No clear favourites for the 2010 World Cup
For all the thrills and spills that club football brings us each and every season it doesn’t come close to the passion I personally feel when it comes to the World Cup Finals.
Perhaps it’s because my background as a professional footballer numbed my feelings and allegiances to one specific club? After all, had I been a devout supporter in my teens and twenties instead, I am sure I’d now be experiencing the buzz that comes with feeling undying love for one particular side. But I haven’t. And because of that, whenever my country is playing football it feels special. The World Cup finals are subsequently of course, the ultimate adrenalin rush for somebody like me.
I simply can’t wait for next summer.
This week we’ve seen the list of nations guaranteed a place in the finals grow to 23 and in little over a month’s time after the play-offs we will finally know the names of the 32 countries who will do battle to be crowned number ones in South Africa.
What do we make of the teams already there?
To be perfectly honest, I think this is somewhat of a ‘weak’ World Cup. Who are the stand-out teams? Who are the star players going to be? In both cases I feel the short lists are small.
Looking at the nations, Spain look the strongest side to me and their 5-2 demolition of a strong Bosnian outfit this week, shorn of some of their brightest talents, underlined their credentials.
England arguably leads the remainder of the European challenge but with so much responsibility resting on the shoulders of Wayne Rooney their bid is laced with fragility. It’s hard to find a compelling case for Germany, Italy, France and Portugal too (should the latter pair make it through the play-offs) as they seem to be teams who are on the slide. Packed with experience yes, but all four teams lack X Factor and the unpredictability of talented new young players. The Dutch have the flair element and could do OK but we all know that Holland usually self destruct when it matters most!
Brazil appear to be the best bet from South America’s challenge as they have become hugely efficient under Dunga’s tutorship but their qualification displays won’t have frightened anyone. In their favour is the fact that they have match winners aplenty in Kaka, Pato and Fabiano but there are elements in their make up that would give reason to cast doubt on their credentials.
The Asian, American and African contingent will no doubt spring a surprise or too in South Africa but do any of them have a team that you honestly believe can win the tournament? No, I don’t think they do.
When I look at individual players, it seems to me that the pool of truly special world class players who could dominate the tournament is an elite few. Lionel Messi, Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Fernando Torres and Didier Drogba are all special players but outside of them who can leave us spellbound? There aren’t too many superstars out there.
Don’t get me wrong, I think it could be the greatest tournament ever in terms of exciting attacking matches, flavour and spectacle but in terms of the overall standard – I’m not sure it’s going to be that fantastic.
It’s a World Cup that is very much up for grabs and for that reason it would be folly to rule out Fabio Capello’s England completely.
Whether it’s weak or not, we are all going to love it. Bring it on!
Which teams would you pick as favourites to win the World Cup? Write in to the Soccerlens Podcast (podcast@soccerlens.com) or leave a comment below.
portugal lack X-factor??? I think you spell x-factor R-O-N-A-L-D-O!
Germany on the contrary have young exciting talent in Mesut Ozil, Marko Marin, Jerome Boateng, Andreas Beck and Rene Adler. Germany are overlooked, and I think it works in their favor. Always in the latter stages of tournaments, even with their squad of “no real world class players”.
No European nation has lifted the World Cup outside of Europe. Every edition of this tournament and there is always talk about this being England’s World Cup. Maybe this is the strongest squad they will have (even stronger than the 2006 squad), but it simply won’t happen. My bet would be on a South American nation, most likely Brazil. My barometer for predicting is based solely on history. The last two World Cups hosted outside of Europe have been won by Brasil.
This article is utter bullshit. It’s heavily biased in England’s favor, and deserved to be taken down. How can England be considered a bigger contender than Germany? England have not won since 1966, failed to qualify for EURO 2008. and were recently defeated 1-0 by Ukraine. Germany reached the final of EURP 2008. Italy, despite all their faults, are still strong competitors. And how can Portugal have no x factor- they have incredible individual talent. England will be a force, yes, but no more than in 06. I can’t believe this article was published.
