World Cup

Germany

Manager: Joachim Low

Current FIFA Ranking: 2

Schedule (all times Eastern)

v. Portugal – June 16 @ 12PM - Arena Fonte Nova (Salvador)

v. Ghana – June 21 @ 3PM - Estadio Castelao (Fortaleza)

v. USA – June 26 @ 12PM - Arena Pernambuco (Recife)

Odds to Lift the Trophy: 11/2

Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Roman Weidenfeller (Borussia Dortmund), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hannover)

Defenders: Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Erik Durm (Borussia Dortmund), Kevin Grosskreutz (Borussia Dortmund), Benedikt Howedes (FC Schalke), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal)

Midfielders: Julian Draxler (Schalke), Matthias Ginter (Freiburg), Mario Gotze (Bayern Munich), Christoph Kramer (Borussia Monchengladbach), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), Lukas Podolski (Arsenal), Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund), Andre Schurrle (Chelsea), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forward: Miroslav Klose (Lazio)

The Rundown

Germany was hardly troubled in qualifying as they secured nine victories from ten fixtures, scoring the most goals of any side in European competition with thirty six, on their way to topping their group and securing automatic qualification to Brazil.  This is not your father’s Germany, as DFB has been transformed over the last decade from a defense first team to an attacking squad that boasts some of the most talented and creative midfielders in the world.

With a depth in midfield that can only be rivaled by the likes of Spain, it was no surprise that manager Joachim Low chose only one forward for his final 23 man squad in Miroslav Klose, who will be attempting to beat Ronaldo’s record of 14 goals scored at World Cup finals if he can find his way on to the field.  With the option to choose from the likes of Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller – won the Golden Boot and was named Best Young Player at the 2010 finals – Mesut Ozil, Lukas Podolski , Andre Schurrle, and Bastian Schweinsteiger, Low has a litany of formations and tactical maneuvers he can make to combat almost anything an opposing team throws at them.  Then there is the supremely talented collection of young players that Germany seems to be able to produce at will.  Mario Gotze, Julian Draxler and Marco Reus, who will miss out on this year’s tournament after picking up an ankle injury in a pre-tournament friendly, ensure that Germany will be loaded over the next decade.

Drawn in to what many are calling the “Group of Death” at this year’s World Cup, Germany is still a cut above Portugal (especially with a potentially injured Ronaldo), and several cuts above the United States and Ghana.  They have a legitimate chance to challenge for the trophy and anything less than topping their table in the group stages followed by a deep run to the finals would be seen as a disappointment.

Portugal

Manager: Paulo Bento

Current FIFA Ranking: 4

Schedule (all times Eastern)

v. Germany – June 16 @ 12PM - Arena Fonte Nova (Salvador)

v. USA – June 22 @ 6PM - Arena Amazonia (Manaus)

v. Ghana – June 26 @ 12PM - Estadio Nacional (Brasilia)

Odds to Lift the Trophy: 25/1

Goalkeepers: Beto (Sevilla FC), Rui Patrício (Sporting Clube de Portugal), Eduardo (SC Braga).

Defenders: André Almeida (SL Benfica), Bruno Alves (Fenerbahçe SK), Fábio Coentrão (Real Madrid CF), Pepe (Real Madrid CF), João Pereira (Valencia CF), Ricardo Costa (Valencia CF), Neto (FC Zenit).

Midfielders: João Moutinho (AS Monaco FC), Miguel Veloso (FC Dynamo Kyiv), Raúl Meireles (Fenerbahçe SK), Rúben Amorim (SL Benfica), William Carvalho (Sporting Clube de Portugal), Rafa (SC Braga).

Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid CF), Éder (SC Braga), Hélder Postiga (SS Lazio), Hugo Almeida (Besiktas JK), Nani (Manchester United FC), Silvestre Varela (FC Porto), Vieirinha (VfL Wolfsburg).

The Rundown

Portugal have a long history of struggling against lesser opposition and they lived up to that reputation in qualifying as poor form against Northern Ireland and Israel had the Selecção das Quinas forced to contest a playoff for the second consecutive World Cup cycle.  In a duel that pitted two of the world’s best players against one another, Ronaldo got the better of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Sweden, scoring all four goals for his county to guide the Portuguese safely to Brazil 4-2 on aggregate.

Despite sub-par showings in past World Cups, a heartbreaking loss in penalties to eventual champions Spain in EURO 2012, and a somewhat lackluster qualifying campaign, Portugal seemed to finally be gelling as a team with the two time Ballon d’Or winner the centerpiece, finding his form for both club and country.  However, The Real Madrid forward has been struggling with tendinitis in his knee as well as a muscle injury in his left thigh since the end of the domestic campaign, and there are serious fears he may miss Portugal’s opening game of the World Cup against Germany if not more.

