The reigning European Champions and the bookmakers’ favourites – this isn’t a position Spain are used to. Usually they are flashy outsiders everyone expects to self-destruct at the knockout stage, but the incredible results Spain have recorded over the past four years shows that this is both a talented and ultra-professional squad. Read more »
Often players who weren’t considered part of the starting XI at the beginning of a tournament emerge to play a leading role by the knockout stages. Here’s six who hope to do that: Read more »
Everyone knows that Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney are the star men for their sides – here are six more relatively unsung heroes that could be crucial for their respective teams. Read more »
No-one is talking about Italy ahead of this tournament, despite them being the holders, despite them breezing through qualification, despite them having received the most favourable draw of any side. Read more »
Japan probably should be better than they are considering their attacking talents, but manager Takeshi Okada is intent on playing a certain way, even if it means leaving out star names. Read more »
Algeria were one of the more tactically-interesting sides at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations, switching between three separate formations, including a three- and four-man defence throughout the competition. Read more »
Sometimes international teams simply produce too many of the same type of player. Portugal produce too many wingers and not enough strikers. Holland produce too many attackers and not enough defenders. Read more »
In previous competitions, we might have Slovenia’s system as rather boring, but in a competition set to be dominated by 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3s and three-man defences, it’s quite nice to see someone persevering with the good old 4-4-2. Read more »
How many times can a side be labelled dark horses before they cease to be dark horses? Serbia have been hyped up so much as potential overachievers that it’s difficult to know how they’ll live up the billing. Read more »
If the World Cup television pundits tell you to forget everything you know about Brazil, then forget everything they tell you. This is a wonderful side that plays superb football. Read more »
They’re the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, the lowest-ranked hosts in history, and they’ve been drawn in a very difficult group despite having been the seeds. Is there any chance South Africa won’t become the first-ever hosts to fail to get past the group stage? Read more »
This is Slovakia’s first-ever appearance at a major international tournament, so you can be forgiven for knowing little about them. Read more »
United States fans seem to go into every World Cup thinking that the rest of the world is underestimating them – which has traditionally been fair. Read more »
Judge Chile by looking at their squad list and you might be rather underwhelmed, but many of those who saw Marcelo Bielsa’s side in action throughout qualification see them as the most intriguing prospect on offer in South Africa. Read more »
“They haven’t got any great players, but you can never write them off” is the usual line about Germany. In 2010, that old cliche might not be appropriate. Read more »
Paraguay coach Gerardo Martino has used his pre-tournament friendlies for experimentation, both in terms of formation and personnel, making his starting line-up for the opening game against Italy difficult to predict. Read more »
Nigeria have traditionally been the strongest African nation, at least in terms of the quality of players they’ve produced. The likes of Ghana, South Africa, Senegal, Cameroon and Egypt have shown quality at points throughout the past two decades, but Nigeria has produced a stream of genuinely top-class players. Read more »
