This Year’s NBA Lottery is Different for the Cavaliers
May 20, 2014Among the chaotic, Grantland lists the Cavaliers as second-least appealing spot
May 20, 2014Leading up to the start of FIFA World Cup 2014, WFNY will be providing readers with breakdowns of each group, complete with player comparisons and how each team got to where they are in the tournament. First up: Group A.
Our hosts and Vegas tournament favorites, Brazil, headline the first group of the World Cup. I’m not as in love with this Brazil side as most, but it would be shocking to see them not make it out of what is possibly one of the weaker groups in the tournament. Cameroon and Mexico are both two of the traditionally stronger teams from their respective continents, but both had very underwhelming qualifying campaigns and are not headed into Brazil with much in the way of momentum. The European representative of the group, Croatia, is highly talented, but also struggled through qualifying and has only played two competitive matches under their current manager Niko Kovač.
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Brazil – The Canarinhnos (The Little Canaries)
How they got to Brazil
The host nation automatically qualifies for the World Cup…duh. Though, unlike the previous host, South Africa, Brazil, barring an epic collapse, would have qualified regardless of the existence of the automatic spot inherent in being the host nation.
The Manager – Luiz Felipe Scolari
Brazil is managed by Luiz Felipe Scolari who, along with moonlighting as a Gene Hackman impersonator, was also was at the helm of his birth nation’s team back in 2002 in Japan where he coached the Canarinhos to a fifth World Cup title allowing Brazil to leave behind Scolari’s other country of citizenship, Italy, for sole possession of most World Cup titles. Since his return as manager to the Brazilian national side in 2012 the team has posted fourteen wins, four draws, and two losses including winning the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup where the side posted wins over an impressive list of national clubs that included World Cup qualifiers Italy, Mexico, Japan, Uruguay, and Spain. Scolari’s experience managing in major international tournaments is one of the key factors contributing to the consensus of Brazil as tournament favorites come June.
The Star – Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior
On the pitch much of the pressure will be felt by twenty-two year old Barcelona forward Neymar. The young striker moved to Barcelona last summer for an astronomical (and somewhat controversial) fee. Though by no means a bust, he failed to live up to the exuberant hype that followed him as the Catalonian side failed to win any major silverware for the first time in a few years. Despite his mediocre club form, Neymar has always performed superbly for his national side. There is a wrinkle this time around though as he never has had to endure the kind of expectations he will carry as the face of Brazilian football in the world’s biggest tournament on his birth land’s soil.
(Neymar scoring for Barcelona in his first ever El Clásico against Real Madrid)
American Sports Allegory – Johnny Manziel
I actually didn’t think I’d be using Cleveland’s own Johnny Football during this series and then I go and spend him on the very first comparison. Many of the narratives surrounding Neymar are the same that surround Manziel. Neymar is one season into his move to the top of the professional soccer food chain already, but much like Manziel he’s a player that was hyped long before his arrival to the European(top level) soccer scene. Many Brazilians who transfer from their domestic league have questions following them on how they will adapt after leaving South America. Also, like our rookie QB, controversy seems to follow Neymar due to the hype that surrounded him in the years preceding his move to Barcelona. Lastly, his diminutive frame is often the main knock used against him by pundits when citing reasons he might ultimately not pan out as the superstar he’s supposed to be while his propensity for injecting a certain degree of flair into his game is what draws hype/fans to him in the first place.
Biggest Strength – Fullbacks
Brazil is a great all around team barring perhaps their goalkeeper, Julio Cesar, who is getting a little long in the tooth, but their fullbacks are a cut above any other squad in the field. Fullbacks might be the most unheralded position in all of soccer and their role varies greatly from team to team. The Brazilian fullbacks however are much more skilled in attack than is average for the position. Dani Alves and Marcelo play for Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively and both would have probably become wingers had they grown up in a different country. Since Brazil employ wide forwards who have a tendency to cut infield, Brazil rely on these fullbacks to provide width to their attacks. It is also why they then employ two holding midfielders who not only initiate attacks with their passing but are able to break up counters by covering defensively for their fullbacks when latter have bombed forward up the pitch to support the forwards.
(Barcelona right back Dani Alves providing a wonderful assist for Lionel Messi)
Measurement of Success – For Brazil anything short of winning the World Cup would be considered a failure. They have the talent, they have the manager, and they have the favor of the crowd; they just have to weather the high expectations and the highly competitive field.
Croatia – The Vatreni(The Blazers)
How they got to Brazil
Despite a vast array of talent, Croatia struggled to the finish line of UEFA World Cup qualifying by squeaking past Iceland in a two-legged playoff. To get to the playoff in the first place they finished second in a fairly strong UEFA qualifying group featuring everybody’s favorite tournament dark horse, Belgium, and a Serbian squad that was talented enough to make to Brazil, but ultimately came up short. They lost a total of three qualifying games, but two of those losses came to Scotland who only managed three wins total during their qualifying campaign. The second loss to Scotland, coming in October, 2013, prompted the firing of then manager, Igor Štimac who was replaced by current manager Niko Kovač . Kovač managed to punch the team a ticket to Brazil through the two-legged playoff with Iceland.
