Rankings Update

FIFA released new rankings today. Here are the changes to teams that I have already covered.

Group A
South Africa: Down 7 spots from 81 to 88
Mexico: Down 2 spots from 15 to 17
Uruguay: Up 1 spot from 19 to 18
France: Down 1 spot from 7 to 8

Group B
Argentina: Stayed at 9
South Korea: Up 4 spots from 53 to 49
Greece: Down 1 spot from 10 to 11
Nigeria: Down 1 spot from 21 to 22

Group C
England: Up 1 spot from 8 to 7
United States: Up 2 spots from 18 to 16
Algeria: Up 5 spots from 32 to 27
Slovenia: Down 2 spots from 27 to 29

Group D
Germany: Down 1 spot from 5 to 6
Ghana: Down 3 spots from 28 to 31

World Cup Preview: Ghana

In Group D with Serbia, Australia, and Germany

Appearances: 1 appearance in 2006

Current FIFA Ranking (As of March 3): 28

Captain: Stephen Appiah (Midfielder)

Leading Scorer in Qualifying: Matthew Amoah (Striker) - 5 goals

Key Injuries: Michael Essien (Midfielder) - Torn hamstring - (Expected to return in mid-April), John Paintsil (Midfielder) - Right PCL injury - (Expected to return in mid-April), John Mensah (Center Back) - Recurring calf injury - (Playing on and off. Status for World Cup unknown)

Key retirements since 2006: Samuel Kuffour (Defender)

Team Overview:

Ghana makes their second straight World Cup appearance this year. Their only other appearance was considered a success, as they were the only African team to make the second round. They hope to build on that success this time around with a more experienced squad. Coach Milovan Rajevac, from Serbia, has done a good job since taking over the team in 2008 and made Ghana a difficult team to contend with.

His team could be in for some trouble because he has key players that are either currently injured or coming back from them. If they are missing three or four of their key guys, don't expect them to get to the second round.

Richard Kingson is the man between the posts for Ghana. He is an experienced player who is the two-time defending African Cup of Nations goalie of the tournament. He's a reliable guy and won't make many mistakes. Ghana will need to count on him in order to get to the next round.

The backline for Ghana is a very unspectacular group. They are an inconsistent group that relies of their goalkeeper to get them out of trouble. They can be exploited by teams that are aggressive.

The important man of the group, center back John Mensah, is a question mark for the World Cup. He has had recurring calf problems for the past five years and recent news is not good for him. Sunderland, Mensah's club team from England, has revealed that Mensah needs a major operation to fix his calf. The operation, which would fix a spinal problem that affects his legs, would require him to sit out an entire year of soccer. Mensah has not decided yet if he will take the surgery before or after the World Cup.

While the defense might not be good, the midfield for Ghana is one of the best in the world. Led by superstar Michael Essien, this group of guys determines the fate of the team. They are counted on heavily for both offense and defense with Essien doing pretty much everything on the field.



Sulley Muntari is the offensive wizard of the group. He is currently the second leading scorer on the squad and more of the same will be expected from him. The only problem with him is that he is a knuckle head. He's had numerous squabbles with the management and was left off of the African Cup of Nations squad due to his discipline problems. Ghana can not afford to do the same thing for the World Cup because he is too important. The other man, captain Stephen Appiah, will be the guiding force in midfield. He is a tireless player and is the heart and soul of the team. If these three play well, Ghana will be a darkhorse in the tournament.

The forward position for the Black Stars is one that could radically change. At the moment, the group consists of Asamoah Gyan, Junior Agogo, and Matthew Amoah. Gyan is the leading goalscorer on the team, but all three are very inconsistent.

To solve this problem, coach Rajevac has been trying to recruit two significant players to the squad, Mario Balotelli and Kevin-Prince Boateng. Balotelli has played his entire international career for the Italian Under-21 squad but is eligible to play for Ghana because both his parents were born in Ghana. The 19-year-old is one of the up-and-coming talents in the world and would immediately become a starter. However, Balotelli has refused to leave the Italian side and Rajevac has retaliated by saying the Balotelli will never play for Ghana as long as he is the coach.

The other man in question, Boateng, has spent his international career playing for Germany, but stated that he would now like to move to the Ghana squad. However, FIFA has stated that the Ghana Football Association has not filed the necessary documents that would allow Boateng to move sides. Ghana has insisted that they already sent the correct files, so both sides are at a standstill. Boateng now is in danger of missing the World Cup entirely because FIFA has not approved the transfer.

Player to Watch: Michael Essien

There really is no question who's the most important guy on the team. Essien is one of the best midfielders in the world and can change the outcome of a game by himself. While normally a defensive midfielder, he plays more of a central midfield role for his team. This allows him to be more of an offensive force and the game runs through him. He is a box-to-box player, which means he is solid offensively and defensively. He's such a tough defender that he has been nicknamed "The Bison".

Essien has an extremely powerful shot from distance and is able to score many spectacular goals. Injuries have plagued him throughout his career and this year is no different. He should return by mid-April from his most recent injury and should be fit in time for the World Cup. Look for Ghana to succeed if Essien plays well.



Prediction: Loss to England in the second round.

The final squad will not be announced until June 10 but here is a small list of players in the running to make the team.

Match Schedule

World Cup Preview: Germany

In Group D with Serbia, Australia, and Ghana

Appearances: 16 appearances (Last appearance in 2006. Champions in 1954, '74, '90)

Current FIFA Ranking (As of March 3): 5

Captain: Michael Ballack (Midfielder)

Leading Scorer in Qualifying: Miroslav Klose (Striker) - 7 goals

Key Injuries: Simon Rolfes (Midfielder) - Right knee injury: Questionable for World Cup.

