1988 Champions: Saudi Arabia
Field Strength = 98.21
| COUNTRY | MP | GF | GA | INIT | OPP | RATING |
|---|
| South Korea | 6 | 9 | 2 | 101.17 | 98.04 | 99.20 |
| Saudi Arabia | 6 | 5 | 1 | 100.67 | 98.28 | 98.94 |
| China | 6 | 6 | 3 | 100.50 | 98.30 | 98.80 |
| Qatar | 4 | 7 | 6 | 100.25 | 97.89 | 98.14 |
| Kuwait | 4 | 2 | 3 | 99.75 | 98.32 | 98.07 |
| Iran | 6 | 3 | 4 | 99.83 | 98.23 | 98.06 |
| Bahrain | 4 | 1 | 3 | 99.50 | 98.37 | 97.87 |
| Syria | 4 | 2 | 5 | 99.25 | 98.42 | 97.67 |
| UAE | 4 | 2 | 4 | 99.50 | 98.04 | 97.54 |
| Japan | 4 | 0 | 6 | 98.50 | 98.24 | 96.74 |
Methodology for predictor ratings developed in SAS. Methodology is as follows:
i. Calculate an intial rating: (GF-GA)/MP +100 for every team
ii. Calculate the mean intial ratings for all opponents as intial
strength of schedule.
iii. Adjust initial rating of every team by initial strength of schedule.
iv. Iterate through steps ii. and iii. until convergence or ten
iterations (which ever comes first) to calculate final strength of schedule (variable OPP above).
v. Adjust OPP rating by Field Strength ( where Field Strength is the average rating of participants in the most recent World Cup competition)
using formula: OPP = OPP + (Field Strength - 100)
vi. Adjust initial rating by final strength of schedule using formula: Rating = Initial Rating + [OPP - 100]
