From economist to World Cup oracle — Joachim Klement on statistics, soccer and the limits of predictability

Credit: Background photo: AAP / Michael Nigro / ANP/Ramon van Flymen/ANP/Sipa USA / AAP IMAGES

Economist Joachim Klement originally just wanted to show how absurd it is to predict soccer World Cup winners using statistical models. But then he was right three times in a row with his world champion prediction. In an interview, he explains how economic data and probabilities flow into his analyses, why soccer is still never completely predictable and why luck often remains just as important as any statistics.

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