Group D
Uruguay
This is likely to be the final shot at World Cup glory for
Oscar Tabarez’s aging Uruguay side.
A repeat of the 2010 campaign where they finished third
behind Spain and Holland would be deemed a success, but if they are to achieve
this, star man Luis Suarez will have to stay fit.
The Liverpool hitman has developed impressively since the
last World Cup and is coming off the best season of his career. He missed two
qualifiers – a narrow 1-0 win over Venezuela and a 4-0 trouncing at the hands
of Colombia. The latter result provided a warning of how things could go in
Brazil if Suarez were to get injured or suspended.
Uruguay will have to guard against a lack of pace at the
back, with Diego Lugano well into the twilight of his career, and hope that
they can slip Suarez in on the break.
The Copa America holders endured a slow start to the
qualifying campaign. Uruguay were seventh going into the final third of the
qualifying campaign but that win away to Venezuela, a 2-1 triumph in Peru and a
dramatic home win over Colombia turned things around. They were edged out of a
top four spot by Ecuador on the final day meaning a play-off with Jordan, which
they ultimately sailed through 5-0 on aggregate, with all the goals coming in
the first-leg.
Uruguay have a proud history. They have won the World Cup
twice and been champions of their continent 15 times – including at present.
How they qualified
Buoyed by their fourth place finish at South Africa 2010 and
their Copa America triumph a year later, La Celeste went into the South
American qualifying competition for Brazil 2014 as firm favourites to progress.
Their plans were hampered in 2012, however, when they collected just two points
out of a possible 18. The Uruguayans recovered their poise just in time,
eventually edging into fifth and booking a place in the intercontinental
play-offs for the fourth time in a row. Waiting for them there were Jordan, who
were no match for Uruguay in the first leg in Amman, which ended in a 5-0 win
for the visitors. Defending that lead comfortably in a goalless draw back in
Montevideo, the Uruguayans made sure of their berth in Brazil.
World Cup history
Prior to the 1970s, when they began a lengthy period in the
doldrums, Uruguay were widely regarded as one of the giants of world football.
That status was founded on their two FIFA World Cup wins, the first of them
coming at home in 1930 and the second in Brazil 20 years later, when they
stunned the host nation with a shock 2-1 win at the Maracana, an epoch-defining
game that will forever be known as El Maracanazo. Their run to the semi-finals
at Mexico 1970 would be their last flourish for some considerable time,
however.
In the years that followed the Uruguayans appeared only
infrequently in the global showpiece. After failing to qualify for USA 1994 and
France 1998, La Celeste made their return at Korea/Japan 2002 only to go out in
the group phase and then lose out to Australia in the play-off for a place at
Germany 2006.
Another play-off followed in the qualifiers for South Africa
2010, this time against Costa Rica and this time safely negotiated. In what was
their 11th world finals, the Uruguayans brought back memories of yesteryear by
surging to fourth place, with the inspirational Diego Forlan making off with
the adidas Golden Ball as the tournament’s outstanding player.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Fernando Muslera (Galatasaray), Martin Silva
(Vasco da Gama), Rodrigo Munoz (Libertad)
Defenders: Maximiliano Pereira (Benfica), Diego Lugano (West
Bromwich Albion), Diego Godin, Jose Maria Gimenez (both Atletico Madrid),
Sebastian Coates (Liverpool), Martin Caceres (Juventus), Jorge Fucile (Porto)
Midfielders: Alvaro Gonzalez (Lazio), Alvaro Pereira (Sao
Paulo), Walter Gargano (Parma), Egidio Arevalo Rios (Morelia), Diego Perez
(Bologna), Cristian Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid), Gaston Ramirez (Southampton),
Nicolas Lodeiro (Botafogo)
Forwards: Luis Suarez (Liverpool), Edinson Cavani (Paris St
Germain), Abel Hernandez (Palermo), Diego Forlan (Cerezo Osaka), Christian
Stuani (Espanyol)
The key players
Strikers Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani have become the
standard bearers for Uruguayan football and the national team over the last
couple of years. The Liverpool man ended the South American preliminaries as
the leading scorer with 11 goals, and was the second most-used player by coach
Oscar Tabarez. The deadly duo have plenty of ballast behind them, with the
vastly experienced pair of Diego Lugano and Diego Godin directing rearguard
operations with aplomb, and Fernando Muslera providing a safe pair of hands
between the posts. Even so, after an often-troubled qualifying campaign El
Maestro Tabarez will no doubt be looking to shuffle his pack and build up some
momentum ahead of Brazil 2014.