Key retirements since 2006: Jens Lehmann (Goalkeeper), Oliver Kahn (Goalkeeper), Torsten Frings (Midfielder), Oliver Neuville (Striker), Bernd Schneider (Midfielder)


Team Overview:

When you think World Cup, one of the teams that comes to mind is the German squad. The World Cup has been held 19 times and Germany has been in 17 of them. They withdrew from the very first World Cup in 1930 due to their concerns of traveling to Argentina (the site of that year's World Cup). They were also banned from the 1950 World Cup because the country had been split into East and West Germany after World War II.

Germany has historically been one of the most successful World Cup countries ever. They have won three times, gotten second place four times, and third place three times. They have failed to at least reach the quarterfinals only twice, with the last being in 1978. They have reached the semi-finals in five of the last seven World Cups so a deep run by the Germans will surprise no one.

However, one thing that has coach Joachim Low worried is the state of his goalkeeper position. Legendary German goalkeepers Oliver Kahn and Jens Lehmann both retired after the 2006 World Cup, leaving the position in the hands of Robert Enke. However, unbeknown to the team and the rest of the world, Enke had been battling depression since 2004. Following the growing pressure of leading his national team and grief due to the death of his 2-year-old daughter in 2006, Enke committed suicide in November of 2009 when he jumped in front of a moving train.

As the team and nation grieved, the question soon became who would be the new goalkeeper. The position would fall into the hands of 25-year-old Rene Adler, who has only played in 9 international games. Since being named the starter, Rene has struggled in his time as the keeper for the German squad as well as his club team. He recently made a huge mistake in Germany's friendly match against Argentina.

One of the greatest soccer players of all time, and fellow German, Franz Beckenbauer recently said that Adler has been making "one error after the other" in the past couple of months. Adler will need his backline to play at the top of their game so that he will not have to do too much.

Luckily for Adler, the German defense is one of the best in the world. Per Mertesacker and Arne Friedrich will play in the center back position. Both are 6-feet tall, with Mertesacker standing an imposing 6-foot 6-inches. He has been known to be a weapon in scoring headers on set pieces and consequently, it is just as difficult to have successful set pieces against the German squad.

The sideback of note for the Germans is Philipp Lahm. He is one of the best sidebacks in the world, and was nominated for the 2006 FIFA World Player of the Year and the 2007 trophy as well. He constantly puts pressure on the opposition and is a great crosser. He was also the only player to play all 90 minutes in all 10 of Germany's qualifying matches. Look for him to be an integral part of the German success. He and the others helped Germany in allowing only five goals during qualifying, although Enke was the starting keeper for those games.

Captain Michael Ballack is the catalyst for the German midfield. The ever present icon stands in the top ten in both goals scored and caps for the German squad. He could conceivably move into the top five of both lists if he has a good tournament. This will, however, most likely be his final World Cup so he is itching to get to the top of the podium. As one of the greatest German players of all time, Ballack definitely wants to end his international career with a World Cup trophy. Interestingly enough, since 2006, Germany has not lost a game when Ballack has scored a goal. Maybe they can force feed him a bit to keep that record going.



Playing alongside Ballack will be veterans Thomas Hitzlsperger, Bastian Schweinsteiger, and Piotr Trochowski. All are solid players and will not be intimidated when they must go against the bigger name teams. A player that could make a name for himself is Simon Rolfes. He is one of the best defensive midfielders in the world, but has struggled with injuries and is currently trying to rehab from a right knee problem. His play allows Ballack to roam freely in midfield so that he can be more of a force during the game. Without Rolfes, Ballack must concentrate on defending more than he wants to, which can bog down the German attack. At the moment, it is unknown if Rolfes will be healthy enough to play. If he is, he will most likely start in place of Trochowski.

The forward position will be played by two men, Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski. Both are prolific goalscorers, each scoring at least one goal in every other game. They form a great partnership and are effective with their feet and in the air. They combined for 13 of Germany's 26 goals in qualifying. If either of them were to get injured or somehow fail to play well, Mario Gomez is more than ready to make a difference.

Player to Watch: Miroslav Klose

Klose has done one thing for the Germans, score goals. He has an incredible record in World Cups, scoring 10 goals in his two World Cups. This leaves him five behind the all-time record set by Brazilian forward Ronaldo. Klose stands second on his country's all time goal list, 20 goals behind the amazing Gerd Muller. Muller amazingly had more goals (68) than games played for Germany (62), one of the few players worldwide to ever have that kind of achievement. Klose scored his seven qualifying goals in only eight games so he is still on fire in international tournaments.

Klose is an effective player on the ground and in the air. He scored six of his 10 World Cup goals from headers. He is not a fast player so don't look for him to be making long runs. He'll hang around the net or penalty box area and cause havoc from those places. With the questions that have arisen in the German keeper position, Klose will have to score (and do his front flips) often to keep Germany's run of success going.



Prediction: Loss to Spain in the semi-finals. Loss to England in the third place game.

The final squad will not be announced until June 10 but here is a small list of players in the running to make the team.

Match Schedule

Just a Quick Video

For anyone who missed it. Here's the biggest plays of the Kansas State - Xavier game with the great Gus Johnson commentating.

World Cup Preview: Slovenia

In Group C with England, United States and Algeria

Appearances: 1 appearance in 2002

Current FIFA Ranking (As of March 3): 27

Captain: Robert Koren (Midfielder)

Leading Scorer in Qualifying: Milivoje Novakovic (Striker) - 5 goals

Key Injuries: No significant injuries

Key retirements since 2006: Aleksander Knavs (Defender), Milenko Acimovic (Midfielder)

Team Overview:

Slovenia surprised many by making this year's World Cup. They finished second in their group during the qualifying stages, ahead of World Cup perennials Poland and the Czech Republic. They were then placed in a playoff match against a vastly superior Russian team and pulled off one of the biggest shockers of the qualifying campaign by defeating them.

Slovenia Vs Russia World Cup Qualifier (I think the commentary is in German)

The Slovenian team is one that does not really possess a star player but they work well as a team. They were one of the best defensive teams in all of qualifying, only allowing four goals in 10 matches. 


