2014 FIFA World Cup – The final 4

The 2014 FIFA World Cup has delivered in terms of drama and delight, heartbreak and happiness as well as brilliance and biting.

And now we are at the semi-final stage with traditional powerhouses Brazil, Argentina, Germany and the Netherlands in the final four.

After the South and Central American teams had dominated the tournament in the group stages, the European powerhouses have now staked their claim for World Cup glory in the knockout rounds.

Host nation Brazil will face Germany on Tuesday 8 July. Brazil will also be Neymar-less for their crunch encounter against Jogi Low’s men, which has left many Brazilians in a bittersweet state. Their nation has progressed to the final four, but now have a serious handicap in an already disabled striking department.

Germany on the other hand are rolling forward like a steam train in this tournament. With Thomas Muller in top from and a creative midfield of Schweinsteiger, Ozil and Khedira to supply him, it looks if Germany might sneak a victory over the Samba Boys.

In the other semi-final on Wednesday 9 June, Argentina will look for some more inspiration from Lionel Messi against the Dutch, who are pumped up after a nail-biting penalty shootout win over the tournament’s surprise package Costa Rica. Both teams have had their scares during the tournament and will looking to make an impact early on in the match.

Netherlands’ coach Louis van Gaal and his team seem to have the upper hand in the tactical department. Against Costa Rica, Van Gaal made a masterstroke substitution when goalkeeper Jasper Cillisen made way for reserve keeper Tim Krul, who apparently had a greater reach and a better reputation as a penalty stopper.

The Netherlands’ went on to win the match after Krul’s heroics booked their place in the semi-final against the Argentinians. Argentina were lucky not to concede a goal against the luckless Belgians in their quarter final clash. A positive sign for Argentina is that striker Gonzalo Higuain seems to be finding form at the right time in the World Cup. The winner of the Argentina and Netherlands semi-final will be the one who holds his nerve in a pressure situation – in other words staying calm after going a goal or keeping their structures when defending a lead. There has been too many occasions in the past where teams lose their momentum when staying on the back foot to protect their lead.

Both semi-finals will also deliver on intrigue and perhaps a bit of controversy, but that’s football.

May the best nation win the FIFA World Cup.

 

Not a Mexican wave but rather a global one

Flags, face paint and national anthems.

It’s 2014 and the game of sport is global. Football with its 203 federations typifies this. Nations have now crossed borders with each other in sporting terms.

Globalisation has also played its part in sport with many football players not representing their country of birth. Eduardo, the Croatian striker will line up against his native Brazil. Mesut Ozil of Germany was born in Turkey and Diego Costa has swapped his chance to represent the Samba Boys when he saw Red with La Furia Roja and went on to represent Spain.

Unfortunately, money and fame has become one of the biggest deciding factors on whether sportsmen represent certain clubs or decide whether to represent their native or adopted countries.

Many of these choices depend on the club that the player represents. Club football is a lucrative avenue for the world’s top players especially in European football. Mesut Ozil played his club football in Germany and went on to represent Germany. Retired French footballer and former French national team captain, Patrick Viera, was born in Senegal but chose to represent France as he had spent his time at clubs in France. Others players who have followed a similar route are Zinedine Zidane and Jonathan de Guzman amongst others.

One of the biggest fears is that national team may end up looking like a club team made up with players from different cultures and corners of the world. Will national pride still shine through? Is the urge to represent and die for your country on the pitch the motivating factor when putting on the jersey? Or is it money and the opportunity to play for historically strong footballing nations?

On another note it can also be a positive thing as it grows the game, teaches respect between cultures and races as well as fostering a unique bond between players. In a sense it establishes a new team philosophy to take the game forward. Guus Hiddink time as the national coach of South Korea is an example of this when he moulded the South Koreans’ style to a more European way of playing. This rejuvenated the team and brought new interest into the game of football in South Korea.

The most important aspect is to keep international football alive and not to let club football take away the pride of playing for your country and all its culture, history and tradition.

The World Cup is where nations clash and where fame is not bought through financial means but through pure football means. As the World Cup is inching closer, it is time to bring back the beautiful game to its roots. Nation versus nation on the World biggest stage.

Brazil – the World’s eyes are on you.

2014 FIFA World Cup: Group H

Algeria’s captain will look the take the Desert Foxes to the next level in Brazil.

Son aiming to make an impact for Korea in Brazil.

Russia’s new golden boy – Alan Dzagoev

Will Hazard be a hazard to opposition defences?

The 2014 FIFA World Cup looks like a cup filled with World Cup grudge matches. A mixture of matches between nations who have previously played against each other on the world’s biggest stage. Group H is no different with Belgium taking on Russia in a European battle of epic proportions. The always speedy and versatile South Koreans and African journeymen, Algeria, make up the final group of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Belgium is the newest force in European football after a flawless qualifying campaign. Russia has been the dark horses for a long time, with the nation crying out for another World Cup performance of note – the last being in 1966 when they secured fourth place as the Soviet Union. South Korea will always be remembered as the 2002 miracle hosts when they achieved fourth place. They will need to build a new legacy in 2014 with a crop of new and talented young players. Algeria’s last gasp qualifying campaign has given them a chance at the biggest stage, where they will look to improve on their last outing in 2010.
Belgium
Red Devils on fire for 2014 FIFA World Cup
Belgian football is on a hot streak. They have qualified for their first World Cup since 2002 and under former star players, Marc Wilmots, they have emerged as a strong force and a potential dark horse.
Belgium has been starved of talent for nearly a decade until the likes of Vermaelen, Lukaku, Mirallas and Kompany came to the party. The question is whether they will celebrate triumphs or leave the World Cup with an unexpected early exit. The obvious choice would be to take the former option.
Belgium strength lies in their abundance of depth, especially in midfield and in front of goal. Many talented Belgian players ply their trade in the English Premier League at the main clubs, such a Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Everton. The Belgian players will be used to the demands of pressure football against the best players in the world, as most of the players are getting regular game time.
Eden Hazard is one of a crop of talented attacking midfielders, who have rejuvenated Belgian football. Hazard has been a key component at Chelsea for the past two seasons and will be urging to show the world why he is so highly rated. Marouane Fellaini is a strong tackling midfield enforcer, who is also a huge threat up front with his strength and skill in the air. Kevin Mirallas is another star midfielder who has a keen eye for goal. The experience of 37 year old midfielder Timmy Simons will also have an impact on the squad’s atmosphere and could help the young players in pressure situations.
Belgium are settled up front with Romeo Lukaku and Dries Mertens banging in the goals. Belgium have unfortunately lost star striker Christian Benteke to injury a few months before the World Cup, which puts a minor dent in their tournament prospects. Luckily Belgium are strong in defence and in goal. Belgium have experienced skipper Vincent Kompany at the back who will marshal the defence. Alongside Kompany is the veteran Daniel van Buyten who will look to end his career on a high after achieving success with Bayern Munich this season.
Goalkeepers Simon Mignolet and Thibaut Courtois have been in outstanding form for club and country and it looks like Courtois will take the number one jersey at the FIFA World Cup. Belgium are truly blessed in the goalkeeping department.
Pundits expect Belgium to justify their high FIFA world ranking (12) and at least reach the knockout stage of the tournament. A quarter final place is definitely in reach for the Red Devils if they continue playing attacking football.

Key Players
Eden Hazard (Midfielder)
Age: 23
Matches Played: 43 (5)
Club: Chelsea
Thibault Courtois (Goalkeeper)
Age: 21
Matches Played: 14 (0)
Club: Atletico Madrid

Romelu Lukaku (Striker)
Age: 20
Matches Played: 23 (5)
Club: Everton

Algeria
Desert Foxes to turn World Cup dry patch into an oasis?

Algeria has been the anomaly of African football in recent years. This is because Algeria seem to be able to qualify for World Cup tournaments but falter in the African Nations Cup and against lesser nations. Algeria do all the hard yard when qualifying, but then they fail to perform in the big tournaments. A first round exit at the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2013 African Nations Cup is a testament to this.
Under experienced coach Vahid Halilhodzic they have gained a good team ethic and spirit which has been lacking in previous years. The former coach of Ivory Coast has nestled in well in the North African country and hopes to take the team to the round of 16. Algeria have found a flair for leaving everything to the final minute, as was evidenced in their qualifying win over a devastated Burkina Faso. They will need more of the same determination and never say die attitude to progress further in Brazil.
Captain Madjid Bougherra is the focal point of the team and his performances in defence will form the catalyst for Algeria’s chances in the tournament. His defensive partner, Rafik Halliche, will also bolster Algeria’s defence in the middle. Algeria posses an efficient midfield with Hasan Yebda, Mehdi Lacen and Sofiane Feghouli providing the strength and thrust to stop opposition midfielders in their tracks. Up front Rafik Djebbour will look to score the vital goals to send the nation through to the next round. Algeria’s game play and strategy consists of tough tackling at the back, fast and aggressive wingers and a big striker up front. Simple but effective.