The Coach: Oscar
Tabarez
The veteran is in his second spell in charge and likely to
adopt a cautious game plan in Brazil. There will be much reliance on the
counterattack, and the finishing abilities of Suarez and Edinson Cavani, whose
work rate is impressive, whether playing through the centre or further wide. Tabarez
guided Uruguay to the 2011 Copa America and fourth place in the World Cup four
years ago.
Prediction: Knockout
Stages
This will be the last major tournament for much of this
squad and the draw in December was not particularly kind to them, as they face
Italy, England and Costa Rica. Tabarez’s men should get the better of Costa
Rica and Italy but are likely to finish second in the group with England
expected to pip them for top spot.
Quick Facts:
FIFA Ranking: 6th
Best World Cup Result:
Winners (1930 and 1950)
Best Copa America
Result: Winners (1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1926, 1935, 1942, 1956, 1959,
1967, 1983, 1987, 1995, 2011)
Record Scorer: Luis
Suarez
Most Capped Player:
Diego Forlan
Captain: Diego Lugano
Group Matches:
Saturday, June 14, 2014 v Costa Rica (Fortaleza)
Thursday, June 19, 2014 v England (Sao Paulo)
Tuesday, June 24, 2014 v Italy (Natal)
England
England have never entered a World Cup with expectations so
low.
This may work in the Three Lions’ favour, because with the
reduced pressure, Roy Hodgson’s side may be able to rid themselves of the
inhibitions that have hindered them in previous tournaments.
But why is there such pessimism at home?
England’s recent showings at World Cups have generally
followed the pattern of a distinctly average group stage showing followed by
elimination, often on penalties, at the hands of one of the world’s
super-powers.
England really plumbed the depths in their 0-0 draw against
Algeria in the 2010 group stages. They edged through the group and were then
comprehensively beaten 4-1 by Germany in the second round. The English public
fear a similar scenario, that’s if they can even get out of a fiendish group.
Hodgson’s men only really sparked to life in the final
qualifiers for this tournament as they produced dynamic displays to see off
Montenegro and Poland. But that optimism quickly gave way to the usual
negativity that accompanies the national team when they lost back-to-back games
at Wembley against Chile and Germany for the first time in 36 years.
When the draw was made in December, the doom mongers were
out in force, as England were handed a group containing Euro 2012 finalists
Italy, Copa America holders Uruguay, and Costa Rica.
But there is cause for optimism. The form of Ross Barkley
and Raheem Sterling in the 2013-14 season suggests that England have a couple
of wide men who can create real problems in Brazil, while in Wayne Rooney and
Jack Wilshere, England possess two players who would get into almost any squad.
In Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka, Hodgson may no longer be
able to call on a couple of world class center backs, but the pair know how to
defend and Hodgson will take a solid spine with him to Brazil.
Hodgson, aware of his side’s limitations, will make England
hard to beat, just as they were in qualification when they did not lose a game.
This may not be a vintage Three Lions, but Hodgson has the
know-how to guide them out of the group.
How they qualified
England finished top of European Group H to reach the 2014
FIFA World Cup after securing victory on the final match day against Poland,
banishing the demons of four decades earlier when a draw against the same
opponents saw the Three Lions miss out on the 1974 tournament.
The road to Brazil 2014 was not as smooth as their campaign
to reach South Africa, where they won nine of their ten matches on the way to
the 2010 finals. Even though Roy Hodgson guided his side to an undefeated
campaign, automatic qualification evaded England until the final match at
Wembley. Two draws against closest rivals Ukraine, as well as stalemates in
Warsaw and Podogorica, left England fans nervous until captain Steven Gerrard
put the home match against Poland beyond doubt with a late goal to double his
side’s advantage and seal qualification.
