Road to World Cup – Group G

Brazil
The five time champions have never missed a World Cup and yet again enter the tournament as one of the favorites. Last year they came to South Africa and won the Confederations Cup. This time they are placed in a highly competitive group. But they are Brazil, they should be reaching the next round even if they do struggle. Their coach Dunga has won the World Cup as a player and he certainly can do it as a coach. Unlike Maradona, Dunga has a better character and he can be a better coach. They were the favorites last time too but only to be beaten by a determined France in the quarter-finals. This time though they will be more careful and look better as a team than how they were last time. Like before they have enough quality players with them to do well and achieve the expectation.
See the 2009 Confederations Cup final highlights. Brazil beat USA 3-2.
Key Players: Ricardo Kaka, Julio Cesar, Lucio, Maicon, Dani Alves, Luis Fabiano.

Portugal

Real Madrid teammates Ronaldo and Kaka will give their best for their respective countries.

A strong squad, might well have to settle for second place with Brazil around. They have got Cristiano Ronaldo, who can change the game. The team is currently ranked third in FIFA rankings. This is only their fifth World Cup and the best so far was in 2006 when they finished fourth, losing to Germany. Portugal\’s 2006 campaign will be remembered more for this(4 red cards in 1 match).. More recently they reached the quarter-finals of the Euro 2008. Their coach Carlos Queiroz was twice an assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and he did experience a unsuccessful time as the head coach of Real Madrid only to be sacked after just one season. Nani has been ruled out of the World Cup. Though Portugal will miss him, his absence wont make much difference.
Key Players: Cristiano Ronaldo, Ricardo Carvalho, Deco, Raul Meireles.

Ivory Coast
Last time they were in a group consisting Argentina and Netherlands and this time also they are quite unlucky to be grouped with Brazil and Portugal. Not that they cannot beat Brazil and Portugal, but they really have to work hard. Abundant talent present in this team and if there is any African country that can go far in this World Cup it has to be Ivory Coast. Their coach Sven-Goran Eriksson couldn’t go past the quarter-finals in his two attempts with England and rather had a disappointing short tenure with Mexico. However, he has got the experience and the kind of players to take them past the group stage.
Key Players: Didier Drogba, Kolo Toure, Yaya Toure, Didier Zokora, Emmanuel Eboue.

Korea DPR
Better known as North Korea, this is their first World Cup since 1966 and their previous best performance was in the same year when they reached quarter-finals. This team had to start from scratch to qualify for the World Cup which must be appreciated. There is nothing much that can be said about this team as the country itself remains isolated from rest of the world.
Key Players: Hong Yong-Jo, Kim-Kuk Jin. They are the only two players who are playing for an European club.

This group looks tight. Brazil, Portugal and Ivory Coast will have to fight it out and one of them sadly has to go out. I hope Brazil and Ivory Coast do advance to the next round.