Key Players
Madjid Bougherra
Age: 31
Matches Played: 61 (4)
Club: Lekhwiya
Sofiane Fegouli
Age: 23
Matches Played: 17 (5)
Club: Valencia
Hassan Yebda
Age: 29
Matches Played: 24 (2)
Club: Udinese

South Korea
A new generation of players, a new game, better results?

2002 was South Korea’s year of glory. They co-hosted the FIFA World Cup with Japan and ended up in fourth place overall. It was a massive achievement for the country and the players. Especially for Hong Myung-Bo who had been a dedicated servant for South Korea with 136 caps to his name. Now Hong Myung-Bo is the national team coach who hopes to repeat the success he achieved as a players. Franz Beckenbauer did it for Germany – maybe Bo can do it for South Korea. The respected professional is adored in South Korea and is a favourite among football pundits in Korea. It is still early days, and the team should see the tournament as preparation for the next World Cup when all their young players will be more experienced. Nevertheless, South Korea will look to gain a place in the last 16, as they did in 2010 when they were also in a tough group.
The team has lost the services of star players Park Ji Sung, but have gained the mercurial attacking power of Bayer Leverkusen’s Son Heung Min. The striker is a goal scoring machine and can unlock defences with his pace and eye for goal. The other attacking option is experienced striker Park Chu Young, who has netted 24 times for his country. Lee Chung Yong is another attacking midfielder who will add to the impetus of the team in their tactical game, as he links up well with the strikers.
Ironically, their head coach has a headache in defence, who himself was one of South Korea’s best defenders. This area of South Korea’s game is thread bare and will look to be exploited by their opponents. Hong Jeong Ho, who plays his club football at Augsburg in Germany will look to add some respectability in this department. Cha Du Ri is also an effective attacking right back, but struggles to hold his position at the back and is sometimes caught out. The Koreans will need to use attack as their best form of defence it seems.

Key Players
Park Chu Young
Age: 28
Matches Played: 62 (24)
Club: Watford

Son Heung Min
Age: 21
Matches Played: 23 (6)
Club: Bayer Leverkusen
Lee Chung Yong
Age: 25
Matches Played: 53 (6)
Club: Bolton Wanderers

Russia
Can Russia fulfil their massive potential?

Russia will forever be remembered for their heroics at Euro 2008 where Andrey Arshavin shined, Roman Pavlyuchenko scored and Guus Hiddink strategised. Not one of these men remain in the Russian team’s plans for 2014, but the urge, confidence, talent and aggression still remain, albeit with a different group of players. But Russian football is on the up, with their impressive domestic league luring players to the fields of Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Russia’s hopes now rest on Yuri Zhirkov and Alan Dzagoev, two players with great skills and talent to take Russia into the next round. Dzagoev is the new golden boy of Russian football after the retirement of Arshavin in 2012.
Experienced coach Fabio Capello has gained much praise in Russia for his authoritarian style and his willingness in dropping players who are not giving their utmost for the team. Capello has created a team that is rock solid in defence, but who lack the necessary impetus in front of goal. In defence, Sergei Ignashevich and Vasili Berezutski will form the iron curtain. Defensive winger Alexander Anyukov will provide burst of attacking flair to the midfielder while also forming part of the aforementioned solid Russian defence.
Igor Akinfeev also continues the Russian lineage of outstanding goalkeepers. Akinfeev recently set a national team record when he kept a clean sheet for 12 consecutive hours, or approximately 6 matches. Akinfeev will look to his heroes of the past in order to make a bigger and inspiring impact at the World Cup. 48 years ago Lev Yashin was an unstoppable goalkeeper for the USSR, and was dubbed the Black Panther for his distinctive black goalkeeping kit. Yashin’s heroics lead to a third place finish in England that year.

Brazil is a far cry from the cold Russian conditions, but they will have to adapt, or face early and unexpected elimination. Russia has all the talent, team ethics and strategy to make a big impact at the 2014 World Cup. It will be left to the players on the field to produce results.

Key Players
Igor Akinfeev
Age: 28
Matches Played: 66 (0)
Club: CSKA Moscow
Sergei Ignashevich
Age: 34
Matches Played: 94 (5)
Club: CSKA Moscow
Alan Dzagoev
Age: 23
Matches Played: 30 (8)
Club: CSKA Moscow

2014 FIFA World Cup: Group G

Ghana’s indispensable number 3 – Asamoah Gyan

Dempsey looking to fly the United States flag in Brazil.

Mezut Ozil is one of a list of Germany’s midfield talents.

Ronaldo – The best player in the world

Group G will be one of the most intriguing, colourful and contrasting groups at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. European powerhouses Germany and Portugal will look to avoid any mishaps against Ghana and USA, who are no pushovers themselves.

Ghana has been a consistent performer on the African continent, while the USA is steadily turning into a football hub for former superstars, Beckham and Henry, to name a few.
This is the group where favourites collide and where hopes and dreams can either be accomplished or shattered.

The teams have had the luck or lack of it in the draw, depending on which side one looks at it. It will be crucial to Ghana and the USA to at least get a draw over the European teams in the competition. Germany and Portugal can ill afford a loss in this group, as momentum and constant good performances will be valuable in the knockout stages of the tournament.

Germany
German precision to take the title?
Germany is a national football team that oozes consistency and temperament. Some real Big Match Temperament. This BMT made them reach the semi-finals in the last four World Cups with a finals appearance in 2002. What also accomplished this success is the blend of youth and experience and the crafting of an established management system.
German football is on a high in 2014. Bayern Munich are the European club champions and dominating the Bundesliga, which has gained a large following over the past 5 years. German football is producing great talent through local systems that focus on attractive results driven football. One of the exponents of German football’s great coaching philosophies and system’s is coach Joachim Löw. He is one of the longest serving international coaches, having started as an assistant coach under Jurgen Klinsmann in 2004.

Löw took over the main duties in 2006 and has since done a brilliant job at the helm, with only a major international trophy trophy missing in his cabinet. Brazil could be his happy hunting ground.
Strategically the Germans’ are hard to beat as they have an excellent midfield that is as capable in attack as defence. Their focus is on attacking football as they break down opposition defences through well timed passes and relentless pressure.
The German assault is laid with midfielder’s Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira (when fit) controlling the midfield and to present a chance to their attacking midfielders and strikers. Germany has the best attacking midfield and strike force in the 2014 World Cup tournament, as evidenced by their variety of players who can fill the gap.

The depth that Germany has can be seen with the likes of Podolski, Muller, Kroos, Gotze, Reus and Ozil all vying for spots in midfield. Mezut Ozil has had a rejuvenating season at Arsenal and will be a player to look out for during the World Cup.
Germany are covered in goal and defence with Manuel Neuer consistently being the best shot stopper in football over the last two years. Die deutsche Fußballnationalmannschaf’s captain Phillip Lahm has always been a leader in defence and always joins the attack with blinding and precise runs down the right hand side.
The German’s main attacking weapon up front is the ever dependable Miroslav Klose. Klose has a knack of scoring at the FIFA World Cup and is just two goals shy of breaking Ronaldo’s goalscoring record of 15 goals at the FIFA World Cup.
Germany has the talent on paper. A mix of young and old, capable in defence and attack, with an impetus in front of goal. One of the favorites.
Key Players
Mezut Ozil (Midfielfder)
Age: 25
Matches Played: 53 (17)
Club: Arsenal

Bastian Schweinsteiger (Midfielder)
Age: 29
Matches Played: 101 (23)
Club: Bayern Munich

Mario Gotze (Midfielder)
Age: 21
Matches Played: 27 (7)
Club: Bayern Munich

Portugal
Can Ronaldo and co put on a masterclass in Brazil?
Portugal is one of the most attractive football sides to watch. They have the skills, the talent and the flashy moves, but they lack the fighting spirit when the going gets tough. They are the equivalent of a sports car – flashy, quick and beautiful to look at, but once they are stuck in the mud then they are in deep trouble.
Portugal had a tough qualifying campaign where they had ordinary draws against Northern Ireland and Israel and looked unsettled at times. They easily beat Sweden in the World Cup playoffs to secure their place in Brazil, with star player Cristiano Ronaldo scoring all of Portugal’s four goals in the two legs.
Ronaldo will thus be vital to the nation’s charge for World Cup glory. The FIFA World Player of the Year has the talent, the skills, the hair and a magical right boot that can find the net from any possible angle. The complete player.
The question is whether his teammates can come to the party in Brazil to provide their star player with the chance to excel – it is a team game after all. Portugal can count on Ronaldo’s defensive teammates at Real Madrid to shine throughout the tournament. Pepe at centre back is solid and an aerial threat in front of goal, while Fabio Coentrao is an explosive left back capable of leaving opposition wingers in their tracks.
Midfielders, Nani, Raul Mereiles and Joao Moutinho are Portuguese regulars and have enough experience to display their talents against the best footballers at the big stage. The man who will most likely partner Ronaldo up front will be Hugo Almeida. The big centre forward is a goal scoring machine, with his strength making it hard to dispossess him in the air. This makes him the perfect foil for the speed and finesse of Ronaldo.