World Cup history
England have appeared at 13 editions of the FIFA World Cup,
including seven of the last eight. They were below-par at South Africa in 2010,
narrowly qualifying from their group with a victory in the final match against
Slovenia, before being outclassed 4-1 by Joachim Low’s Germany at the Round of
16 stage. The Three Lions have been FIFA World Cup winners once, in 1966 when
they were hosts, but have since suffered a succession of early exits. Sir Bobby
Robson came closest to matching the achievements of Sir Alf Ramsey’s ‘Wingless
Wonders’, guiding England to the semi-finals at Italy 1990 only to be knocked
out on penalties by Germany.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Manchester City), Ben Foster (West
Bromwich Albion), Fraser Forster (Celtic)
Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea),
Phil Jagielka (Everton), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Phil Jones (Manchester
United), Luke Shaw (Southampton), Chris Smalling (Manchester United)
Midfielders: Ross Barkley (Everton), Steven Gerrard
(Liverpool), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Adam Lallana (Southampton), Frank
Lampard (Chelsea), James Milner (Manchester City), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
(Arsenal), Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal)
Forwards: Rickie Lambert (Liverpool), Wayne Rooney (Manchester
United), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Daniel Welbeck (Manchester United)
The key players
Wayne Rooney remains England’s greatest threat and his seven
goals in six World Cup qualifying starts underlined his importance to Roy
Hodgson’s side. In midfield, Gerrard and Frank Lampard provide experience and
creativity while young guns Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Adam
Lallana highlight the Three Lions’ attacking flair for the future. Danny
Welbeck came into his own during qualification, scoring four goals on the way
to the finals, while Daniel Sturridge’s emergence as one of the English Premier
League’s top forwards can only bolster Roy Hodgson’s attacking options for
Brazil.
The Coach: Roy
Hodgson
The former Inter Milan and Liverpool manager likes to set
his teams out to be hard to beat and hit the opposition on the counterattack.
This is likely to be England’s modus operandi in the humidity of Brazil.
Hodgson boasts international experience after successful spells with
Switzerland and Finland earlier in his career.
Prediction: Knockout
Stages
The draw was unkind to England, no doubt, but they have a
reasonable chance of qualification, with the second group game against Uruguay
likely to be vital. The three Lions have enough weapons in their armoury to
progress to the knockout stages and could surprise many by topping the group
ahead of Italy and Uruguay.
Quick Facts:
FIFA Ranking: 11th
Best World Cup Result:
Winners (1966)
Best European
Championship Result: Third Place (1968)
Record Scorer: Sir
Bobby Charlton (49 goals between 1958 and 1970)
Most Capped Player:
Peter Shilton (125 caps between 1970 and 1990)
Captain: Steven
Gerrard
Group Matches:
Saturday, June 14, 2014 v Italy (Manaus)
Thursday, June 19, 2014 v Uruguay (Sao Paulo)
Tuesday, June 24, 2014 v Costa Rica (Belo Horizonte)
Italy
Italy qualified for the 2014 World Cup with two games to
spare – something they have never achieved in their history.
Coach Cesare Prandelli concedes that the Azzurri are not
among the three or four favorites for the tournament, but are capable of doing
the heavyweights damage when at their best.
There will be little room for Italy’s traditional slow start
to major tournaments as they have been pitted alongside England and Uruguay in
a daunting Group D.
Prandelli fielded 40 players over the 10 qualifying games,
adding weight to the argument that the former Fiorentina boss does not know his
best team. The 56-year-old showed a flexibility in qualifying to respond to
injuries and suspensions, but also to choose his starting 11 based on player
form.
Prandelli has spoken of his desire to field top scorer in
qualifying, Mario Balotelli, in attack alongside Fiorentina striker Giuseppe
Rossi. The former Villarreal star has spent much of the season on the sidelines
with yet another knee injury but will enter the World Cup fresh if he can put
his injury troubles behind him. His rat-like cunning and sharp finishing in the
box could see him dovetail well with the more creative Balotelli.
Milan star Balotelli has been a victim of Prandelli’s
insistence on a ‘code-of-conduct’ which sees players dropped from the squad for
offenses committed at club level. Midfielder Daniele de Rossi has also felt
Prandelli’s wrath when axed for the March friendly with Spain after punching Inter
Milan’s Mauro Icardi, but will be key in Brazil.
As will veteran Andrea Pirlo who continues to roll back the
years for Juventus. The former Milan midfielder will be one of the best passers
and free-kick takers in Brazil, even at the grand old age of 35.
