All times Eastern Daylight Time (UTC -4)
June 12th, 4:00 p.m., Arena de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo
Brazil vs. Croatia
June 13th, 12:00 p.m., Estadio das Dunas, Natal
Mexico vs. Cameroon
June 17th, 3:00 p.m., Estadio Castelao, Fortaleza
Brazil vs. Mexico
June 18th, 6:00 p.m., Arena Amazonia, Manaus
Cameroon vs. Croatia
June 23rd, 4:00 p.m., Estadio Nacional, Brasilia
Cameroon vs. Brazil
June 23rd, 4:00 p.m. Arena Pernambuco, Recife
Croatia vs. Mexico
Teams
Brazil
Bullets
- World Ranking: 3rd
- World Cup Appearances: 20 (Last in 2010)
- Best World Cup Finish: Champions (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002)
- Qualified automatically as host nation
- 13-1-1, 44 Goals For and 8 Goals Against in last 12 months
- Manager: Luiz Felipe Scolari. Manager since November 2012, Scolari previously led Brazil to a World Cup championship in 2002. Won 2013 Confederations Cup for Brazil. He managed Portugal from 2003-2008, reaching the World Cup semifinals in 2006 and Euro Final in 2004
- Captain: Thiago Silva. Defender, Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
- Odds to Win World Cup (via Bodog): 3/1
Name (Kit Number, Club (Country Included if not Domestic))
Goalkeepers: Jefferson (#1, Botafogo), Julio Cesar (#12, Toronto FC, CAN), Victor (#22, Atletico Mineiro)
Defenders: Dani Alves (#2, Barcelona, ESP), Dante (#13, Bayern Munich, GER), David Luiz (#4, Chelsea, ENG), Henrique (#15, Napoli, ITA), Maicon (#23, Roma, ITA), Marcelo (#6, Real Madrid, ESP), Maxwell (#14, Paris Saint-Germain, FRA), Thiago Silva (#3, Paris Saint-Germain, FRA)
Midfielders: Fernandinho (#5, Manchester City, ENG), Hernanes (#18, Inter Milan, ITA), Luiz Gustavo (#17, Wolfsburg, GER), Oscar (#11, Chelsea, ENG), Paulinho (#8, Tottenham Hotspur, ENG), Ramires (#16, Chelsea, ENG), Willian (#19, Chelsea, ENG)
Forwards: Bernard (#20, Shakhtar Donetsk, UKR), Fred (#9, Fluminense), Hulk (#7, Zenit St. Petersburg, RUS), Jo (#21, Atletico Mineiro), Neymar (#10, Barcelona, ESP)
Possible Starting XI
One of the most dangerous teams in the world offensively, there are very few players on Brazil that can't put the ball in the net, forcing every opponent they face in to a defensive footing. They'll count on their front 4 for the bulk of goals though. Chelsea midfielder Oscar has excelled as an attacking midfielder for his club and is the catalyst through which Brazil will play. All of the midfielders are capable of being facilitators to the forwards. Fred, or Jo are likely to be the centre forwards in Brazil, and both are huge aerial threats, with Jo perhaps more skilled on the rush. Neymar and Hulk will play offset on the wings and can score from wide or cut to the centre of the field for opportunities.
A key fixture in Brazilian offence for years has been their use of their fullbacks. Both Marcelo and Dani Alves, or whoever is in the fullback roles will be expected to push forward in attack and be able to facilitate crosses so Brazil can flood the penalty area with their wingers and midfielders.
Defence
Defence has been an issue for Brazil in previous tournaments. The offensive nature of their game can leave them susceptible to counter-attacks and odd-man rushes when they overextend themselves up the field. Brazil relies heavily on their defensive midfielders to hold up rushes and allow time for the fullbacks (and David Luiz possibly; more on that later) to get back and restore a numbers advantage for Brazil. This is a role that Luiz Gustavo has filled for years in the German Bundesliga for Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg, and will be expected to take over again in Brazil.
