World Cup Profiles – Group E

Group E

France

For a few days in November, it did not even look like France
would reach the World Cup.

A miserable showing away to Ukraine in the play-off saw Les
Bleus come away from Kiev with a 2-0 defeat and their chances of qualifying for
soccer’s greatest tournament hanging by a thread.

But a resounding 3-0 win at the Parc des Prince, where
France played with passion and flair hardly characteristic of their
performances in recent years, sealed qualification for a tournament they last
won on home turf in 1998.

A place in the play-offs always looked the height of
France’s ambitions after they were drawn in the same group as Spain, and
despite drawing away to La Furia Roja courtesy of a stoppage time Olivier
Giroud strike, they lost the return, and a 0-0 draw in Georgia ensured that
first place was out of their reach.

So what can we expect from France at the tournament? This is
a squad with an interesting mix of youth and experience. Much rests on the
shoulders of Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery, but in goalkeeper Hugo Lloris,
midfielder Paul Pogba and striker Karim Benzema, France do have a strong spine.
They lack centre-backs of the quality of yesteryear, but they are unlikely to
be severely tested in a group containing Switzerland, Ecuador and Honduras.

Another question concerns whether Deschamps is able to
establish unity in a squad famous for infighting. Who can forget Nicolas
Anelka’s expulsion from the 2010 World Cup for arguing with coach Raymond
Domenech at half-time of the defeat to Mexico, and the players’ refusal to
train after Patrice Evra’s row with the fitness coach?

One of Deschamps’ main concerns will surround where the
goals are going to come from. Ribery was the top scorer in qualifying with
five, but Benzema and Olivier Giroud managed only two apiece. Both played nine
games in qualifying, but Benzema was preferred for the second-leg against
Ukraine and reacted with a goal. He possesses the pace that Giroud lacks and
remains Deschamps’ most potent attacking weapon, despite a goal drought
stretching from June 2012 to October 2013.


How they qualified

Drawn into a group that contained not only world and
European champions Spain but just five teams overall, France had precious
little margin for error when their campaign kicked off. In the end, they made
just one slip, losing at home to La Roja, but it was a defeat that cost them first
place in the section. Didier Deschamps’ side rarely sparkled during the group
phase except for a fine performance on Spanish soil, where their efforts were
finally rewarded with a last-gasp equaliser in a 1-1 draw. Ultimately they were
destined for the play-offs, as they had been ahead of South Africa 2010, and
their chances of reaching Brazil took a battering in Kiev, where Ukraine’s
superior desire and team spirit earned them a 2-0 advantage at the halfway
stage in the tie. That left Les Bleus requiring a display of perfection in the
second leg, but, with the Stade de France crowd in feverish mood, the 1998 FIFA
World Cup winners turned things around with a 3-0 win that could prove a
turning point for a side containing a number of exciting fresh talents. Mamadou
Sakho, Raphael Varane and Paul Pogba are the standard-bearers of the new
generation, while the gifted youngsters who led France to FIFA U-20 World Cup
glory in 2013 stand waiting in the wings.

World Cup history

France have always commanded respect on the global stage
thanks to various legendary players and impressive performances dating back to
1930, but they made the leap to a whole new level in 1998. Whereas Platini, Alain
Giresse, Jean Tigana and co experienced agony at the semi-final stage in 1982
and 1986, the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Laurent Blanc and Didier Deschamps
finally took Les Bleus all the way, lifting the Trophy on home soil. That was
followed by a surprise group-stage exit four years later, but they came close
to adding a second star to their shirts in 2006, only losing out on penalties
to Italy in the Final. Without ‘Zizou’ in their ranks, France then made a
forgettable tilt at South Africa 2010, disappointing their supporters both on
and off the pitch.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Steve Mandanda
(Marseille), Mickael Landreau (Bastia)

Defenders: Raphael Varane (Real Madrid), Mamadou Sakho
(Liverpool), Mathieu Debuchy (Newcastle), Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal), Lucas
Digne (PSG), Eliaquim Mangala (Porto), Bacary Sagna (Arsenal), Patrice Evra
(Manchester United)