In goal will be Samir Handanovic, one of the heroes during their qualifying campaign. The 25-year-old is an experienced player, having played 38 career international games. He is also the starter for Serie A (the top Italian league) team Udinese Calcio so he is used to playing against top flight players. 


The backline for Slovenia goes six players deep. All six are solid defenders and a couple of the them are also adept offensive players. One of the leaders of the group is Bostjan Cesar, a 6-foot-5 monster of a man that is excellent at defending set pieces. Cesar and the rest of the defenders combined with Handanovic to shut out their opponents in six of the ten games they played in, as well as a shut out against Russia in the playoff game.

Captain Robert Koren is the leader of the midfielders, as well as the team. The entire group is used more on the defensive end and as facilitators rather than as attackers. Koren has scored the most goals among the group of midfielders, and he only has four career international goals. The rest of the group have yeoman like abilities and will fight for possession of the ball. A couple of players that will not start but may see a good amount of time are Nejc Pecnik and 19-year-old Rene Krhin. Krhin is a very talented player and is currently with Serie A team Internazionale (Inter Milan). Expect him to be a big part of future Slovenian teams.


Slovenia employs three forwards in the starting lineup but the only one that really makes a difference on the team is the previously mentioned Milivoje Novakovic. At 6ft 3in, he can cause damage from the air as well as with his feet. Novakovic is the fourth most goals in Slovenia team history and with two more, he will move up to second place. Slovenia will count on Novakovic to use his frame to keep possession of the ball and to open up holes for the other two strikers, Zlatko Dedic and Valter Birsa.

Player to Watch: Robert Koren


Koren is the playmaker in midfield (the only one actually) and the ball will go his way a lot. He is currently a member of West Bromwich Albion, an English club team that was relegated last year. His familiarity with the English game and their players will help when the two teams play each other. 

As the attacking midfielder, he links the field between the forwards and the rest of the team. He keeps possession of the ball very well and is an excellent passer. He is, however, a very weak player defensively so the rest of the midfield will be expected to be there to pick up the slack.

Prediction: Knocked out during the group stages

The final squad will not be announced until June 10 but here is a small list of players in the running to make the team.

Match Schedule

World Cup Preview: Algeria

In Group C with England, United States and Slovenia

Appearances: 2 (Last appearance in 1986)

Current FIFA Ranking (As of March 3): 32

Captain: Yazid Mansouri (Midfielder)

Leading Scorer in Qualifying: 3 players tied with 3 goals. Rafik Saifi (Forward/Midfielder), Antar Yahia (Center Back), Karim Ziani (Midfielder)

Key Injuries: Mourad Meghni - Midfielder (Knee tendinitis - Expected back in late-April)

Key retirements since 2006: No key retirements

Team Overview:

The Desert Foxes make their return to the international stage with this upcoming World Cup. They qualified this by tying hated rivals Egypt for first place in their group and then beating Egypt in a playoff game. The team is solid defensively, having only allowed eight goals in their twelve matches. Algeria will need to count on their defense if they hope to make it to the next stage.

Algeria Vs Egypt World Cup Qualifying Playoff




Algeria dispelled the notion that they were a weak team by finishing fourth during the 2010 African Cup of Nations. They defeated heavy favorites Ivory Coast 3-2 along the way. They were beaten by Egypt 4-0 in the semifinal but during the match, they suffered three red cards and were down to 8 men.



At the moment, Algeria's goalie is Lounes Gaouaoui but he withdrew from the 2010 African Cup of Nations due to appendicitis. 25-year-old Faouzi Chaouchi started in his place and played well enough that coach Rabah Saadane now has a dilemma on who to start. Chaouchi  was the starting goalie during playoff against Egypt and is now considered a national hero because he denied many opportunities for Egypt and held them scoreless. Gaouaoui has the experience and was Saadane's first choice goalkeeper so expect him to return to the starting post.

The strength of the Algerian team lies in the back four. Not only do they defend well, the defenders are actually the one that start the counterattacks on the Algerian team. Antar Yahia and Rafik Halliche are the two imposing centerbacks. Despite being a central defender, Yahia is actually one of the current goal scoring leaders for the Algerian team (he has 5 career international goals). He scored the goal against Egypt that sent the Desert Foxes through to the World Cup. Both men are strong in the air and can shut down the opposition. They managed to shut down African player of the year Didier Drogba during the Cup of Nations and Algeria will look for them to do the same against the likes of Wayne Rooney and Jozy Altidore.

The two wingbacks on the team, Madjid Bougherra and Nadir Belhadj, are as effective attacking as they are defending. They both regularly overlap and help the forwards and wingers on the attack. Belhadj is a very fast player and is one of their best passers. Bougherra is a catalyst in the back and is able to start many attacks on his own.

The four midfielders for the Desert Foxes are there to just hold the line and make sure that the team doesn't break down. The two central midfielders, Karim Matmour and captain Yazid Mansouri, help out the centerbacks and make sure that opposing forwards aren't able to make runs through the center of their team. However, they don't contribute on the offensive side of the ball as they have only scored twice (both by Matmour) in 85 career games for Algeria.

The two midfield wingers are the two most talented players on the team and the fortunes of the Desert Foxes will rest on their shoulders. They are Karim Ziani (more on him later) and Mourad Meghni, thought by the French to be the next Zidane. The 25-year-old has struggled with injuries throughout his 10 year career and has only managed to play in nine games for Algeria. When healthy, he has been able to show flashes as to why he has been compared to fellow Algerian Zinedine Zidane. Zidane, of course, chose to play for France instead of Algeria. He is highly skilled and has great ball control and vision. However, he is again dealing with injuries and will have to fight in order to regain his fitness.