If there is a weak point on Brazil, it is expected to be in goal. Julio Cesar has been the number one for Brazil for years, and was not long ago considered a challenger for the best goalkeeper in the world. A 2012 move to QPR in England was the beginning of a fall for Cesar though. Cesar spent much of this season on the bench behind Robert Green, leading to a loan to Major League Soccer side Toronto FC. The loan has given Cesar some playing time, but his form hasn't always looked sharp and there is ample criticism for how the MLS compares to the top leagues in the world. Scolari has given his full confidence to Cesar, but questions will loom throughout the tournament on whether Cesar has enough left to backstop Brazil to a world title.
3 Key Players
Neymar. At 22 years old, and with nearly 50 caps already for Brazil, Neymar is the undisputed star for the most soccer-mad nation in the world, and considered to be amongst the top echelon of players in the world. The forward has 30 goals for his country, all of them since the last World Cup where Neymar was not included in Dunga's Brazilian team Already a star in the soccer world, Neymar established himself as a world household name in the 2013 Confederations Cup, scoring 4 goals in 5 games as he led Brazil to victory, being awarded best player in the process.
Capable of playing all over the field in the attacking zone, Neymar has typically been slotted in as a left winger in Brazil's 4-3-3 attack. His speed and creativity are able to cause problems for unsuspecting opponents, and draw defenders away from the penalty area to open things up for the rest of the Brazilian attackers. Brazil will be more then happy to allow Neymar the freedom to roam to the centre of the field and act as both a creator and a finisher.
Like many teams in this tournament, Brazil is a different team with Neymar on his game. No other player on Brazil can create the offensive havoc that Neymar can, and for a nation that prides itself on offensive, creative football, Neymar will be the key to ensuring that happens.
Thiago Silva. The captain is the rock that Brazil counts on as the last line defence as they throw players forward in attack. Universally regarded as one of the best central defenders in the world, Silva possesses all of the qualities you look for in a defender, most notably his speed/strength and soccer intelligence. Silva knows where everyone is on the field at all times and it is almost impossible to beat him in a 1-on-1 situation.
Silva will be especially looked to for his defensive presence paired with future PSG teammate David Luiz in the centre of the Brazil defence. For all of his skills, Luiz has been known to wander, and it will be Silva left to pick up the pieces if this ends up burning Brazil at any point in the tournament.
Oscar. Another young star for Brazil at 22, Oscar has filled the role vacated on the national team by Kaka in the central midfield, as the primary playmaker for Brazil. Oscar is an exceptional passer and has tremendous field awareness for such a young midfielder. In an offence that features possession in tight spaces and a lot of one-touch balls, Oscar is the engine needed to get the ball to Neymar and the other forwards so they can finish plays off. An all-around player though, Oscar is capable of scoring himself if necessary, with 9 goals for Brazil since 2011, to go with a dozen Premier League goals since joining Chelsea 2 years ago.
Other Name to Know
This section is mostly for my whimsy. Sometimes I'll have serious or informative points to make. Not this time though.
Hulk. Traditional in Brazilian football is for players to go by a single name, often a shortform of a given name or a nickname handed down in a childhood from peers/coaches/etc. When you see the name Hulk, you might think he's a brutish, violent player. That isn't entirely inaccurate at times, but not the reason for the name. The real reason:
(via ESPN) (via Disney)
Yep. The Hulk name comes from his resemblance to former The Incredible Hulk actor Lou Ferrigno. This surely won't be the last time you hear about this in the next 6 weeks.
Overall Impression
Brazil is the oddsmakers favourite to win at home and it's easy to see why. A prolific offence led by one of the best players in the world is bolstered by a rock solid central defence. The biggest question for me is can they handle the pressure of playing at home. Pressure on Brazil is high at all times, in front of a home crowd as the favourite as made expectations astronomical. Anything less than a world championship will be seen as a failure. Not exactly an easy scenario to be under, for a team that is still young in many ways.
Brazil have been afforded the luxury of a relatively straightforward group, but a potential Round of 16 matchup against one of the 2010 finalists looms and should be the first big test for Brazil.