Midfielders: Yohan Cabaye (PSG), Paul Pogba (Juventus),
Blaise Matuidi (PSG), Moussa Sissoko (Newcastle), Clement Grenier (Lyon), Rio
Mavuba (Lille), Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Forwards: Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Franck Ribery (Bayern
Munich), Antoine Griezmann (Real Sociedad), Olivier Giroud (Arsenal), Loic Remy
(Newcastle)

The key players

France boast solidity and strength in depth at the back,
with a pair of top-drawer goalkeepers in Hugo Lloris and Mickael Landreau and a
rearguard bolstered by top European experience of Laurent Koscielny and Raphael
Varane. Further forward, Franck Ribery can produce moments of magic, while
Karim Benzema and Olivier Giroud both possess a keen eye for goal.

The Coach: Didier
Deschamps

The former defensive midfielder spent the best years of his
career with Juventus in Italy. It was he who guided the club out of Serie B
after their relegation due to their part in the Calciopoli scandal that rocked
Italian soccer in 2006. The former Monaco and Marseille boss took on the France
job in July 2012 just before the World Cup qualifying campaign and earned a
contract extension until 2016 after guiding Les Bleus through the play-offs.

Prediction: Knockout
Stages

France were fortunate to land a comfortable looking group
despite not being among the top eight seeds for the tournament. The draw was
kind and they should progress in first place, ahead Ecuador.


Quick Facts:

FIFA Ranking: 16th

Best World Cup Result:
Winners (1998)

Best European
Championship Result: Winners (1984 and 2000)

Record Scorer: Thierry
Henry (51 goals in 123 games from 1997 to 2010)

Most Capped Player:
Lilian Thuram (142 caps between 1994 and 2008)

Captain: Hugo Lloris


Group Matches:

Sunday, June 15, 2014 v Honduras (Porto Alegre)

Friday, June 20, 2014 v Switzerland (Salvador)

Wednesday, June 25, 2014 v Ecuador (Rio de Janeiro)

Ecuador

Ecuador qualified for the 2014 World Cup as something of a
surprise package, finishing fourth in South American qualification to make only
their third appearance at the finals.

Despite their relatively little historical success, La Tri
beat out their more famous neighbours for a spot in Brazil, defeating Uruguay
in Quito on the penultimate matchday to guarantee they would finish above their
more famous opponents.

Ecuador managed qualification despite the tragic death of
star striker Christian “Chucho” Benítez in July 2013 at the age of 27.
Benítez’s untimely death was felt throughout the team, who have retired his number
11 jersey, and will no doubt be looking to honour his memory in Brazil this
summer.

Coach Reinaldo Rueda has La Tri playing an economic style
predicated on work-rate and teamwork, a style that they hope will see them
qualify from a group that is not as daunting as it could have been. Though some
would see the lack of foreign-based players in the Ecuador squad as a
hindrance, their familiarity with the South American climate could be the
deciding factor in a group containing two European nations.

How they qualified

Ecuador were plagued by inconsistency during their
qualifying campaign. While La Tricolor went undefeated at home, beating every
opponent in Quito except Argentina, with whom they drew, the side was unable to
reproduce that form on the road, failing to win at all and drawing just three
times. Nevertheless, one such stalemate – against Uruguay in Montevideo –
proved decisive as Ecuador finished level on points with La Celeste but grabbed
the last automatic qualifying spot thanks to their superior goal difference
(four compared to Uruguay’s zero).

With a team that was among the top four in the standings on
14 of the 16 matchdays and that had to overcome the tragic death of Cristian
Benitez, coach Reinaldo Rueda became the third Colombian to guide Ecuador to
FIFA World Cup qualification.