The Algerian strikers are not an imposing group. They do not score a lot of goals and don't have the natural abilities that would strike fear in the opposition. Abdelkader Ghezzal is the center forward and will be expected to hold the ball to help his teammates. He is a very inconsistent player and is often subbed out due to his lack of impact on the game. The other striker is Rafik Saifi, who is the 6th most prolific scorer in Algerian history (18 career goals). Saifi is 35-years-old so he no longer has the speed nor the fitness to play and make a significant impact on the game. Unless someone steps up, the forward position for the Algerians will be a rotating door of futility.


Player to Watch: Karim Ziani

Ziani is the gem of the Desert Foxes. He currently plays in the German Bundesliga and is an extremely creative player. He is the focal point for the Algerian attack and will cause headaches for the opposing midfield wingers. He was essential during their qualifying campaign by scoring three goals and kick-starting many of their goal scoring attacks. He has great passing ability and will take many of the free kicks that Algeria has.



Prediction: Knocked out during the group stages

The final squad will not be announced until June 10 but here is a small list of players in the running to make the team.

Match Schedule

World Cup Preview: United States

In Group C with England, Algeria and Slovenia

Appearances: 8 (Last appearance in 2006)

Current FIFA Ranking (As of March 3): 18

Captain: Carlos Bocanegra (Center Back/Left Back)

Leading Scorer in Qualifying: Jozy Altidore - 6 goals (Striker)

Key Injuries: Charlie Davies (Striker) - Injuries sustained from a car crash (Questionable for World Cup). Stuart Holden (Midfielder) - Fractured right tibia (Possible return in mid-May). Jermaine Jones (Midfielder) - Fractured left shin (Out since Summer '09, possible return in April).

Key retirements since 2006: Claudio Reyna (Midfielder/Former Captain), John O'Brien (Midfielder), Eddie Lewis (Midfielder/Winger), Brian McBride (Striker), Eddie Pope (Defender)

Team Overview:

The Americans enter the World Cup with high hopes after finishing second in the 2009 Confederations Cup. They shockingly defeated the number one team in the world, Spain, by a score of 2-0 and narrowly lost to Brazil in the final 3-2. They led, at one point, 2-0 in that game as well. This team is the most talented that the U.S. has ever had and has a good mix of youth, talent, and experience. The only question is if they have enough to beat the best in the world.



Tim Howard is the choice as number one keeper. He is among the top goalies in the world and is the best that the U.S. has ever had. He was named the top goalkeeper in the Confederations Cup, beating the likes of Iker Casillas, Julio Cesar and Gianluigi Buffon. Because of the inconsistency of the defense in front of him, Howard will have to be at the top of his game for the U.S. to have a chance of reaching the quarterfinals and beyond.

The defense for the U.S has some solid players, although they are very inconsistent. The two center backs will most likely be Oguchi Onyewu and Jay DeMerit. Both are physical players and are strong in the air. They do get lost at times and quicker forwards are able to elude them. Onyewu also is coming back from a severe knee injury and will need to get into form. Bocanegra, the captain, will be the left back and Jonathan Spector will be the right back. Both are reliable players and Spector is able to put in some accurate crosses. That ability will be crucial if the Americans wish to score goals and put pressure on opposing teams.

The midfield for the Americans is one that could change drastically. The only sure starters are Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley. Donovan is, and has been, the face of United States soccer for many years now and his playmaking ability will determine the fortunes of the U.S. Clint Dempsey is another candidate to start in midfield, but if Charlie Davies is unable to return from his injuries, I would expect Dempsey to be moved to a forward position. Nevertheless, he will be in a starting position.

Stuart Holden is another injured player that should be in the starting spot. His current timetable of recovery would give him a month of preparation before the World Cup. He has shown flashes of brilliance as the right wing and provides a spark that the U.S. needs. The other spot in midfield could go to a number of guys. If healthy, and that's a big if, Jermaine Jones should be the starter. He's a big powerful defensive midfielder and comes to the American team after spending the past few years as a part of the German national team. He has, however struggled to return from his shin injury and has suffered two recent setbacks. His original return date was in early December. Now, it is in mid-April.

The other players vying for that spot, if Jones is unable to return, are Ricardo Clark, Maurice Edu and Benny Feilhaber. Clark and Edu have the best chances at that starting spot and Feilhaber is a valuable asset off the bench.

With the possible loss of Charlie Davies, the forward position becomes a significant point of weakness in the U.S. team. Davies was the perfect foil for Jozy Altidore. He was a very quick, agile and smart player. His speed opened up holes that Altidore was able to run through and use his big body and strength to cause havoc. Davies hopes to begin running and training in a month, but that timetable is shaky. If he returns, he will start as the other striker alongside Altidore.

If Davies does not return, it leads to problems. His back-ups: Robbie Findley, Eddie Johnson, Brian Ching and Connor Casey have not been able to make an impact on the field. The most reasonable choice to play in his position would be midfielder Clint Dempsey due to his goalscoring capabilities, but Dempsey and Altidore have talents that are similar to each other and may not work well together. Dempsey works better when he is inside the 6-yard box, which Altidore is also good at. Coach Bob Bradley will need to figure out who to pair with Altidore in order to get the best results. Findley and Johnson are both fast guys, but they have been unable to find a spark with Altidore.



Player to Watch: Landon Donovan

As stated before, the fortunes of the American team will lie on the shoulders of two men, Tim Howard and Landon Donovan. Donovan has been the face of U.S. soccer for 8 years now and is the most talented player on the team. He is the playmaker in midfield and he undoubtedly be involved in nearly every goal the Americans score. He has good speed and great vision on the field. He also is the top goalscorer in U.S. history with 42 goals which speaks well of his ability to put the ball in the back of the net.

He is a willing passer and is able to use both feet well. He also has a good repertoire with the forwards and he can any position at the midfield or forward spots. If he plays well, the U.S. will play well. If he doesn't, then the U.S. will almost certainly face a very quick exit.



Prediction: Loss to Germany in the Round of 16.

The final squad will not be announced until June 10 but here is a small list of players in the running to make the team.

