qualified out of Groups B and C, while Croatia, Italy, England and Spain have been eliminated.
In Groups E through H, France and Germany will almost certainly advance, while Belgium is already through. Switzerland and Russia each have a possibility of advancing, bur Bosnia has been eliminated and Portugal is a longshot.
Number of European countries in Round of 16
1986: 10
1990: 10
1994: 10
1998: 10
2002: 9
2006: 10
2010: 6
2014: Likely 5-6