FIFA World Cup 2010 top news

THE TEAMS

Argentina

Argentina is clearly the favorite in this group, though most of us probably don’t want that to be the case. Why? Ya know, because of the whole Maradona will streak if they win the cup thing. And in the YouTube era, that thing (the video) is bound to wind up online. Anyways, it would be a major disappointment if they didn’t come out as the top team in this group, since they are completely loaded with talent. Lionel Messi and Diego Molito will be the main factors this summer, and if both of those guys are playing at their highest level, no one will stop Argentina. Except for maybe Maradona himself. Managing is the only question mark for this team, so when they get into crunch time, that could be a huge factor. If Argentina fans are to be nervous, it will definitely be more about Maradona than about the makeup of their team.


GROUP :B

1. Argentina,
2. Nigeria,
3. Greece and
4. South Korea

For the four nations of Group B—Argentina, Nigeria, Greece and South Korea—it will be the battleground of what is considered to be an open group.

Argentina will be favored as top dog, but Nigeria, Greece and South Korea all have the potential to unseat them. Look for an exciting group stage with lots of fireworks that could provide some upsets.


GROUP SCHEDULE

June 12, 2010

South Korea vs. Greece – 7:30 AM ET, ESPN
Argentina vs. Nigeria – 10 AM ET, ESPN

June 17, 2010

Argentina vs. South Korea – 7:30 AM ET, ESPN
Greece vs. Nigeria, 10 AM ET – ESPN

June 22, 2010

Nigeria vs. South Korea – 2:30 PM ET, ESPN2
Argentina vs. Greece – 2:30 PM ET, ESPN

*Times indicate actual game start times. 30 minute preview show before most games, so the actual coverage will begin a half hour earlier.

Despite laboring through qualification, Argentina, managed by footballing legend Diego Maradona, enter the 2010 World Cup tipped amongst the favorites due their plethora of offensive talent that features current Fifa Player of Year Lionel Messi.



Messi, only twenty two, scored forty seven goals in all competitions this past season for club team Barcelona and already possesses two Champions League titles, three La Liga crowns and a Ballon D’Or.

However, the native of Rosario has yet to replicate this form for his country and he is well aware that for him to transcend into the pantheon of greats, he must produce at the World Cup like previous legends such as Zidane, Pele, Beckenbauer, Platini and, of course, his manager, Maradona.

Messi’s struggles when playing for Argentina were magnified by the international press during Argentina’s arduous qualification campaign, which was only ensured on the last match day in a slender one nil victory over Uruguay.

Even the Argentinean press routinely criticized Messi during the country’s struggles in qualification, citing his lack of offensive production, although he led the team in scoring with six goals during the eighteen game campaign.

Also victimized by the press during qualification and even urged to resign by some was Maradona, who typically plays Messi in a free role behind two strikers.

For Barcelona, Messi occupies the right side of the three pronged Catalan attack and enjoys the freedom to run full pace at defenders or cut inside.

Because Maradona does not play Messi in the same role, despite his well publicized past success, reveals a fundamental problem with this Argentinean squad: most of the other stars do not compliment Messi’s play.

While Carlos Tevez, Sergio Aguero and Diego Milito are all exceptional offensive players and could play for any side in the world, in essence they share similar attributes and contribute the same mix of skill and grittiness to their team.

None of these three are ideal foils to Messi because they all demand space and the ball to create, which is exactly what Messi needs to thrive.

Therefore, the crucial element needed to assure that Messi and Argentina have a successful World Cup is Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain, who scored twenty seven goals in total in La Liga, second only to Messi’s thirty four this past season.

Playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Higuain, who only made three appearances during qualification, demonstrated that he can get into the proper positions without the ball and then finish consistently once he gets it.

If Higuain can perform under similar circumstances with Messi drawing the attention, Argentina should have no problems offensively even if Messi’s name does appear on the score sheet often.

But then again, offense should not be Maradona’s main concern, but rather his defense, which conceded six to Bolivia during qualification and has always been the perceived weakness of Argentina, a nation that regularly produces world class attack midfielders but fails to develop no-nonsense defenders.

With an aged backline consisting of Gabriel Hienze (32), Walter Samuel(32), Martin Demichelis (29) and Nicolas Burdisso (29), and two inexperienced goalkeepers, Argentina are prone to concede a foolish goal at some point in the tournament.

