World Cup Preview: Cameroon

In Group E with Netherlands, Denmark, and Japan

Appearances: 5 appearances (Last appearance in 2002)

Current FIFA Ranking (As of March 31): 20

Captain: Samuel Eto'o (Striker)

Leading Scorer in Qualifying: Eto'o (9 goals scored)

Key Injuries: No significant injuries to note.

Key retirements since 2006: No significant retirements.

Team Overview:

The Indomitable Lions have been a notoriously underachieving World Cup squad. In their 8 appearances, they have only reached the second round only once. Their team is changed this time because of the addition of new coach Paul Le Guen. Under Le Guen, the Indomitable Lions have turned to a 4-3-3 formation that favors a heavy attacking style that has led to a growth in scoring. Eto'o was one of the leading scorers in all of World Cup qualifying with his 9 goals.

Cameroon cruised through qualifying by scoring 23 goals while only allowing 4 goals in their 12 games. They are one of the healthiest teams and have also not experienced a lot of change in their starting line-up since 2006.

Idriss Carlos Kameni is the man between the posts for the Indomitable Lions. The 26-year-old is a former African Goalkeeper of the Year and currently plays in the top flight of La Liga where he goes up against the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid every year. He's a solid keeper and won't be the weak point in the team.

Helping out Kameni will be his defensemen, led by 33-year-old center back Rigobert Song. Song is the most experienced player for the Indomitable Lions and was a former captain. Around him will Geremi Njitap and talented youngsters Nicolas N'Koulou and Benoit Assou-Ekotto. Cameroon will be counting on N'Koulou and Ekotto to stop the fast opponents because Song and Njitap are easily burned by the quicker players.

The midfield for Cameroon is a solid group although they are not going to wow anybody. The creative force for the Indomitable Lions is Alex Song. The 22-year-old was the only Cameroon player to be named on the team of the tournament for the 2010 African Cup of Nations. Jean Makoun is another player to watch in the midfield. He is a tough player and will tackle without mercy.

In the forward position, it's all about Eto'o, who I will get to a little bit later. Achille Emana and Pierre Webo will be the other two forwards, but they will not be relied on to do a whole lot. Webo is a promising player, but he needs Eto'o to draw the defense toward him so that he can succeed.

Player to Watch: Samuel Eto'o

There really is no question that Eto'o is the most important player for Cameroon. You could make the argument that he means more to his team than any other player does for his respective team. He is one of the best strikers in the world and is the all-time leading goalscorer for Cameroon. He's one of the fastest players on the team and is easily the best shooter. When he gets the ball, the opposing defense collapses toward him which opens up holes for the other two forwards, Emana and Webo.



Prediction: Second round loss to Italy

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: Netherlands

In Group E with Cameroon, Denmark, and Japan

Appearances: 8 appearances. Last appearance was in 2006.

Current FIFA Ranking (As of March 31): 3

Captain: Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Defensive midfielder/Left back)

Leading Scorer in Qualifying: 2 players tied with 3 goals.
Dirk Kuyt (Striker/Winger), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Striker)


Key Injuries: 

Robin van Persie (Striker) - ankle injury (Expected back in early May)

Key retirements since 2006:

Edwin van der Sar - Goalkeeper/former captain
Ruud van Nistelrooy - Striker
Phillip Cocu - Midfielder
Clarence Seedorf - Midfielder


Team Overview:

The Dutch are one of the biggest underachieving teams in recent history. Gone are the years of Total Football and the Clockwork Oranje. Since finishing in second place in the 1974 and 1978 World Cups, the Dutch have gotten past the quarterfinals only once and amazingly failed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup. The Dutch can be tantalizingly great at times (see Euro 2008 group stages) but can just as easily be horrible.

They enter the tournament this year with a high ranking and once again, extremely high hopes. Marco van Basten is out as the manager and Bert van Marwijk takes over the reins. They have always been a great offensive team, but this year they will have to rely on their defense even more than before.

If the qualifying stages were of any indication, the Dutch have begun to change their philosophy as they allowed only two goals during the qualifying stages. However, their group was exceptionally weak so there is no real indication of how good their defense really is.

The biggest difference in this year's team (and it's a huge one) is the departure of legendary goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar. Van der Sar was on the team for two decades and has been the face of the team for the past 8 years. Coming in to fill his giant shoes is Maarten Stekelenburg, a 27-year-old that lost his starting spot on his club team during the 2008-2009 season. He has since gotten his spot back though. He played in five of Netherland's eight qualifying games and allowing goals in two of them.

The backline for the Dutch is a strong group and are efficient goalscorers as well. Captain Giovanni van Bronckhorst mans the left back position, though he is able to move all around the field. He'll be joined by Joris Mathijsen, John Heitinga and Andre Ooijer. Heitinga has one of the most powerful shots on the team and will be a huge weapon from the back.

