2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil | Group Stage Preview
“Brazil eats, sleeps and drinks football. It lives football!” - Pelé
Just like peanut butter and jelly, needle and thread, Christmas and Santa Claus, bow and arrow, and hugs and kisses – FIFA World Cup and Brazil just go together. Sadly, the build-up to this mega-event has been marred by civilian protesters who believe the government is not only overspending but also has misplaced priorities. Heavy security presence has ensured the football front will go on smoothly but only time will tell the real story. The excitement and paintings that usually throng the streets of Brazil around every World Cup have been replaced by raw emotions and passions of the people agitated by FIFA’s neglective approach in organising the 20th edition of the World Cup.
Just like John Oliver, it leaves me in a perplexed state of mind. As the football-crazy super-excited half though, here is a preview of what to expect from the group stages that run from June 12 to June 26.
Munch on, boys and girls.
When Uruguay struck the winning goal 11 minutes from time, silence fell over the 210,000-strong crowd present inside the Maracanã. No presentation ceremony was held for the real heroes, many of the Brazilian players opted for early retirement and some fans went so far as to commit suicide.
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| The only good that came of the Brazilian rage. |
Expectations run so high in this part of South America that nothing less than ultimate glory is satisfactory. It was precisely why Luiz Felipe Scolari was brought back as coach – having gone through the tribulations of two successive World Cups without the trophy, the CBF decided to opt for a tried and tested scenario in Felipão with whom the team went all the way in South Korea/Japan in 2002. And it seems to be paying off till now – Brazil having vanquished double-European and World champions Spain in the Confederations Cup last year.
At home, buoyed by their football-crazy population, Brazil will be a tough nut to crack for any team at its peak, let alone the three hopefuls that make up Group A. Croatia looks most likely to be Brazil’s counterpart in qualification – what with a strong midfield involving Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic. Both of them form an essential part of their clubs, Real Madrid and Sevilla respectively, and were essential in the quest for success at European level. Accompanying them are ambidextrous ex-Dortmund player Ivan Perišic and young versatile Austria-born Mateo Kovačić.
Croatia’s path to the World Cup wasn’t straightforward, finishing second in qualification below Belgium meant they needed playoffs against Iceland before securing their place in Brazil. And to make it worse, Igor Štimac resigned the day after the team’s second defeat to Scotland in their qualifying group. Niko Kovac, Vatreni’s current coach, is another example of a decorated player that has been chosen to lead their country to glory. Having been at the helm only since October 2013, anything more than second round is a tough ask for the Croat whose only earlier coaching experience includes assistant manager at Red Bull Salzburg and head coach of Croatia under-21s.
But a team that has options in Mario Mandžukic, Nikica Jelavic, Eduardo and Ivica Olic for attacking positions pose a genuine threat at least to the two other nations of Group A. First of those is Mexico, who endured a torrid time in qualifying. Two wins out of ten put El Tri in fourth place which meant playing a two-legged intercontinental play-off against OFC winners. Although the fixtures against New Zealand were a walkover, their recent managerial history, on the other hand, has been troublesome. Miguel Herrera, the man currently tasked with leading Mexico through the World Cup, is #4 on the list of coaches that Mexico deployed to get them to international football’s biggest event.
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| You know, just in case, if they need four more. |
Starting XIs
Brazil (4-2-3-1): Júlio César; Dani Alves, Thiago Silva, David Luiz, Marcelo; Paulinho, Fernandinho; Hulk, Oscar, Neymar; Fred.
Cameroon (4-3-3): Itandje; Nyom, N'Koulou, Chedjou, Bedimo; Mbia, Enoh, Song; Moukandjo, Eto'o, Choupo-Moting.
Croatia (4-2-3-1): Pletikosa; Srna, Corluka, Lovren, Pranjic; Rakitic, Modric; Eduardo, Kovačić, Perišic; Mandžukic.
Mexico (5-3-2): Corona; Paul Aguilar, Márquez, Rodríguez, Moreno, Layún; Peña, Herrera, Guardado; Peralta, dos Santos.
Teams to qualify: Brazil and Croatia.
Four years from then, Spain begins its defense of the cup right where it left off – against the Dutch. This marks the first time that finalists of the previous World Cup meet in the first round of the next one. Quite a bit has happened since 2010: Spain successfully defended their European crown while Netherlands had a disaster of a campaign at Euro 2012; and on the gameplay front, tiki-taka has been microscopically analysed and shredded to pieces by modernised heavy-duty counter-attacking team units.
But if Vicente del Bosque, Spain’s World Cup and Euro-winning coach is to be believed, his team are much more than possession masters. The 63-year-old former Real Madrid footballer said, “We are not the Taliban of a certain style of play. Possession without depth has no meaning". His remarks do sound hollow in light of last year’s drubbing by Brazil in the Confederations Cup Final but if there’s one thing we’ve come to expect from La Furia Roja’s golden generation is their perseverance. The nonchalant unperturbed way they conduct their methodological play is mightily impressive – and so is the star-studded cast that bears the weight consistently. Such is the depth of the squad and the negligible difference in quality that propels them to push each other to their very limits, both on and off the pitch. To give you an inkling of the horsepower under the red-and-yellow hood, here is Spain’s reserve XI.
That team is made up of multiple domestic leagues and Champions League winners – former and current; multiple Euro U21 championships, Euro 2008 and 2012 and the 2010 FIFA WC. Some of those players are also recipient of Player of the Year awards, either from their clubs or league associations. Hypothetically speaking, if del Bosque had a few screws loose and were to send that team out to play, they’d still make it to the quarters. What it says about the #1 ranked team in the world is that they’re not only a guaranteed pass for the group stages but a strong contender for lifting the trophy on July 13.
The thing with qualifying from Group B is that the runner-up faces the winner of Group A in the round of 16, which most likely is going to be the host nation Brazil. That is a task any country would love to avoid for as long as possible and thus Netherlands will be hoping to exit their group not just alongside the Spaniards but rather above them in order. And there’s hope for this Dutch dream – van Gaal’s troops qualified for the World Cup scoring 3.4 goals per match as opposed to Spain who managed 1.75 per game. But, injuries in midfield and a lacklustre defence mean they will need Sneijder, Robben and van Persie firing on all cylinders if they are to emulate their 2010 run to the final.
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| Comparison of 2014 FIFA WC qualification results |
In the midst of all this, there is a forgotten mandatory fourth member of the group – Australia. Placed at 62 by FIFA’s latest metrics, the Socceroos are the lowest ranked team participating in this year’s World Cup and facing the three aforementioned teams spells an early doom chock-full of goals scored by the opposition. Mile Jedinak had an amazing last couple of months with his club Crystal Palace steering them clear of relegation, but any chances of captaining his side into the knockout stages are as slim as the width of the nation of Chile.