And Wayne Rooney and Didier Drogba are highly overrated. There is no way that they are at the same level as Messi, Ronaldo, Kaka, and Torres. That is absurd, as they are nowhere near that level. David Villa, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Franck Ribery, and Maicon are examples of world class players, not an overrated England forward with anger problems and a whiney, overpaid Ivorian.
GT,
Now i agree with you on every level that this article is poor and very england biased but how on earth can you say Rooney and Drogba are not world class? What evidence do you have to back up that claim?
The fact that Rooney has a champions league winners and runners up medal? The fact he plays for one of the biggest teams in the world and is absolutely integral to club and country? Yes, he has a temper, and if im not mistaken you showed yours in your 1st post, everyone has a temper, its not an anger problem, rooney has no more of a temper than ronaldo did at manchester united but ronaldo showed it in petulance.
As for drogba, i am not a fan at all, yes he dives far too much, do villa, ibra, torres, messi and kaka not dive? I guess not since they are deemed world class, never mind torres habit of losing concentration and whining to refs when things arent going his way. Drogba, on his day and on his feet is a complete powerhouse, i’d much rather have him in my team rather than against my team as he is probably the most complete striker in the world, pace, power, heading, striking, dead balls, he’s can do a bit of everything!!
And when you mentioned Ribery in the same breath as the rest i must admit, i laughed!!
This is a lazy article.
The fact that you’ve focused on individual players and the major nations proves it. France and Portugal finished in the runners up position in their qualification group, behind Serbia and Denmark respectively, yet you’ve made no mention of these teams or their players.
Teams such as Germany (who just beat Russia in Moscow something England couldn’t do) and Italy will always do well in World Cups because their style of play suits tournament football i.e. 7 games over 4 weeks prioritises possession and the ability to control the pace of a game. England’s style of play doesn’t suit it at all and so they will get knocked out in the quarter finals as usual.
As for the point that it’s up for grabs, that could be true. If Spain meet a ruthless counter attacking team they could get rumbled. But they are streets ahead of everyone else at the moment.
@ D Chung
It will be winter in S Africa, the weather will be mild, that will suit everybody.
I agree with the main point of the article. The standards are not as high as previously. Italy, France, Portugal and Argentina are way below the standard of other years.
Spain and Brazil have to be the stand-out teams but even this Brazilian team is nowhere near some of its WC predecessors.
And I’d ask Daniel: Why do you think that England are better now than in 2006? I’ve debated this at length and come to the opposite conclusion!
As for those who claim that the article is biased towards England…..rubbish…and I’m Irish.
BD
Simply because they have Fabio Capello who will infuse tactical awareness into a squad filled with individually talented players. It’s not necessarily the players who are better off, although they’re by no means a poor bunch. There is talent and this time around, Fabio Capello’s leadership has been the difference. That’s my cursory observation but I’m not educated enough about this topic to engage in an out-and-out debate. Correct me by any means if my conclusions are off.
Good answer Daniel….Capello may indeed be an X-factor.
I think the squad is good but a little short on 2006 mainly because a number of players will be 30+ next June (Rio, Lampard, Gerrard, Beckham), the 2nd striker position is uncertain (it was Owen and Rooney in 2006), the goalkeeping postion is a worry, and players like J Cole and Hargreaves may not make it.
All that said though there’s not a big difference!
In 2006, Owen and Rooney were returning from injury, the third striker was Crouch and the fourth was Walcott!
Funny enough, if it’s still those four it’ll be a better front line since apart from Owen, all 3 players have improved since then.
To continue with Daniel’s point. Capello could improve England’s tactics like Eriksson did, and this will work against the weaker nations and off form teams (Germany + Argentina in the Eriksson era, Croatia for Capello). But what may be interesting is whether England revert to type under pressure/a goal down or have the mental strength and maturity to stick with Capello’s ethos. The national teams that have had success at recent tournaments are the ones who have escaped/transcended their own burdensome history, Brazil, France, Spain.
Thanks for all the comments guys! Good and bad
You can make cases about a number of teams and individual players, no question, but I stick with my view entirely.
This will be a wide open World Cup with no immediate stand out team.
But there’s an English bias, no?