Former Portuguese player, turned coach Paulo Bento, has transformed the team into a solid team of late, with wins building confidence within the team. The knockout stages beckons and it’s up to the belief of the team on how far they will progress.
As we all know that there is no I in TEAM.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Striker)
Age: 29
Matches Played (goals scored): 110 (49)
Club: Real Madrid

Fabio Coentrao (Defender)
Age: 26
Matches Played: 43 (3)
Club: Real Madrid

Joao Moutinho (Midfielder)
Age: 27
Matches Played: 66 (2)
Club: Monaco

Ghana
Black Stars hoping to avenge ghosts of 2010

Ghana have been the premier team on the African continent since their World Cup debut in 2006 in Germany. They reached the round of 16 and went one further in the 2010 World Cup. Ghana held Africa’s hopes in their hand in their quarter-final clash with Uruguay, but came up short in the penalty shootout in an emotional and unforgettable encounter. A nation wept at the sight of Asamoah Gyan missing a penalty on the stroke of full time and mourned when they were knocked out.
Since then Ghana has used this experience as motivation and has take these setbacks in their stride. Non more so than Asamoah Gyan who has since become a household name in Ghanaian and International football for his goal scoring abilities. The striker will lead Ghana’s charge in Brazil alongside other talents such as, Sulley Muntari, Kwadwo Asamoah and Andre Ayew providing the necessary spark from midfield.

One major advantage that Ghana has gained is the services of Michael Essien, who has previously pulled out of the Ghana squad, because of injuries sustained at national level. The tough tackling midfielder has earned the nickname “Bison” for his tough tackling and commanding presence in midfield. Essien also likes to shoot cracking goals from long range and is a constant threat inside the box.
A major area of concern for the Ghanians is their apparent lack of experience in defence, as they are known to make errors in pressure situations. Ghana’s attack will have to be the best form of defence during the tournament – they were the highest scoring African team during the qualifying campaign for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Ghana will be eying to beat the USA for the third time in a row in as many World Cups. This is a must win game for Ghana, who have much bigger fish to fry in terms of Portugal and Germany. Ghana are in a tough group but might sneak through if they are on the top of their game. For Africa’s sake, let’s hope so.

Asamoah Gyan (Striker)
Age: 28
Matches Played (goals scored): 78 (39)
Club: Al-Ain

Michael Essien (Midfielder)
Age: 31
Matches Played (goals scored): 56 (9)
Club: Milan

Kwadwo Asamoah (Midfielder)
Age: 25
Matches Played (goals scored): 60 (4)
Club: Juventus

USA
Unlucky draw leaves American’s with tough ask
If you asked American whether their team qualified for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, they may have told you that they didn’t know or simply didn’t care as much. Fascinated by Baseball, Basketball and American Football they have let football or soccer, slip of their sporting radar.
That is until know. The emergence of international American superstars such as Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan and Jozy Altidore has garnered more attention from the American public. The influx of football icons, Thierry Henry and David Beckham has also created an enhanced level of competition and professionalism in the Major Soccer League (MLS). The league has grown since its debut season in 1996. Originally consisting of 10 teams it has grown to 19 teams over a period of 18 years. The United States has grown into a very competitive North American team and has qualified for every World Cup since 1994.
A vital aspect of this United States team is head coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who captained Germany in the 1990’s. Klinsmann has instilled character and confidence into the team amid a slew of personnel changes. It will be interesting to see how he will prepare to battle the country of his birth, when the two teams meet on 26 June in their final group game.
The United States have always had a long line of quality goalkeepers to choose from and 2014 marks no exception, with Everton stopper Tim Howard standing between the goal posts. Previously goalkeeping legends such as Kasey Keller and Brad Friedel have kept American hopes alive with some amazing saves. The United States back up keeper, Brad Guzan, is also no slouch and should provide excellent cover, should Howard get injured or have a nightmare in front of goal.
Can USA reach the knockout rounds in spite of tough competition in a challenging group. On paper it does not seem like a possibility, but we all know football is played on grass.

Landon Donovan (Midfielder)
Age: 32
Matches Played (goals scored): 156 (57)
Club: LA Galaxy

Clint Dempsey (Midfielder)
Age: 31
Matches Played (goals scored): 103 (36)
Club: Seattle Sounders

Tim Howard (Goalkeeper)
Age: 35
Matches Played (goals scored): 97 (0)
Club: Everton

2014 FIFA World Cup: Group F

Edin Dzeko – Bosnia & Herzigovina’s all time leading goalscorer

Emenike is part of a crop of younfgNigerian footballers under the apprenticeship of Stephen Keshi.

Lionel Messi – Can he inspire Argentina to World Cup glory

Iran’s captain and talisman Javad Nekounam will look to inspire Asia’s number one team

What do Argentina, Iran, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Nigeria have in common? They are all drawn in Group F where failure will not be flattering to any of these countries. Argentina will expect nothing less than a perfect record to top the group. Pundits seem to believe that Argentina got an easy draw for once, having had tough draws in previous tournaments. Incredibly this will be Argentina’s third meeting with Nigeria in the group phase in the last four tournaments.
Africa will be expecting Nigeria to impress during the tournament, especially as they are the champions of Africa. Bosnia-Herzegovina are making their first appearance in the World Cup after a brilliant qualifying campaign and could be one of the surprise packages with stars such as Edin Dzeko and Asmir Begovic at their disposal. Iran might pick up a point or two, but seem destined to lick the wooden spoon in this group.

Argentina

Can Messi and company inspire Argentina on the biggest stage of them all?

If there is one thing that Argentina has to do in this upcoming World Cup, it is to attack, attack and attack again. They possess the greatest attacking talent on the planet with multiple Ballon d’Or winner, Lionel Messi, weaving his magic behind two striking wizards. Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero are two of the best strikers on the planet who strike fear into the heart of any defence they play against. Aguero will look to continue his club form at national level when he switches his light blue Manchester City kit for the light blue and white striped national kit.
As one would expect from the third ranked team in the world, they also have a tight and experienced midfield. Argentina likes to play a solid defensive midfield with Mascherano and Gago complementing their speedy and skilful wingers, Di Maria and Maxi Rodriguez.

One problem that Argentina may have is their inexperienced defence who have been leaking goals of late. Gone are the experienced Javier Zanetti and Roberto Ayala, who both has been the lid that has kept goals from flowing into their net.

Argentina must put their past World Cup disappointments behind them, and the only way of doing that will be to win all their group games, which they are well capable of doing. Confidence will be key in the Argentina squad, and if Messi can pull the strings them they will be a tough team to beat in the knockout rounds. Messi has never had a major impact at a World Cup and this could be his chance to finally silence his critics at national level.
Lionel Messi (Striker)
Age: 26
Matches Played (goals scored): 84 (37)
Club: FC Barcelona
Angel di Maria (Midfielder)
Age: 26
Matches Played (goals scored): 45 (9)
Club: Real Madrid
Sergio Aguero (Striker)
Age: 25
Matches Played (goals scored): 50 (21)
Club: Manchester City

Nigeria

Champions of Africa ready to soar in Brazil

Lightning seems to strike more than twice for the 2013 African Cup of Nations champions. For the third time Nigeria will play Argentina in the group stage of the World Cup. The Nigerians have lost all their previous group matches against Argentina in 1994, 2002 and 2010. The Nigerians will look for retribution in 2014, and anything is possible with their solid squad of exciting players. The Nigerians did beat Argentina at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics final 3-2, and a victory in Brazil will bring back memories of that famous victory.
Nigeria has the talent and youth at their disposal with more than 80% of the squad under the age of 30. This will be to their advantage, as the hot humid climate will not affect the Nigerians as adversely, as they are fit and accustomed to warm conditions on the African continent. Look out for youngster Brown Ideye and Ahmed Musa to run defences ragged.
Captain John Obi Mikel seems like he has been around for a decade and at 26, he is still young but highly experienced to lead his charges in the World Cup. The Chelsea star brings a calmness to the Nigerian fold and is a super tight defensive midfielder who organises and launches Nigeria’s attack.
Nigerian coach Stephen Keshi, also known as the “Big Boss” has a never say die attitude and is a media favourite for his often strange and outspoken comments. Keshi gets the job done and demands respect from his players as a no nonsense coach. Keshi has changed Nigerian football for the better and could reap more rewards in Brazil.
Keshi’s confidence in the younger players has paid dividends with Emmanuel Emenike, Victor Obinna and Victor Moses playing some brilliant football and repaying their coaches faith in them. A continent expects Nigeria to atleast make the knockout phase of the tournament. Keshi and the Super Eagles will not want to let Africa down.
John Obi Mikel (Midfielder)
Age: 26
Matches Played (goals scored): 56 (4)
Club: Chelsea
Emmanuel Emenike (Striker)
Age: 26
Matches Played (goals scored): 21 (9)
Club: Fenerbahce
Vincent Enyeama (Goalkeeper)
Age: 31
Matches Played (goals scored): 89 (0)
Club: Lille
Bosnia-Herzegovina

Debutants looking to give World Cup regulars a scare

Bosnia-Herzegovina are the dark horses of this group and could sneak a place in the knockout stage, permitting good form, team tactics and Edin Dzeko. Bosnia’s greatest threat comes from the Manchester City striker who has been in red hot form this season for club and country. Dzeko is Bosnia’s all time leading goal scorer with 33 goals and would be gunning to add to his tally, especially at his first World Cup.