Defensive midfielder Javier Mascherano, who received two red cards in a sub par season for Liverpool by his high standards, must play well and protect the fragile defense for Argentina to advance deep.

Argentina have always looked to outscore their opponents and their numerous offensive weapons will carry them through their group and into the knockout stages.

Yet, Argentineans can only hope that the inevitable mistake from their inexperience goalie or defensive lapse from their aged backline comes in group play and not a pivotal moment of the knockout stages.

That being said, Argentina are serious contenders in the tournament and can win, if they find some luck and avoid certain physical teams, like England and Germany, that will not allow them to play as freely as they desire.

With the potential to inspire the entire nation, much of the focus will be on Leo Messi, but others, mainly Mascherano and Higuain will have to perform at the highest level for Argentina to win the World Cup.

The Argentines definitely have the talent to win the 2010 World Cup with players like Messi and Tevez. Now we'll see if Maradona can guide them to the championship.


When you enter a party, you always want to leave an impression. The question for Argentina is what type of impression will they leave at the prom this year?
odds betting odds

Diego Maradona They have the talent to easily be prom king and win the FIFA World Cup tournament. But at the same time, with an erratic coach like Diego Maradona, the Argentinean team could also leave the type of bad impression that no one will forget for another four years.



The Argentines struggled through qualifying but keep in mind that they did the same in 1985 and still rolled through World Cup football betting and managed to hoist the Jules Rimet trophy.

Meet Team Argentina


While the Argentina team may have some questions it has to answer, few of them have to do with talent. Lionel Messi is considered the best soccer player in the world by many and he’ll suit up alongside Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero. Messi will have to prove, though, that he can perform as well internationally as he does for Barcelona.

Javier Zanetti and Walter Samuel will provide plenty of experience at the back end and with Esteban Cambiasso and Javier Mascherano in the midfield, as mentioned, Argentina doesn’t have many holes on the roster.

The real question is what can coach Maradona milk out of this squad. He’s the biggest wild card on the team and because of it, pundits and handicappers aren’t sure what to expect from a soccer betting perspective.

Argentina Football Team Squad For 2010 World Cup Held In South Africa:Videos




Can Argentina Get Past The Group Stage?

Without question, this team will advance past the World Cup group stage . When you’re in a group with Nigeria, Greece and South Korea, advancing shouldn’t be much of an issue.

South Korea is in its seventh straight World Cup but is not on or near the same level as Argentina. Meanwhile, Greece is still trying to figure out why they were so successful in Euro 2004 and how to duplicate that success.

That leaves Nigeria as the main competitor but they needed two 12th-hour goals to advance through African qualifying and into the draw. There is a shortage of depth on the Nigerian squad and they will have a tough time slowing Argentina.

Overall, there isn’t much competition for Argentina in this group and don’t be surprised if they hang a big number or one or two of these teams.

WORLDCUP 2010 FIFA SPORTING EVENTS TEAM Argentina :videos




Can Argentina Win It All?

There is no question that Maradona was one of the best football players to ever live. What has come into question prior to, during and after qualification is his ability to coach.

Regardless of whether he’s an X’s and O’s guy or not, the reality is that Maradona will have the respect of the players and that might be all it takes to get this team to play to their potential.

Messi will win one or two games for La Albiceleste on his own and the powder blue and white will make a long run. They are among the favorites on the World Cup 2010 betting odds and don’t be surprised if they are the ones paying off at the end.


PREDICTIONS


*Winner in bold

South Korea vs. Greece – DRAW
Argentina vs. Nigeria – DRAW
Argentina vs. South Korea
Greece vs. Nigeria – DRAW
Nigeria vs. South Korea
Argentina vs. Greece

Predicted Standings:

1. Argentina (7 points)
2. Nigeria (5 points)
3. Greece (2 points)
4. South Korea (1 point)

Well that’s all for the Group B Preview here on FA Daily!

What are your predictions for the group? Be sure to vote on our poll to the right, and let us know who you think will win Group B!

Brazil team at World Cup 2010 in pictures


Brazilian soccer has been synonymous with the World Cup for decades. Having won two of the last four tournaments, and making the final in another, Brazil is the only country to have played in every World Cup final tournament.

Their five World Cup trophies stands alone as the most World Championships in international soccer history.

Even when their squads are injury depleted, or they haven't had their usual amount of international success, they are still always a contender on any international stage


We’re just 21 days away from the start of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. To celebrate, Footbalistic will look at one national team a day for the next 32 weekdays. Group by group and team by team, we will discuss team rosters, flaws and their chances of playing in the World Cup Final on July 11.