Match Schedule

Beckham tears Achilles, will miss World Cup

David Beckham tore his Achilles tendon today during AC Milan's game against Chievo. This is another blow for the English team as Beckham was expected to to be a big player in the midfield.

This makes it more likely that a struggling player like Theo Walcott or Joe Cole will make the team instead of Beckham. This also will almost assuredly end David Beckham's international career. He will end it as the second-most capped player, only behind keeper Peter Shilton.

More on the Beckham injury here.

World Cup Preview: England

In Group C with United States, Algeria and Slovenia

Appearances: 14 appearances (Champions in 1966)

Current FIFA Ranking (As of March 3): 8

Captain: Rio Ferdinand (Center Back)

Leading Scorer in Qualifying: Wayne Rooney - 9 goals (Striker)

Key Injuries: Ashley Cole (Left Back) - broken left ankle (Out till mid-May), Michael Owen (Striker) - hamstring injury (Out for World Cup), Wes Brown (Right Back) - foot injury (Out till May), Aaron Lennon (Midfield/Winger) - Groin injury (return unknown)

Key retirements since 2006: Jamie Carragher (Center Back)

Team Overview: At the moment, coach Fabio Capello and his English team are in a world of turmoil. Top defenders John Terry and Ashley Cole were both discovered to have had affairs. Terry was stripped of his captaincy while Cole, to go along with his broken ankle, will be divorcing his wife.

As a result of the Terry situation, reserve left back Wayne Bridge has refused his summons to join the team due to the fact that he cannot stand being in the same room as Terry. Terry had his affair with Bridge's ex-girlfriend. To top all of this off, a recent meeting of English coaches and players was secretly recorded. More on that story can be found here. Capello will have to get his team focused in the coming months to have a chance of succeeding in the World Cup.



On the field, the English team is very strong in the middle and up front, but recent injuries and issues off the field have decimated the backline.

If healthy, 39-year-old David James will be the starting goalkeeper. He did not play in the last World Cup as Paul Robinson started all of England's games. However, under Capello, James has regained his starting spot although he is as shaky as his fellow English goalkeepers. Capello may play James, but he will not have a whole lot of confidence in him. It doesn't help that James has also recently been bothered by nagging injuries.If he is not fit to play, Robert Green will most likely be the starter, although young upstart Joe Hart could be a surprise first-choice keeper.

The English backline is as big of a mess as you could find right now. The only healthy starter is Terry, and he is under fire for his off-field activities. Both sidebacks, Cole and Brown, have injuries at the moment and may struggle to get fit in time for the World Cup. Cole's backup is Wayne Bridge, but Bridge refuses to play for England as long as Terry is a part of the team.

Rio Ferdinand, the captain and other center back, has been dealing with back injuries for the past 18 months and he may not be fully fit during the World Cup. One of their most talented center backs is Ledley King, but he has debilitating knee problems that are so severe that he can only allow play one game a week.

Add all of this up and England may have to play the wildly inconsistent Glen Johnson at right back while inexperienced center backs Matthew Upson and Joleon Lescott may see more time than they expected. Capello will just have to have hope things work out in time for the World Cup.

The English midfield is as talented as any in the world but they struggle mightily in big tournaments. Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard are the two big names of the group and a lot more will be expected of them at this World Cup. Both players are immensely talented but both disappear when the World Cup rolls around. At the 2006 World Cup, Gerrard could only manage two scores while Lampard while blanked throughout the entire tournament. Lampard managed not to register a single point despite playing every minute of five games. Both of them need to do better this time around. Things seem to be on the uptick as the two scored seven of England's 34 goals in qualifying. Stewart Downing and Michael Carrick are both valuable back-ups and will play well if they are needed.




The right wing position at the moment is up for grabs. A smorgasbord of players is in the running for ample time: Joe Cole, Aaron Lennon, Shaun-Wright Phillips, Theo Walcott, James Milner and David Beckham. All are talented players and it will be up to Capello to say who gets the most time. Beckham is on the bubble to make the squad at the moment so his name could be taken out of the running and Lennon is struggling to return from his groin injury. He recently suffered a setback and may not be fit in time for the World Cup. If he is healthy, Lennon is Capello's choice as his starter at right wing.

At the forward position, it's all about Wayne Rooney. More on him will come in a minute. The problem is that Capello has struggled to find a player to play beside Rooney. He has tried many players including: Jermain Defoe, Emile Heskey, Carlton Cole, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Peter Crouch. Heskey gained the most time but was not able to do much with it. Defoe and Cole are better as substitutes so both will probably make the team as such. The enigma of the group is Crouch. His latest start garnered wide praise after he scored twice after coming on as a substitute against Egypt. He works well under Capello's system so look for him to be the starter opposite Rooney come World Cup time.


Player to Watch: Wayne Rooney

The fortunes of England, as well as the weight of a nation, will rest on the shoulders of the 24-year-old superstar. The young man is one of the best players in the world and, this year, there may be no one playing better. He is a powerful player and is a bull with the ball, it is extremely difficult to steal it from him. He has great passing vision to go along with his world class shooting ability. He is also a force in the air and has scored many of his goals from headers. England needs to get him the ball early and often so that he can make his impact on the game.



Prediction: Loss to Brazil in the semifinals. Beats Germany for 3rd place.

The final squad will not be announced until June 10 but here is a small list of players in the running to make the team.

Match Schedule

World Cup Preview: Greece

In Group B with Nigeria, South Korea and Argentina

Appearances: 1 appearance in 1994

Current FIFA Ranking (As of March 3): 10

Captain: Giorgos Karagounis (Midfielder)

Leading Scorer in Qualifying: Theofanis Gekas-10 goals (Striker)

Key Injuries: No significant injuries.

