Get
your bunting up, your replica shirt at the ready and the beers on ice- the 2014
World Cup is almost upon us. For the next three weeks, the eyes of billions of
people from across the globe will be focused on Brazil for what is the biggest
tournament in football, with 32 countries set to compete for the honour of
winning the infamous gold trophy.
A
galaxy of elite players from a variety of leagues has descended on Brazil to
showcase their talent on the most prestigious stage of them all. From Real
Madrid’s Ronaldo to Barcelona’s Neymar, the best of the best will be hoping to
impress where it matters the most. The cream of the crop will perform in the
depths of the rainforest, near the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema and in the
shadow of Christ the Redeemer in the country that didn’t invent football- but
reinvented it.
But
who’s got what it takes to become the 2014 World Cup Winners at the Estadio
Maracana in Rio De Janeiro on July 13? Here’s my take on the top five
favourites to win it in the South American sunshine…
Brazil
The
tournament favourites with a distinct advantage- it’s on their turf. The Samba
boys represent football for a country where it’s played barefoot in the street
and on the beaches. The sport runs through their veins- and boy do the
Brazilians know how to play it. Five times winners, the last time they won it
was in 2002 in Japan, when they beat Germany 2-0 with both goals coming from
Golden Boot winner Ronaldo.
Guided
by Luiz Felipe Scolari, Brazil go into the competition with two warm-up wins to
their name and are huge favourites to storm Group A, with games against
Cameroon, Croatia and Mexico. But class oozes through the team in every
position, from Davi Alves, Thiago Silva and Dante to Willian, Fernandinho and
star man Neymar. When it clicks, it really clicks and makes for a wondrous
spectacle- but will the pressure of being the home nation and favourites prove
too much?
One to watch: It has to be Neymar.
Outright odds to win
it: 3/1
Argentina
The
Argentineans will be buoyed by the fact that they are familiar with the climate
and they will be focused on getting one over the neighbours in their own back
garden. The last time they won it was back in 1986 in Mexico for the second
time, largely thanks to a star turn by a certain Diego Maradona, but with back
to back wins in the warm up fixtures and a squad brimming with world class
players, Alejandro Sabella will know his team is in with a real shot of lifting
the gold trophy.
Group
F has been relatively kind to Argentina, with games against Iran, Nigeria and
Bosnia & Herzegovina. When you’ve got Angel Di Maria, Gonzalo Huguain,
Sergio Aguero and Ezequiel Lavezzi amongst your arsenal, anything is possible.
But it’s captain Lionel Messi that the team will be relying on to deliver the
goods. Having never scored a World Cup finals goal, everybody is aware of what
the striker is capable of conjuring up. If he turns it on, expect Argentina to
shine. If it clicks, there’s no reason they can’t go all the way.
One to watch: Of course it’s Lionel
Messi.
Spain
The
Spaniards head to Brazil as the current World Cup holders, after beating the
Netherlands 1-0 in extra time with a goal from Andres Iniesta in 2010 at South
Africa to win it for the first time. With two warm-up wins and no injuries of
note, Vicente del Bosque will be confident of his team’s progression through to
the latter stages of the tournament again.
Placed
in Group B and facing games against Australia, the Netherlands and Chile, many
of the faces that featured in the 2010 triumph are included again in the squad.
Quality aplenty from Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba in defence to
Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas, Xavi Hernandez, Xabi Alonso and Diego Costa, the
Spanish play delightfully inventive, free-flowing football with the strength in
depth capable of securing a second tournament win in a row.
One to watch: There’s a few, but
I’ll go for Diego Costa.
Outright odds to win
it: 13/2
Germany
The
injury to captain Marco Reus has rocked the German contingency who travel to
Brazil in indifferent form. Two draws and a win in their warm-up games against
inferior opposition won’t provide Joachim Low with any solace, but with a
stellar squad and a favourable group it would be wrong to have the Germans down
as anything but serious contenders.
West
Germany last won the World Cup in Italy in 1990, beating Argentina 1-0 with a
single goal from in what was a repeat of the 1986 final and have won it three times
in total. Pitched in Group G with
matches against Ghana and USA, their main competition comes in the form of
Portugal. With threatening players like Mario Gotze, Thomas Muller, Andre
Schuerrle, Lukas Podolski and Miroslaw Klose, expect to see the Germans feature
well into the knock-out stages, with an intimidating, unapologetic confidence.
One to watch: Bastian
Schweinsteiger.
Outright odds to win
it: 13/2
Belgium
Belgium
has already adopted the tag of the ‘dark horses’ for the tournament. The Red
Devils are blessed with a generation of talent at the peak of their careers as
they head to Brazil. Lead by Marc Wilmots, the ‘golden generation’ play fluid,
attacking football worthy of gracing the best stage in the world and it’s time
to prove their worth.
Drawn
in Group H, Belgium will kick off against Russia, Algeria and South Korea in a
bid to progress. You only have to look at the squad to see why they’re being
tipped by critics and pundits alike: from the back with Thibaut Courtois in
goal to captain Vincent Kompany and Thomas Vermaelen in defence through to Eden
Hazard, Alex Witsel, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, the country are more
than capable of advancing into the knock-outs. If they have the belief and the
conviction, they could surprise a few people.
One to watch: Eden Hazard.
Outright odds to win
it: 20/1
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