Cameroon
Bullets
- World Ranking: 56th
- World Cup Appearances: 7 (Last in 2010)
- Best World Cup Finish: Quarterfinals (1990)
- Received bye in Round 1 of African qualifying. Finished 1st in Round 2:Group I, 4 points ahead of Libya to advance to Round 3. Defeated Tunisia 4-1 in Round 3:Pairing 3 to qualify.
- 5-1-2, 12 Goals For and 4 Goals Against in qualifying.
- Leading Goalscorers in Qualifying: Eric Choupo-Moting, Samuel Eto'o, Jean Makoun (2)
- 5-4-5, 16 Goals For and 13 Goals Against in last 12 months
- Manager: Volker Finke (GER). Finke took over as manager May 2013. Long time coach of Freiburg in Germany, this is Finke's first job managing a national team.
- Captain: Samuel Eto'o. Forward, Chelsea (ENG)
- Odds to Win World Cup (via Bodog): 500/1
Goalkeepers: Loic Feudjou (#1, Coton Sport), Charles Itandje (#16, Konyaspor, TUR), Sammy N'Djock (#23, Fethiyespor, TUR)
Defenders: Benoit Assou-Ekotto (#2, Queens Park Rangers, ENG), Henri Bedimo (#12, Olympique Lyonnais, FRA), Aurelien Chedjou (#14, Galatasaray, TUR), Cedric Djeugoue (#4, Coton Sport), Nicolas N'Koulou (#3, Marseille, FRA), Dany Nounkeu (#5, Besiktas, TUR), Allan Nyom (#22, Granada, ESP)
Midfielders: Eyong Enoh (#18, Antalyaspor, TUR), Jean Makoun (#11, Rennes, FRA), Joel Matip (#21, Schalke 04, GER), Stephane Mbia (#17, Sevilla, ESP), Landry N'Guemo (#7, Bordeaux, FRA), Edgar Salli (#20, Lens, FRA), Alex Song (#6, Barcelona, ESP)
Forwards: Vincent Aboubakar (#10, Lorient, FRA), Eric Choupo-Moting (#13, Mainz 05, GER), Samuel Eto'o (#9, Chelsea, ENG), Benjamin Moukandjo (#8, Nancy, FRA), Fabrice Olinga (#19, Zulte Waregem, BEL), Pierre Webo (#15, Fenerbahce, TUR)
Possible Starting XI
An aging Cameroon offensive front will look for some more magic from their stars before turning to the next generation of players. As has been the case for the past decade, this an offence based around 33-year-old Samuel Eto'o, the top scorer and undisputed top player in Cameroon history. Age has caught up to Eto'o in the past few years, but that did not stop him from notching 9 goals in 21 appearances for Chelsea this past season. When healthy, he remains a dangerous player who when given any room to manoeuvre will put the ball in the back of the net.
It's a bit of a mixed bag for Cameroon, with known world-class players in Song and Makoun and a group of others hoping to create offence for Cameroon, most notably youngster Vincent Aboubakar on the wing. Aboubakar averaged 2 goals every 3 games for Lorient this season and his size should prove a problem for opposig defences.
Size will be something Cameroon look to exploit throughout this tournament. Most of their midfielders and forwards are over 6 feet tall and they pose a huge threat to all opponents off of set pieces as a result.
Defence
*tugs collar nervously*
Where to begin? This is a unit that has surrendered almost as many goals as have been scored in the past year, and who have looked very shaky in pre-tournament games. The talent is there, all of the projected starting defence play for major clubs in Europe, but as a unit there are times when it appears they've never played together before. Barcelona midfielder Alex Song should be assuming the central midfield role in Cameroon's 4-3-3, and while he can provide an attacking threat, Song's primary responsibility must be to hang back and limit the exposure the Cameroon defence has to the dynamic offences they'll face in group play.