It may seem obvious to even the most casual soccer fan that the success Portugal hopes to achieve in Brazil begins and ends with Cristiano Ronaldo, although he does find himself supported by a very able cast, even if they have been underwhelming in their pre-tournament friendlies as he remains on the sideline working towards fitness.  The central-defensive pairing of Pepe and Bruno Alves is the cornerstone of a very solid rearguard that also features flying full-backs Joao Pereira and Fabio Coentrao. Joao Moutinho is the heartbeat of a creative midfield unit, while Nani can also be relied upon to shine alongside Ronaldo when and if he plays.

Portugal have always seemed to have the talent at their disposal to challenge the best the world has to offer, but time and time again were never able to put it all together on the world’s biggest stage.  With Ronaldo in their lineup, advancing to the round of sixteen if not further is a likely possibility.  Without him however, they could be looking at another disappointment and an early trip back home.

USA

Manager: Jürgen Klinsmann

Current FIFA Ranking: 13

Schedule (all times Eastern)

v. Ghana – June 16 @ 6PM - Estadio das Dunas (Natal)

v. Portugal – June 22 @ 6PM - Arena Amazonia (Manaus)

v. Germany – June 26 @ 12PM - Arena Pernambuco (Recife)

Odds to Lift the Trophy: 100/1

GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

DEFENDERS (8): DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Timmy Chandler (Nürnberg), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)

MIDFIELDERS (8): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Julian Green (Bayern Munich), Jermaine Jones (Besiktas), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

FORWARDS (4): Jozy Altidore (Sunderland), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Aron Johannsson (AZ Alkmaar), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)

The Rundown

After losing their first game of World Cup qualifying on the road at Honduras, the United States proceeded to earn points in seven of their remaining nine qualifiers, scoring 15 goals while conceding only 8, to finish in first place in the Hexagonal.  After taking over for the deposed Bob Bradley in the summer of 2011, Jürgen Klinsmann set his sights on simultaneously changing the culture of soccer in the United States and securing World Cup qualification.   So far he is two for two.  However, any goodwill that he has garnered from a successful qualifying campaign and the successful implantation of his style of play and the transformation of the youth system is set to be undone by his player selection.

To the surprise of many, longtime national team mainstay Landon Donovan, the all-time leading goal scorer and second most capped player in American soccer history, was left out of the 23 players selected to travel to Brazil.  Based on experience alone, Donovan looked like a shoe in to play in the fourth World Cup in his career, but it now appears evident that Donovan was never able to earn his way back in to Klinsmann’s good graces after his self-imposed sabbatical from national team duty last year, a theory that only gained more traction after Klinsmann’s seventeen year old son posted a tweet essentially mocking Donovan’s exclusion from the team.

With the ink still fresh on the four year contract extension he received this past December, Klinsmann is clearly putting his stamp on the national team, and one could argue looking ahead to World Cup 2018 in Russia.  The U.S. roster includes just five players who have played in a World Cup — Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, Tim Howard, Jozy Altidore and DeMarcus Beasley — and seven players 24 years of age or younger.   After Bradley and Jermaine Jones, their midfield lacks serious depth, comprised mostly of career MLS’ers and they will find it extremely difficult to keep up with likes of German and Portugal.

Experience is not the only obstacle working against the United States as they must cope with the most grueling travel schedule in the tournament – a total of 9,000 miles travelled and games played in a variety of climates, including the sweltering heat and humidity of Manaus – and the vaunted Group of Death, where they will face Klinsmann’s native Germany and Portugal, ranked the 2nd and 4th best teams in world respectively, as well as old nemesis Ghana, who has knocked them out of the last two World Cups.

With the potentially mountainous roadblock of travel, climate, and competition standing in the way of the United States and a spot in the knockout rounds, a player of Donovan’s caliber, even at the age of 32, would have provided much needed experience and minutes to a young squad who could be in danger of getting run over in Brazil.