The Bosnian on the other side of the pitch will also be a difference maker during the World Cup. Goalkeeper Asmir Begovic is a colossal presence in front of goal and has been in scintillating form for his club Stoke City in the English Premier League. His saves and superb reflexes have kept many strikers at bay.

Bosnia’s cavalier approach is exciting to watch as they scored the 4th most goals during the UEFA qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup (30 goals). 18 of those goals were shared by Dzeko and his strike partner, Vedad Ibisevic. The argument is that Bosnia had an easy qualifying group and might find Argentina’s defence harder to break down. Bosnia’s midfield play will most likely centre around Zvjezdan Misimovic, who is the country’s most capped players with 80 caps and an impressive 25 goals to his credit.

The catalyst in Bosnia’s progress to their first World Cup is undoubtedly coach, Safet Susic. Susic represented Yugoslavia in his playing days and made the former republic’s World Cup squads in 1982 and 1990. Susic has also been named best player in Paris-Saint Germain’s history and was known for his memorable long range shooting. Susic has brought this same cavalier winning mentality to his coaching and has gained praise from the Bosnian media for his approach to the game.

Bosnia’s crunch match will be against the Nigerians on 21 June. A win for either team will most certainly enhance for chances of qualifying for the knockout stages of the competition.
Edin Dzeko (Striker)
Age: 28
Matches Played (goals scored): 60 (33)
Club: Manchester City

Vedad Ibisevic (Striker)
Age: 29
Matches Played (goals scored): 53 (20)
Club: Stuttgart

Asmir Begovic (Goalkeeper)
Age: 26
Matches Played (goals scored): 28 (0)
Club: Stoke City
Iran
The Princes of Persia set for a battle royal in Group F
Iran has always enjoyed an above par World Cup record and has never disappointed their fans by always producing solid performances at a World Cup. In their previous three World Cup appearances in 1978, 1998 and 2006 they have managed to at least score a point. Their most famous World Cup victory was in France in 1998 when they beat their arch nemesis the USA, with Mehdi Mahdavikia scoring a fantastic goal.
Forward to 2014 and Iran are in a World Cup once again – this time with clear intentions of progressing to the knockout stages. It will be a tough task, but they have had a good run of form with 7 consecutive victories on the trot, as well as topping their World Cup qualifying group.
Carlos Queiroz, the former Bafana Bafana and Portugal coach, has done an amazing job at the helm of one of the toughest jobs on the planet. Queiroz has earned respect in Asia for his defensive strategy that play into Iran’s strengths. Asia’s number one team will look to show the world what Asian football is capable of.
One of the players who will be looking to cement his place as an Iranian football legend is their captain, Javed Nekounam. The midfielder already has 133 caps to his name and will look to lead from the front during the World Cup. Other players to look out for are strikers Rejah Goochannejhad and Mohammed Khalatbari. Experienced defender Mohammad Nosrati will also be a thorn in opposition striker’s sides.
Iran will most likely end up bottom of the group, but might cause a scare or two during the group stage, as they have nothing to lose.
Javed Nekounam (Midfielder)

Age: 33
Matches Played (goals scored): 136 (37)
Club: Al-Kuwait

Mohammed Khalatbari (Striker)
Age: 30
Matches Played (goals scored): 58(5)
Club: Persepolis

Jalal Hosseini (Defender)
Age: 32
Matches Played (goals scored): 83 (6)
Club: Persepolis

 

2014 FIFA World Cup: Group E

The Swiss youngster is ready to impress at the World Stage

Palacios is the midfield enforcer of Honduras; WOrld Cup charge.

Electrifying winger Jefferson Montero will look to use his pace to rattle opposition defences.

European Footballer of the Year. Enough said of the French maestro

Group E will provide a mixture of entertainment, ecstasy, exasperation, exhilaration and Ecuador. The South American country is one of the dark horses to go through to the knockout stages along with FIFA World Cup 1998 winners, France.  Switzerland will also be a force to be reckoned with based on their FIFA ranking alone. Touted the “group of life” by football pundits, this group is one of the more open groups in the World Cup. Ecuador have a fantastic record in their own continent, and this may spur them on to greater things. Honduras will also look to impress and could cause an upset over the unpredictable French. The one who plays accurate football with the least mistakes will come out on top in this group.

France

Unpredictable Les Bleus ready to face destiny or disaster

France were one of the lucky teams during the qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. They scraped through a tough group that included World Champions Spain, and then faced Ukraine in the playoffs. France lost to Ukraine in a woeful first leg display that had the French public with their heads in their hands, and football pundits calling it one of the worst displays by a French team. Strangely enough, in the second leg at home, France made a 180 degree turn and beat the Ukraine 3-0 to book their place in Brazil. This was also the only time a side had turned a 2 goal deficit around in the playoffs. A truly lucky escape, after one of the goals came from an offside goal from star striker Karim Benzema.

France will either win the whole tournament or go out in the first round of their group or early in the knockout stages, as they are struggling for consistency, especially against the smaller nations. This is when they seem to let their guard down. The group will be easy for France if they play with the correct mental attitude. No ego’s, no team fights (remember 2010) and no player meltdowns.

The pack of cards that France will likely use at their disposal lies in their creative midfield and strong attacking threat up front. The ace’s in the pack are midfielders Paul Pogba, Yohan Cabaye, Mathieu Valbeuna and striker Olivier Giroud.

Pogba has been in immense form for Juventus and with his Mohawk will try to make a fashion statement as well to all the colourful Brazilians football crazy fans. Yohan Cabaye has showed his skill at Newcastle and is now making a name for himself in the strong PSG side.

The King in France’s deck is undoubtedly the little maestro Franck Ribery. The 30 year old playmaker of Bayern Munich is now at the peak of his powers and there is no better way for the European Footballer of the year to show his pedigree than at Brazil. Ribery has never tasted international success, with the closest being second spot in Germany in 2006.

Coach, Didier Deschamps has revitalised the national team’s spirit, and knows how to win, as a former World Cup and European championship winning captain. He has played down his team’s chances and this may be a good move to lift the pressure from his players’ shoulders. Captain Hugo Lloris is also enjoying a successful time at London club Tottenham Hotspur. He has a penchant for the acrobatical, but is also prone to the odd bit of French madness in goal.

The French are either fantastic or frail.

Key Players:

Franck Ribery (Midfielder)

Age: 30

Matches Played (goals scored): 81 (16)

Club:  FC Barcelona

Paul Pogba (Midfielder)

Age: 21

Matches Played (goals scored): 8 (1)

Club:  Juventus

Karim Benzema (Striker)

Age: 26

Matches Played (goals scored): 65 (19)

Club:  Real Madrid

 

Switzerland

Sweet success for Switzerland is South Africa or will their challenge melt away?

Switzerland is ranked number six in the world and with good reason. They have been consistently competitive under German coach Ottmar Hitzfeld and has a combination of young attacking players and experienced defenders. This World Cup may be their time to shine, especially since they have been drawn in one of the easier groups.

Switzerland’s challenge is built on their success in the under 17 and under 19 World Cup’s with a clear focus on producing young talent through the respective age group categories. One of these players is Bayern Munich star Xherdan Shaqiri, who has Albanian heritage. Shaqiri has been an influential figure in the Swiss team since his debut in 2010. Alongside playmakers Tranquillo Barnetta and Granit Xhaka, nicknamed “young Einstein” for his intelligence on the field. The Swiss enforcer is the ever dependable Gokhan Inler who links play with experienced centre-backs Johan Djourou and Philippe Senderos who are both former Arsenal players.

Diego Benaglio is a dependable goalkeeper, who is supported well by Switzerland’s solid back four. Stephan Lichtsteiner is a menace on the right hand side of defence, and his marauding runs down the flank will cause problems for the defence. These runs have earned him the nickname Forrest Gump. He is also a no nonsense tackler, and is sometimes hated by the opposition for his desire to push the rules on defence.