3 Key Players
Samuel Eto'o. A dynamic goalscorer and arguably the best African player of the past decade, Samuel Eto'o is a game-changer every time he is on the field. Thought to have his best days behind him having gone to Anzhi Makhachkala in Russia in 2011, Eto'o returned to the English Premier League this year with Chelsea and was a difference-maker off the bench primarily for the London club. Eto'o will be called upon by Cameroon (1 last time potentially) to be their offensive catalyst and lead them out of the group stages.
Eto'o's form is not a concern, provided that he is healthy which is a question at this point. Eto'o missed the end of the Premier League season and sat out the first tune-up game for Cameroon to rest tendinitis in his knees. Tendinitis is a concerning condition in that there's no cure but rest and while that may allow Eto'o to play in the group stages, it is a recurring injury and there's no predicting his health going in to games 2 and 3. Plain and simple, if Eto'o cannot go, then Cameroon have lost a huge chunk of their ability to score and subsequently advance out of the group.
Alex Song. Outside the first squad with Barcelona the past 2 years, Song has found a niche with the top Spanish club as their primary holding midfielder. Song will have to expand on that role, as he will called upon to be the last bastion of support before a porous Cameroon defence.
Chedjou/N'Koulou. The anticipated starting defence for Cameroon, no other group of players is more important to their success than Aurelien Chedjou and Nicolas N'Koulou will be. Cameroon is an extremely athletic team but their football awareness, like many African teams lacks compared to Europe and South America and it has been evident leading up to the tournament that Cameroon is lost with the opposing team in attack. Their central defence have 2 weeks to figure things out before facing teams that can confuse the best of defences with their attacks.
Other Name to Know
Charles Itandje. Only able to represent Cameroon since 2010 after an eligibility spat with FIFA, Itandje has established himself as the clear number one for the most successful team in Africa. What has stood out to most viewers recently his Itandje's beard, and subsequent resemblance to Houston Rockets' James Harden.
HARDEN
ITANDJE
Not sold on Itandje's beard yet. If he is still around come Russia 2018 then this could be an even fight. Until then, Advantage: Harden.
Overall Impression
TBD, depending on recoveries from various injuries. Eto'o played yesterday and scored against Germany which is promising for Cameroon, but they are still without Pierre Webo who injured a shoulder a week ago.
Assuming they are 100%, they will contend for second place in Group A. 2nd position is wide open without much separating the 3 teams contending for it (Brazil excluded). Defence will be the key point for Cameroon. They can score goals when healthy, that everyone knows. Preventing them is a different story.
Croatia
Bullets
- World Ranking: 18th
- World Cup Appearances: 4 (Last in 2006)
- Best World Cup Finish: Third Place (1998)
- Finished 2nd, 9 points behind Belgium, in Europe Round 1:Group A. Advanced to Round 2 as one of the top runners-up in Round 1. Defeated Iceland 2-0 in Round 2:Pairing 4 to qualify.
- 6-3-3, 14 Goals For and 9 Goals Against in qualifying.
- Leading Goalscorer in Qualifying: Mario Mandzukic (4)
- 4-4-3, 13 Goals For and 13 Goals Against in last 12 months
- Manager: Niko Kovac. Kovac took over Croatia in October 2013. Managed the Croatian U-21 team prior to taking over.