Ghana

Manager: Kwesi Appiah

Current FIFA Ranking: 37

Schedule (all times Eastern)

v. USA – June 16 @ 6PM - Estadio das Dunas (Natal)

v. Germany – June 21 @ 3PM - Estadio Castelao (Fortaleza)

v. Portugal – June 26 @ 12PM - Estadio Nacional (Brasilia)

Odds to Lift the Trophy: 200/1

Goalkeepers: Fatau Dauda (Orlando Pirates), Adam Kwarasey (Stromsgodset), Stephen Adams (Aduana Stars)

Defenders: Samuel Inkoom (Platanias), Daniel Opare (Standard Liege), Harrison Afful (Esperance), John Boye (Rennes), Jonathan Mensah (Evian), Rashid Sumalia (Mamelodi Sundowns)

Midfielders: Michael Essien (AC Milan), Sulley Muntari (AC Milan), Rabiu Mohammed (Kuban Krasnodar), Kwadwo Asamoah (Juventus), Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu (Udinese), Afriyie Acquah (Parma), Christian Atsu (Vitesse Arnhem), Albert Adomah (Middlesbrough), Andre Ayew (Marseille), Mubarak Wakaso (Rubin Kazan)

Forwards: Asamoah Gyan (Al Ain), Kevin-Prince Boateng (Schalke), Abdul Majeed Waris (Valenciennes), Jordan Ayew (Sochaux)

How They Got Here

Ghana topped their qualifying group, which included 2012 African Cup of Nations champions Zambia, with five wins out of six games while outscoring their opponents fifteen to three. They eventually booked their flight to Brazil by dismantling Egypt 7-3 in the playoff on aggregate.

An impressive Germany 2006 saw the Black Stars beat the Czech Republic and the USA before being eliminated by Brazil in the second round, but they were the only African team to escape their group. In 2010, they were again the only side from the continent in the knockout rounds, and they equaled Africa’s best-ever performance by beating the USA to reach the quarter-finals.  A heartbreaking penalty kick loss to Uruguay in the final eight prevented them from becoming the first African side to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup.

While the Black Stars will be looking to use the disappointment of 2010 as a springboard to success in Brazil, they might find that form difficult to replicate.  Manager Kwesi Appiah’s final squad includes sixteen players contesting their first World Cup.  But there is plenty of experience elsewhere, with captain Asamoah Gyan and Sulley Muntari preparing for their third finals and Jonathan Mensah, Michael Essien, Kwadwo Asamoah, Andre Ayew and Kevin-Prince Boateng about to contest their second.

Looking to find the right balance within the squad between veteran experience and developing talent could be an issue for Appiah’s squad, as so far they have looked pedestrian in their warm up friendlies and it looks like the veteran’s might be a little too old and the young talent not quite ready to step up to take over the reins.  With an opening round matchup against the United States, whom Ghana has knocked out of the last two World Cups, they will need to be on their game from the start with matchups against Germany and Portugal looming.

Russia

Manager: Fabio Capello

Current FIFA Ranking: 19

Schedule (all times Eastern)

v. Korea Republic – June 17 @ 6PM - Arena Pantanal (Cuiaba)

v. Belgium – June 22 @ 12PM - Maracanã - Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho (Rio De Janeiro)

v. Algeria – June 26 @ 4PM - Arena da Baixada (Curitiba)

Odds to Lift the Trophy: 100/1

Goalkeepers: Igor Akinfeev (CSKA Moscow), Yury Lodygin (Zenit St Petersburg), Sergei Ryzhikov (Rubin Kazan)

Defenders: Vasily Berezutsky, Sergei Ignashevich, Georgy Shchennikov (all CSKA Moscow), Vladimir Granat, Alexei Kozlov (both Dynamo Moscow), Andrei Yeshchenko (Anzhi Makhachkala), Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow), Andrei Semenov (Terek Grozny)

Midfielders: Igor Denisov, Yury Zhirkov (both Dynamo Moscow), Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow), Roman Shirokov (FC Krasnodar), Denis Glushakov (Spartak Moscow), Viktor Faizulin, Oleg Shatov (both Zenit St Petersburg)

Forwards: Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg), Alexei Ionov, Alexander Kokorin (both Dynamo Moscow), Maxim Kanunnikov (Amkar Perm), Alexander Samedov (Lokomotiv Moscow)

The Rundown

After failing to qualify for Germany 2006 and South Africa 2010, Russia faced seemingly long odds to secure an automatic place in Brazil, especially with Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal looming in their qualification group.   After a hugely impressive performance at Euro 2012, former England manager Fabio Capella, who recently extended his contract with the Russian Football Union until the end of the 2018 World Cup, got Sbornaya off to a fast start and they eventually secured automatic passage to Brazil, outlasting the Portuguese.

While the Russians are built on a solid defensive foundation, Capello’s most prized assets can be found in what is a technically gifted midfield unit.  Although they will be without captain Roman Shirokov, who will miss out on the tournament with a back injury, they have plenty of midfield talent with Igor Denisov, Viktow Fayzulin and Alan Dzagoev to make up for his loss.  Though not always a starter Alexandr Kerzhakov, the only player in the squad who has previous World Cup experience having been in the squad that competed in 2002 the last time Russia reached the final stages, is a lethal finisher who could cause havoc in Brazil.