Group G


1. Brazil
2.Ivory Coast
3. North Kore
4. Portugal

Group G Schedule

June 15th: vs. North Korea (Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg)
June 20th: vs. Ivory Coast (Soccer City, Johannesburg)
June 25th: vs. Portugal (Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban)





World Cup 2010: Brazil remain No 1 in Fifa rankings as Spain lie second
Brazil remained top of the latest Fifa rankings and will head to the World Cup as the tournament's No 1 team.


Brazil's World Cup record: 1930 1st rd, 1934 1st rd, 1938 3rd, 1950 RU, 1954 QF, 1958 Winners, 1962 Winners, 1966 1st rd, 1970 Winners, 1974 4th, 1978 3rd, 1982 2nd rd, 1986 QF, 1990 2nd rd, 1994 Winners, 1998 RU, 2002 Winners, 2006 QF.

How Brazil qualified for World Cup 2010: South American Group, 1st.


The Coach: Dunga (Brazilian, 46). Appointed: July 2006. WC experience: Player: 1990, 1994, 1998. Coach: None.

Dunga was considered as a replacement for Vanderlei Luxemburgo in 2000 but it was not for another six years until he took charge, replacing Carlos Alberto Parreira.

The Country: Brazil are joint favourites, with Spain, to win a sixth World Cup, not that surprising given their pedigree, history and ability to continually produce outstanding players. There is a saying in football that “The English invented it, the Brazilians perfected it” and few would argue.

The “Little Canary”, as they affectionately known, are the only team to have appeared in every World Cup finals and they made sure that record would continue in the best possible fashion, beating Argentina 3-1 in Rosario.

Two goals from striker Luis Fabiano and another from defender Luisao was enough as they inflicted only the second home defeat in World Cup qualifiers on Diego Maradona's struggling side.

But it was not all plain sailing. A 0-0 draw at home to Bolivia was a low point and then they were held by Colombia in the next home tie, prompting the fans to chant “Goodbye Dunga” again.

But a coach who worked in the media during the last World Cup finals is benefiting from the form of Kaka and Robinho. In Dunga they have a man who has won the World Cup, in 1994, while they have some of the world’s most talented players. He used no fewer than 39 players during the qualification process, and the belief is that Brazil have strength in depth ahead of South Africa.

Ronaldo, a World Cup winner in 1994 and 2002, was dropped by Dunga but remains optimistic, at the age of 33, that he could still feature in South Africa, though such a recall remains doubtful.


* FIFA World Cup:

o Winners (5): 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002
o Runners-up (2): 1950, 1998
o 3rd place (2): 1938, 1978
o 4th place (1): 1974


The fifth plays off for another place against the fourth team from the CONCACAF region.

Goalkeepers: Julio Cesar (Inter Milan), Gomes (Tottenham Hotspur), Victor (Gremio)

Defenders: Maicon (Inter Milan), Daniel Alves (Barcelona), Alex (Chelsea), Juan (AS Roma), Lucio (Bayern Munich), Luisao (Benfica), Kleber (Internacional), Andre Santos (Corinthians).

Midfielders: Anderson (Manchester United), Gilberto Silva (Panathinaikos), Josue (VfL Wolfsburg), Ramires (Cruzeiro), Elano (Manchester City), Felipe Melo (Fiorentina), Julio Baptista (AS Roma), Kaka (AC Milan)

Forwards: Alexandre Pato (AC Milan), Luis Fabiano (Sevilla), Nilmar (Internacional), Robinho (Manchester City).

World Cup 2010 Brazil Squad

Name

1. Heurelho da Silva Gomes
2. Júlio César Soares de Espíndola
3. Doniéber Alexander Marangon
4. Ânderson Luís da Silva
5. Juan Silveira dos Santos
6. Maicon Douglas Sisenando
7. Daniel Alves da Silva
8. Thiago Emiliano da Silva
9. Lucimar da Silva Ferreira
10. Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite
11. Gilberto da Silva Melo
12. Josué Anunciado de Oliveira
13. Ramires Santos do Nascimento
14. Felipe Melo de Carvalho
15. Júlio César Clement Baptista
16. Gilberto Aparecido da Silva
16. Michel Fernandes Bastos
17. Elano Ralph Blumer
18. José Kléberson Pereira
19. Róbson de Souza
20. Luís Fabiano Clemente
21. Edinaldo Batista Libânio
21. Nilmar Honorato da Silva