Key retirements since 2006: Antonios Nikopolidis (Goalkeeper), Stelios Giannakopoulos (Midfield/Winger),
Nikos Liberopoulos (Striker)

Team Overview: The Greeks are known for their workman-like style of soccer. They will hope to score one goal and will defend the other team to death. Under coach Otto Rehhage, the Greeks have become a force to be reckoned with which was shown by their stunning Euro 2004 championship. In that tournament, they had 100-1 odds and beat the three favorites without conceding a goal in the knockout stages. Rehhage will rely heavily on veterans in this World Cup just like he did in Euro 2004.

Rehhage uses a system where energetic midfielders wear down the opponent and they swarm on defense, using numbers to stop opponents attacks. However, this does seem very boring to the viewer and on more than one occasion, his team has been booed by opposing crowds. They reached the World Cup this year by beating Ukraine in a playoff match with an aggregate score of 1-0.

Kostas Chalkias takes over as goalkeeper with the retirement of Nikopolidis. He has large shoes to fill as Nikopolidis was widely regarded as one of the greatest Greek goalkeepers ever. At 35-years-old, Chalkias has more than enough experience to keep a cool head during the big games. He is also one of the tallest keepers in the world, standing 6'6".

The defense for the Greeks is about as tough a group as you will find in the World Cup. All of their central defenders stand over six feet tall and all of them are excellent in the air. The group will be led by Sotirios Kyrgiakos, a 6'4" monster in the middle. Giourkas Seitaridis is another important player for the Greeks. He will be manning the right back position and will be counted on to help settle the midfield when they get in trouble.

Karagounis and Kostas Katsouranis will be the main men in the midfield and both of them will work tirelessly. They will hound the opposing team as they run through midfield and will tackle roughly. Physical play is expected when you play against Greece. Very few goals come out of midfield as these two and fellow midfielder Angelos Basinas have only scored 20 goals combined in over 250 games. These men are simply there to outwork the opponent and set up goals for the forwards.

Greece will be counting on two men, Angelos Charisteas and the aforementioned Gekas to do the heavy lifting in the forward position. Greek forwards scored 17 of the 21 goals in qualifying and 14 of them were scored by these two men. Both are in the top five of all-time goal scoring Greeks. Charisteas is the target on set pieces as he is very good in the air and will be relied upon to be a physical center forward to open space for Gekas.


Player to Watch: Theofanis Gekas

The top scorer in the European section of World Cup qualifying will be expected to do much more of the same for a offensively challenged Greek team. He scored 10 goals in 11 games during qualifying, but 6 of them came in his two games against a weak Latvian team. He has a nose for the ball and has a knack for being in the right place at the right time, a quality that can't be taught. He also positions himself very well and will not get caught offsides often.  He is not a threat to outrun the defense and will rely on his cleverness to get open for shots and goals. He has absolutely no aerial game so Charisteas will have to do most of the work there.



Prediction: Knocked out in group stages

The final squad will not be announced until June 10 but here is a small list of players in the running to make the team.

Match Schedule

World Cup Preview: South Korea

In Group B with Argentina, Nigeria and Greece

Appearances: 8 (Last appearance in 2006)

Current FIFA Ranking (As of March 3): 53

Captain: Park Ji-Sung (Midfielder/Winger)

Leading Scorer in Qualifying: Park Ji-Sung (5 goals)

Key Injuries: No significant injuries.

Key retirements since 2006: Choi Jin-Cheul (Center Back), Lee Eul-Yong (Midfielder)

Team Overview:

After a semifinal finish in the 2002 World Cup, hopes were high for the South Koreans, but they could only be disappointed when they were knocked out during the group stages in 2006. As a result of this, former head coach Huh Jung-Moo returned to the team and guided them to a first place qualifying position. Jung-Moo was originally the head coach during the 1998-2000 seasons and he discovered many of the star players that Korea now employs. They were able to get through qualifying without a single loss, although the number of times they won and had a draw were equal.

The 2010 South Korean team is one of the most experienced in the entire tournament. There are only four starting players that are under the age of 26 and even those players have played at least 20 international games. Experience and crumbling under the pressure will not come into play for the South Koreans this year.

Their oldest and most experienced player, Lee Woon-Jae, is the goalkeeper for the team. A veteran of three World Cup teams, dating all the way back to 1994, Woon-Jae is known for his uncanny ability to stop penalty shots, which is undoubtedly a result of his 16 years of time in the net. He only played in six qualifying matches, but tallied four clean sheets in those games. In the other two games, both against Iran, he allowed one goal each game.

The defense for the Korean team is an experienced group but the center backs for the team are smaller and will be easier to exploit when they have to face set pieces. Lee Young-Pyo is the name to watch from the group. The 5'9" left back is one of the fastest backs in the game and he will have the ability to cause havoc when he overlaps. Crosses from him will be crucial because South Korea is not a team that will score a lot of goals.

Midfield is where the South Korean stars play. Captain Park Ji-Sung is the leader of the team and will be counted on to be the playmaker for the team. All offense will run through him. His stamina and workrate have not diminished. Joining him around the midfield will be the two of the three rising stars of the South Korean team. Lee Chung-Yong and Ki Sung-Yong are the future for the South Korean midfield and playing alongside Park Ji-Sung will only enhance their abilities. The pair, unrelated but known as the "Double Dragons", are 21-years-old and have a wealth of ability. Chung-Yong is a quick player and has fantastic vision and passing ability.



Sung-Yong has much of the same talent and is one of the best set-piece takers on the team. His ability has caused many Koreans, and other fans, to dub him the "Korean Gerrard", an homage to the English midfielder Steven Gerrard.



The forward position has been a disappointing spot for the South Koreans. They have only one goal scorer that they can count on, Park Chu-Young. The other starter, Lee Keun-Ho has found recent success with the insertions of the Double Dragons into the starting lineup, and will need to continue his success with the offensive struggles that South Korea has had. 2002 World Cup hero Ahn Jung-Hwan makes a return to the teamand will be counted on to provide support as a super sub.