Starting XIs
Australia (4-3-3): Ryan; Franjic, Wilkinson, Špiranovic, Davidson; Milligan, Jedinak, Vidošic; Leckie, Cahill, Oar.
Chile (3-4-1-2): Bravo; Medel, Jara, Rojas; Isla, Diaz, Carmona, Beausejour; Aránguiz; Sánchez, Vargas.
Netherlands (5-3-2): Cillessen; Janmaat, Vlaar, de Vrij, Martins Indi, Blind; de Jong, Sneijder, de Guzmán; van Persie, Robben.
Spain (4-2-3-1): Casillas; Juanfran, Sergio Ramos, Piqué, Jordi Alba; Xavi, Xabi Alonso; Iniesta, Fàbregas, Pedro; Diego Costa.
Teams to qualify: Spain and Netherlands.
Despite injury ruling out Ramadel Falcao, Colombia is still touted as the favourites to top Group C. After years of underachievement, Los Cafeteros have discarded their defensive tactics and employed a rather attack minded approach under José Pékerman. Colombia’s record in the world cup is dismal to say the least, having only progressed past the group stages once (in 1990) in six world cups. Widely regarded as the best Colombian team in more than a decade, the South Americans will be expecting to top their group, which seems to be the tightest group in the tournament with any team capable of beating the other.
Pékerman will resort to a 4-5-1 formation, with in form striker Jackson Martínez playing the lone striker up front having scored 29 goals in all competitions for Porto and featuring in recent friendlies as a replacement for Falcao. Defensively however, Colombia are far from solid with 38-year-old center-back Mario Yepes struggling with pace, Pablo Armero having lost his position in the first team for West Ham and Napoli defender Juan Zúñiga rarely featuring this season due to injury. Both the full backs are often caught out of position high on the pitch and Colombia’s goalkeeper Ospina is prone to silly fumbles and mistakes.
James Rodríguez, Falcao’s Monaco team-mate is one of the key players in this side with his creativity and an eye for goal, having scored 5 goals in 22 appearances for his country. 26-year-old Juan Cuadrado can cause nightmares to full backs with his flair and work ethic and Porto playmaker Juan Quintero is also one to watch out for if he gets the chance.
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| Meet Phil Jones' Colombian cousin, James Rodríguez. |
Blame it on bad luck, but Ivory Coast have been drawn into tough groups in the World Cup. Argentina & Netherlands in 2006 and Portugal & Brazil in 2010, their failure to make it past the group stage is largely because they were drawn in the group of death on both occasions. With Colombia, Greece and Japan, Ivory Coast have a good chance to progress and is expected to make it to the round of 16 with their golden generation.
Since 2010, the Elephants have had a decent record, losing only 4 out of 41 matches. The African nation is an ageing squad, and most of their key players such as Drogba, Yaya and Kolo Touré will be participating in their final World Cup hoping to progress as far as possible. At 36, Drogba is easily past his prime and his speed and strength aren’t as evident as before. Ivory Coast will be looking to Yaya Touré, who had a tremendous season with Manchester City and Gervinho who guided Roma to 2nd place in the Serie A to inspire the Elephants in their quest for an African nation to make an impact on the international stage. They do not lack firepower even in reserves with Wilfred Bony, Seydou Doumbia and Kader Keita on the bench.
Sabri Lamouchi is expected to set up his team with a 4-3-3 formation with Didier Drogba leading the attack and Gervinho and Kalou on either side. Their 20 year old full back Aurier is an exciting prospect who has kept Emmanuel Eboue sidelined and is a player to keep an eye on. Defensively, Kolo Touré and Didier Zokora must be rock solid in order to not leak goals from their porous defense.
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| Full of class, Yaya Touré and full of promises, Serge Aurier. |
Honda will be a key player in Japan’s hopes to qualify for the round of 16. The AC Milan player is always at his best for Japan and can dictate play from a playmakers position, assisted by the two Shinjis – Kagawa and Okazaki on either side. Although Jürgen Klopp believes that Kagawa is best suited in the central position, he has displayed some impressive performances for his national side by playing on the left. We can expect Japan to dominate possession, and create chances out of nowhere thanks to the versatility and technical ability of their three midfielders. Okazaki played a vital role in the qualifying campaign, and his ability to cut inside and his presence inside the box to connect with corners has given him a reputation for having a lethal positioning sense and will prove to be a threat to opposition defences.
Kakitani has been a new inclusion in the Japanese team, and was the top scorer in the East Asian Cup last year. Endō and Hasebe, playing behind the trio will be responsible for linking up defense and attack and are experts at breaking up play and giving freedom to the Kagawa-Honda-Okazaki trio.
Defensively, Yoshida and Kono are not the most solid partnership, but the full backs Nagamoto and Uchida have great ability going forward and add another dimension to Japan’s attack. Overall, Japan will be looking to keep possession and dictate play at a high tempo with fluid one-twos. The crossing from the full backs can provide a secondary outlet for attack. Japan are also dangerous at set pieces with both Honda and Endō more than capable of drilling free kicks and delivering pin-point crosses. Japan are good defensively but maintaining a high line has caused them problems before.
A second consecutive World Cup finals for Greece represents huge success for the side who will be looking to go one step further and advance past the group stage. Boasting the best defensive record throughout Europe in qualification – they conceded just four goals, out of which three were in a single match in a 3-1 loss to Bosnia. Under Portuguese coach Fernando Santos, they have only lost three out of 26 games and are regarded as a difficult team to beat. Expected to play with a 4-3-3 formation, their progress into the round of 16 will largely depend on Kostas Mitroglou. He scored 23 goals in 23 appearances for Olympiakos and Greece before his move to Fulham where he has been injured and has only started once.
Greece will be relying on some key players to carry them through the group stage. Kyriakos Papadopoulos is the heart of their defence and although he has been injured the entire season for Schalke, Greece will be looking to him to maintain their reputation as a hard-to-beat team. Sokratis Papastathopoulos, centre-back for Borussia Dortmund has played a responsible role in replacing the injured Neven Subotić and his partnership with Papastathopoulos will be vital to keep Greece’s hopes alive. Karagounis may be the oldest player in the squad but his experience will be crucial as it was in the Euro 2012 group game against Russia when he scored the winner. Samaras was in red hot form for Celtic this season scoring seven times in 19 matches with six assists and he needs to replicate this to ensure Greece’s progress into the round of 16.
Starting XIs
Colombia (4-2-3-1): Ospina; Zúñiga, Zapata, Yepes, Armero; Aguilar, Sánchez; James Rodríguez, Víctor Ibarbo, Cuadrado; Jackson Martínez.