Italy endured a miserable 2010 World Cup, finishing bottom
of a group containing Paraguay, Slovakia and New Zealand. But Prandelli has
installed a more attack-minded approach and the Azzurri were a delight to watch
as they reached the final of Euro 2012.
How they qualified
Often below par during qualifying before raising their game
at final tournaments, Italy went about things differently for once by taking
imperious control of Group B in the European Zone. Their task appeared
potentially tricky when they were drawn alongside Denmark, Czech Republic and
Bulgaria, but La Nazionale surged through unbeaten and booked their ticket to
Brazil with time to spare, meaning they will head to the finals confident that
their internal revolution has been a success. After all, Cesare Prandelli seems
to have consigned Catenaccio to the past. Prandelli has led the side to the
UEFA EURO 2012 showpiece and a 14th consecutive FIFA World Cup finals berth –
all while remaining faithful to an attacking style of play.
World Cup history
With four world titles to their name (1934, 1938, 1982 and
2006) and two runners-up slots (1970 and 1994), Italy lie second only to Brazil
on the all-time FIFA World Cup honours board. La Squadra Azzurra are also the
only team along with the Brazilians to have won the competition twice in a row.
Their 4-3 semi-final defeat of West Germany at Mexico 1970 is widely regarded
as one of the most spectacular matches in the history of the tournament.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Salvatore Sirigu
(Paris Saint-Germain), Mattia Perin (Genoa)
Defenders: Ignazio Abate (AC Milan), Andrea Barzagli
(Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Matteo
Darmian (Torino), Mattia De Sciglio (AC Milan), Gabriel Paletta (Parma)
Midfielders: Alberto Aquilani (Fiorentina), Antonio Candreva
(Lazio), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Thiago Motta
(Paris Saint-Germain), Marco Parolo (Parma), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus), Marco
Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain)
Forwards: Mario Balotelli (AC Milan), Antonio Cassano
(Parma), Alessio Cerci (Torino), Ciro Immobile (Torino), Lorenzo Insigne
(Napoli)
The key players
Captain and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is the only survivor
from their 2006 triumph in Germany along with Andrea Pirlo, while a host of
youngsters have broken into the team, such as central defender Andrea Ranocchia
and midfielder Marco Verratti. Up front, the transition from old to new has
been even more dramatic thanks to the emergence of Stephan El Shaarawy and Giuseppe
Rossi’s return to the fore. Also with a vital role to play are the maverick duo
of Mario Balotelli and Pablo Osvaldo.
The Coach: Cesare
Prandelli
The former Parma and Fiorentina boss can be credited with
putting the national team back into the affections of the public with his
attacking mind-set, dignified approach to managing players and commitment to
bringing through the next generation of Azzurri stars. Prandelli exceeded all
expectations when he guided Italy to the final of Euro 2012 and he has enough
quality at his disposal to take his men deep into this tournament.
Prediction: Group
Stages
Italy’s opening group encounter against England in the heat
of Manaus is likely to be a cagey affair. Uruguay’s attacking threat could be
the difference when the two sides meet. It was unfortunate for Italy being
drawn in the group of death and they are likely to fall short.
Quick Facts:
FIFA Ranking: 9th
Best World Cup Result:
Winners (1934, 1938, 1882, 2006)
Best European
Championship Result: Winners (1968)
Record Scorer: Luigi
Riva (35 goals from 1965-1974)
Most Capped Player:
Fabio Cannavaro (136 caps from 1997-2010)
Captain: Gianluigi
Buffon
Group Matches:
Saturday, June 14, 2014 v England (Manaus)
Friday, June 20, 2014 v Costa Rica (Recife)
Tuesday, June 24, 2014 v Uruguay (Natal)
Costa Rica
Despite being pitted in a difficult 2014 World Cup
qualifying group alongside Italy, England and Uruguay, Costa Rica should not be
underestimated.
For the first time, the Central Americans have some
established players performing in European leagues, with Bryan Ruiz spending
the second half of the season on loan from Fulham at PSV Eindhoven, the
Arsenal-owned Joel Campbell impressing for Olympiakos and Bryan Oviedo catching
the eye for Everton before a serious injury.
This is one of the best generations in Costa Rica’s history
and they will not lie down in what is considered the 2014 World Cup ‘Group of
Death’. They are not expected to go through but neither should onlookers expect
5 or 6-0 thrashings for Jorge Luis Pinto’s side. They conceded just seven goals
in 10 qualifying games and defeated the USA and Mexico on their way to sealing
second spot in the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying section.