- Captain: Darijo Srna. Defender, Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)
- Odds to Win World Cup (via Bodog): 150/1
Goalkeepers: Stipe Pletikosa (#1, FC Rostov, RUS), Danijel Subasic (#23, Monaco, FRA), Oliver Zelenika (#12, NK Lokomotiva)
Defenders: Vedran Corluka (#5, Lokomotiv Moscow, RUS), Dejan Lovren (#6, Southampton, ENG), Danijel Pranjic (#3, Panathinaikos, GRE), Gordon Schildenfeld (#13, Panathinaikos, GRE), Darijo Srna (#11, Shakhtar Donetsk, UKR), Domagoj Vida (#21, Dynamo Kyiv, UKR), Sime Vrsaljko (#2, Genoa, ITA)
Midfielders: Marcelo Brozovic (#14, Dinamo Zagreb), Mateo Kovacic (#20, Inter Milan, ITA) Ivan Mocinic (#15, HNK Rijeka), Luka Modric (#10, Real Madrid, ESP), Ivan Perisic (#4, Wolfsburg, GER), Ivan Rakitic (#7, Sevilla, ESP), Sammir (#19, Getafe, ESP), Ognjen Vukojevic (#8, Dynamo Kyiv, UKR)
Forwards: Eduardo (#22, Shakhtar Donetsk, UKR), Nikica Jelavic (#9, Hull City, ENG), Mario Mandzukic (#17, Bayern Munich, GER), Ivica Olic (#18, Wolfsburg, GER), Ante Rebic (#16, Fiorentina, ITA)
Possible Starting XI
Mario Mandzukic is the centrepiece of this attack, and unfortunately for Croatia, he will miss the opener against Brazil after being suspended as a result of rough play in their final qualifier against Iceland. Without Mandzukic, this is a team without any goalscoring identity. Odds are that Mandzukic's place will be taken by Eduardo (more on him later).
Even if Mandzukic is in the lineup, Croatia will depend heavily on Luka Modric and Ivan Perisic if they want to advance from the group. Modric had a breakout season this year with Real Madrid, the kind they expected after signing him in 2012 and was one of the leaders in their UEFA Champions League run. Modric is capable of playing anywhere in the midfield, and I expect Croatia to put him in the centre of the field with freedom to roam and create scoring chances from all over the offensive part of the field.
Perisic, likely to start on the left wing has the best shot at being the second scoring option behind Mandzukic. Perisic scored twice in a tune-up game against Mali, and was a focal point of the attack for Wolfsburg this year, along with Croatia teammate and right winger Ivica Olic.
Defence
Darijo Srna headlines a defence that will have over 250 combined appearances for Croatia on opening day against Brazil. Croatia's wingbacks Srna and Danijel Pranjic are both likely in their last World Cup and while not providing the offensive threat that teams like Brazil can, will bolster a central defence anchored by 24-year-old Dejan Lovren. Lovren had a brilliant season for Southampton and has been linked with a number of top-flight European clubs, seeking his services for next season.
In goal for Croatia will be Stipe Pletikosa, who at age 35, has 110 appearances for the national team and is one of the most experienced goalkeepers at the tournament.
3 Key Players
Luka Modric. One of the most versatile players that will feature in Brazil, Croatia will likely call on Modric to do a bit of everything for them as they try to advance from the group stages. Not necessarily a goalscoring threat, Modric's passing and ability to maneouvre and avoid tackles in tight spaces make him an ideal playmaker, and he has a number of options in front of him that will benefit from his ability to get them the ball in scoring positions.
While expected to start in a holding midfield role for Croatia, expect to see Modric all over the field as Niko Kovac gives him free rein to do what he sees fit to make plays happen. Ivan Rakitic is expected to share the defensive midfield with Modric and will be called upon to play a more defensive role than usual to allow Modric more freedom in this offence.
Mario Mandzukic. Make no mistake, Mandzukic's suspension for the Brazil game is a huge blow for this squad. Mandzukic had his breakthrough in the 2012-13 season, scoring 22 goals for Bayern Munich in a backup role to Mario Gomez. Gomez's departure in 2013 led to a more prominent role for Mandzukic who followed up that campaign with 26 goals this past season. At 6'2", Mandzukic is an ideal target man who can score goals via his head and both feet, and will be counted on as the primary source of goals for Croatia.
Darijo Srna. Srna has spent the past decade at Shakhtar Donetsk, and has been one of the primary forces behind Donetsk's emergence as one of the top clubs in Europe. Long-time captain of Croatia, Srna provides the biggest offensive threat out of the backfield for Croatia. Capable of playing in the midfield, Srna will anchor the Croatia defence from right back, and often is the one leading any counter-attacks out of the Croatian zone. Look for any long-range free kicks or right-side corners to come from Srna as he looks to find Mandzukic and the other forwards for Croatia in the penalty area.
