General
group of death
What does group of death mean?
A draw in which several strong sides are grouped together, meaning a good team is bound to be eliminated early.
"They landed in the group of death with two former champions."
Origin
Translated from Spanish 'grupo de la muerte', coined at the 1970 World Cup.
Frequently asked questions
What is the group of death?
It is a tournament group containing several strong teams, meaning at least one good side is certain to be knocked out in the group stage.
Where did the term group of death come from?
It is translated from the Spanish 'grupo de la muerte', a phrase associated with the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.
Why is it called the group of death?
Because being drawn into it can 'kill off' a strong team's tournament early, before the knockout rounds even begin.
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