Brazil World Cup 2010 videos








How They Got Here:

First place in CONMEBOL

It might not be Joga Bonito, but it’s still dominant
No team has personified the beauty and joy of soccer quite like the Brazilian National Team. With a history of superstars attacking freely, the inventors of “The Beautiful Game” have no rival. But times have changed. After a team of attack-minded superstars was knocked out of the World Cup in 2006, the Selecao changed their tune under their disciplinarian of a coach, Dunga. If you want Joga Bonito, you may have to watch Spain play. This Brazilian team means business. And because of their new approach, they might be an even more dangerous than their past teams.

Attacking

Take the 2006 World Cup roster and throw it in the trash. There’s no Adriano, no Ronaldo and no Ronaldinho in this year’s squad. This does a couple of things for Brazil: They save money on food now that Adriano and Ronaldo are gone, and they save themselves from drama (and alcohol) if Ronaldinho were to make the trip. Whereas past Brazil squads have been free-flowing attack in the midfield (ala Spain), this one will rely more on counter-attacks. But still, this is Brazil we’re talking about. They’re not Greece. These guys are going to score goals. They still led South American qualifying with 33 goals in 18 matches, and 14 in five matches at last summer’s Confederations Cup.

Brazil is likely to play with just one forward up front and provided his return to fitness goes smoothly, it’ll be Sevilla’s Luis Fabiano. He was the top scorer at the Confederations Cup with five goals, and scored a whopping nine in CONMEBOL qualifying. And did I mention that his goal rate for Brazil (25 goals in 36 matches, .694) exceeds Ronaldo’s (62 in 97, .63)? He can also score in big matches. He scored in the 2006 UEFA Cup Final with Sevilla, two in the Confederations Cup Final and two in a big qualifier against Argentina. Noticably left off the squad are AC Milan’s Pato and Santos prodigy Neymar.

Fabiano will be supported by a plethora of attacking talent. Obviously, the name on everyone’s mind is Kaka. After signing his monstrous contract with Real Madrid, Kaka struggled through an injury-plagued season, scoring eight times in just 22 matches. But overlook him at your own peril. He still scored five times in qualifying and another two in the Confederations Cup. Remember when Ronaldo battled injuries for a couple of seasons before 2002, then proceeded to score eight times? Injury-plagued seasons can be forgotten very quick in the World Cup.

Robinho may represent the last of Brazil’s dying breed of Joga Bonito players. But given the season he had at Manchester City, that might be a good thing. He battled injury, and eventually moved back to Brazilian club Santos after being moved down the pecking order. Elano will help Robinho, Kaka and Fabiano in the midfield. One of the lesser known players in the XI, Elano is a wizard with a dead ball. He’s not too bad in the run of play, either.

Defense

There’s still elements of a very dangerous attack out of Brazil’s defense, but they’re pretty committed to the cause. For the first time in ages, they’re going to play with two holding midfielders. Most likely, those players will be 33-year-old Gilberto Silva and Felipe Melo, who was criticized for a poor season at Juventus.

One of the big storylines in Brazil’s defense has been the demotion of world-class fullback Dani Alves. Despite starring for Barcelona in their treble-winning season a year ago, Alves still finds himself coming off the bench under Dunga. Maicon is a staple of Brazil’s defense, but the other fullback to start the tournament might be Kleber. It’s a pretty scary thing to realize: Brazil’s best player at the club level probably won’t even start for them. How many other teams can say that?

The central defense will be airtight, as well. With captain Lucio and Thiago Silva presiding over the back line, they should thwart the attacks of their Group G opponents. You can’t have a counterattacking side without a great defense, and that’s exactly what Dunga has. This unit won’t have the breakdowns that led to their demise in 2006.

Outlook
Some Brazilian supporters see Joga Bonito as a Brazilian tradition that should never be done away with. But if there’s one thing Brazilians like more than beautiful play, it’s winning. Under Dunga, this team has gone from a bunch of divas in 2006 to a machine that won the 2007 Copa America, Confederations Cup and dominated South American qualifying. The names may be different, their tactics may be less stylish. But this is Brazil. A trip to Johannesburg on July 11 looks likely.


Prediction

Seven points in Group G
A win over Chile in the Round of 16
A win over the Netherlands in the Quarterfinals
A win over England in the Semifinals
A loss to Spain in the Finals