World Cup 2018: Mexico vs. Germany odds, expert picks, and insider predictions

European soccer expert picks Sunday's 2018 World Cup game

The defending champions begin their 2018 World Cup campaign in a marquee matchup against Mexico. The two football giants square off on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. ET. Germany enters the Group F fixture as a -210 money line favorite, meaning you'd need to wager $210 on a German victory to win $100. Mexico enters this 2018 World Cup match as a +600 underdog (risk $100 to win $600), while a draw is +335. The Over-Under for total goals scored is 2.5. Before you lock in your 2018 World Cup picks, you need to see what football insider Thomas Rongen has to say.

The Dutch-American commentator boasts an incomparable football background. He's the former assistant coach and chief international scout for the U.S. men's national team and was the former head coach of the U.S. men's Under-20 team. He also was named MLS coach of the year in 1996 for the Tampa Bay Mutiny.

Now, Rongen has broken down every World Cup roster and locked in confident 2018 World Cup picks for Germany-Mexico.

He knows Germany will be looking to win its fifth World Cup title. The defending champions return a strong defensive unit, while a young, eager attack will be key to making another deep run.

Timo Werner is looking to cement his name as a star with the German national team. The Red Bull Leipzig striker scored 21 goals in each of the last two seasons and had seven goals in 10 matches for Germany last year. Werner scored in Gemany's last international friendly against Saudi Arabia, a 2-1 victory.

Mexico is widely viewed as boasting one of the most potent attacks in the 2018 World Cup field, but some concerns surround its recent performances in preparation for the tournament. Those include a narrow win over Scotland and a scoreless draw against Wales, neither of which made the World Cup.

The offense is led by stars Javier Hernandez and Hirving Lozano, but there is concern about the health and effectiveness of veteran midfielder Andres Guardado. He has battled injuries leading up to the World Cup.

So who wins Germany vs. Mexico? And where does the value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see Thomas Rongen's exclusive World Cup picks for Germany-Mexico, all from the Dutch-American soccer coach who served as chief international scout for the U.S. men's national team.