Other Name to Know
Sammir/Eduardo. It's a homecoming for Sammir and Eduardo, both born in Brazil but who represent Croatia after coming up through the Croatian club system and obtaining Croatian citizenship. While neither is expected to play a prominent role in Croatia's World Cup bid, their Brazilian heritage will provide plenty of opportunites for the media to dote on in World Cup coverage,
Overall Impression
A tough team to predict, Croatia does everything well, and nothing fantastic. Biggest key to getting to the Round of 16 will be the play of everyone not named Modric and Mandzukic. Croatia relies on a full 11-man performance unit to succeed, and you can be sure that teams will be focused on both of those players in attempting to shut them down. If the rest of the team can step up and force attention off of Modric and Mandzukic, Croatia will likely have success in their battle for second place.
Mexico
Bullets
- World Ranking: 20th
- World Cup Appearances: 15 (Last in 2010)
- Best World Cup Finish: Quarterfinals (1970, 1986)
- Received byes in North America Rounds 1 and 2. Finished 1st in Round 3:Group B, 8 points ahead of Costa Rica, to advance to Round 4. Finished 4th, 11 points behind USA, in Round 4 and advanced to intercontinental playoff against New Zealand. Defeated New Zealand 9-3 in playoff to qualify.
- 10-3-5, 31 Goals For and 14 Goals Against in qualifying.
- Leading Goalscorer in Qualifying: Oribe Peralta (10)
- 11-7-6, 40 Goals For and 25 Goals Against in last 12 months
- Manager: Miguel Herrera. Took over as manager on an interim basis October 2013. Interim tag was removed December 2013. No prior international manager experience, Herrera's last job was with Club America in Mexico.
- Captain: Rafael Marquez. Defender, Leon
- Odds to Win World Cup (via Bodog): 125/1
Goalkeepers: Jose de Jesus Corona (#1, Cruz Azul), Guillermo Ochoa (#13, Ajaccio, FRA), Alfredo Talavera (#12, Toluca)
Defenders: Paul Aguilar (#22, America), Andres Guardado (#18, Bayer Leverkusen, GER), Miguel Layun (#7, America), Rafael Marquez (#4, Leon), Hector Moreno (#15, Espanyol, ESP), Miguel Angel Ponce (#16, Toluca), Diego Reyes (#5, FC Porto, POR), Francisco Javier Rodriguez (#2, America), Carlos Salcido (#3, Tigres de la UANL)
Midfielders: Javier Aquino (#20, Villarreal, ESP), Isaac Brizuela (#17, Toluca), Marco Fabian (#8, Cruz Azul), Hector Herrera (#6, FC Porto, POR), Carlos Pena (#21, Leon), Jose Juan Vazquez (#23, Leon)
Forwards: Javier Hernandez (#14, Manchester United, ENG), Raul Jimenez (#9, America), Oribe Peralta (#19, Santos Laguna), Alan Pulido (#11, Tigres de la UANL), Giovani dos Santos (#10, Villarreal, ESP)
Possible Starting XI
I will openly admit that the above formation is an educated guess at best. No one quite knows what to expect out of Mexico this tournament as they experiment with a 2-3-5 formation that a few other countries are debuting as well. Regardless of formation, Mexico are blessed with a pair of talented goalscorers in Javier Hernandez and Oribe Peralta, who combined to score 15 times in qualifying. Hernandez has long been viewed as the top option at forward Mexico, but it was Peralta who at age 28 has come on of recent, scoring 10 goals for Mexico within the last year to provide a secondary option to Hernandez up front.
Mexico is expected to run out a 2-3-5 formation in Brazil which will put extra pressure on their midfield to create opportunites for their forwards. Mexico has a pair of players who are expected to be the primary creators for their squad. While only 25, Giovani dos Santos has close to 75 caps for Mexico, and is the best attacking option if the Mexican midfield. dos Santos has speed and quickness to spare, but his decision-making and passing have let him down in the past. The other option for an attacking midfielder is Carlos Pena. Pena's ability to read the play still leaves some to be desired but his creativity and passing have so far exceeded that of dos Santos and his ability to find players in the opposing area will be a huge asset to Mexico.