World Cup history

While Ecuador failed to extricate themselves from a tough
group at Korea/Japan 2002, their first-ever appearance at the final stages of a
FIFA World Cup, the story was quite different at Germany 2006, where the South
Americans got as far as the last 16, having surprisingly finished second in
their pool behind the host nation. Unfortunately for the CONMEBOL
representatives, England would prove a hurdle too far; the Three Lions
triumphed 1-0 to move on to the quarter-finals.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Maximo Banguera, Adrian Bone, Alexander
Dominguez

Defenders: Gabriel Achilier, Walter Ayovi, Oscar Bagui,
Frickson Erazo, Jorge Guagua, John Narvaez, Juan Carlos Paredes, Cristian
Ramirez

Midfielders: Michael Arroyo, Segundo Castillo, Carlos
Gruezo, Renato Ibarra, Fidel Martinez, Edison Mendez, Oswaldo Minda, Christian
Noboa, Pedro Quinonez, Luis Saritama, Antonio Valencia

Forwards: Jaime Ayovi, Felipe Caicedo, Angel Mena, Jefferson
Montero, Cristian Penilla, Joao Rojas, Enner Valencia, Armando Wila

The key players

Wingers Antonio Valencia and Christian Noboa, as well as
forwards Felipe Caicedo and Jefferson Montero, represent an exciting new wave
for Ecuadorian football, but they are also ably assisted by a handful of
evergreen stalwarts with European experience, such as Edison Mendez, Walter
Ayovi and Segundo Castillo.

The Coach: Reinaldo
Rueda

Ecuador coach Reinaldo Rueda is certainly well tenured,
having previously managed his home nation Colombia at every level, and taken
Honduras to the 2010 World Cup. However, Rueda has faced scrutiny in previous
jobs for his tactics, often seen as somewhat negative despite the results his
teams would gain. Those same accusations have followed him to the Ecuador job,
where a swift exit from the tournament could see Rueda soon lose his job. For
his part, Rueda has claimed he will not be changing the system that saw La Tri
make the tournament for only the third time in their history.

Prediction: Knockout
Stages

This group could have been far worse for Ecuador, and Rueda
will be targeting a second place finish. France will be favourites, but in the
form of Switzerland, Ecuador probably drew the weakest top seeds in the
tournament. The first match in Brasília will be crucial but Ecuador are tipped
to progress to the knockout stages as runners up to France.

Quick Facts:

FIFA Ranking: 28th

Best World Cup Result:
Round of 16 (2006)

Record Scorer: Agustín
Delgado (31 goals between 1994 and 2006)

Most Capped Player:
Iván Hurtado (167 caps between 1992 and 2010)

Captain: Antonio
Valencia


Group Matches:

Sunday 15th June vs. Switzerland (Brasília)

Friday 20th June vs. Honduras (Curitiba)

Wednesday 25th June vs. France (Rio de Janeiro)

Switzerland

Switzerland is famous for its chocolate, yet the nation’s
recent World Cup record is far from sweet. In fact, you have to go all the way
back to the last time they hosted the competition, in 1954, to find their best
effort. Their quarter-final appearance that year matched their run of 1934 and
1938, although the World Cup in those days was contested by just 16 teams.

Switzerland have only just begun to re-emerge as a credible
soccer nation, having spent the entire 1970’s, ‘80’s and ‘90’s in the
international wilderness. With a talented crop of players pouring through into
the senior team, it won’t be too long before they find themselves progressing
into the latter stages of a major competition, although the 2014 World Cup may
have come four years too early for that to occur just now.

How they qualified

Switzerland secured their place at the 2014 FIFA World Cup
in Brazil on the penultimate qualifying matchday. However, it was far from
plain sailing for Die Eidgenossen, who faced several setbacks along the way.

Coach Ottmar Hitzfeld’s ensemble raced to the group summit
following opening victories over Slovenia and Albania, but dropped points for
the first time in their next qualifying games. Hitzfeld’s charges recorded a
1-1 draw with Norway and a 2-0 victory over Iceland before chalking up a draw and
a win against Cyprus.

Nerves got the better of Switzerland in their next game
against Iceland, when they ended up drawing 4-4 after leading 4-1. There were
no further slip-ups in their final outings though, with a 2-0 triumph over
Norway all but ensuring their qualification for a third consecutive World Cup,
before a 2-1 win over Albania sealed Switzerland’s Brazil 2014 ticket with a
game to spare.

World Cup history

Switzerland have contested the FIFA World Cup finals nine
times to date (1934, 1938, 1950, 1954, 1962, 1966, 1994, 2006 and 2010),
reaching the last eight on three occasions. However, their most recent
appearance at the quarter-final stage came almost 50 years ago, at the 1954
finals on home soil.

