The countdown for the biggest event on the Earth has just begun. Mercury levels are beginning to rise. The final draw for the 2014 Football World Cup is on air now.
All the top teams across the world now know who their opponents are in the biggest event of the game. Organizer Brazil has been put in a relatively easier group (A) that consists of Croatia, Mexico and Cameroon. As of now it looks like an easy draw for the hosts.
Defending champion Spain is put in Group B where the other teams are 2010-runner up Netherlands, Chile and Australia. On paper Spain and Netherlands are the clear favourites to go through from this group. But nothing can be foretold in such a big stage like as Australia and Chile both have the history of inflicting upsets in the their previous appearances. The repeat clash of the 2010-finalists will be the most exciting one in the group.
England is drawn in Group D which is comprised of 4-time world champion Italy, currently world no 7 Uruguay and no 31 Costa Rica. The experts are regarding this one to be the group of death as three of the heavyweight participants are grouped together. Also the venue for the group D matches, Manaus in the Amazon Basin, can create a lot of problems for the England and Italy with its hot and the humid conditions.
World no 2 Germany and no 5 Portugal are also in the same group (G). Ghana and USA are the two other members of the group G. it won’t be too easy for the top teams in this groups. Though Germany and Portugal are the favourites in this group, USA along African giant Ghana can cause a lot of problems for them.
Other big names like Argentina and France has also got easier groupings. While Argentina is grouped with Bosnia & Herzegovina, Nigeria and Iran in group F, France is clubbed with Switzerland, Ecuador and Honduras in group E. Group C has been regarded as the rainbow group as it is comprised of four teams from four different continents. Japan, Colombia, Greece and Ivory Coast are grouped together in group C.
The tournament opener will be held on June 12, 2014 in Sau Paulo. Spain will open their campaign against Netherlands on the second day of the tournament. England will play Italy in the opening round on June 14. Germany have their first match against Portugal on June 16. With just more than 6 months left before the tournament, all the teams are busy to finish their last moment preparations. All that can be said is that the world just can’t wait for the mega event to begin.
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Group |
Teams |
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Group A |
Brazil, Mexico, Croatia, Cameroon |
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Group B |
Spain, Chile, Netherlands, Australia |
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Group C |
Colombia, Ivory Coast, Greece, Japan |
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Group D |
Uruguay, England, Italy, Costa Rica |
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Group E |
France, Ecuador, Switzerland, Honduras |
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Group F |
Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Nigeria, Iran |
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Group G |
Germany, Portugal,USA,Ghana |
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Group H |
Belgium, Russia, South Korea, Algeria |