Greece (4-3-3): Karnezis; Torosidis, Manolas, Sokratis, Holebas; Tziolis, Katsouranis, Maniatis; Salphingitis, Gekas, Samaras.
Ivory Coast (4-3-3): Barry; Aurier, Kolo Touré, Bamba, Boka; Zokora, Yaya Touré, Tioté; Gervinho, Drogba, Kalou.
Japan (4-2-3-1): Kawashima; Uchida, Konno, Yoshida, Nagatomo, Endō, Hasebe; Okazaki, Honda, Kagawa; Kakitani.
Teams to qualify: Colombia and Japan.
Let’s start with the minnows, then. Los Ticos, as they are affectionately called, are the most successful team in Central America having qualified to four World Cups, so that’s a plus. They also placed a respectable second in the last round of CONCACAF qualifications, behind United States, picking up 18 points from 10 games. They will be keen to exact vengeance on the Uruguayans, who defeated them in the play-offs for the 2010 World Cup. Unfortunately, with the calibre the South Americans possess in their ranks – from Fernando Muslera guarding the posts; Diego Godín, Maxi Pereira and Martín Cáceres as defensive shields; Cristian Rodríguez and Gastón Ramírez dictating the tempo; to a strike force made up of Diego Forlán, Luis Suárez and Edinson Cavani – any chance of an upset seems implausible. With Colombian Jorge Luis Pinto in his second stint as coach of Costa Rica after failed tenures elsewhere; and captain Bryan Ruiz the lone guiding light on the pitch, all that remains are plane tickets to San José at the end of this tunnel.
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| Pictured: Destruction, and cuteness. Also, that weirdo. |
The Italians have, historically, been a force to reckon with in FIFA’s premier tournament. They last lifted the trophy back in 2006 after beating rivals France on penalties but were humbled four years later by what was a relatively easy group in Paraguay, Slovakia and New Zealand. Cesare Prandelli took over as coach of Gli Azzurri after the 2010 WC and has since turned the team around – both on and off the pitch. Prandelli demands commitment and discipline from his charges and punishes those who go off the rails, be it a youngster or a veteran. At the same time, he has instilled belief and drilled a level-headed mentality – which in combination with his tactics has paved the way for a competitive Italy again. Even without an injured Riccardo Montolivo, they have what it takes to challenge the best of the world and come out on top. Whether they fulfill their potential remains to be seen however.
Incidentally, there’s another team which has never lived up to its billing. Full of individual superstars wherever you see – veterans in the form of Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney, Glen Johnson, Phil Jagielka and Leighton Baines; and extremely promising youngsters in Adam Lallana, Ross Barkley, Raheem Sterling and Luke Shaw – all of whom have enjoyed a stellar season for their clubs. But when it comes to working as a team unit and performing at the international level, England have been massive underachievers for so long, to the extent that their own fans have given up on them.
England’s issues are much bigger than those, unfortunately. While the other European nations made grassroot changes in terms of play style – quick two-touch passing and off-the-ball movement; tactics – emphasis on possession and high-pressing in units; and demands from a footballer a decade ago, youngsters in England were still being lauded for their ability to run around defences with the ball and ping long balls to the forehead of a striker. Thus sadly, England’s lack of technical ability, both on and off the ball – to weave convoluted webs like the Spanish or blitzkrieg through any defence like the Germans, can be a major hindrance to their progress into the later stages of the cup.
Though, with the kind of arsenal on their side, they are capable of much more if they click together. There really is no better way to sum up The Three Lions than what José Mourinho had to say of them. "England is the kind of team I am always expecting something good but I am never surprised when things go wrong. If England is world champion, it’s not a surprise for me. If England is knocked out in the group phase, it’s not a surprise for me."
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| You poor little 66-year-old! Aw. |
Starting XIs
Costa Rica (5-4-1): Navas; Gamboa, Miller, González, Umaña, Díaz; Ruiz, Borges, Cubero, Bolaños; Campbell.
England (4-2-3-1): Hart; Johnson, Cahill, Jagielka, Baines; Gerrard, Henderson; Lallana, Rooney, Welbeck; Sturridge.
Italy (4-3-3): Buffon; Abate, Bonucci, Chiellini, De Sciglio; De Rossi, Pirlo, Verratti; Insigne, Balotteli, Candreva.
Uruguay (4-4-2): Muslera; Pereira, Lugano, Godín, Cáceres; Ramírez, Gargano, Arévalo Ríos, Rodríguez; Cavani, Suárez.
Teams to qualify: Italy and Uruguay.
As the clock neared nine on a cold November night in Paris, two unicolour-kitted teams – one in navy blue and the other in bright yellow, stepped out from the tunnel inside a near packed Stade de France. The air was heavy with anticipation, the weight of the burden, a fear of the unknown and the shallow breathing of 77,098 present to watch the action unfold. The home team had a different look to them today; apart from the five changes to the starting XI out of necessity and choice, there was a sense of responsibility and expectation visible on their faces that comes with playing for your country – especially one as reputed in this sport as theirs. Four days ago, they had travelled across the continent to face their opponents for the first leg in Kiev, and had returned home with their tails between their legs – the misery of a two-goal deficit compounded by a red card for influential centre-back Laurent Koscielny. On this Parisian night, they faced odds of the highest order. Greatness had previously been achieved at this ground however; Les Bleus famously defeated Brazil 3–0 to lift the World Cup in ‘98 but now their very qualification to its latest edition lay at stake against a team that was determined to not fail at the play-off stage for the fourth time in as many attempts. Koscielny’s sentence proved to a blessing in disguise as replacement Mamadou Sakho scored his first-ever international goal; Karim Benzema put in the equaliser and an own goal from Ukraine meant the seemingly impossible had been made possible.
Never before had an European team been able to overturn a two-goal deficit at the play-offs. It was a historic night in Paris; coach Didier Deschamps called it “the magic of football” and France were, after all, going to the World Cup in Brazil.
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| «Cue the soundtrack from Les Misérables» |
Looking at the 23 players chosen to lead the French charge in South America, they seem to possess the perfect blend of experience and youth. In Tottenham’s 27-year-old Hugo Lloris, they have an excellent keeper who’s not just capable of some tremendous saves but allows his defence to maintain a high line with his expert sweeper capabilities. His quickness in coming off the line gives him the upper hand in 1-on-1s and set pieces by drastically reducing the operating space for opposition attackers. In defence, 31-year-old Manchester City right-back Bacary Sagna partners former teammate Laurent Koscielny alongside Manchester United's Patrice Evra, who is the seniormost member of the squad at 33 years of age. In Raphaël Varane of Real Madrid, Eliaquim Mangala of FC Porto and Lucas Digne of PSG – they have three promising youngsters ready to deliver at the big stage.