The Swiss though have not yet found a suitable replacement for Alexander Frei, who is their leading goal scorer of all time. Erin Derdiyok has had many opportunities to fill this gap, but has blown hot and cold of late. This is one problem the Swiss will have especially against tougher opposition, when they are a goal or two behind. The Swiss should come second in this group, as their combination of exciting young players should be able to withstand the challenge of the Ecuadorian and Honduran contingent.

 Xherdan Shaqiri (Midfielder)

Age: 22

Matches Played (goals scored): 31 (8)

Club:  Bayern Munich

Stephan Lichtsteiner (Defender)

Age: 30

Matches Played (goals scored): 61 (4)

Club: Juventus

Granit Xhaka (Midfielder)

Age: 21

Matches Played (goals scored): 24 (4)

Club:  Borussia Monchengladbach

Ecuador

South Americans have an immaculate record on their continent

Ecuador burst onto the scene during the 2002 FIFA World Cup as they picked up a win against Croatia. Four years on in 2006, they qualified for the knockout stage before going down to a Beckham-inspired England. Ecuador surprisingly failed to qualify for South Africa 2010, but have returned back in 2014. Gone are the stars of the 2006 World Cup journey and in are the youngsters ready to break into the international consciousness.

Colombian coach Reinaldo Rueda, who lead Honduras to the World Cup in 2010, is now in charge of Ecuador and faces his old team in the group stage. This gives the Ecuadorians a distinct advantage as they will have inside knowledge on their Central American opponents.

Ecuador also boast a variety of talented players who will thrive in the well-known South American conditions. Veterans Edison Mendez and Walter Ayovi will be crucial in acting as teachers to the younger players on the field. Captain Antonio Valencia has been an inspiration to his team, with his experience at Manchester United doing the national team a world of good. Jefferson Montero on a good day is near unstoppable as his electrifying pace will be used to good effect against tired opponents. Ecuador are used to the conditions and will need to use their knowledge of the high altitude and humidity to good effect against superstar teams like France.

The untimely passing of Christian Benitez last year due to a heart failure shocked the Ecuadorian football community and do not be surprised to see players paying respect to their former team mate. Benitez would have surely been part of the World Cup team in Brazil, and his presence will be sorely missed.

Edison Mendez (Midfielder)

Age: 35

Matches Played (goals scored): 108 (18)

Club: Santa Fe

Antonio Valencia (Midfielder)

Age: 28

Matches Played (goals scored): 69 (8)

Club: Manchester United

Jefferson Montero (Midfielder)

Age: 24

Matches Played (goals scored): 37 (7)

Club:  Morelia

Honduras

Honduras ready to make a statement in 2014

Honduras are the true underdogs of this group, but because of the unpredictable nature of this group they might see themselves as having a real opportunity to cause some surprises.

They are once again facing Switzerland, just like they did in their previous World Cup in 2010. It is a case of familiar foes in a not so familiar environment. Whether Honduras has the capability to contain the likes of Shaqiri, Ribery and Benzema will have to be seen.

Interestingly, Honduras’ coach was in charge of Ecuador during their successful 2006 FIFA World Cup run. Roles have been swapped and teams have been changed, but results have been no different. The Honduras versus Ecuador contest will be one of the highly anticipated contests in this group with bragging rights on the line in the battle of the Americas.

Honduras’ star player is undoubtably former Tottenham midfielder Wilson Palacios. Palacios now plays for Stoke City in the English Premier League and will look to add defensive metal in the midfield. Another Premier League star, Maynor Figueroa will be key to Honduras’ chances especially from set pieces. The left back has a deadly left foot and can strike the ball from range.

Strikers Carlo Costly and Jerry Bengtson will be the team power up front with the experienced Costly linking up well with the lively Bengtson, the latter playing his football in the United States with New England Revolution.

Honduras surprised many pundits during CONCACAF qualifying and secured automatic qualification beating Mexico away in the process. The players and coaching staff will look to do the country proud and emerge with a goal and a win – two things they couldn’t manage from their previous World Cup outing.

Wilson Palacios (Midfielder)

Age: 29

Matches Played (goals scored): 92 (5)

Club:  Stoke City

Carlo Costly (Striker)

Age: 31

Matches Played (goals scored): 68 (30)

Club:  Real Espana

Maynor Figueroa (Defender)

Age: 30

Matches Played (goals scored): 102 (3)

Club:  Hull City

2014 FIFA World Cup: Group D

Rooney is in the prime of his career and it is time for him to shine in a major tournament, like he did at Euro 2004

The Costa Rica skipper will be one to watch at the tournament. Erratic, but highly impressive when he is on form.

Luis Suarez – An enigmatic superstar, can score from anywhere and is key to Uruguay silverware hopes.

Super Mario – Sublime or ludicrous, you never know what you are going to get. Italy will be hoping for goals and less on and off field shenanigans.

Group D is divided into two halves. The former European giants in England and Italy against the up and coming nations of the Americas in Costa Rica and Uruguay. The men from South America, headed by Luis Suarez will be a nightmare for any defence and with Uruguay playing in familiar South American conditions; they may just surprise a lackluster England or Italy. Both of these European teams have not had the greatest run of late and are prone to choke under pressure. This group will be interesting to watch as the hopes of many lie in this three way battle for world prominence.

 

England

Can England finally lay the ghosts of 1966 to rest?

Divine Intervention.

This is what England will need if they hope to win the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1966 when they triumphed on home soil. Sure, they will need determination, they will need to dominate and they will need to deliver. England are hungry for success and there will be no need for excuses this time around. The golden generation of Beckham, Scholes, Neville and Owen are no longer there to guide England. They now have to rely on Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney and veteran left-back Ashley Cole to lead their younger players.

These youngsters include the likes of Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain, Adam Lallana and Daniel Sturridge, the latter in the form of his life at Liverpool. The mix of youth and experience will suit England, as they will need younger and fitter players to perform in the drenching humiditity of Brazil.

Coach Roy Hodgson had already complained about the humid conditions in their training camp, and will be one of the talking points at the World Cup. Hodgson impressed during qualifying with his team going unbeaten against the likes of Ukraine and Montenegro. The main problem is that England seem to fail against bigger and stronger teams and especially when under pressure. This was evidenced in recent friendlies against Germany and Chile at home. England folded under the pressure and seemed to lack communication. This is something that has to be eradicated quickly as they have all the talent at their disposal. They just need belief. A semi-final place is just what they would need in preparation for the next major tournament. England will not be strong enough to win the tournament, but will do their confidence no harm for the next international tournament, in other words Euro 2016.

England fans won’t like hearing this, but this team may not have that something extra to win the tournament. The pressure will be immense to perform and it may be too much on the younger players at the latter stages of the tournament. The only hope is that England do not get eliminated on penalties again…the horror the horror.

Key Players:

Steven Gerrard (Midfielder)

Age: 33

Matches Played (goals scored): 109 (21)

Club: Liverpool

Wayne Rooney (Striker)

Age: 28

Matches Played (goals scored): 89 (38)

Club: Manchester United

 

Daniel Sturridge (Striker)

Age: 24

Matches Played (goals scored): 10 (3)

Club: Liverpool

 

Italy

 

Different Azzuri, Different results?

 

The four time World Cup winner will be looking to make it a high five this time around as it will be a farewell tournament for Italian legends such as midfield virtuoso Andrea Pirlo and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. Buffon has appeared in 139 matches for Italy with many of them being as the captain of team. He marshals the defence and is an astute tactician and dressing room personality. Nicknamed, “San Gigi” or “Superman” by his fans, the Juventus goalkeeper will be one of the main factors in Italy’s progression in the tournament.

This is a different Italian team from the one that won the World Cup in 2006, with only Buffon, De Rossi, Gilardino and Pirlo still part of the national setup. The team will rely heavily on their star players to guide the inexperienced players who have not yet set foot at a World Cup.

One of these star players that will be crucial to the Azzuri’s chances will be Mario Balotelli. The controversial footballer has moments of genius mixed in with utterly ludicrous ones. The man is a lucky packet, as one never knows what to get on the day. For Italy’s sake they hope they get “Super Mario” – the one that scores goals and dazzles the opposition. He has all the talent, he just needs to lose some of the ego.

In coach Cesare Prandelli they have an astute tactical coach, with a strong grip on his squad. His strict behaviour policies will help to put misfits such as Balotelli in their place. The team morale is high in the squad, as they were the second European team to qualify for the World Cup. They are almost in the same boat as England, in that they had a relatively easy qualifying group to get through. They have immense pressure to qualify from the group as their football crazy supporters will look to support their beloved Azzuri till the very end.

