Jose Mourinho predicts England will progress out of World Cup group... but only because Chelsea boss wants to keep his job
- Portuguese tips Holland to get out of Group of Death with Spain
- Mourinho doesn't believe Suarez and Uruguay will progress
- England to face Didier Drogba's Ivory Coast in his last-16
- Roy Hodgson's semi-final would be against either Brazil or Holland
Jose Mourinho has played it safe when predicting which teams will reach the last-16 of this month's World Cup.
The Chelsea boss, clearly keen to keep friends over here onside, said that England will progress out of their group alongside Italy.
That means the Portuguese believes Luis Suarez and Uruguay will fail to get out of one of the tougher-looking groups.
VIDEO Scroll down for Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta scores a brilliant chip in Spain training
Buttering up: Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has predicted that England will progress out of their group
Tough ask: Steven Gerrard's Three Lions face Costa Rica, Italy and Uruguay in Group D
Struggle: Uruguay are hoping that star striker Luis Suarez will be fit for the start of the tournament this month
MOURINHO PREDICTS
Brazil or Holland to play either Ivory Coast or England in semi-finals
France or Nigeria to play either Germany or Belgium
AND
Spain or Mexico to play Italy or Greece
Argentina or Switzerland to play Russia or Portugal
'I'm very emotional, I go always with my friends,' Mourinho told Yahoo Sport. 'If I say England out, next season they won't let me coach here.'
There was a recurring theme to his choices, with the personalities and countries closest to the manager's heart unsurprisingly going through.
Louis van Gaal's Holland, Didier Drogba's Ivory Coast and Nigeria are all predicted to get out of their respective groups.
Interestingly in Holland's group - where they will play Spain, Chile and Australia - Mourinho claims the favourites will go through, but that the South Americans could easily finish in the top two.
At the forefront: Louis van Gaal is good friends with Mourinho after a spell in charge at Barcelona
As for his native Portugal, Mourinho is backing them to edge out USA and Ghana to finish second behind Germany in a group where he expects no team will finish on zero points.
Meanwhile, he is expecting France - who have won one World Cup group match in 12 years - to perform much better this time around and win their group ahead of Switzerland.
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