How they qualified
The arrival of the Colombian Jorge Luis Pinto as national
team coach has ushered in a new era for Costa Rica. Joining the CONCACAF
preliminaries in Round 3, Los Ticos finished second behind Mexico in their
group to advance to the final six-team phase, where they sealed their ticket to
Brazil 2014 with two games to spare, eventually finishing second behind USA.
Their successful campaign was based on two key factors. The first was their
solidity at the back, with Pinto’s side conceding only seven goals in the final
round, fewer than any other team. The second was their formidable home record
of five wins in five games in the final phase.
World Cup history
Costa Rica played their first game as a national team in
1921, a 7-0 win over Central American neighbours El Salvador. As they developed
as a side, things weren’t always quite so easy, but after many years of manful
efforts they finally managed to reach the world’s biggest football tournament
in 1990, taking full advantage of Mexico’s suspension to reach the finals in
Italy. Once there, they beat Sweden and Scotland to reach the knockout rounds
in an impressive debut under the care of Bora Milutinovic, where they lost to
Czechoslovakia.
They returned to the world stage in 2002 after narrowly
failing to reach USA 1994 and France 1998. Drawn into a tricky group alongside
eventual champions Brazil and semi-finalists Turkey, the valiant Ticos went out
at the first hurdle, the same stage where they would make their exit in a
significantly poorer showing four years later in Germany.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Keilor Navas (Levante), Patrick Pemberton
(Alajuelense), Daniel Cambronero (Herediano)
Defenders: Johnny Acosta (Alajuelense), Giancarlo Gonzalez
(Columbus Crew), Michael Umana (Saprissa), Oscar Duarte (Club Bruges), Waylon
Francis (Columbus Crew), Heiner Mora (Saprissa), Junior Diaz (Mainz 05),
Cristian Gamboa (Rosenborg), Roy Miller (New York Red Bulls)
Midfielders: Celso Borges (AIK Stockholm), Christian Bolanos
(FC Copenhagen), Oscar Esteban Granados (Herediano), Michael Barrantes
(Aalesund), Yeltsin Tejeda (Saprissa), Diego Calvo (Valerenga Oslo), Jose
Miguel Cubero (Herediano)
Forwards: Bryan Ruiz (PSV Eindhoven), Joel Campbell
(Arsenal/Olympiakos), Randall Brenes (Cartagines), Marco Urena (FC Kuban
Krasnodar)
The key players
Costa Rica’s fortunes lie at the skillful feet of one Bryan
Ruiz. Called “a truly special player” by former coach Rodrigo Kenton, Ruiz
established himself at club side Twente in the Netherlands before moving on to
Fulham in England. Now back in the Eredivisie with PSV Eindhoven, he ranks
among the best playmakers in the North, Central American and Caribbean zone.
Alongside Ruiz are a number of tried-and-trusted performers like Alvaro
Saborio, Cristian Bolanos and outstanding goalkeeper Keilor Navas. The
dribbling skills and all-around attacking play of the young Joel Campbell have
made him another of Los Ticos’ most valuable assets.
The Coach: Jorge Luis
Pinto
The 61-year-old failed in his first spell as Costa Rica boss
between 2004 and 2005, but oversaw qualification for this tournament after taking
over again in 2011. The Colombian has also coached his own national team and a
host of clubs in South and Central America.
Prediction: Group
Stages
For Pinto’s predominately defensive side, this tournament
will be more about spoiling the ambitions of more illustrious opponents, rather
than any realistic hopes of qualifying for the second round.
Costa Rica can be an inconsistent side, but if we see the
sort of outfit that lost just twice in the second round of qualifiers, Italy,
England and Uruguay may just be in for a game.
Quick Facts:
FIFA Ranking: 34th
Best World Cup Result:
Second round (1990)
Best CONCACAF
Championships Result: Winners (1963, 1969, 1989, )
Record Scorer: Rolando
Fonseca (47)
Most Capped Player:
Walter Centeno (137)
Captain: Bryan Ruiz
Group Matches:
Saturday, June 14, 2014 v Uruguay (Fortaleza)
Friday, June 20, 2014 v Italy (Recife)
Tuesday, June 24, 2014 v England (Belo Horizonte)