Defence
Mexico's switch to a 5-defender system is partly due to manager Miguel Herrera's philosophy, but also due in part to the Brazilian climate teams will be forced to play in as well as a relatively ancient core of central defenders at his disposal.
3 Key Players
Javier Hernandez. The Manchester United forward is somewhat maligned in Mexican media, with most criticizing that Hernandez is only effective within 6 yards of goal. To those I say, Yes, Hernandez is incredibly effective within 6 yards of goal. Hernandez does not bring much in the way of a defensive or playmaking game, but if he gets the ball towards goal in the opposing penalty area, the ball is going to be in the back of the net. There are plenty of teams in this tournament that would kill to have a player of Hernandez's ability, and he will be a difference-maker in the Mexican attack.
Oribe Peralta. Hernandez's partner up front, Peralta will be counted on to provide some creativity and playmaking from the forward role, despite his goal-scoring prowess. Peralta is still relatively new to the world stage at age 30, having not scored any of his 16 goals prior to August 2011. Peralta's chemistry up front with Hernandez will be key if Mexico hope to advance from the group, as they are the 2 players on Mexico that opponents need to fear at all times when they have the ball.
Giovani dos Santos. Some Mexican fans will disagree with me and that's fine, but I truly feel this team needs Giovani dos Santos in order to succeed. Criticized by many and projected by some to not even be in their starting 11 for Brazil, dos Santos is the most dynamic player in the Mexican midfield at Miguel Herrera's disposal. At his best, his touches and ball-striking ability are world-class, at his worst, fans and players are left shaking their heads in frustration. You need to take chances in the World Cup and good Giovani is far better then everything else Mexico has to offer. Worst case scenario, you have Carlos Pena to cover if bad Giovani shows up early in a game.
Other Name to Know
Rafael Marquez. Marquez was handed the captain's armband in the 2002 World Cup at age 23, and has never looked back, becoming one of the most decorated Mexican players of all time. Now 35, Marquez is looking at captaining Mexico for a an unprecedented 4th World Cup, as he leads their now 3-man central defence.
Overall Impression
One of the toughest teams to predict, as any given game Mexico can come out flying or leave you wondering why they're even in the tournament. Moving to a 2-3-5 will help them I think, not necessa..rily for tactical or climatic reasons but simply because 2 of the 3 starters in the central defence are over 30 and don't run nearly as well as they used to. This limits their vulnerability and still allows their young fullbacks to push up in support.
What remains to be seen is if Mexico can generate the scoring chances required in their new formation. They've succeeded so far in beating Israel and Ecuador in warmup games, but they'll need a result against a far superior Brazil or Croatia defence in order to escape the group.
FINAL THOUGHTS AND PREDICTIONS
I'm not yet sold on Brazil as the favourite in the tournament, but I do think it's clear they're the class of this group. I can't see any of the other teams matching up defensively against everything Brazil offers in attack, and while Mexico in particular has the ability to respond, I don't think it will be enough. A draw along the way is possible but I see Brazil coming out of this group with 9 points...
Which leaves the expected 3-way battle for second. Of the 3, expect Cameroon to be the trailer in the group. Their defence has given way too many opportunities and runs leading up to the tournament and with 2 strikers on the mend from injury, I don't think they can recover from that. The intriguing match for them is against Croatia in Manaus. Croatia gets Mandzukic back but is playing in what everyone has called one of the most inhospitable venues in World Cup history. Played in the heart of the Amazon, the Arena Amazonia promises to be a hot, humid nightmare for teams and no one can predict how Croatia in particular will react to the environment.
Penultimate match will likely be Croatia/Mexico on June 23rd. Regardless of the Manaus result, I expect Croatia won't be able to escape this game with a tie. They have the defensive organization to hold up Mexico, but will need a big game from their stars to top them on the final day of the group.
Projected Standings
Brazil: 9 pts
Mexico: 4 pts
Croatia: 2 pts
Cameroon: 1 pt
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