Player to Watch: Park Chu-Young

Chu-Young will be the man that South Korea counts on. . In 39 total games, he has scored 13 goals, four of them in qualifying. At times, he will be called upon to be the lone striker, a role that he does not flourish in but the recent uptick in midfield play has helped his game. Chu-Young is the most agile and one of the fastest players on the Korean team. He has solid passing and is a dead ball specialist. He will be taking nearly all of the free kicks for the South Korean team. For South Korea to succeed, he absolutely has to have an impact on the game.



Prediction: Knocked out during group stages.

The final squad will not be announced until June 10 but here is a small list of players in the running to make the team.

Match Schedule

Sports Illustrated Profile

World Cup Preview: Nigeria

In Group B with Argentina, South Korea and Greece

Appearances: 4 (Last appearance in 2002)

Current FIFA Ranking (As of March 3): 21

Captain: Nwankwo Kanu (Foward)

Leading Scorer in Qualifying: 2 players with 4 goals: Victor Obinna (Striker), Ikechukwu Uche (Striker)

Key Injuries: No significant injuries.

Key retirements since 2006: Jay-Jay Okocha (Midfielder)

Team Overview: The Super Eagles come into this World Cup with high hopes after qualifying as the leader of its group.They possess a high-powered and extremely fast group of forwards and a solid defense. However, the team could run into two problems. The first is that they are a very young squad. They have only one player over the age of 30, captain Nwankwo Kanu who doesn't even start. Another problem they face is that they just changed their head coach.

Previous coach Shaibu Amodu was fired and on Feb. 27, Lars Lagerback was hired to lead the Super Eagles. He is the former head coach of the Swedish team, which failed to qualify for this year's World Cup. He will have to organize the team and find what group of players he likes quickly because there are only a few tune-up games left before the start of the World Cup.

In goal will be 27-year-old Vincent Enyeama, an excellent keeper. Currently a player in the Israeli Premier League, Enyeama is the reigning Israeli player of the year. He provided the goalkeeping that was necessary to put Nigeria through qualifying by putting up clean sheets in eight of his ten games. He will have to be on top of his game with Argentina and South Korea in his group.

Enyeama's backline is difficult to get through. They helped Enyeama post those eight clean sheets and they have some scoring ability in them as well. The group will be lead by Joseph Yobo, a six-foot-two beast in the middle of the defense. He provided two goals for his squad during qualifying and is an obvious target on set pieces. Yobo is the second most capped player on the team and will be the future captain when Kunu retires.

Around Yobo will be a mix of players, but the most interesting will be Taye Taiwo. The 24-year-old left back has already scored 7 goals in his 31 appearances for the Super Eagles and was the 2006 Young African Player of the Year. Like his teammates, he has quick speed and is strong in the air. He is excellent at overlapping and strikes from his left foot are deadly. He will be one of the men to take the free and corner kicks for his team.

Midfield is the position of weakness for the Nigerians but the bright spot is John Obi Mikel. At 22-years-old, Mikel is already the highest profile player on the team and he will be the main cog in the offense. He will be expected to use his playmaking ability to free up his forwards. He is also a solid defensive player and will be tough to get through. He is known for his tough tackles which can, at times, cross into vicious challenges. He has not been called upon by his club team, Chelsea, to be an offensive force but Nigeria will need him to be.



The group of forwards for the Super Eagles is, collectively, the fastest in the world. Their two leading scorers in qualifying, Obinna and Uche, are actually substitutes when the complete squad is on hand. Peter Odemwingie and Obafemi Martins will be the starting strikers. Both are similar players: Agile, fast and small guys who have the ability to put the ball in the net. They will rely on center forward Yakubu Aiyegbeni  to hold the ball and provide space for them to run. The group can be explosive but they will have to find consistency that, so far, they have lacked.

Player to Watch: Obafemi Martins

Martins might be the fastest player in the world and is the goalscorer that Nigeria need. to do well. In just 28 games for his national team, he has cored 16 goals. This is 5th most all-time among Nigerians and at just 25-years-old, he has the potential to become their most prolific goalscorer ever. He led the team in 2006 World Cup qualifying with eight goals and scored twice in their final game against Kenya to secure a spot in the World Cup.

He has a powerful shot and despite his height (5'7"), is a very good aerial player. However, he is prone to having off days and against stiffer defenses, especially group member Greece, could struggle to find room. He will need Mikel to be on top of his game and feed him the ball often in order for Nigeria to succeed.



Prediction: Second round loss to France

The final squad will not be announced until June 10 but here is a small list of players in the running to make the team.

Match Schedule

Sports Illustrated Profile

World Cup Preview: Argentina

In Group B with Nigeria, South Korea and Greece

Appearances: 14 (Champions in 1978 and '86. Last appearance in 2006)

Current FIFA Ranking (As of March 3): 9

Captain: Javier Mascherano (Defensive Midfielder)

Leading Scorer in Qualifying: 3 players tied with 4 goals: Lionel Messi (Striker), Sergio Aguero (Striker), Juan Riquelme (Midfielder)

Key Injuries: No significant injuries.

Key retirements since 2006: Riquelme (Retired in 2008), Roberto Ayala (Center back), Juan Pablo Sorin (Left back), Hernan Crespo (Striker)

Team Overview: Argentina did not have a fun time during World Cup Qualifying. They struggled through most of their games and did not secure their spot until the second-to-last game. Coach Diego Maradona has struggled to find a starting squad that works to his liking and he has tried to make it work while enduring calls for him to resign. The mercurial coach will have to find his magic quickly because Argentina holds high hopes for their soccer team. He does, however, have an extreme wealth of talent across the board and no team looks forward to playing them. One glimmer of hope for the Argentinians is that the last time they struggled this much was during qualifying for the '86 World Cup, which they ended up winning.


Sergio Romeo has taken over the reigns as starting goalkeeper under Maradona. The 23-year-old has made only four appearances with the team so there will be an unaccustomed pressure on his shoulders.