There’s variety in options in the middle too. Yohan Cabaye, ex-Newcastle and now PSG, brings stability to France's midfield. Playing as the anchorman in Deschamps' defensive 4-3-3, Cabaye's range of passing – on the ground and over the backline will be crucial to Les Bleus' offensive plans. His ability to score from set-pieces is an added bonus to his repertoire. Club-mate Blaise Matuidi will line up beside Juventus' young starlet Paul Pogba to form a strong foundation. Since his transfer to the Paris-based club three years ago, Matuidi has established himself as an essential part of their midfield. He is highly adept in breaking play – by way of interceptions or tackles; and with a passing accuracy of 92% last season, the 27-year-old is a valuable addition to any team. After leaving Manchester United in 2012, Pogba has proved to be a wonderful talent with Italian champions Juventus. Powerful and wholesome in his defending, the youngster has an eye for goal too – scoring 8, and that too some spectacular ones. He is strong in the air and in possession, often carrying the ball out of midfield and creating chances for his teammates.
After testing it in a recent friendly, the World Cup-winning coach is expected to start Benzema as a left winger. This provides the Real Madrid forward with not only more space but allows him to roam freely across the pitch as opposed to being stuck as the target man he regularly is. This in turn gives Matuidi and Pogba the license and lack of attention to make bursting runs as they so love to do. Marseille's Mathieu Valbuena fills the spot on the other wing, who with his trickery and love for dribbling, is sure to cause some headaches. The 5'6" 29-year-old loves to cut inside, albeit his finishing isn't of the highest order. Both Antoine Griezmann of Real Sociedad and Morgan Schneiderlin of Southampton had a wonderful season domestically and provide creative alternatives if things don’t go according to Plan A.
Rounding up everything will be Arsenal's 6'4" striker Olivier Giroud. The man from Chambéry uses his size to his advantage and regularly brings the ball down for his teammates. He had an excellent second season with his club, scoring 18 times and setting up another 9 goals. With all that firepower, France will certainly hope for a better showing than last time – when they managed a lone point on the pitch and earned negative points for their behaviour off the pitch.
Meanwhile, Switzerland and Honduras are in the same group for the second time running. Last time around, they were both unable to qualify for the knockout stages – Honduras failed to win any of their three matches and even though the Swiss shocked Spain in the opening round of fixtures with a victory over the eventual champions, they followed it up with a loss against Chile and a draw with Honduras – leaving them two points adrift. Switzerland’s greatest star is admittedly on the bench, in the form of legendary German coach Ottmar Hitzfeld. A two-time "World Coach of the Year" recipient, der General has had successful spells with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, winning the Champions League with both. Picking up 18 major titles in what has been a coaching career spanning four decades, the 65-year-old has already announced his retirement after the World Cup. His team remained undefeated through qualifying and at the time of seeding were ranked 7th in the world, just ensuring their place in Pot 1.
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| "Sir, your award?" "Put it there!" |
On the playing surface, Schweizer Nati can boast of an exciting crop of young talent along with enough experience in senior members to see them out of the group stages. In the attacking third of the pitch, 22-year-old Real Sociedad forward Haris Seferović is great at holding onto the ball. Directly behind him is the 21-year-old great-at-distributing-the-ball Granit Xhaka, with Bayern Munich's Xherdan Shaqiri adding to their capability on the right wing with his pace, dribbling and crossing ability. There's a sprinkle of experience at the heart of midfield – Napoli's 29-year-olds Gökhan İnler and Valon Behrami know each other quite well. While Behrami does all the dirty work with his shot blocking, interception and tackling; İnler has an excellent range of passing and when afforded space, loves to pull the trigger. In Stephan Lichtsteiner, they have a veteran right-back who plays his football with Juventus in Italy. Over on the other end of defense is Wolfsburg's promising new talent Ricardo Rodríguez. Not only is the 21-year-old a threat from set-pieces, he has the footballing brain to thread key passes which helped him pick up 9 assists in the Bundesliga season.
Over on the Central American front, it doesn’t look too bright for Honduras who despite a consecutive qualification to the World Cup are carrying an ageing squad. Maynor Figureoa, Wilson Palacios, Óscar García and Carlo Costly do bring a lot of experience and appearances to the squad. Strong on the counter-attack, García and Emilio Izaguirre's strength and pace will be a threat for the opposition. But it'll be too much of a stretch to hope they can get over the finish line. Ecuador is South America’s representation in this group, who after failing to qualify for South Africa in 2010 are back for this year’s edition. La Tri produced their best ever showing in Germany ‘06 only for a David Beckham classic to down them in the Round of 16. Manchester United's Antonio Valencia is both their captain and most prized possession. Operating on the right channel, Valencia loves to dribble around opponents and smash balls in. He even contributes defensively, and the Ecuadorians will be looking to him to drive them forward. 24-year-old Enner valencia has a knack for being in the right place and will be vital to Ecuador's attacks. In 19-year-old Carlos Gruezo they have an upcoming defensive midfielder who reads the game well and helps break opposition play. However, Ecuador have a tendency to be too one-dimensional in their approach and apart from the favourable home-like conditions, not much seems to be going their way.
“My dream is to get to the second round and then we can dream of going further,” said the Swiss coach Hitzfeld in his press conference on Saturday. Well good luck to you sire, you’ve got yourself an easy group.
Starting XIs
Ecuador (4-4-2): Banguera; Paredes, Erazo, Guagua, Ayovi; A.Valencia, Gruezo, Noboa, Montero; E.Valencia, Caicedo.
France (4-3-3): Lloris; Sagna, Varane, Koscielny, Evra; Cabaye, Pogba, Matuidi; Valbuena, Giroud, Benzema.
Honduras (4-4-2): Valladares; Beckeles, Garrido, Bernárdez, Figueroa; Izaguirre, Palacios, Espinoza, García; Bengtson, Costly.
Switzerland (4-2-3-1): Benaglio; Lichtsteiner, Senderos, Djourou, Rodríguez; Behrami, İnler; Shaqiri, Xhaka, Mehmedi; Seferović.
Teams to qualify: France and Switzerland.
Kidnapping of women by Boko Haram in Nigeria, massive sanctions and a stagnant economy in Iran, and devastating floods in Bosnia and Herzegovina that have caused destruction to the tune of 1.3 billion euros. That is the kind of backdrop serving three members of Group F as they take part in the world’s biggest footballing event. In these trying times, football not only serves as an escape mechanism for both the players and the ones back home, but acts as a uniting force for the people of these nations. Problems for the Nigerians have been compounded by Boko Haram’s attack on public viewing centres – forcing the government’s hand in closing these joyful places; whereas nuclear-related sanctions on Iran has not only hindered their players’ preparations for the World Cup due to lack of funding but also prevent them from exchanging shirts with opponents in Brazil, a common gesture of sportsmanship, as they do not have enough.
