World Cup Preview: 14 Teams That Could Win or Be Relevant
By Ty Duffy
The World Cup Draw was last Friday, ramping up or dampening expectations depending on your allegiances. Considering the draw here are the 14 teams we believe could win the tournament, or at least be relevant in the later stages. They are ranked in order of probability. (This preview is brought to you by Spain’s Carles Puyol, more commonly known in this country as “Sarah Jessica Parker.”)
Favorites
Spain: The Spanish have the best strike partnership, the best midfield and arguably the best goalkeeper in the world. Their “weakness” is the back four, three of whom star for Barcelona and Real Madrid. If Sevilla’s Jesus Navas can overcome his anxiety, they will have the best impact bench as well. Spain is the most talented team. They are disciplined, organized and efficient. Flush with confidence from Euro 2008, they are the tournament favorites.
Brazil: This isn’t vintage Brazil in style, but it could be in success. They won’t rely on individuals to out-flair teams. They are a coherent unit, that holds possession well and presses without the ball. After initial hiccups, the Brazilians have lost just one of their last 23 matches in all competitions. That loss was a redundant qualifier. Brazil could use some more tooth up front, perhaps a resurgent Adriano? But otherwise they are solid. The U.S. may have shown their potential in the first half against Brazil. Brazil definitely showed their potential during the second.
Capable Contenders
England: England has the best coach in soccer, Fabio Capello. No one can match his pedigree. No one is better at assessing talent and deploying it correctly on the pitch. Capello is practical, merciless and the undisputed alpha dog. He is the perfect foil for a pampered England squad. Capello has England playing like England. They are direct, fast and ferocious, a style that will hassle teams. Emile Heskey batters back lines and opens space for quick attackers, such as Rooney, Walcott and Joe Cole. They are athletic. They will be focused, by force.
Most important for the mother country is the draw. USA, Slovenia, Algeria was fortunate. Perhaps even more lucky is their route to the final. If England finishes first in the group, they likely avoid Spain, Brazil, England, Germany, Italy and Argentina until the semifinal.
Germany: England and Germany played nearly identical soccer in 1966. England won the World Cup and patted themselves on the back for forty years. The Germans doubled down on tactics and technique. They have appeared in the finals of five World Cups and six European championships since. The Germans are always relevant.
This German team isn’t great, but is cohesive and well-drilled. Klose, Schweinsteiger and Podolski, unimpressive at club level, raise their game in a German shirt. They field largely the same group that missed the 2006 Final by a hair, and met Spain in the Euro 2008 final. There’s no reason to expect less of them.
Italy: The Italians try when it counts, and only then. In 2006, they stunk well into the knockout stages, and needed a fortune to escape against Australia. They still ended up winning the World Cup. The squad is stagnant. Most key players are over 30. Giuseppe Rossi is the only player under 25 who plays consistently. Italy must add a creative midfielder as well, whether that’s an unretired Totti or a recalled Cassano. Don’t bet on Italy, but don’t bet against them either.
Argentina: Diego Maradona is a clown. He has called up 73 players in the last year, hoping to stumble on a working combination. It has not happened yet. The Argentines have elite talent at striker, attacking midfield and defensive midfield. The issue is organizing it. Argentina must appoint a technical advisor and relegate Maradona to being a figurehead. If they choose a constant eleven and implement a stable program, they can win the tournament. Unfortunately, they have six months and no competitive matches to do so.
Maybe With Some Luck
France: Raymond Domenech is a well-established fraud. Zidane and the old guard bailed him out in 2006. He showed his true ceiling during the rancid fart that was France’s Euro 2008. The stench was so foul it lingered through the 2010 qualifying. France can field a squad rife with players from Barcelona, Real Madrid, Man U, Chelsea and Arsenal. But, none of the subsequent generation has emerged to lead them. They need the heir to Zidane and Platini, immediately.
Mexico: Javier Aguirre has reassembled the post-Sven pieces, making Mexico a solid team with a blend of experience and speedy, attacking youth. Dos Santos and Vela can cause a ruckus. The South Africa draw helps them. If they get a result against France and win the group, they get a winnable Nigeria/Greece matchup in the Round of 16. It’s then plausible for them to upset England and sneak into the Semifinal.
Can’t Win But Could Make Things Interesting
Cote D’Ivoire: The Ivorians have the best African team. Didier Drogba could dominate the tournament if motivated. They surround him with the Toure brothers and other solid players. Here’s the rub. They got boned by the draw. If they get through the group second, no guarantee, they would then face a run of Spain, Italy, Germany and Brazil consecutively to win. Pulling one upset is plausible. Pulling off four? Not so much.
Ghana: The Black Stars advanced from the Group of Death in 2006 with the youngest squad in the tournament. Now, they are mature. Ghana are led by a strong midfield with Michael Essien and Sulley Muntari. They have another tough group with Australia, Serbia and Germany, but they could get out. If they finish second in the group, they draw England or the U.S., an upset would grant them a winnable route to Brazil in the semifinal.
United States: We hear the U.S. fancies their chances against England. That’s a bit foolish. England are troubled by teams that suffocate the midfield and hold possession, two things the U.S. is woeful at. Athletic and direct, the Americans are essentially a less disciplined, less talented version of England. Finishing second in the group would earn them a first round dead end with Germany, but if they could sneak past England into first, they get Ghana/Australia/Serbia in the first round, followed probably by Mexico/France. The semifinals would be conceivable.
Greece: Greek food, Greek music and Nikos Kazantzakis are fantastic. The world would be better if their soccer team didn’t exist. Niggling and negative, they will play their vaunted 9-2-0 formation. If feeling particularly frisky, they might throw on a third midfielder. Having said that, their awful style is occasionally effective. It won Euro 2004. If they qualify from Group B, they could beat Mexico/France in the first round and bore their way into the quarterfinals. Hopefully, they don’t.