Italy has always prided themselves on their solid defence, but with former star players Canavaro, Nesta and Maldini no longer available, their defence seems to be thinner than usual. If the opposition can exploit this, then Italy may be knocked out early by the likes of England and a performing Uruguay.

Key Players:

Andrea Pirlo (Midfielder)

Age: 33

Matches Played (goals scored): 107 (13)

Club: Juventus

Gianluigi Buffon (Goalkeeper)

Age: 28

Matches Played (goals scored): 139 (0)

Club: Juventus

 

Mario Balotelli (Striker)

 Age: 24

Matches Played (goals scored): 29 (12)

Club: Milan 

 Uruguay

 

Time for Uruguay’s golden generation to show their worth

 

The small nation has achieved much on the football front.  2 time winners of the World Cup in 1930 and 1950 solidify their status as contender, especially with the tournament taking place on their home continent.

Uruguay is one of the dark horses of the tournament and thanks to the heroics of 2010, they are now one of the recognised nations in world football. They now boast players who play in the biggest leagues that represent their clubs on a weekly basis. Edinson Cavanni, Diego Lugano, Fernando Muslera and of course Luis Suarez.

Suarez is Uruguay’s main attacking weapon, and is the ultimate striker. Great ability with the ball at his feet, good in the air, fast and an eye for goal from anywhere on the pitch. His on and off-field tactics are reminiscent of Diego Maradona and Eric Cantona, and he has received mixed feeling from football fans. The players you love to hate (Ghana fans still hate him after his handball during the 2010 World Cup quarter-final).

Uruguay’s coach Oscar Tabarez is a well-travelled individual who also coached Uruguay during the previous World Cup, as well as leading them to a Copa America title in 2011. Tabarez has been in charge since 2006 with his experience being vital to the team structure and style of play that is now established in the team.  Uruguay are now at their peak, as their golden generation will look to make their fans proud and bring back some silverware or even a bronze medal by winning a third place playoff. Veterans like Diego Forlan will also be looking for a perfect send off in his final World Cup.

 

Key Players:

Luis Suarez (Striker)

Age: 26

Matches Played (goals scored): 77 (38)

Club: Liverpool

Fernando Muslera (Goalkeeper)

Age: 27

Matches Played (goals scored): 60 (0)

Club: Galatasaray

 

Edinson Cavani (Striker)

Age: 27

Matches Played (goals scored): 60 (20)

Club: Paris Saint-Germain

Costa Rica

 

Ticos ready to tick in Brazil?

 

Costa Rica has been drawn in a very difficult group and has virtually no chance of progressing, but might well enhance their pedigree if they can draw a few games against the bigger nations in their group. Costa Rica’s star players like Fulham’s Bryan Ruiz and Levante’s Keylor Navas wil look to enhance their pedigree to attract the top clubs in the world. Younger stars such as Joel Campbell and Celso Borges will also be looking to make a name for themselves.

Experience will be aplenty in both attack and defence with Micheal Umana in defence and Christian Bolanos in midfield pulling the strings and guiding the rest of their teammates in their positions. Alvaro Saborio provides attacking power and experience up front and is Costa Rica’s third all time leading goal scorer. Costa Rica will look to strike on the counter attack and catch opposition unawares. The most important thing for Costa Rica will be to take the lead if they are to have any chance of causing a major upset.

The Costa Ricans have a well-balanced outfit, but lack the star power and game breakers that are required to progress in the tournament. They will be solid, but ordinary compared to England, Italy and Uruguay.

Key Players:

Bryan Ruiz (Striker)

 

Age: 28

Matches Played (goals scored): 62 (12)

Club: Fulham

Keylor Navas (Goalkeeper)

Age: 27

Matches Played (goals scored): 51 (0)

Club: Levante

 

Alvaro Saborio (Striker)

 Age: 27

Matches Played (goals scored): 93 (32)

Club: Real Salt Lake

 

 

2014 FIFA World Cup: Group C

Mitrouglou – Greece’s main attacking threat

Yaya Toure will make the 2014 World Cup his stage, if given the chance by his Ivorian team mates

MArio Yepes – at 38 still leading the Colombian charge

Keisuke Honda (In Red) looking to give the Blue army of Japan something to celebrate

Group C is a group of competition, challenges and contenders. A stable of four teams who have not tasted glory in a World Cup. The inbetweeners.

Midcarders, as one would say in sport entertainment terms. None of these teams will have to face one of the big guns and powerhouse football nations. Will one of these teams showcase their potential in an otherwise very open group?

Colombia has shown massive potential in qualifying and has experience a renaissance in footballing terms, while Ivory Coast will be looking to finally progress to the knockout stages after the third time of asking. Japan and Greece round out the group with both strong contenders for a last 16 spot.

Colombia

A mix of experience, youth and Falcao for Los Cafeteros

Colombia’s team name Los Cafeteros, translates to “The Coffee Makers”. Coffee is known as a rich, flavourful drink grown in Colombia, and is one of the country’s favourite drinks.

It is apt that the national football team has this connection as their football has been as sound and refreshing an exquisite Colombian coffee in the afternoon. Rich, rewarding and reassuring. Colombian football is on the rise under Argentinean journeyman, Jose Pekerman. The manager has developed a defensive winning mentality which saw Colombia concede the least amount of goals (13) during the Comnebol qualifying campaign.

Mario Yepes and Luis Perea is the cornerstone of defence and are rock solid. Age does not seem to be a problem for Yepes, who at 38 is still regarded as one of the world most underrated defenders. His time at PSG and AC Milan will suit him well on the World biggest stage. A deserved first appearance for one of Colombia’s greatest defenders.

One of the major problems for Colombia is the injury doubt over their star striker Rademel Falcao. The striker is indispensible to Colombia’s chances of progressing further in the competition, and Colombians will be praying for a miracle ahead of the tournament.

Luckily Colombia’s has got some excellent back up to try to fill the gaping void. James Rodriguez is a young talent who is a creator in the midfield. Expect him and fellow midfielder Fredy Guarin to pull the strings. Another striker to look out for will be Teofilo Guitierrez, who plays his football for River Plate in Argentina.

Expect Colombia to finish first or a close second in the group behind the Ivory Coast.

Key Players:

Mario Yepes (Defender)

Age: 38

Matches Played (goals scored): 94 (6)

Club: Atalanta

James Rodriguez (Midfielder)

 

Age: 22

Matches Played (goals scored): 20 (3)

Club: Monaco

 

Luis Amaranto Perea (Defender)

 

Age: 35

Matches Played (goals scored): 74 (0)

Club: Cruz Azul

Ivory Coast

Third time lucky for the Elephants?

Ivory has dominated African football for nearly a decade, but still has no trophies to show for it. The perennial bridesmaids of African football (always coming second) are touted to be the best on the continent, but always fail to deliver in the crunch matches.

Star players such as Yaya Toure, his brother Kolo, Didier Drogba and Solomon Kalou will have to perform at their very best if they want to achieve any level of success for a continent and country that is starving for some international recognition and silverware.

The Elephants seem poised to go through to the knockout rounds for the first time as they are in a relatively open group. This may also be the last chance for Didier Drogba to shine in a World Cup, having disappointed at the 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cup respectively. The 35 year old veteran has achieved club success with Chelsea and needs to perform on the international stage.

Yaya Toure is in white hot form for Manchester City and seems to find the back of the net at will from long range and from his devastating free kicks. Another player to keep an eye out for will be midfielder Cheick Tiote, who can dazzle from long range. Furthermore, the Ivory Coast can rely on a wealth of players who ply their trade in the big league overseas, especially in the French League One, which is a birthplace for African talent.

Expect the class of 2014 to cause an upset or two during the World Cup.

Didier Drogba (Striker)

Age: 35

Matches Played (goals scored): 98 (16)

Club: Galatasaray

Yaya Toure (Midfielder)

Age: 30

Matches Played (goals scored): 82 (16)

Club: Manchester City

Gervinho (Striker)

Age: 26

Matches Played (goals scored): 52 (13)

Club: AS Roma

Japan

Men or boys from the land of the rising sun?

Japan is a hotbed of footballing talent. Quick, skilled but one thing that the Japanese lack is aggression and size. They have heart, but they will need an injection of adrenalin to produce a pulsating performance to progress in the tournament.

In coach, Alberto Zaccheroni, they have a Italian who focuses on defence, something that Japan has lacked over the years. There are still problems as they lost to Belarus in friendly matches, which led to calls for Zaccheroni to be sacked. They did manage to beat Belgium in a pre World Cup friendly which has elevated their chances of an upset or two during the World Cup.

Their star player is undoubtedly Shinji Kagawa, who is yet to find his feet in the Premier League with Manchester United. Japan’s darling follows in the footsteps of former prodigal talents such as Shinsuke Nakamura and Hidetoshi Nakata. The question is whether he can inspire Japan to success alongside captain, Makoto Hasebe. Bleach haired striker Keisuke Honda, who plays for AC Milan, is their key man in front of goal in partnership with Shinji Okazaki.