Studies have shown that the crime rate in Mexico drops whenever Javier “Chicharito” Hernández steps out onto the field for Manchester United. Something even more magical happens when Bosnia and Herzegovina start with Edin Džeko in their lineup. For a nation haunted by atrocities of the war and ravaged by record floods in the last century, Džeko is the symbol of hope. He is the example of what can be achieved – with grit and perseverance. The national team remains the only functioning multi-ethnic organism in the 20-year history of the country. On June 15, when they face Argentina at Estádio do Maracanã, they begin a new chapter for the World Cup by becoming the 77th team to participate; but back home, they are the hallmark of what can be achieved with unity.
Enough tugging at your heartstrings, though. Let’s have a look at what the Zlatni Ljiljani have to offer in terms of football. Managed by Safet Sušić, a decorated PSG and Yugoslavian player who was known for his goal-scoring exploits – Bosnia are an attractive attacking side. They scored 30 goals in qualifying, more than double of their nearest neighbours. A third of these were put in by Manchester City forward and Bosnian hero Edin Džeko who constitutes their attacking force. Supporting him through the midfield are 32-year-old Zvjezdan Misimović, Bosnia’s most-capped player of all-time; and Roma’s Miralem Pjanić who had a stellar season with AS Roma in Serie A. In defence, 33-year-old Emir Spahić is not only a rock at the back but also captain of the team. He is assisted by Sejad Salihović, who instead of his natural position as a central midfielder for Hoffenheim, is deployed by Sušić as a left-back for his country. To top it all up, Stoke’s Asmir Begović guards the posts for the World Cup debutants – who has been awarded multiple player of the year awards by his club.
Iran’s situation is much bleaker in comparison, despite being ranked #1 in Asia. Carlos Queiroz might have masterminded Iran’s qualification into the World Cup but anything more is too much of an ask even for him. Fulham’s player of the year Ashkan Dejagah, is the only starlet in a side that looks set for a short tour of Brazil before heading back to Tehran.
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| Make the most of it, boys! |
Comparatively, Nigeria should have much higher hopes of progression, having won the most recent Africa Cup of Nations in 2013. Although ranked 44 in the world, the Super Eagles boast of a strong squad – Vincent Enyeama of Lille in goal, Joseph Yobo and Efe Ambrose keeping a tight defence, with John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses the forces in midfield; supplemented with a strikeforce of Peter Odemwingie and Shola Ameobi. They will want to put up a better showing than they did last time – when they placed bottom of the group, in order to avoid another suspension by the hands of Goodluck Jonathan, the President of Nigeria. In fellow group-members Argentina they face an opponent they lost to in South Africa, by the virtue of a single goal – which if not for the heroics of goalie Enyeama, could’ve been much more. Even their recent record in friendlies – draws against Scotland and Greece, followed by a loss to United States spell trouble for Stephen Keshi and his men.
All this – from Bosnia and Herzegovina’s debut in the World Cup, Iran’s below-par team further weakened by their country’s financial situation to Nigeria’s poor showing at the international stage culminates into a relatively easy group for Argentina. Champions twice – in 1978 and 1986, La Albiceleste haven’t progressed past the quarter-final stage since Italy 1990 when they lost to West Germany in the final at Stadio Olimpico in Rome. With the FIFA WC returning to South America after 36 years, Argentina with the kind of players in their squad, are expected to put up a good showing of their qualities.
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| Prepare for DEFCON 1. Destruction is imminent. |
As always, the spotlight will be on Lionel Messi who has yet to churn out the same level of performances for the national team which he has done so regularly for Barcelona. In what was termed as a bad season for the little magician – hit by injuries and poor form, he managed 44 goals and 12 assists for club and country. Aiding him in attack is another little star who has had trouble replicating his club form for his nation – Manchester City’s Sergio Agüero. A recurrent hamstring injury kept him out for long periods of time but despite starting just 20 games out of a possible 38 in the league, "Kun" Agüero managed 17 goals and 6 assists, a vital contribution to City’s Premier League winning campaign. Argentina’s depth in attack is immense, with Ezequiel Lavezzi – a pacey quick-witted winger with an eye for goal; and Gonzalo Higuaín – who managed 27 goals and 12 assists for the season and also helped his new club Napoli win Coppa Italia. Adding to all this is Ángel di María, who while setting up 24 goals for Real Madrid and Argentina, also produced a man-of-the-match display against local rivals Atlético Madrid in the UEFA Champions League Final last month.
Questions are regularly asked of Argentina’s defensive frailty, but Ezequiel Garay waved off concerns that it’d be an achilles heel in a recent interview. Martín Demichelis is slow, though he makes up for it with intelligent positioning which he so often displayed in his partnership with Vincent Kompany this season. Pablo Zabaleta, a team-mate of his at Manchester City will line up alongside him in defence and it’ll be interesting to see whether Javier Mascherano is deployed as part of a back three or as the holding player in midfield. Unfortunately for fans of the South Americans, the rest of the midfield is ageing and not up to the same mark. Only time will tell if Lazio’s Lucas Biglia and Benfica’s Enzo Pérez, who are a vital part of their clubs, can impress for Argentina but elsewhere, both Fernando Gago and Maxi Rodríguez are stories of spiralling decline – having fallen out of favour at big European clubs in Real Madrid and Liverpool respectively, saw them return to their country for domestic football.
The head coach, Alejandro Sabella, lacks experience at the highest stage but a strong attacking force in combination with an easy group should ensure qualification. An easy partner group in Group E means Messi & Co. won’t be fazed even in the Round of 16 but could potentially mean trouble when they finally come up against a tough opposition.
Starting XIs
Argentina (4-2-3-1): Romero; Zabaleta, Garay, Demichelis, Rojo; Mascherano, Biglia; di María, Messi, Lavezzi; Agüero.
Bosnia and Herzegovina (4-2-3-1): Begović; Mujdža, Spahić, Kolašinac, Salihović; Bešić, Pjanić; Hajrović, Misimović, Lulić; Džeko.
Iran (4-4-2): Ahmadi; Montazeri, Hosseini, Mahini, Pooladi; Nekounam, Heydari, Hasjsafi, Dejagah; Ansarifard, Ghoochannejhad.
Nigeria (4-2-3-1): Enyeama; Ambrose, Oboabona, Yobo, Egwuekwe; Onazi, Obi Mikel; Moses, Omeruo, Odemwingie; Shola Ameobi.
