2014 FIFA World Cup - Brazil

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Here's the thread to discuss the upcoming World Cup in Brazil.

The competition starts on the 12th of June in Sao Paulo and finishes on the 13th of July in the historic Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

Here are the groups:

Group A:
Brazil
Croatia
Mexico
Cameroon

Group B:
Spain
Netherlands
Chile
Australia

Group C:
Colombia
Greece
Ivory Coast
Japan

Group D:
Uruguay
Costa Rica
England
Italy

Group E:
Switzerland
Ecuador
France
Honduras

Group F:
Argentina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Iran
Nigeria

Group G:
Germany
Portugal
Ghana
United States

Group H:
Belgium
Algeria
Russia
South Korea

Tournament Fixture List

Little over 6 weeks until kickoff. Can Spain continue their dominance? Will Brazil carry on from their flawless performance in the Confederations Cup last year with the support of a nation? What about Germany, their young breakthrough stars from 2010 have blossomed to World Superstars, can they win? Or will it be a different team? Argentina, Belgium, Italy, Uruguay, France? Football fans, this is what we've been waiting for. :D
 
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I'm pretty sure there will be 3 teams in the semi-finals: Brazil, Germany and Spain. There are great teams who can take that 4th spot.
 
More injuries for England, Walker is doubtful with a pelvic injury. So that's Walcott, Rodriguez, Townsend and now Walker.
 
I'm really hoping England bring Andy Carroll, there's always something about him that seems so promising.
 
We're pretty much guaranteed to be the first team out. Again. Even without being in the Group of Death. But it's refreshing to see our commentators admit that we don't stand a chance.
 
I'm tipping Belgium to be the surprise team of the tournament.
Tell you what, Switzerland and Belgium did bloody well in their groups. Really impressive - neither lost a single game, racking up 15 wins and 5 draws between them. Both were in pretty banana-skin groups too - Norway aren't an easy team to beat, Iceland and Albania are both capable of upsets and Slovenia qualified for the last world cup, while dealing with both Serbia AND Croatia in the same group is not an easy task.

In fact they both had a better qualifying record than Italy (okay, so Denmark, Bulgaria and Czech Republic isn't a stroll), England (who should have walked all over the group, but only won two games against their leading three opponents) or Russia (three of the easiest teams in the world to beat, plus the inconsistent Portugal and Israel)...

I'd be watching out for either in 2014. Belgium particularly - though I doubt they could win it, they could cause someone real problems in a semi-final.
So there!
 
Is this when we start offering English houses to Welsh and Scottish national team players? :lol:
:lol: TBH, the only players in either the Scottish or Welsh national teams that would be capable of competing at that level right now would be Craig Bellamy and Gareth Bale :P. (That's right now anyway, Scotland have had some very good players through the years).
 
I'm tipping Belgium to be the surprise team of the tournament.
They have the players to go well and could do some damage but their odds are being terribly overrated.
A safer punt would be backing Belgium for a last-16 exit - they are likely to take on Germany or Portugal in the first knockout stage and there is no way Marc Wilmots' men can be considered good things to overcome that proper test.
 
Belgium have a better team than Portugal, for sure.


I don't see people being surprised by them, they have a fantastic team!
 
I'm tipping Argentina to make the Finals. They'll have an obvious advantage as a South American team, and with Messi, Aguero, Di Maria, Higuain, Garay, Mascherano, you could argue they're on the same level as Spain/Germany and ahead of Brazil.
 
Well being the traitor that I am, I am supporting Japan.

In other news I think England will make the quarter finals before getting knocked out.
 
Well being the traitor that I am, I am supporting Japan.

In other news I think England will make the quarter finals before getting knocked out.
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I know it's technically "And then I said" but it still works.
 
Here are my predictions:

Group A:
Brazil
Cameroon

Croatia and Mexico have both underwhelmed in Qualifiers, while Cameroon on the other hand were undefeated despite playing some tough African opponents (DR Congo, Tunisia).

Group B:
Spain
Netherlands

Group C:
Colombia
Ivory Coast

This group should be very interesting to follow. Japan have been poor over the last few years so I can see them finishing dead last. Greece could come through depending how well they execute their trademark "Park the bus" strategy, but I still see them finishing 3rd with 2 draws and 1 loss to Colombia.

Group D:
Uruguay
Italy

Group E:
Switzerland
France

This group could be interesting, France have under-performed in the qualifiers and aren't looking much better then England at this point. I'm betting on them finishing 2nd behind Switzerland and getting knocked out right after.

Group F:
Argentina
Nigeria

Bosnia and Iran did well to qualify but Nigeria are the reigning African champions and arguably the best African team ever to date.

Group G:
Germany
Portugal

Group H:
Belgium
Russia
 
I'm tipping Argentina to make the Finals.
I reckon it will be Argentina vs. Germany. I expect one other European and one other South American team will make it to the semi-finals, but I have no idea who - a lot will hinge on how the draw plays out.
 
Argentina out in quarter finals.

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Trust me.
As a Colombian person I'm personally ... in a partial agreement with you.

Basically all the team was based on this guy Falcao, which in turn is like the local Messi, problem with him is that he got injured and whereas he is or not in the World Cup his performance will be largely affected, thus affecting the whole team's morale.

That said, the manager in turn is a largely competent one, and Japan's position in the last year or so have been weak, not sure what to make out of Ivory Coast, I heard they are good but I can't assets their performance, same with Greece.

IMO all depends in Greece, which might be competent to get itself in the next round, but not sure if it will be competent enough to win against Japan or Colombia.


I really do wish Chile can make it to the next round instead of Spain, long shot but group A and B seem to be where all the stronger teams are.
 
I really do wish Chile can make it to the next round instead of Spain, long shot but group A and B seem to be where all the stronger teams are.
Their best chance might be against Australia. Our selection is an absolute mess - Ange Postecoglu basically has a box full of left elbows to choose from. The team is in complete disarray after a difficult qualifying draw in which we were our own worst enemy, and then a disastrous series of international friendlies that saw Holger Osciek fired as coach, and Postecoglu drafted in from the Brisbane Roar. He has pretty much written the World Cup off, and is instead concentrating on our 2015 Asian campaign. It's a far cry from our 1974 appearance, when a group of unpaid amateurs somehow managed to concede just two goals to East Germany and three to West.

If the Netherlands and Spain are as evenly-matched as Famine's predictions suggest, then if Chile can put up a decent defence against both of them (it happened for us in 1974), their best chance is to go on the offensive against Australia. Sure, it's a far-flung scenario, but minimising losses to Spain and the Netherlands is a more realistic path to the Round of 16 than beating them ...
 
I know Postecoglu was coaching the Roar when he got the call-up for the national team, but I really hope we don't play the way the Roar currently are. There have been a few, shall we say, strategic fouls in the game with the Wanderers. Hersi was just making a run on goal, and one of the Brisbane defenders threw himself at Hersi, interrupting the play and forcing a free kick. He was never going to intercept, and the replay made it pretty clear he had enough time to pull up in time. It gave the Roar defenders enough time to form up and cover off the gaps in the back line. It was legal, but it looked pretty dirty.
 
Well being the traitor that I am, I am supporting Japan.

I'm in the same boat as well. Captain Tsubasa and all that.
I think Ghana will have my spiritual backing as well after their sickening denial of an SF place last time.

On that chart, as I mentioned, I'm not seeing Belgium beating Germany, especially seeing as they'd end up second in their group after drawing to...South Korea.
Colombia last in their group is also a silly proposition as well. They still have climate on their side and, surely, enough quality elsewhere to get by.
 
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