Japan’s blue army of fans will also expect nothing less and will be waiting in anticipation for the World Cup to begin for which their team qualified first. Japan will entertain but may ultimately draw the short end of the straw, amid impressive performances. The young team will see the tournament as a graduation phase. It will be interesting to see whether they can develop from students to masters of their own fate.

Shinji Okazaki

Age: 27

Matches Played (goals scored): 72 (36)

Club: FC Mainz

Keisuke Honda

Age: 27

Matches Played (goals scored): 52 (20)

Club: AC Milan

Shinji Kagawa

Age: 24

Matches Played (goals scored): 53 (16)

Club: Manchester United

Greece

Is The Pirate Ship ready to fire or will they walk the plank?

The Greeks have long rode the coat tails of their unexpected and celebrated Euro 2004 triumph. No other team has since achieved such an underdog victory in such a resolute fashion with an emphasis on timid football with only victory in mind. No flash, no style no samba football.

Brazil’s antithesis.

Fans might not warm to their style of play, but one can’t argue that it does not deliver results. Greece has qualified for the past 3 international tournaments without mach fuss. They qualified for Brazil by finishing second in their group behind Bosnia-Herzigovina, and then defeating rivals Romania 4-2 on aggregate thanks to star striker Kostas Mitrouglou. The man has an eye for goal, as powerful as Medusa. His powerful shooting seems to render the opposition’s goalkeeper to stone.

The anchor of the Greek ship is captain and mythical journeyman, Giorgos Karagounis. The 36 year old was a part of the Euro 2004 squad and is the main reason why Greece has become competitive over the past decade. The most capped player in the history of the team has an amazing work ethic and has a penchant for long range rockets that burst the net.

The Pirate Ship as the team is known will also count on pirates Giorgios Samaras and Dimitris Salpingidis to rub the salt in the opposition’s wounds with swift counter-attacks. One thing that the Greeks can count on is their aerial prowess and their physical nature which will come in handy against smaller built nations such as, Japan.

Expect Greece difficult to break down but the shackles to come off when they go a goal down. Their lack of imagination and creativity may see them finish last in the group.

Dimitris Salpingidis (Striker)

Age: 31

Matches Played (goals scored): 72 (13)

Club: PAOK

Kostas Mitrouglou (Striker)

Age: 25

Matches Played (goals scored): 28 (8)

Club: Fulham

Giorgos Karagounis (Midfielder)

 

Age: 36

Matches Played (goals scored): 131 (10)

Club: Fulham

2014 FIFA World Cup preview: Group A

In my previous blog on the 2014 FIFA World Cup draw, (http://wouter-theworldthroughwords.blogspot.com/2013/12/2014-fifa-world-cup-draw-roundup.html) I gave reaction to the groupings and outlined possible results and gave a few predictions. It was a summary of every group. On the next few blogs I will devote attention to each group. This blog will focus on Group A, which includes hosts and tournament favourites Brazil, European qualifiers Croatia, Mexico from the CONCACAF region and Cameroon, from the World Cup qualifying campaign in Africa.

Brazil

The hot favourites

Brazil is football. Everything about Brazilian football equals beauty, artistry and a flair for the spectacular. Brazil has always played an exciting brand of football known as Samba football.

“Samba” as it illustrates and imitates the famous dance, Football has now become dancing with rhythmic passing, brilliant stepping and exquisite timing all in combination.

The question is whether this Brazilian team can emulate the feats of previous legendary World Cup winning teams, such as the 1958, 1970 and 1994. Brazil has produced magical players such as Cafu, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Romario from the 90’s-2000’s. In the 70’s and 80’s you had Zico, Carlos Alberto and Rivelinho. Further back in the 50’s and 60’s Brazil produced the likes of Garrincha, Nilton Santos and the greatest footballer that ever lived – Pele.

Fast forward to 2013 and Brazil are once again spoilt for choice regarding the depth of talent at their disposal. The key player in this World Cup will be Neymar. The striker, who plays his club football at Spanish giants Barcelona, has already shown his class on the international stage at the Confederations Cup this year.

The Confederations Cup is somewhat like a pre-testing of the venues and facilities before the official World Cup showpiece. In that tournament Brazil gave a flickering indicator of their glowing potential by not only winning the tournament but doing so convincingly. They beat European and World Champions Spain 3-0 in the final and left the Spaniards scratching their heads.

Can they repeat their performance in front of their adoring fans or will the pressure of expectance be too much on the young team’s shoulders? This average age of the Brazilian squad is 28 and this could either count for them or against them. In Felipe Scolari they have a World Cup winning coach in their ranks, who previously guided Brazil to World Cup winning glory in 2002 in Korea and Japan. It will be up to Scolari to manage the players and the media to create a calm and relaxed atmosphere. The last time the hosts won a World Cup was in 1998 when a Zinedine Zidane-inspired France headed them to victory over Brazil. Anticipation and expectation awaits the men in yellow and blue.  

Key Players:

Júlio César (Goalkeeper)

Age: 34

Matches Played (goals scored): 77 (0)

Club:  Queens Park Rangers

David Luiz (Central defender)

Age: 26

Matches Played (goals scored): 33 (0)

Club:  Chelsea

Kaká (Attacking midfielder)

Age: 31

Matches Played (goals scored): 87 (29)

Club: AC Milan

Neymar (Striker)

Age: 21

Matches Played (goals scored):  46 (27)

Club: FC Barcelona

Croatia

A return to the glory days of 1998?

Croatia are one of the strangest football nations for a number of reasons.  They seem to have tournament pedigree as they play some excellent football to progress to knockout stages of tournaments. But then bizarrely they have a bad match and they are knocked out of the tournament, even if it seemed that they were going to progress further in tournaments. They have never had a lack of class players in their squad, but seem to struggle gelling as a team. Individual talents such as Niko Krancjar, Mario Mandzukic and the small of stature but big of heart Luka Modric pulling the strings from midfield.

Croatia will perform at the 2014 Fifa World Cup if they learn how to play as a team. Coach Niko Kovac, who was a former Croatian football star, has brought new life into the team ethic since starting the job on October. In a short while he has managed to guide a struggling Croatian team to the World Cup finals after beating Iceland in a playoff.

That playoff victory also came with disappointment as veteran defender, Josip Simunic, was banned for 10 matches after making obscene Nazi gestures after the match. Croatia had relied heavily on his experience and will have to look at other options at the left back position, such as Panathanaikos’ defender Danijel Pranjic.

It will have to be seen whether this group of Croatian players can emulate the feats of Croatia’s dream team of 1998. This team made it all the way to a third place finish in the 1998 World Cup in France, on their first attempt.  Davor Suker, Zvonomir Boban and Slaven Bilic were standout players at that tournament and showed the pedigree of the former Soviet Union countries. A new football powerhouse was on the rise, and it is a shame that Croatia has not made it into a major final since. 2014 looks to be no different as Croatia may find themselves in the final 16 of the tournament, with a major surprise if they could manage a quarter final place.

Key players

Luka Modric (Midfielder)

Age: 28

Matches played: 72 (8)

Club: Real Madrid

Niko Kranjcar (Midfielder)

Age: 29

Matches played: 81 (16)

Club: Queens Park Rangers

Mario Mandzukic (Striker)

Age: 27

Matches played: 46 (13)

Club: Bayern Munich

 Mexico

A mix of experience and youth

Mexico endured a topsy turvy qualifying campaign where they finished in fourth place in the CONCACAF standings, which almost made them miss out on their first World Cup finals since 1990 when they were banned from the tournament. The reason behind this banning was the fact that they fielded over aged players during the 1988 Olympics, which was a youth event. 

Mexico eventually managed to make their way South to the showpiece event in Brazil after comprehensively beating New Zealand 9-3 on aggregate. This could just be what the Mexicans need to lift their spirits after a rough 2013 season.

The Mexicans will most definitely look to Manchester United forward Javier Hernandez to score the majority of their goals at the tournament. Hernandez, when on form, is one of the world’s best goal poachers who seem to score crucial winning goals.

Key players

Javier Hernandez (Striker)

Age: 25

Matches played: 57 (35)

Club: Manchester United

Rafael Marquez (Defender)

Age: 34

Matches played: 116 (14)

Club: Club Léon

Guillermo Ochoa (Goalkeeper)

Age: 28

Matches played: 55 (0)

Club: AC Ajaccio

Cameroon (Will the Indomitable Lions roar?)

Cameroon is one of the greatest football nations in Africa. One only has to look at the four African Nations Cup victories and appearances in World Cup football. Cameroon burst onto the international football scene and many pundits consciences with a dazzling display at Italia 90. At the 1990 FIFA World Cup, Roger Milla and his squad made it to the quarter finals before losing out to eventual finalist England. Milla was an essential component in the indomitable lions’ cog as he scored crucial goals and gained a huge following for his corner flag dancing celebrations.