Teams to qualify: Argentina and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Die Mannschaft have performed well at the international stage up until it really matters. In the last two World Cups and European Championships, they have made it to the semifinals three times and even to the finals once – only to be thwarted by Spain and Italy twice each. Joachim Löw has held the coaching position for the past eight years now which is the second longest stint of all teams represented at the world cup except for Uruguay. Qualifying for the World Cup in Brazil was as usual a breeze for the Germans – undefeated throughout and scoring 36 times in 10 games.
Historically, Portugal haven't done quite badly either. Both in World Cup 2010 and Euro 2012, Portugal were knocked out by eventual winners Spain. They were also runners-up at Euro 2004 they hosted and semi-finalists at the 2006 World Cup. Despite such consistency, Bento’s men had a few hiccups while qualifying for this year’s tournament in Brazil. Two draws against 78th-ranked Israel and one with lowly Northern Ireland in combination with a loss in Moscow meant Russia finished top of the qualification group at their expense and left Portugal needing to come through the play-offs. A Selecção needed all the help from their talismanic striker Cristiano Ronaldo for their two-legged encounter against Sweden as he scored all of their four goals in a 4-2 aggregate victory.
Their recent engagements with Germany have seen them lose with one-goal margins. At Euro 2012, they went down to a Mario Gómez strike while four years earlier, a below-par performance – involving some disastrous defending in set-pieces saw Scolari’s reign as a Portugal coach brought to a disappointing conclusion with Germany winning 3-2. This time around, the number of goals scored by Portugal may well depend on how efficiently the Germans are able to contain Ronaldo.
Arsenal’s Per Mertesacker and Dortmund’s Mats Hummels will be the likely pairing for the center back positions. Mertesacker had a great season with his club even picking up a few goals; and Hummels did well for Dortmund too. With club teammate Marcel Schmelzer injured and his replacement Erik Drum too inexperienced, Benedikt Höwedes, who plays as center back for Schalke is expected to take up the left side of defence. Similarly, Jérôme Boateng, who traditionally plays at center back for Bayern Munich, will be playing as right back. While this might shore them up defensively, it remains to be seen the support these new full backs can provide for Germany’s attackers.
Despite losing out a lot of midfield players to injuries in Marco Reus, Ilkay Gündogan and Lars Bender, Löw shouldn't be troubled as Germany have a lot of depth there. Schürrle or Podolski can replace the Dortmund winger and Lahm is expected to partner Schweinsteiger and Khedira in defensive midfield duties. Having gained considerable experience in the position for his club Bayern Munich last season, Philipp Lahm looks set to start as both Khedira and Schweinsteiger are recovering from injuries. Elsewhere, Podolski started his season at Arsenal with an injury but came into form later in the season. Schürrle too had a great first season for Chelsea – scoring goals as well as creating chances for his teammates.
Löw has no shortage of options when it comes to attacking midfielders too. The 54-year-old is in fact, spoilt for choice with Arsenal’s Mesut Özil, Schalke’s Julian Draxler, and Bayern’s Toni Kroos, Thomas Müller and Mario Götze. However, Lazio’s Miroslav Klose is the only true striker that they have carried in their 23-man squad to Brazil. Given his clinical finishing and prolific scoring for his country in the past, he would seem the default choice. But a disappointing club season for the 35-year-old might force the German coach to field Müller in a false nine formation, where he is more than capable of delivering. Midfielders like Götze, Schürrle and Podolski can also be counted on to produce the goals as they so did in pre-World Cup friendlies. Ozil had a great start to his season at Arsenal although his performance in the second half was not up to the mark. In Draxler, they have a promising young player who is maybe too inexperienced to be fielded. Götze, meanwhile, had a mixed season at Bayern finding some success but struggling to replicate his performance at Dortmund.
Squad depth and variety of options aren’t really the case for Ronaldo & Co. Portugal are often attacked to be over-reliant on their Real Madrid superstar and though it is true that they do depend upon him to spearhead their attacks and score a majority of their goals, they do have supporting characters with the ability to wreak havoc.
Nani and Hélder Postiga will join Ronaldo in attack with João Moutinho acting as provider from midfield. Unfortunately, Nani hasn’t had a great year as his club Manchester United uncharacteristically finished seventh last season. Helder Postiga too, at 31 is also at the end of his career after being a promising youngster once who failed to convert into a top player. Assisting Moutinho in midfield duties will be the young and promising Sporting’s William Carvalho who has gained attention from top Premier League clubs after a good season. Completing the midfield trio is experienced mohawk-ed Raul Meireles who is now at the fag end of an illustrious career, playing with Fenerbahçe in Turkey.
Despite having a rocky season and a tendency to commit errors, Real Madrid's Fabio Coentrao is a no-brainer at left back. This is in part to the squad’s lack of depth. Three of Portugal’s back four are 30 or over – Valencia's João Pereira, Real Madrid’s Pepe and Fenerbahçe’s Bruno Alves. Pereira is an attacking right back who loves to run up the pitch and deliver crosses. Bruno Alves at 32, despite his experience, will find it difficult given the quality of attackers he will be facing at the World Cup. Portugal will be hoping Pepe’s excellent comeback season at Real Madrid will be a boost for the men in red after what seemed like a natural transition towards the young Frenchman Raphaël Varane. Sporting's two-time player of the year winner, 26-year-old Rui Patrício, forms the last line of defence for Portugal. He is in impressive form coming into this tournament, having kept 17 clean sheets in 29 league matches.
Portugal's coach Paulo Bento was a defensive midfielder in his playing days and hence puts quite a lot of focus on a strong defense. Expect them to defend well and get their breaks on counter attacks. He has stressed on the importance of Portugal playing as a unit and not just relying on Ronaldo to be able to win.
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| "He meant, only rely on me." |
While everyone expects Germany and Portugal to go through, there are two other hopefuls in this group. And it’s like these two are made for each other. After meeting in the group stages of the 2006 World Cup in Germany which Ghana won 2-1, they met again in South Africa four years later – this time in the second round. The Black Stars progressed with the same exact scoreline, although it took extra time to separate them this time around, with Asamoah Gyan grabbing the winner in the 93rd minute and breaking millions of American hearts. 23-year-old Jonathan Mensah, centre back for Ghana and Évian, knows the higher-ranked United States will be out for revenge but the unity in their camp gives him reason to believe they can do it again.
Since that defeat though, the Stars and Stripes have undergone an overhaul of sorts. The Soccer Federation brought in renowned former German striker Jürgen Klinsmann in the hopes of ushering in a new era for American football. He’s done exactly that – forcing his troops to sacrifice themselves on the field, be it in training or in matches. Instead of a reactive approach that the USA players had gotten accustomed of taking, Klinsmann has pushed them to impose themselves on the field, keep ticking and make things happen. And the results are there for everyone to see. In the final round of qualification for the World Cup, they won seven out of ten games and finished as group winners. Meanwhile, they also won the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup, beating Panama by a single goal in the final in Chicago.