Since then, the Swiss have twice made the last sixteen (1994
and 2006), but failed to survive the group stage three times. Their group
campaign in 2010 was a bittersweet affair: they handed eventual world champions
Spain a 1-0 defeat in their opening fixture, but ultimately packed for home
after just three games.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Diego Benaglio (Wolfsburg), Roman Buerki
(Grasshopper), Yann Sommer (Basel)

Defenders: Johan Djourou (Hamburg), Michael Lang
(Grasshopper), Stephan Lichtsteiner (Juventus), Ricardo Rodriguez (Wolfsburg),
Fabian Schaer (Basel), Philippe Senderos (Valencia), Steve von Bergen (Young
Boys), Reto Ziegler (Sassuolo)

Midfielders: Tranquillo Barnetta (Eintracht Frankfurt),
Valon Behrami (Napoli), Blerim Dzemaili (Napoli), Gelson Fernandes (Freiburg),
Gokhan Inler (Napoli), Xherdan Shaqiri (Bayern Munich), Valentin Stocker
(Basel)

Forwards: Josip Drmic (Nuremberg), Mario Gavranovic
(Zurich), Admir Mehmedi (Freiburg), Haris Seferovic (Real Sociedad), Granit
Xhaka (Borussia Monchengladbach)

The key players

There is undoubted quality throughout the side, starting
with keeper Diego Benaglio, a German championship winner in 2009 with Wolfsburg.
The combination of experienced players such as Tranquillo Barnetta, Gokhan
Inler and Philippe Senderos, with highly-talented youngsters Xherdan Shaqiri,
Fabian Schar, Granit Xhaka and Valentin Stocker, has borne fruit and the side
are more than capable of making their mark at Brazil 2014.

The Coach: Ottmar
Hitzfeld

European managers don’t come much more successful than
Ottmar Hitzfeld, who carved a grand reputation for himself during his tenure
with German giants Bayern Munich. The German tactician led Bayern to five
Bundesliga titles during two spells, as well as three German Cups and a
Champions League. He also lifted the Bundesliga crown twice with Dortmund, and
the 65-year old boasts four Swiss Super League titles to boot. What better man,
therefore, to pull Switzerland out of the darkness and lead them into a
brighter future? He has a new generation of stars to nurture, most of which are
being snapped up by big European clubs. The time for Switzerland to prosper
begins now.

Prediction: Group
Stages

It will be tough for Switzerland to qualify out of a group
which includes South Americans Ecuador and favourites France. Honduras and
Ecuador stand in Hitzfeld way, so they’ll fancy their chances. France will be
under pressure to put to bed their awful showing in the 2010 edition in South
Africa which could see them top the group this time around, the battle between
Switzerland and Ecuador will be a vital encounter. However, we are tipping
Ecuador to edge second place.

Quick Facts:

FIFA Ranking: 8th

Best World Cup Result:
Quarter-finals (1934, 1938, 1954)

Best European
Championship result: Group stage (1996, 2004, 2008)

Record Scorer:
Alexander Frei (42)

Most Capped Player:
Heinz Hermann (118)

Captain: Gokhan Inler


Group Matches:

Sunday, June 15, 2014 v Ecuador (Brasilia)

Friday, June 20, 2014 v France (Salvador)

Wednesday, June 25, v Honduras (Manaus)

Honduras

Meet the World Cup rank outsiders. Together with fellow
central Americans Costa Rica, Honduras are the least fancied side at this
year’s tournament.

However, Luis Fernando Suarez’s side can take much heart
from a qualification campaign that saw them defeat Mexico at the Azteca on
their way to a third place finish in the group.

With a dearth of star names, Suarez will be relying on the
collective in Brazil This Honduras squad is made up primarily of local based
players and those that ply their trade in the MLS and the Chinese second
division. There is a contingent that play in England, but Wilson Palacios,
Roger Espinoza and Juan Carlos Garcia have struggled for game time at their
respective clubs, although Maynor Figueroa continues to be a dependable performer
at full-back.

This team is inferior to the one that was narrowly edged out
by Spain and Chile, before drawing with Switzerland in the group stages four
years ago and anything other than a group stage exit in Brazil will be a major
shock.