The Manager – Niko Kovač
Kovač is the least experienced manager in this rendition of the World Cup as he only retired from his playing career in 2009. His entire managerial career thus far has been coaching second teams and the Croatia U-21 side. His side is talented enough to make a deep run into this tournament, but his lack of a real coaching resume has to be one of the biggest question marks along with depth for this Croatian squad.
The Star- Luka Modric
Modric isn’t a “star” in the glitz and glamour sense. The sweet passing midfielder doesn’t provide much in the way of goals or assists, but he’s managed to carve himself a permanent spot in the starting eleven of the biggest club in the world, Real Madrid. Modric has brushed aside any worries that first arose over his lack of size in the middle of the pitch when he hit the English Premier League and helped guide Tottenham to its first ever Champions League appearance. At Madrid he’s continued his role as a soccer conductor. Modric is always making himself available to his teammates for a pass, constantly relieving pressure while simultaneously shuttling the ball around the field with inch perfect passes. Defensively he isn’t necessarily strong in the tackle, but he shows good anticipation skills and is rarely caught out of position. His most important asset is his ability to get the ball to the feet of the forwards regardless of angle or distance allowing the strikers to stay forward instead of having to come back into the midfield to receive the ball. He is one of the best long passers with the outside of his foot in the tournament.
(Luka Modric creating a chance against reigning World Cup champions, Spain, with a cross off the outside of his foot)
American Sports Allegory – Rajon Rondo
I would have to go with Rajon Rondo. Modric doesn’t have knack for scoring, but he makes everyone else’s life around him easier. Modric also has played on a team with huge names, mainly Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo, and has catered his game towards getting those star players involved.
Biggest Strength – Their Midfield Three
Modric represents only one member of what is lining up to be perhaps the second best midfield in the tournament just behind Spain. The Croatian national team is light on depth, but their three projected starters in midfield, Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitić, and Mateo Kovačić are all in the midst of some of the best football of their lives. Modric will be appearing soon in the Champions League final for Real Madrid and Rakitić will probably be moving onto one of Europe’s top clubs this summer after being a key cog in winning the Europa League with Sevilla. The twenty-one year old Kovačić only recently started seeing more playing time for Inter Milan, but ended his season with three assists in three matches and is perhaps primed for a breakout tournament. If there play during the season can carry over into the World Cup then Croatia are a threat to beat anyone.
(A beautiful assist from young Mateo Kovačić from just a week ago)
Measurement of Success
Due to the flux at the manager position and the lackluster qualifying campaign, Croatia’s expectations don’t quite match their talent. They could be a quarter-final team, but I imagine making it out of the group would be deemed a success for a team that has not made it out of the Group Stage since their first ever World Cup appearance in 1998.
Mexico – El Tri (The Tricolor)
How they got to Brazil
The Mexican World Cup qualifying campaign was quite the roller coaster. They went a decisive 6-0 in third round of qualifying in a group that included fellow World Cup qualifier Costa Rica, but barely snuck past Panama in the standings on the final match day of the fourth round with some help from the United States. They then crushed the international minnow that is New Zealand in a playoff for the 32nd and last spot in the World Cup final. Four different managers led Mexico from the touchline in 2013 and, like Croatia, they fired their manager heading into their playoff qualification match.
The Manager – Miguel Herrera
Herrera has only five games under his belt in charge of El Tri, sporting a four win, one draw, and zero loss record. His managerial resume was relatively unremarkable until the 2012-2013 Primera División(Mexico’s top professional soccer league) season when he helped end Club América’s fifteen season league title drought. He will rely heavily on América’s roster with as many as five players from the club possibly set to make Mexico’s twenty-three man squad come June. The biggest change he has made tactically is to employ a 3-5-2 formation over the more traditional four defenders set up.
The Star – Carlos Vela….err Giovani Dos Santos
There has been a lot of flux within this roster, but if a star has to be chosen among this crop of player it would be forward Giovani Dos Santos. Dos Santos joined the Barcelona academy at age eleven and was heralded at the age of eighteen as “the next Ronaldinho”. He never lived up to the high standards at Barcelona and was a flop at his next stop, Tottenham Hotspur in London. Through all his failures he remained a mainstay of the Mexican national team and now at the age of twenty-five it seems he has finally matured. His latest season for Spanish club Villareal was his best to date as both his goal scoring and play-making were on display as he tallied eleven goals and eight assists in thirty-one appearances. He’ll need to continue contributing both if Mexicio hope to get out of Group A.
(Dos Santos scores a free kick against Champions League finalists, Real Madrid.)
American Sports Allegory – Chauncey Billups
Dos Santos hasn’t quite reached Chauncey Billup’s level yet, but their careers have had similar arcs thus far. Billups was highly touted coming out of college and was selected third overall by the Boston Celtics. He was traded in the middle of his rookie season and after any hope of him fulfilling his potential had waned, he ended up becoming a NBA All-Star and Finals MVP. Much like Billups, I’m not sure Dos Santos will ever be considered among the best at his position, but he is still an amazing player.