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| Klinsmann, after Germany beat USA on 26 June and qualify. |
Everton’s Tim Howard is highly experienced and forms an excellent shot stopper for the Americans. At 35 years of age, this might be his last World Cup and he’ll be keen to do all he can to help his team. In defence, they can count on veteran DaMarcus Beasley along with Geoff Cameron’s love for challenges. Fabian Johnson is versatile and can be deployed on both wings although his favoured position remains at right-back. It remains to be seen whether Klinsmann will opt for a wide 4-3-3 or the wildly famous modern 4-2-3-1 but despite the choice, there are a few guaranteed starters. At 32 years of age, Jermaine Jones may be past his physical peak but the German coach still trusts him with anchoring the midfield. Strong in the air and a oft-love for the long ball, the Besiktas player will need to be on his top game if the Americans are to have any success. There is support though in the form of Michael Bradley, who can pick and choose the right pass for the right teammate. Whatever the formation, the ex-Roma player is sure to be deployed as the attacking midfielder. Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore are the other two guaranteed markers in the starting XI – to whom the team will be looking to, for all their goal-related purposes. The two have 60 goals between them for their country and although both had a disappointing domestic season, that will only propel them more to help US qualify from what is a second group of death.
Unfortunately for them, the Ghanians have always had something to say about American dreams at the World Cup. And with quality in their side, they have what it takes to possibly even trouble the big brothers of Group G in Germany and Portugal. As captain and striker, Asamoah Gyan leads the line up from the front. With a goal-to-appearance ratio of 1 for his nation, Gyan is a clear threat for any opposition defence. This means Jordan Ayew will have to be content with a place on the bench, although elder brother André Ayew is expected to start on the left side of midfield. With Juventus' Kwadwo Asamoah for company, the left wing for Ghana will be a hotbed of opportunities – something that the teams playing against them must be wary of. Schalke 04's pacey midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng is a menace to deal with and can light up the biggest stages with his long shots and finishing. Milan's Sulley Muntari will need to be on his game to protect Ghana's relatively weak defense, especially against Die Mannschaft and A Selecção das Quinas. Expect Ghana to be a tough nut to crack with their physical power and team unity when they sit back and quickness on the counter as they look to get the few crucial goals.
Starting XIs
Germany (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Boateng, Mertesacker, Hummels, Höwedes; Lahm, Schweinsteiger; Müller, Özil, Schürrle; Klose.
Ghana (4-2-3-1): Dauda; Afful, Mensah, Boye, Asamoah; Rabiu, Muntari; Atsu, Boateng, Ayew; Gyan.
Portugal (4-3-3): Rui Patrício; João Pereira, Bruno Alves, Pepe, Fábio Coentrão; William Carvalho, João Moutinho, Raul Meireles; Nani, Hélder Postiga, Cristiano Ronaldo.
United States (4-4-1-1): Howard; Johnson, Cameron, Besler, Beasley; Zusi, Jones, Bradley, Davis; Dempsey; Altidore.
Teams to qualify: Germany and Portugal.
Still, you can't help but marvel at the collection of players Belgium have in their not-yet-golden briefcase. At the back, they have not one but two brilliant young keepers. Simon Mignolet played all 38 league games for Liverpool in his debut season at the club, as they finished 2nd in the Premier League. Meanwhile, 22-year-old Thibaut Courtois spent his third year as a loanee at Atlético Madrid in La Liga, keeping 20 clean sheets in 37 starts and helping them win the title. Apart from picking up the Ricardo Zamora trophy for the second year running, he even picked up a Champions League runners-up medal as they fell to city rivals Real Madrid in the final. Despite his young age, Courtois is considered one of the best goalkeepers on the planet, owing to his 6'6" frame, lightning-quick reflexes and massive saves.
Manchester City's rock-at-the-back Vincent Kompany and Arsenal's versatile Thomas Vermaelen lie at the heart of defense. Both are highly experienced players that are not only trouble for opposition forwards but like to cause problems of their own at the other end of the field with thumping headers. While Kompany is brilliant at reading the game and putting in crucial tackles, Vermaelen's pace allows him to keep up with world's top attackers. The Arsenal man even loves to drift in field from time to time and have a go at the goal from long distance. Unfortunately, Vermaelen didn't have the best of seasons with his club – spending large parts of it out with injury or poor form and starting only seven times in the league. Kompany, on the other hand, was vital to his club's success, helping them win the league title for a second time in three years. Partnering them on the right side is Atlético Madrid's Toby Alderweireld who spent his season playing second fiddle to Juanfran. The left is expected to be taken up by Spurs' Jan Vertonghen, who usually plays at centre back for his club. Should Wilmots opt for the experience of 36-year-old Daniel Van Buyten in the centre, Vermaelen becomes an option at left back.
In the center of the pitch, Tottenham's Mousa Dembélé seems to be a guaranteed starter. Weighing 82 kilos, the 26-year-old is strong on the ball and winning it off opponents. When he finds his way forward, he likes to take a pop at goal too. The other two midfield positions aren't locked down though. Competitors include Zenit's Axel Witsel and Manchester United's Marouane Fellaini – two tall players with the upper hand in aerial duels. While Witsel is known for his range of passing, Fellaini is good defensively and the odd shot at goal. Unfortunately, the United man has had a subpar season at his new club marred by injuries and inability to break into the first team. Witsel on the other hand, had a good season as Zenit fell short off the Russian Premier League title by a single point. They also have the option of 22-year-old Kevin De Bruyne, who is turning out to be a really promising player. After joining Bundesliga club Wolfsburg mid-season for a fee of £18 million, the youngster scored thrice and picked up six assists in 16 appearances for his new club. Versatile enough to be deployed anywhere in attacking midfield, De Bruyne can deliver pin-point balls – on the ground or through the air. His only weakness is the lack of defensive contribution and inability to put in tackles.
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| When they get on the ball, it does seem like this. |
Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin Mirallas are the natural composition for Belgium's front three although Napoli's Dries Mertens might want to have a say about that after having a decent season in which he had 11 goals and 7 assists in 26 starts for the Italian club. Chelsea's Lukaku spent another year away from his parent club, this time Everton winning his services for a season. He rewarded them with 15 goals and 6 assists in 33 appearances for the Merseyside club, and with his physical presence and dribbling, the 21-year-old has made Belgium's centre forward position his own. Playing alongside him at Everton was Kevin Mirallas who scored eight times and set up the same number of goals as both of them helped newly-appointed Roberto Martínez achieve the highest ever points tally for Everton in the Premier League era. Meanwhile, Eden Hazard has become an excellent player since joining Chelsea two years ago. Brilliant with the ball, Hazard is a threat to any defence on the planet. He also likes to cut inside from the left and have a go at goal; although with Lukaku's presence in the box, Hazard's crossing will need some polishing. If they click together and come into form, Wilmots and his men can go a long way in Brazil.