Unbeaten in their last ten games and on the heels of a successful EURO 2012 and qualifying campaign, Russia certainly look the favorite in their group to advance tothe round of sixteen and maybe beyond, with the combination of talent on the field and experience from manager Fabio Capello enough to drive them on a deep tournament run.

Belgium

Manager: Marc Wilmots

Current FIFA Ranking: 11

Schedule (all times Eastern)

v. Algeria – June 17 @ 12PM - Estadio Mineirao (Belo Horizonte)

v. Russia – June 22 @ 12PM - Maracanã - Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho (Rio De Janeiro)

v. Korea Republic  - June 26 @ 4PM - Arena de Sao Paulo (Sao Paulo)

Odds to Lift the Trophy: 18/1

Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Club Atlético de Madrid), Simon Mignolet (Liverpool FC), Koen Casteels (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim)*.

Defenders: Toby Alderweireld (Club Atlético de Madrid), Anthony Vanden Borre (RSC Anderlecht), Laurent Ciman (R. Standard de Liège), Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham Hotspur FC), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City FC), Daniel Van Buyten (FC Bayern München), Thomas Vermaelen (Arsenal FC), Nicolas Lombaerts (FC Zenit).

Midfielders: Axel Witsel (FC Zenit), Steven Defour (FC Porto), Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United FC), Nacer Chadli (Tottenham Hotspur FC), Moussa Dembélé (Tottenham Hotspur FC).

Forwards: Kevin De Bruyne (VfL Wolfsburg), Dries Mertens (SSC Napoli), Adnan Januzaj (Manchester United FC), Eden Hazard (Chelsea FC), Kevin Mirallas (Everton FC), Romelu Lukaku (Everton FC), Divock Origi (LOSC Lille).

The Rundown

Belgium booked their ticket to Brazil without breaking a sweat, only dropping points in a draw and after they had locked up the top spot in their qualifying table, a massive nine points ahead of second place.  A squad that is loaded with talent from top to bottom who ply their trade throughout the top domestic leagues in Europe, manager Marc Wilmots (affectionately knowing during his playing days as the War Pig) guided the Rode Duivels back to the world’s biggest stage after missing out in Germany and South Africa.

Having looked to be building towards something special for a number of years, Belgium finally made the breakthrough many expected, with the belief in some quarters that this “Golden Generation” has what it takes to emulate the success of the 1986 team and reach the semi-finals of this tournament.  From outstanding young goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who looks to be the air apparent to Petr Cech at Chelsea, to Manchester City stopper Vincent Company anchoring the center of defense, to a midfield loaded with depth that allows Wilmots to transition between a 4-3-3 to a 4-5-1 with ease, and the ultimate mercenary Romelu Lukaku leading the front line, they have the look of a team poised to make a deep run.

Drawn in to a group with Russia, KoreaRepublic, and Algeria and with the talent at within the squad, it is easy to see how the Rode Duivels are tipped to be the surprise of this year’s finals.  However, they could be undone in the end with the lack of World Cup experience within the squad (Daniel Van Buyten is the only member of the squad to have played in a World Cup) and lack of balance in defense (they are short of natural full-backs and the defense is made up of essentially four center halves).  Getting all three points from their opening round game against Algeria will certainly ease some of the pressure and expectation, and set themselves up for a round of sixteen appearance.

Korea Republic

Manager: Hong Myung-Bo

Current FIFA Ranking: 57

Schedule (all times Eastern)

v. Russia – June 17 @ 6PM - Arena Pantanal (Cuiaba)

v. Algeria – June 22 @ 3PM - Estadio Beira-Rio (Porto Alegre)

v. Belgium – June 26 @ 4PM - Arena de Sao Paulo (Sao Paulo)

Odds to Lift the Trophy: 300/1

Goalkeepers: Jung Sungryong (Suwon Bluewings), Kim Seunggyu (Ulsan Hyundai), Lee Bumyoung (Busan IPark)

Defenders: Hong Jeongho (Augsburg/Germany), Hwang Seoho (Sanfrecce Hiroshima/Japan), Kim Changsoo (Kashiwa Reysol/Japan), Kim Jinsoo (Albirex Niigata/Japan), Kim Younggwon (Guangzhou Evergrande/China PR), Kwak Taehwi (Al Hilal/Saudi Arabia), Lee Yong (Ulsan Hyundai), Yun Sukyoung (Queens Park Rangers/England)