Biggest Strength – Mexico’s attack would seem to be where their bread will be buttered, but with Mexico’s real star, striker Carlos Vela, refusing to play for the national team due to a dispute with the Mexican FA and their other potential star, Manchester United striker, Javier Hernández, unable to find much playing time behind Danny Welbeck, Wayne Rooney, and Robin Van Persie at Old Trafford, Mexico’s attack isn’t quite what it could be. Still, with Dos Santos playing in behind whomever Herrera selects up front between the rusty Hernández and Mexico’s leading scorer in qualifying, thirty year old striker, Oribe Perelta, El Tri should be able to produce goals. Whether or not their aging defense can prevent more goals coming from the other direction is another story.
(Mexican national team outcast, Carlos Vela, chips his club team, Real Sociedad, into the Champions League at the beginning of this season)
Measurement of Success
Due to the turmoil that persisted with this team throughout World Cup qualifying expectations are a degree below the norm for Mexico. They will hope to get past the Group Stage and into the Knockout Round, but anything beyond that is just gravy.
Cameroon – The Indomitable Lions
How they got to Brazil
Cameroon’s path to Brazil wasn’t pretty. They had a 2-0 loss against Togo in their African qualifying group turned into a 3-0 victory due to Togo playing with a player who should have been suspended. With that victory they were able to enter a playoff against Tunisia who recently had hired a new coach and failed to call up any of his European based players for the playoff due to a lack of familiarity with them and thus fielding a weakened team. Tunisia was only in the playoff to begin with because FIFA awarded them a win over Cape Verde for fielding an ineligible player. So, Cameroon stumbled through some African qualifying dysfunction and into the World Cup in what is hard to describe as anything but a streak of luck.
The Manager – Volker Finke
Cameroon is managed by Volker Finke, a German who holds the record for longest tenure at a single club in professional German soccer history at sixteen seasons with Freiburg. He was considered an innovator in his time with Freiburg and implemented what then were more foreign ideas such as defensively pressing the opposition high up the field, tactic used successfully by German club Borussia Dortmund to reach the Champions League finals last season.
The Star – Samuel Eto’o
Eto’o is one of the greatest players of his generation and is still going strong for both club and country at the age of 33(though his current manager recently suggested he might be older). Eto’o has never translated his club form completely over to his performances for Cameroon, but he also hasn’t had the same level of supporting cast.
(Eto’o scores the opening goal for Chelsea on their way to thrashing Arsenal this season.)
American Sports Allegory – Tim Duncan
Despite winning every piece of silverware under the sun including Champions League trophies with two different teams(three in total), Eto’o is never quite spoken of in the same esteem as the other greats of his generation and is yet still playing at a high level well past most of them. He didn’t have the sense of flair that his beloved former teammates Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi, or Thierry Henry had, but he is ruthlessly efficient in front of goal. He’s also performed admirably on the biggest stages of his club career including a man of the match performance against Arsenal in the 2006 Champions League final. As his abilities somewhat declined he proved he was able adapt to new roles in order to serve his team and won the Champions League with Inter Milan playing in a heavily defensive, forward role throughout much of the tournament. It is hard to believe someone with the statistics and silverware he has could be underrated, but much like Tim Duncan, he is.
Biggest Strength – Midfield
Sure, Eto’o is the star, but if Cameroon is to get out of the Group Stage they will have to do it on the back of their midfield who will be asked to do a lot of work if Cameroon is to abandon their usual sit back and counter attack style for a higher pressing one. Alex Song has been heavily criticized for his move to Barcelona where he hasn’t seen much playing time, but he will still be the gem of Cameroon’s midfield. He will be supported by veteran midfielder Jean Makoun and the up and coming Joël Matip who despite being employed as a center back for his professional club, Schalke 04, will be roaming the midfield in Brazil.
Measurement of Success
Like Croatia and Mexico, Cameroon will merely be hoping to reach the Knockout Round. The Indomitable Lions have only been there on one occasion despite qualifying for the World Cup more than any other African nation and a second appearance will surely delight their fans.
6 Comments
This is a great lead into the World Cup. Lots of good information, quick snippets, etc. I like to watch soccer, but I can’t keep track of all the players in various leagues in Europe, so its nice to get a quick overview. I assume you’re doing this for all the groups, correct?
I am and I’ll be contributing some other pieces as well. Hopefully a “young players to watch” list, a Must-View-Matches list, and also my predictions in terms of the bracket/groups + leading goal scorer etc…
And to mexico, we say. De Nada
This is some of the most excellent stuff on this site. Kudos. My only issue is that everything is so well covered, I’m not sure what’s left to add in the comments section.
Very nice write up!
Really think Brazil and Croatia get out of this one. If Croatia falters, though, it will almost certainly be to the advantage of El Tri. It would be very much our luck to see Mexico, really only here because of our assist, advance while we are packing for home. That would be the most frustrating outcome of this Cup for me.