Group A Brasil, Mexico, Cameroon, Croatia
The host country is usually in one of the easier groups as they should be so this really is no surprise. This year the host country gets paired with a team from CONCACAF that has struggled all qualifying long and barely made it into the World Cup finals. Mexico is this team and in any other year I would say they would give the hosts a run for their money but with the way the team has played it is given reason to pause. Croatia, however, could cause MANY teams a problem with their height and skill. Modric and others up front will cause issues and scoring will be no problem. The problem for them will be on defense where they are rather porous. Cameroon comes off a World Cup in 2010 where they really struggled to get off the ground against bigger, stronger teams who matched their speed. This time should be no different. The hosts, Brasil, have what is deemed to many in the world to be the deepest and most skilled team in the field....it also boasts a ton of youth which should benefit them greatly with the temperatures in their home country.
Brasil 9 points
Mexico 4 Points (moves to knockout on goal difference)
Croatia 4 Points
Cameroon 0 Points
Group B Spain, Netherlands, Chile, Australia
Group B is hi lighted but TWO world powers in football. Netherlands and Spain are a formidable twosome up at the top and odds are they wil be the two to move on from the group. Netherlands blast a heck of a scoring attack we what I believe is enough of a defense to keep most teams at bay. They are led by scoring power houses Arjen Robben and Robin Van Persie. Spain obviously is coming off winning the title in 2010 and the two top teams in this group played each other for the title. The first match for this group naturally had to be these two in a rematch so look for the winner of that game, if there is one, to be the winner of this group. Spain are an older team and their goalkeeper has been suspect all season for Real Madrid which could cost them greatly. Chile struggled in qualifying and it took a coaching change in order for them to go on a run and make the finals. Although this was the case, I believe is team to be very good and should challenge the top two for a place in the final 16. Without question the worst team in the World Cup has to be the Socceroos. They boast perhaps only one world class player in Tim Cahill who has been practicing his trade in arguably the worst of the major soccer leagues in the world, MLS. If he is the only thing holding this team together it will be a LONG tournament which could see a record in goals allowed.
Netherlands 9 points
Chile 4 points (advance on goal difference)
Spain 4 points
Australia 0 points
Group C Columbia, Greece, Ivory Coast, Japan
Ahh the easiest group in the World Cup by far. Who in the world thought this foursome would be paired together in this tournament. Columbia is a very questionable team which is full of flaws but just might get through based on the relative lack of experience in this group. Greece on the other hand have to be the class of this group. They usually play very well in major tournaments as they surprised a ton of people a few years ago with their run in the UEFA Euros. I look for this to be another one of those runs. Ivory Coast could be the second best team in the group on paper if everyone is healthy from Toure to Drogba, etc. I look for their health to be good and this team to make a decent run to press for a place in the final 16. Japan is another enigma. They come from a relative easy path in Asia to make the Cup so their competition is not really indicative of whether they can compete with the best. With the kamikaze style they play it will be no doubt they will take tons of chances against everyone. This could be a positive or negative.
Greece 5 Points
Ivory Coast 5 Points
Japan 3 Points
Columbia 1 point
Group D Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy
What I consider group of death number one. This group has three major teams that could all win the group but just as easily be the one left out. Uruguay with Suarez and Forlan will be VERY formidable up front and they aren't lacking in the midfield or the defensive side of the ball. It wouldn't surprise me one bit they win this group with their quality of play and constant attacking style. Costa Rica to me seems to be the whipping boy for this group and I think it will be more than just a feeling....it will be reality. They really don't have much that can contend for three group games against three of the world best. England, while being a good team, can be an enigma. I will also say that the selections for the team also were questionable to say the least. While boasting a world class keeper and a great midfield the striking may be in question unless Rooney is healthy and plays well. I really think this will happen. Italy is the oldest team by far and boast a TON of questions from top to bottom. Will Buffon be the keeper and how well will he play? Will Chiellini, Pirlo, De Rossi, and Balotelli all play to their ability? We shall see.
Uruguay 7 Points
Italy 5 points
England 4 points
Costa Rica 0 points
Group E Switzerland, Ecuador, France, Honduras
A group with a clear cut leader in the clubhouse is finally seen...lol. France is by far the class of the field in this group with their depth and their up from of Benzema and Giroud. Switzerland to me could surprise. They are VERY difficult to play against and are very system oriented. It wouldn't surprise me to see them play France to a draw to possible make a game of this group in terms of challenging to make goal difference the decider with France. Of course their is the spoilers of the group with Ecuador and Honduras. I don't foresee much from either team in this tournament as they just don't have enough world class talent. Of course things do happen and a draw could make the difference in bending one of these two to the final 16 and sending one of the big two home.
France 9 points
Switzerland 6 points
Ecuador 3 points
Honduras 0 points
Group F Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iran, Nigeria
Again we have another group with a clear leader. Argentina to me is without question the class of the group with their ridiculous depth and talent. They have virtually no equal out of any of the other three which could see Aguero and Messi go nuts in the goal scoring category. For Bosnia-Herzegovina to do well in this tournament Begovic in net and Dzeko out too will have to take care of business. They are fully capable and I see them to be the second best team in terms of capability in this group. Iran is going to be run roughshod over by the group due to their complete lack of quality players. It is possible though that they could be a spoiler and somehow grab a draw with Nigeria or Bosnia to give the other the second place spot. Nigeria will be undoubtedly fighting with Bosnia for number two in the group. They have a number of quality, world class players on their side which could challenge the lads on the Bosnia team. Issue is can they get goals past Begovic when they and Bosnia play?
Argentina 9 points
Bosnia 4 points (advance on goal difference)
Nigeria 4 Points
Iran 0 points
Group G Germany, Portugal, Ghana, USA
Well it is my heritage against my home country. Not shocked to see this happen. On paper this group is Germany's to lose with their overwhelming talent and DEEP bench. The team was so deep that when Reus went down in a warmup game they didn't replace him with another mid they put in another defender for his spot on the team. The team is led by a ball handling and talented midfield with Özil, Götze, Schweinsteiger, and Schürrle. A phenomenal keep in Neuer, forward group of Podolski, Klose, and Müller also will not be a problem. Portugal boasts without question either the best player in world or the second best in Ronaldo with world class players in many other positions. However, the one position they may be in trouble is between the pipes and for that reason they are a rung in my mind behind Germany. Ghana has some serious talent and if they all come together this team could surprise anyone in this group. It even wouldn't shock me if they drew the Germans. From a midfield with Essien and others to Gyan up top they are formidable. Now for my home country and the team I think is quite a questionable squad. Klinsmann went for serious youth which was his way of pointing to 2018 and jot giving his team much chance in this cup. To me it was a serious mistake but I digress. The team as assembled doesn't have the world class talent up and down the lineup to beat the best in the group and to me will be challenging to even score a goal. Now this could easily change as this team is such an unknown but to me I go with what is on paper and not what could be possible or to my heart.
Germany 9 points
Portugal 4 points (advance on goal difference)
Ghana 4 points
USA 0 points
Group H Belgium, Algeria, Russia, South Korea
Another group that on paper should go to one team. In this case that team is Belgium. The Belgians to me are a team to look out for in this cup. From Lukaku and Hazard to the defense of Van Buyton,etc. this team could be a big mover. The rest of this group I know VERY little about so I will just say the other three will battle for second and it will most likely be who beats who.
Belgium 9 points
South Korea 4 Points
Russia 3 points
Algeria 1 Point
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