There are some fighters in this group, though. Russia are one, although they've had very limited success since the breakup of USSR. A semi-final appearance at Euro 2008 in Austria/Switzerland is their only recent claim to fame, having exited at the group stages in Euro 2004 and 2012, and World Cup 2002. They failed to qualify for Germany in '06 and South Africa in '10 and return to the world stage after a gap of 12 years – just like Belgium. Thankfully, in Fabio Capello they have an experienced coach – what with five Serie A titles, two in La Liga and a Champions League. He's also the highest-paid coach at this World Cup and with a squad that plays entirely in their home league and has enjoyed little domestic success outside the country, Capello is clearly their biggest asset.
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| Scumbag Capello. Earns 736 times the average Russian. |
Unlike previous coaches, the 68-year-old lives in Moscow and travels often to league fixtures around the nation, keeping a check and getting a read on the potential players. This has enabled the Italian to redefine Russia's approach to the game and the efforts have paid off quite well. Sbornaya topped their World Cup qualifying group ahead of Portugal, winning seven out of ten games, scoring 20 and conceding only 5 in the process. Russia's defensive strength will be a major plus for the team and the CSKA trio is a big part of that. New captain 31-year-old Vasili Berezutski will play alongside 34-year-old Sergei Ignashevich, and behind them in Igor Akinfeev they have a veteran keeper. In midfield, Alan Dzagoev should partner Dynamo's 30-year-olds Igor Denisov and Yuri Zhirkov. Up ahead, young Aleksandr Kokorin is expected to get the nod ahead of Kerzhakov. Not only does he know where to position himself in the box, he can run with the ball as well as thread neat passes for others. For a team that is heavy on defending, expect Kokorin to be Russia's main attacking threat on the break.
South Korea's swansong was clearly when they co-hosted the World Cup with Japan in 2002. They remain the only Asian team to ever reach the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup. Hong Myung-bo, Korea's current coach, was captain of that famous team – as they played with a team unity that saw off the likes of Italy and Spain before going down to a Michael Ballack goal. However since then, Korea haven't been able to attain those lofty standards – failing to clear the group stage in Germany and reaching the final 16 in South Africa. This has been down to the drop in the quality of squad as well as the style of play. Myung-bo, also Korea's all-time leader in appearances, has changed the team's whole style of play, discarding their previous long ball style. The focus is now more technical, relying more on quick attacks through the wings. While Bolton winger Lee Chung-yong attacks and sends in crosses from the right, Bayer Leverkusen's Son-Heung-min does the same from the left. However, the Taegeuk Warriors lack a top-class striker up front and this has been a big problem for them. Their preferred striker is Park Chu-Young, who has barely made an appearance for the Gunners since signing in 2011. Even their defence isn't impressive, and this general lack of experience at the upper echelons of league football saw them finish behind Iran in the final round of qualification.
The last team in this final group is Algeria, who are ranked 1st in Africa and 22nd in the world as they come into the tournament. Not only is that surprising in itself, but when put in perspective with their path to qualification and the quality of other teams, it seems very odd. All African teams must take part in two-legged play-offs against another previous round group winner to ensure qualification for the World Cup. Algeria were pitted against Burkina Faso – the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations finalists, who won the first leg 3-2 in Ouagadougou on October 12, 2013. More than a month later, Algeria produced a disciplined performance to secure a slim 1-0 win and book their ticket to Brazil on the away goals rule.
This rise in the level of Algerian football has been achieved by concentrating on standards at grassroots level. In their three previous appearances at the World Cup, they have always exited at the group stage. Although with head coach Vahid Halilhodžić - who masterminded French club Lille's promotion back to Ligue 1 and a third place finish; and talented players emerging from the country's new professional league, the Fennec Foxes will be keen to impress one and all. They aren't the strongest in defence – Madjid Bougherra is good in fighting for aerial duels but average on the ground and his partner Carl Medjani has trouble dealing with pace. Left back Faouzi Ghoulam became an immediate starter after joining Napoli in the winter transfer window, and helped his new club finish third in Serie A. The 23-year-old loves to run down the channel and deliver crosses, and that should be crucial as Algeria will mostly depend on the odd break. In the middle of the pitch, they will depend on Sofiane Feghouli's passing ability, Nabil Bentaleb's tackling strength and love for long-distance shooting and young Saphir Taïder's all-round game, including the ability to put the ball in the back of the net from dead ball situations. Up front, Sporting Lisbon's Islam Slimani and Dinamo Zagreb's El Arbi Hillel Soudani will look to provide the goals for Algeria. Soudani picked up 16 goals in his debut season, as Dinamo went on to win the Croatian league title.
Although they possess the ability to surprise a few teams and the conditions in Brazil suit them, Algeria will need to be on their A-game if they are to retain hopes of qualification from this group. South Korea’s deck of cards is simply unconvincing and only a ton of hard work and spirited team performances can see them through. Belgium’s ‘Golden Generation’ and Russia under Fabio Capello will prove to be tough tests for two sides that rarely face this quality of opposition.
Starting XIs
Algeria (4-3-3): Zemmamouche; Mandi, Bougherra, Cadamuro, Ghoulam; Bentaleb, Taïder, Brahimi; Feghouli, Soudani, Slimani.
Belgium (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Alderweireld, Kompany, Van Buyten, Vertonghen; Witsel, Dembélé; Mertens, De Bruyne, Hazard; Lukaku.
Russia (4-4-1-1): Akinfeev; Yeshchenko, Berezutski, Ignashevich, Kombarov; Samedov, Denisov, Fayzulin, Zhirkov; Shatov; Kokorin.
South Korea (4-2-3-1): Sung-Ryong; Yong, Jeong-ho, Young-Gwon, Suk-Young; Jong-Woo, Sung-Yeung; Chung-Yong, Ja-Cheol, Heung-Min, Chu-Young.
Teams to qualify: Belgium and Russia.
And, that's it! I'd like to congratulate you on reaching the end of my longest piece of work till date. Thank you for your time, and I sincerely hope you'd a wonderful time reading it. Please do tell me what you thought of it in the comments box below. In case you're wondering, I always appreciate constructive criticism.
Have fun watching the World Cup with your new-found (too much!) knowledge of all the teams, their history, players and coaches, and chances at this biggest stage of all. I'm going to leave you with something I designed specially for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Até logo!
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