Romero will be counting on the likes of Nicolas Burdisso, Martin Demichelis and Gabriel Heinze, all seasoned veterans, to keep the opponent away from his net and out of trouble. The three veterans will be joined by talented youngster Nicolas Otamendi to try and stifle opposing attacks. The group struggled at times during qualifying stages, and at one game allowed six goals to Bolivia. They will have to play much better to stand a chance against the top teams in the world.

The midfield will be led by captain Javier Mascherano, who is thought by some former Argentinian players to be the best defensive midfielder they have ever had. Joining him will be the veteran of the team Juan Sebastian Veron and two youngsters, Angel Di Maria and Jonas Gutierrez. The group is talented but does not possess the world class passer that is necessary to get the ball to their talented strikers. This has led to many struggles in scoring goals.

The group of forwards that Argentina has is arguably the best and deepest in the world. They have five players playing at some of the best club teams in the world and they would all be strong candidates to start for other top national teams. The group is led by Lionel Messi, regarded by countless experts as the world's best current player. The 22-year-old has been incredible for his club team, Barcelona, but has struggled mightily to find the same form with his national team. Much of this can be attributed to the fact that he does not have passing ability of Andres Iniesta or Xavi Hernandez on his Argentinian team. He must play better in order for Argentina to succeed.

Maradona has a though decision on who to play alongside Messi. He could play Carlos Tevez, Sergio Aguero, Diego Milito, or Gonzalo Higuain. The problem is, all four are similar players and the best one to choose would be whoever has the most chemistry with Messi. Lately, that player has been Higuain. His height will provide the aerial attack that the other players, and Messi, lack. If Higuain does struggle as a starter, Maradona will have a quick trigger and wealth of talent to choose as his super sub. Aguero is the quickest, Tevez the most technically gifted with the ball, and Milito is a scavenger around the net.



Player to Watch: Gonzalo Higuain

Higuain had a choice three years ago whether to play for Argentina or for his father's birth country, France. He ended up choosing Argentina and they can count their lucky stars that he did. With all eyes turning to Messi during the World Cup, other players will have to step up their games. Look for Messi's striker partner to capitalize on his chance to excel on the world's biggest stage. Higuain provides the most diversity to partner with Messi despite the talents of Tevez, Aguero and Milito. He's the tallest of the three at six-feet tall and has the speed to match Aguero.

He has a knack for being in the right place at the right time and has great instincts around the penalty area. He has only played in four games for the national team but has scored twice in those games. He may lack the big game experience that Maradona is looking for but it would be a mistake not to start him.



Prediction: Quarterfinal loss to Germany

The final squad will not be announced until June 10 but here is a small list of players in the running to make the team.

Match Schedule

Sports Illustrated Profile

World Cup Preview: South Africa

In Group A with Mexico, France, and Uruguay

Appearances: 3 (Last appearance in 2002)

Current FIFA Ranking (As of Feb.3): 81

Captain: Aaron Mokoena (Center Back)

Leading Scorer in Qualifying: Kagisho Evidence Dikgacoi - 2 goals (Midfielder)

Key Injuries: Dikgacoi - Damage to ankle ligaments (Expected back in mid-March)

Key retirements since 2006: Sibusiso Zuma (Striker), Shaun Bartlett (Striker)

Team Overview: The Bafana Bafana enter this year's World Cup as the hosts so they were guaranteed a spot. However, don't expect too much from the 81st ranked team in the world. They struggle to get shots on target and scoring goals. During the warm-up stages that they were required to play, they played six games and only scored in two of them, both against Equatorial Guinea. They were shut out in their other four games against Nigeria and Sierra Leone.

This offensive futility showed up again during the 2009 Confederations Cup. In their three games, they were shut out by Spain, Brazil, and Iraq before scoring two goals against New Zealand and two more in their final game when they played Spain again.

The strength of the team is in the defense. Their first choice at goalkeeper is still undecided but Itumeleng Khune is easily the most talented of their three choices. He is an unknown player around the world but he has a lot of talent. He is very agile and gets his hands on many shots. He is very young though, at 22. If he does not start, expect Rowan Fernandez to play instead.

The backline is a tough one to get through. South Africa has not allowed more than two goals since they allowed three to Spain in June of 2009. Central backs Mokoena and Matthew Booth are big physical players. Both are over six-feet tall and Booth is just about six-foot-seven. It's difficult to win aerial battles against the two and they defend set pieces very well. Siboniso Gaxa and Tsepo Masilela are tireless workers on the wings and will provide lots of support for the midfield and forwards.

The midfield is led by Steven Pienaar, South Africa's star player. Any pressure that South Africa puts on their opponents will be started by him. Joining him in the middle will be a multitude of players that will be shuffled in and out. Siphiwe Tshabalala, Dikgacoi, and Teko Modise will most likely see the most time. Any other team with an above average to solid midfield will be able to control the ball against South Africa.

The pressure of scoring goals for Bafana Bafana will lie on the shoulders of Benni McCarthy, South Africa's all-time leading goal scorer, and youngsters Bernard Parker and Katlego Mphela. McCarthy, however, has had trouble with his attitude toward the team and at this point, remains out of the favor of his coach. If he does not return to the team, the two young strikers could wilt under the pressure of their nation.



Player to Watch: Unfortunately, South Africa has a very few number of players that can really make a difference during a game. One of these guys is Steven Pienaar. The Everton man will man the midfield for South Africa and will be expected to do a little bit of everything for the team. He will move all around the field but expect him to play as a winger during South Africa's games.

Pienaar is a gifted player with great speed and technical ability with the ball. He has a high motor and will always be working to win the ball or get better position for his teammates. He has great accuracy on his passes and he has a powerful shot off of his right foot. Despite all of his ability though, Pienaar struggles to find the back of the net. He has only scored 32 international and club team goals in his 11-year career. His play and creativeness will determine how well South Africa plays during the World Cup.

Prediction: Knocked out during the group stage.

The final squad will not be announced until June 10 but here is a small list of players in the running to make the team.

Match Schedule