Brazil and Germany in the cards for Russia 2018

According to data company Gracenote's is the statistical favorite to win the World Cup in Russia, but there is a 35% chance that it will have to beat tournament nemesis Germany along the way.

The Brazilians were spectacularly bounced out of the 2014 World Cup, losing 7-1 in the semifinals to Germany, which went on to win its fourth title.

Striker Neymar was sidelined with a vertebra injury for the match which took place in front of a devastated home crowd in Belo Horizonte.

But with the Paris Saint-Germain superstar fully fit, along with the emergence of goalscorers Gabriel Jesus and Philippe Coutinho, Brazil has lost just four international matches since and only once in the past two years.

Gracenote's predictions place Brazil first, giving the team a 21% chance of lifting the trophy. It ranks Spain second, Germany third, and Argentina fourth going into Russia.

FIFA ranking, which are slightly less data-driven, have Germany ranked first, with Brazil, Belgium and Portugal ranked second, third and fourth, respectively.

British oddsmakers William Hill tips Brazil as the favorite with 4/1 odds, Germany second at 9/2 and Spain third at 6/1.

The matchup most likely for the July 15 final in Moscow is Brazil vs. Spain at 3.8%, with Brazil vs. Germany only slightly less likely at 3.7%., according to Gracenote.

Group placings and the smoothness of a team's draw also weigh into a country's chances to make it to the finals.

There is a 31% chance that either Brazil or Germany -- both heavy favorites to win their first-round groups -- finish group runner-up, forcing a second-round knockout matchup between the two powers, according to Gracenote.

Argentina, the 2014 runner-up, and 2010 winner Spain will face each other as early as the quarterfinasl if both teams win their groups.