The midfield and forwards positions for the Dutch are as deep as any nation in the world. In the midfield part time captain (and son-in-law of the current coach) Mark van Bommel. He has a great shot as well, but is very temperamental and refused to play for the national team as long as Marco van Basten was the coach. Nigel de Jong is the defensive midfielder and is a viscous tackler (he did break Stuart Holden's leg earlier this year).

The big members of the midfield are Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben and Rafael van der Vaart. Van der Vaart and Sneijder man the middle of the field and form a potent attacking trio with Robben. Sneijder is extremely quick with the ball and is a very accurate shooter. Sneijder is the set piece specialist on the team and is one of the best in the world. He is also ambidextrous which means that he is equally strong with both feet. He and Robben form one of the best pair of passing midfielders in the world.




The Dutch get a huge boost with the return of Robin van Persie. If he can get back into form, he'll be an essential player for the success of the Dutch.With the retirement of Ruud van Nistelrooy, he will be called upon to be the main striker. He can be a starter but is equally effective as a super sub. Dirk Kuyt, one of the most tireless workers in the game, will also be in a striker position but will be called upon to be more of a support player rather than a scorer. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Ryan Babel are good subs that can make an impact on the game.



Player to Watch: Arjen Robben

Robben is one of the most dangerous players in the world. While usually a winger in the midfield, he can also move into a forward position and be the main striker. He is known for his ability to get near the endlines and cross the ball back toward the goal. He is a very creative player and has been Bayern Munich's MVP this year. He is a creative player and will attempt passes that only someone of his caliber could perform. He has struggled with injuries throughout his career and hopefully he will stay healthy throughout the World Cup.



Prediction: Loss to Brazil in the quarterfinal

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: Australia

In Group D with Ghana, Serbia, and Germany

Appearances: 2 appearances (Last appearance was is 2006)

Current FIFA Ranking (As of March 31): 19

Captain: Lucas Neill (Center Back)

Leading Scorer in Qualifying: 2 players with 4 goals.
Brett Emerton (Wingback/Midfielder), Tim Cahill (Midfielder/Striker).

Key Injuries: Patrick Kisnorbo (Midfielder/Defender) - Achilles injury, out for the World Cup.


Key retirements since 2006:

Tony Popvic (Center Back)
Josip Skoko (Midfielder)
Mark Viduka (Striker/Former Captain)
Stan Lazaridis (Left Back)
John Aloisi (Striker)
Zeljko Kalac (Goalkeeper)

Team Overview:

The Socceroos are an enigma. They are currently ranked 19th in the FIFA rankings, ahead of teams like: Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Ghana. They were one of the best defensive teams in World Cup Qualifying by only allowing 4 goals in 14 games. However, much of this can be attributed to the fact that they play in the weakest qualifying league in the world. The second highest ranked team from their qualifying group was Japan, which is ranked 45 in the world.

In the final round of qualifying, they recorded shut-outs in 7 of their 8 games. Despite their ranking and domination of their group, I don't expect Australia to make it very far.

I would expect 37-year-old Mark Schwarzer to be the starter at goalkeeper. He's been one of the best keepers in Aussie history and he has had a surprising record in being able to stop penalty kicks. He's the most experienced player on the team and the Socceroos will need him to use all of it for them to have a chance.

The defense is probably the strongest part of the Australian team. The main cog is captain Lucas Neill, a tough defender and a very good tackler. Joining Neill will be a large group of guys, which includes veterans Scott Chipperfield, Craig Moore and Luke Wilkshire. The loss of Patrick Kisnorbo is a big blow because he was one of their most versatile players. He can play any of the backline positions and the defensive midfield position. It will be tough for Australia to replace him.

Midfield is where Australia's best player does his work. Tim Cahill is one of the greatest goal scorers in Aussie history and always seems to be around the ball when it is near the net. He is usually deployed in the attacking midfield position and he outscores the forwards on the team. He's good with his feet and with his head, so the opposing team should stop Cahill before anyone else.



Brett Emerton is also an important player as the right winger in the midfield. He constantly puts pressure on the defense with his runs and has goal scoring ability as well. The two central midfielders are Vince Grella and Jason Culina. Both are underrated players because absolutely no one knows about them outside of Australia. They are solid midfielders and move the ball around effectively without giving it away. I would also have to kick myself if I didn't mention the midfielder with one of the best names, Danny Invincibile. Not quite invincible, but it's close enough. He doesn't play though, so don't expect to see him on the field.

The two strikers on the team will be Harry Kewell and Archie Thompson. Both are seasoned veterans and among the top goalscorers in Australian history.  Thompson is fifth on the list, sitting eight goals behind the leader, who has 29 career goals. Kewell is known for his exceptional dribbling ability and is one of the best shooters on the team. 

