WATCH: Hawking breaks down the ideal conditions for England to succeed in Rio
Renowned British physicist Stephen Hawking has applied his considerable intellectual capabilities to determine England’s best chance for glory at the World Cup.
In a video for U.K. gambling website Paddy Power, Hawking said he’s analyzed England’s results dating back to the 1966 contest and determined the ideal conditions for his side.
His findings:
- Play in temperate conditions, i.e., not the smothering heat Brazil is known for.
- Wear their red jerseys (rather than white).
- Hope and pray for a European official. “They are more sympathetic to the English game.”
- Use a 4-3-3 configuration of players, i.e., four defenders, with three midfielders and attack, respectively.
- Ensure kick-off starts as close to 3 p.m. local time as possible.
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Don’t scoff. Hawking says he used a statistical method called “general logistical regression modelling” to arrive at his conclusions.
As the theoretical physicist responsible for developing modern science’s understanding of the cosmos, Hawking said Paddy Power believes him to be “marginally more qualified than Paul the Octopus” – the German Cephalopod who called the results of the 2010 World Cup.
England will need whatever advantage and insight it can get this year, finding itself in Group D, a particularly difficult pool. Its first match is on Saturday, June 14 against Italy.
Kick-off time is 5 p.m. local time.
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