This was 24 years ago.

These days Cameroon is not the powerhouse it once was as inconsistent performances coupled with internal management strife has lead to poor results of late. Samuel Eto’o, their star player and leading goal scorer with 55 goals in 112 appearances, has had his ups and down with management, but has come back to the squad in time for football’s showpiece tournament.

Cameroon qualified for the 2014 FIFA World Cup after beating Tunisia in playoff matches.

Cameroon can also count on other star players, such as Stéphane Mbia and Alex Song, who are classy midfielders in their own right.

Cameroon has the chance to progress to the knockout stages, but will not expect to progress any further. The stiff completion in this group will either make or break the Africans, whose qualification was already a success on its own.

Key players

Samuel Eto’o (Striker)

Age: 32

Matches played: 114 (55)

Club: Chelsea

Jean Makoun (Midfielder)

Age: 30

Matches played: 65 (5)

Club: Rennes

Pierre Webo (Striker)

Age: 31

Matches played: 53 (17)

Club: Fenerbahçe

Samuel Eto’o

Neymar

Luka Modric

2014 FIFA World Cup: Group B

Group B is the group of old rivals and new foes. Group B is a division between the excellent and the good. Spain and Netherlands will continue their rivalry from the previous World Cup, were they were both finalists. Expect, the Netherlands to seek revenge against Spain. Chile and Australia are wildcard contenders for an upset over the two football giants. Expect a closely fought group, with Spain and Netherlands coming through in the end.

Spain

The red fury looking for double success in 2014

World Champions. European Champions. La Liga. Superstar Players. Unbeaten during qualifying.

All the ingredients combined forms one of the strongest candidates for another World Cup win in 2014. Can Spain be the first team since Brazil in 1958 and 1962 to win consecutive World Cups, in Brazil nonetheless? It would be quite ironic.

They have all the quality players at their disposal, but they seem to struggle when they need to chase the game and when their possession orientated game is disrupted. Prove of this can be seen last year, when South Africa completed a shock 1-0 victory over Spain at the FNB stadium.

If a team ranked 64^th in the World can beat the 1^st ranked team that gives anyone a fair chance, especially at such a high profile tournament filled with pressure.

Spain, though are not the number one team in the World for nothing and they know how to deal with pressure situations. They have the best midfield at this World Cup with at least 8 quality midfielders who would make the starting lineup in any team. Xabi Alonso Cesc Fabregas, Xavi, Sergio Busquets, David Silva, Santi Cazorla, Juan Mata and Thiago Alcantara.

The team is loaded with Barcelona and Real Madrid’s biggest stars as well as a few of the English Premier League’s best players in Alvaro Negredo and Jesus Navas. One aspect where Spain will be lacking is in their central defence and that will leave Coach Vicente del Bosque losing a few more hairs on his already shiny head.

Sergio Ramos is their defensive kingpin, but they need supporting players as well. Raul Albiol and Alvaro Arbeloa still need to prove themselves at international level. Then there are also concerns whether Carles Puyol will receive a call up to the World Cup, as at age 35 it might be a step too far.

The La Furia Roja also has problems in the striking department as they can’t seem to find a consistent front man. David Villa is there to bang in the goals, but has had trouble since recovering from long term injuries. Fernando Llorente is hitting the net regularly for Italian club Juventus and would be a likely starter alongside Villa or Alvaro Negredo. Expect the lively winger Pedro to also shine at the 2014 World Cup when given the chance.

The previous four World Cups staged in South America were all won by South American teams. Can Spain break the duck or will they be quacking out sounds of misery when packing their bags after a likely semi-final exit? Time will tell.

Key Players:

Andres Iniesta (Midfielder)

Age: 29

Matches Played (goals scored): 94 (11)

Club:  FC Barcelona

 

Sergio Ramos (Defender)

 

Age: 27

Matches Played (goals scored): 115 (9)

Club:  Real Madrid FC

 

 

Cesc Fabregas (Midfielder)

 

Age: 26

Matches Played (goals scored): 86 (13)

Club: FC Barcelona 

 

 

Netherlands

The orange army is ready to gain new territory

The Oranje will have one thing on their mind at the 2014 World Cup. Redemption in the form of beating Spain and winning the World Cup. There is no more deserving and bigger football nation that has not tasted World Cup success.

2010 was their best run, but everything fell apart in the final where a mixture of ill-discipline and bad luck cost them their first title. Their orange clad army will only be expecting the best this time around, and luckily for them the Dutch seem to have all the tools needed for success.

Arjen Robben, Rafael van der Vaart and Robin van Persie are the main attacking threat and their star players. The Dutch have an exciting mix of youth and experience at the tournament, with footballers such as Stjin Schaars and Gregory van der Wiel ready to make an impact on the international stage. One thing the Dutch may be lacking is resources in each position in the field are on the bench – something that Spain has aplenty. The Dutch would be hard pressed to find someone to replace Van Persie and Robben should they get injured – something that was not the case in previous World Cups.

This is not the dream team of the 1970’s and 80’s, nor are they the crop of Golden players of 2000 that featured Clarence Seedorf and Patrck Kluivert as well as scoring machine Dennis Bergkamp. The star power is lacking, and surprisingly the ever present egos as well.

Coach Louis van Gaal, who has won numerous titles all over the world, including European giants Barcelona and Bayern Munich, has crafted a great team ethic that might take the Dutch all the way to the final once again.  Realistically a semi-final exit is one the cards.

Arjen Robben

Age: 30

Matches Played (goals scored): 73 (22)

Club:  Bayern Munich

Robin van Persie

Age: 30

Matches Played (goals scored): 79 (41)

Club:  Manchester United

Rafael van der Vaart

Age: 31

Matches Played (goals scored): 109 (25)

Club: Hamburg SV

Chile

Surprise underdogs could cause a shock or two

The question on football’s lips whether Chile can continue their rise as South America’s new contenders after a positive display at the 2010 FIFA World Cup as well as showing flair and accuracy in qualifying.

They are an entertaining team with match winners and goal-scorers aplenty in their ranks. The team is even stronger than the Chilean team that boasted superstars, Ivan Zamorano and Marcelo Salas at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Chilean players are now featuring in all the top European clubs and leagues, and that has boosted the national team tremendously.

Matias Fernandez, Arturo Vidal, and Gary Medel are among the players who featured for top clubs, and are making waves in international football. Expect Vidal, known by Italian fans at Juventus as “The Warrior” to make a big impression in the midfield with his fast footwork, vision and set-piece abilities.

Chile has the team ethic and star players to cause the Netherlands or Spain a scare. Chile will easily beat Australia in the group and will most definitely take third spot, or even second if they produce some dazzling football on their home continent.

Alexis Sanchez

Age: 25

Matches Played (goals scored): 64 (22)

Club:  FC Barcelona

 

Arturo Vidal

Age: 26

Matches Played (goals scored): 52 (8)

Club:  Juventus

 

Claudio Bravo

 

Age: 30

Matches Played (goals scored): 78 (0)

Club:  Real Sociedad

 

Australia

A learning curve for the green and gold from Down Under

“Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi” This famous chant might turn into “Aussie Aussie Aussie, No No No” at the 2014 World Cup after they were drawn in a really tough group. Australia has little chance to unearth a miracle as they travel to altitude from Down Under. They have a young, inexperienced squad with no real stars. They don’t have the luxury that they had at previous World Cups.

Australia is the lowest ranked team (53) to qualify and they will need a magnificent performance to make any progress in the competition. New coach Ange Postecoglou, has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders to use the tournament as a learning curve for Australia’s next crop of young Socceroos. A new Harry Kewell or Mark Viduka might emerge in Brazil.

Mile Jedinak, Australia’s player of the year has the capabilities to do so, as he produces solid work in the midfield as a link between defence and attack. The ever reliable Tim Cahill has proven to be their saviour on multiple occasions and has received extensive game time with New York Red Bulls in the United States.

The Australian team will be lacking the ever dependable goalkeeping of now retired Mark Schwarzer and midfield lynchpin Brett Emerton who have both retired.

Expect the Australians to occupy the wooden spoon this time around.

 Tim Cahill (Attacking Midfielder)

Age: 34

Matches Played (goals scored): 66 (29)

Club:  New York Red Bulls

 

Joshua Kennedy (Striker)

Age: 31

Matches Played (goals scored): 33 (17)

Club: Nagoya Grampus

 

Mile Jedinak (Midfielder)

Age: 29

Matches Played (goals scored): 42 (3)

Club:  Crystal Palace

 

2014 Brazil

Louis van Gaal

Arjen Robben

Tim Cahill

Cesc Fabregas