Player to Watch: Harry Kewell

I think that Kewell will be the difference maker for the Aussies this time around. A lot of the defensive pressure will be on Cahill and he might struggle to make as big a difference as he is used to. Kewell used to be the poster boy of Australian soccer before injuries and the emergence of Cahill took him away from the spotlight. As stated before, Kewell is a great dribbler and they'll need him to exhibit that dribbling ability to put pressure on the opposing teams. Because their group includes some of the best defensive squads in the world in Serbia, Germany and Ghana, the impact that Kewell has on the game will be critical.





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: Serbia

In Group D with Ghana, Australia, and Germany

Appearances: 10 appearances (Last in 2006). 9 of the appearances were as Yugoslavia. Their appearance in 2006 was as Serbia & Montenegro. This is their first appearance as Serbia.

Current FIFA Ranking (As of March 31): 15

Captain: Dejan Stankovic (Midfielder)

Leading Scorer in Qualifying: Milan Jovanovic (Striker/Winger) - 5 goals

Key Injuries: 

Bosko Jankovic (Attacking Midfielder) - Ligament damage in his left knee. Out for the World Cup.

Branislav Ivanovic (Center Back/Right Back) - Torn knee ligaments. Possible return in May.


Key retirements since 2006: 

Savo Milosevic (Striker/Former Captain)
Dragoslav Jevric (Goalkeeper)
Mladen Krstajic (Defender)
Sasa Ilic (Attacking Midfielder)
Igor Duljaj (Defensive Midfielder)
Goran Gavrancic (Center Back)
Ognjen Koroman (Midfielder)
Mateja Kezman (Striker)
Predrag Dordevic (Midfielder/Left Winger)
Albert Nad (Defensive Midfielder)
Zvonimir Vukic (Attacking Midfielder)

Yeah, pretty much every starter and key backup player is gone.

Team Overview:

The White Eagles come into this World Cup as their own nation and with a whole bunch of new guys. They lost about half of their starters and their important backups to retirement after the previous tournament. The good news for them is that many of their current players were bench guys on that team and were able to gather some experience. They struggled at first, failing to qualify for Euro 2008, but they have made a come back and surprised many by finishing first in their World Cup qualifying group. They finished in front of the heavy favorites, France, and scored the most goals while allowing the least in their group.

26-year-old Vladimir Stojkovic takes over the reins as the keeper. The dude is a giant, standing 6'5" but he is not very experienced. He has played 30 games for the Serbians but in the last three years, he has only played 34 games for his various club teams. He has not gotten a chance to get in a groove and may be rusty if he doesn't stay focused. He is a solid keeper though and made many saves during the qualifying campaign. He'll be relying on his very dependable defense to keep him out of trouble.

That defense is led by Nemanja Vidic, one of the best center backs in the world. He's known for his tough, physical play and was instrumental in Serbia allowing only eight goals during qualifying. The defense did suffer a blow however when Branislav Ivanovic tore knee ligaments in one of his games for Chelsea. He is their most versatile player, able to play in center back, right back, or the defensive midfield positions.

Someone to keep an eye on in the defense is left back Aleksandar Kolarov. He is an excellent attacker and is able to kick start counter attacks with his ability. He's a good shooter and is very good at crossing from the left side into the penalty area. He takes most of the free kicks for the White Eagles and his kick-taking ability has been compared to that of Brazilian legend Roberto Carlos.

The midfield is led by captain Dejan Stankovic. He is the second leading scorer on the current team despite playing mostly in the defensive midfield position. He will make runs and put himself in an attacking position when the situation calls for it. He is the focal point for the team and will be the playmaker.



The rest of the midfielders are also good players but will be relied on to mostly hold the line and support the other players. Nenad Milijas partners with Stankovic in the central midfield and they form a formidable pair together. Milan Jovanovic and Milos Krasic round out the group. Jovanovic is particularly adept on offense and is a dangerous weapon. He's someone that Stankovic looks for often.

The forward position took a hit when former captain Savo Milosevic retired. He was the all-time leading goalscorer and he has the most caps in Serbian team history. Marko Pantelic and Nikola Zigic will be the men that will try to fill his shoes. Zigic is fifth all-time on the goal scoring list and is poised to move into the third spot. He's also one of the tallest players in the world, standing 6'7", which obviously makes him a great aerial target.

Player to Watch: Marko Pantelic

Pantelic has been designated as the lead striker after now that Milosevic is no longer on the team. He is one of the quicker Serbians and is an excellent passer in close quarters. He doesn't have a particularly powerful shot but he is very accurate and can pick out his spots cleanly. He needs to provide space for Zigic to be able to use his size and Pantelic is counted on to hold the ball when the time calls for it.





Prediction: Knocked out during the group stages. However, if Ghana is struggling with injuries, Serbia will move on instead of them. I still think they lose in the second round to England.

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