How they qualified

Following their group-phase exit at South Africa 2010 and
the departure of coach Reinaldo Rueda, La H went through a rocky period. The
appointment of Luis Fernando Suarez in March 2011 brought stability to the
national set-up, however, with the new coach also working hard with Honduras’
youth sides, steering the U-23s to the quarter-finals of the Men’s Olympic
Football Tournament London 2012.

Having gauged the quality of the country’s new generation,
Suarez set about rejuvenating the full national team, giving it fresh impetus
by drafting in a clutch of promising youngsters. The result was a convincing
performance in Round 3 of the CONCACAF preliminaries, with Los Catrachos
topping their group on goal difference from Panama to knock out Canada and Cuba.

They went on to take the third and last direct qualifying
slot in the final six-team phase, an achievement made possible by their form at
home, where they dropped just four points, and an era-defining defeat of Mexico
at their Azteca fortress in September 2013.

World Cup history

Upon making their first FIFA World Cup return in nearly
three decades, Honduras were faced with tough group adversaries in South
Africa, including eventual World Champions Spain. The Hondurans opened the
tournament with a 1-0 loss to Chile, and soon became the ill-fated team to
first encounter the wrath of tournament top-scorer David Villa, who grabbed
both goals in Spain’s 2-0 win. In their only other FIFA World Cup appearance,
Jose de La Paz held the coaching reins and steered Honduras to a surprising
opening 1-1 draw with Spain, the 1982 tournament’s hosts, and followed up that
account with the same scoreline against Northern Ireland. Their campaign was
cut short, however, at the group stage after Yugoslavia beat Los Catrachos 1-0 thanks
to a late goal.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Noel Valladares, Donis Escober (both Olimpia),
Luis Lopez (Real Espana)

Defenders: Brayan Beckeles (Olimpia), Emilio Izaguirre
(Celtic), Juan Carlos Garcia (Wigan), Maynor Figueroa (Hull), Victor Bernardez
(San Jose Earthquakes), Osman Chavez (Qingdao Janoon), Juan Pablo Montes
(Motagua)

Midfielders: Arnold Peralta (Rangers), Luis Garrido
(Olimpia), Roger Espinoza (Wigan), Jorge Claros (Motagua), Wilson Palacios
(Stoke), Oscar Garcia (Houston Dynamo), Andy Najar (Anderlecht), Mario Martinez
(Real Espana), Marvin Chavez (Colorado Rapids)

Strikers: Jerry Bengtson (New England Revolution), Jerry
Palacios (Alajuelense), Carlo Costly (Real Espana), Rony Martinez (Real
Sociedad)

The key players

Left-back Emilio Izaguirre was the find of the 2010/11
season for Celtic – named Scottish Premier League Player of the Year – and is a
key force within Honduras’s respectable backline. He is helped by captain and
goalkeeper Noel Valladares who, despite a shy off-the-field personality, played
an instrumental role in Honduras’s qualification for South Africa 2010 and
their deep run at the latest instalment of the Gold Cup. Wilson Palacios, one
of the more recognisable faces of Honduran football playing for Stoke City, is
also a crucial piece of the Honduran puzzle.

The front line have been doing their bit too, where old hand
Carlo Costly has impressed alongside rising star Jerry Bengtson, who burst on
to the international scene at London 2012 and top-scorer for La H in the
qualifiers with nine goals.

The Coach: Luis
Fernando Suarez

The Colombian took Ecuador to the second round of the 2006
World Cup where they were beaten by England. After resigning following a poor
start to the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, Suarez had stints at clubs in Ecuador,
Colombia and Peru before taking up the reigns of the Honduras national team in
2011.

Prediction: Group
Stages

This is not one of the more difficult groups at the 2014
World Cup, but Honduras will nonetheless be lucky to get a point.

Quick Facts:

FIFA Ranking: 30th

Best World Cup Result:
First-Round (1982, 2010)

Best CONCACAF
Championship Result: Runners-up (1991)

Record Scorer: Carlos
Pavon

Most Capped Player:
Amado Guevara

Captain: Noel
Valladares


Group Matches:

Sunday, June 15 v France (Porto Alegre)

Friday, June 20 v Ecuador (Curitiba)

Wednesday, June 25, v Switzerland (Manaus)