Midfielders: Ha Daesung (Beijing Guoan/China PR), Han Kookyoung (Kashiwa Reysol/Japan), Ji Dongwon (Augsburg/Germany), Ki Sungyueng (Sunderland/England), Kim Bokyung (Cardiff City/England), Lee Chungyong (Bolton Wanderers/England), Park Jongwoo (Guangzhou R&F/China PR), Son Heungmin (Bayer Leverkusen/Germany)

Forwards: Kim Shinwook (Ulsan Hyundai), Koo Jacheol (Mainz/Germany), Lee Keunho (Sangju Sangmu), Park Chuyoung (Watford/England)

The Rundown

The KoreaRepublic’s qualifying campaign was one they will soon want to forget.  It did eventually culminate with them punching their ticket to Brazil for their eighth consecutive World Cup appearance, but they finished behind Iran and only qualified by a single goal over Uzbekistan.

In the process they relieved two managers of their duties, finally settling on former national team player Hong Myung-Bo.  The most capped player in Korean history, Hong has untold World Cup experience and is a major asset to the country’s chances in Brazil.  This is however, new territory for him.  His job at the helm of South Korea is his first senior managerial position, having previously led the country’s youth teams at the U-20 and U-23 levels.

Much like the Greeks, Korea has been trying to find the same formula that led to their success at the 2002 World Cup.  We have come to expect a certain consistency and discipline from the Koreans, and their struggles during qualifying can most likely be attributed to the unstable managerial situation and the constantly changing lineups and formations.  With Myung-Bo now in charge and a youthful squad accompanying him to Brazil, many of whom were involved in winning the bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics, there is no reason to think that the Koreans could not sneak up to nip Russia or Belgium to the knockout round.

Algeria

Manager: Vahid Halilhodzic

Current FIFA Ranking: 22

Schedule (all times Eastern)

v. Belgium – June 17 @ 12PM - Estadio Mineirao (Belo Horizonte)

v. Korea Republic – June 22 @ 3PM - Estadio Beira-Rio (Porto Alegre)

v. Russia – June 26 @ 4PM - Arena da Baixada (Curitiba)

Odds to Lift the Trophy: 1000/1

Goalkeepers: Mohamed Lamine Zemmamouche (USM Alger), Rais Mbolhi (CSKA Sofia), Cedric Si Mohamed (CS Constantine)

Defenders: Carl Medjani (Valenciennes), Aissa Mandi (Reims), Madjid Bougherra (Lekhwiya), Faouzi Ghoulam (Napoli), Rafik Halliche (Academica),Essaid Belkalem (Watford), Liassine Cadamuro (Real Mallorca), Djamel Mesbah (Livorno), Mehdi Mostefa (Ajaccio)

Midfielders: Sofiane Feghouli (Valencia), Saphir Taider (Inter Milan), Medhi Lacen (Getafe), Abdelmoumen Djabou (Club Africain), Yacine Brahimi (Grenada), Nabil Bentaleb (Tottenham), Hassan Yebda (Udinese), Riyad Mahrez (Leicester)

Forwards: Islam Slimani (Sporting Lisbon), Hilal Soudani (Dinamo Zagreb, Nabil Ghilas (Porto)

The Rundown

After navigating a surprisingly difficult African group, Algeria secured qualification to Brazil with a superior goal differential over Burkina Faso.  This will be the Desert Foxes fourth trip overall to the World Cup and their second in as many cycles.  Their 2010 campaign in South Africa was a forgettable one, registering two losses and a draw and departing the competition without a goal to their name.  The strength of the team lies in its defense, though if they learned anything from South Africa it will be that they will need to find goals from somewhere within the team if they have any hope of advancing past the group stage.

Twenty-four-year-old midfielder Feghouli is perhaps the most renowned player in Algeria’s current squad, having played for La Liga giants Valencia since 2010. One of a number of French-born players with dual nationalities who have pledged their allegiance to the Desert Foxes, Feghouli is known for possessing pace and being a creative force in Valencia’s midfield, primarily operating on the right wing but with the versatility to move into central areas. With Algeria unlikely to pose much of a goalscoring threat, Feghouli and Islam Slimani, who plies his trade in Portugal with Sporting Lisbon and was Algeria’s leading scorer with five, will be critical to unlocking defenses in Brazil.

The African nation has enjoyed nice run of form as of late, suffering just one defeat in their last thirteen fixtures as well as a successful pre-tournament program, picking up victories over Armenia and Romania.  However, Algeria have never advanced past the group stage, and with an inexperienced squad, a manager in Vahid Halilhodzic who has never been to a World Cup, and matchups with Belgium and Russia looming, it is looking highly unlikely that they will be breaking that streak this year.