World Cup Predictions & Picks – Group A

World Cup Group A

The Bafana Bafana will not only be carrying the burden of hosting the first World Cup on African soil, but will feel the pressure to qualify for the round of 16, as no host nation has ever failed to advance past the opening round. The South Africans will have their work cut out for them as they have failed to make it beyond the group stages in both of their previous FIFA World Cup appearances. Newly appointed boss, Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira, will be at the helm as he searches to regain the respect he has lost after coaching Brazil to a World Cup victory in 1994. Much of the side’s success will depend on the efforts both captain Aaron Mokoena, and talented midfield maestro Steven Pienaar of Everton. The team will also rely heavily on the unsung heroics of a versatile, hard working and resilient back Siboniso Gaxa, as well as Tsepho Masilela, a winger who strikes fear into opponents with his rampaging forays down the left-hand side.

Mexico has reached a pinnacle of 14 World Cup finals appearance–the most in CONCACAF history, but have yet to hoist any hardware. For starters, Los Tricolores will be happy to get their fifth trip to the second round. New hope surrounds Atletico Madrid boss Javier Aguirre to get that job done.  El Vasco, as he is known, has put together a side comprising of bright young talents and established superstars. Mexico completed the six-team qualification group in the CONCACAF Zone finishing in second place, winning five, drawing one and losing just the one. The side’s most impressive performance came in the Gold Cup final almost one year ago when, after a scoreless deadlock with the USA at half time, rallied for five in the second half, hammering the Americans 5-0. They are led by 36-year old veteran center midfielder, Cuauhtemoc Blanco, who is surrounded by a host of promising youngsters such as Guillermo Ochoa, Efrain Juarez, Andres Guardado, Arsenal’s Carlos Vela and Tottenham striker Giovani dos Santos. Along with skipper Rafael Marquez, this squad should lift Mexico beyond the Round of 16, where they have been knocked out at the last four FIFA World Cup finals.

Uruguay is the group’s dark horse. La Celeste is a mere shadow of the their former selves as a world football super power, after having made just two appearances in the last five FIFA World Cup finals and failing to advance beyond the last 16 since the 1970 tournament in Mexico. Desperate for a better showing, the Uruguayans have entrusted 62-year old boss Oscar Tabarez, to get the job done. He will certainly have the resources to advance the side beyond the group phase and into the knockout rounds for the first time in two decades. La Celeste finished fifth in the ten-team qualifying group, collecting 24 points and scoring 28 goals, the third highest behind Brazil and Chile. The squad is a blend of youth as well as veteran standouts and is led by Atletico Madrid striker Diego Forlan. Forlan won the Pichichi award for top scorer in La Liga last season, as well the European Golden Shoe. He will be paired with forward Luis Suarez from Ajax Amsterdam fame as the two look to provide some offense punch up top. The backline will be solid and is anchored by captain — central defender Diego Lugano, who likes to combine his defensive duties with often-profitable forays into the opposing penalty box.

Lastly, the group’s favorite to finish first, is France.  Les Bleus have appeared in 12 final tournaments, but have only won once on home soil in 1998.  Keeping true to their style of stingy defense, the French did not score a lot of goals in qualifying, but netted just enough to finish in second place, one point behind Serbia in Group 7.  Head coach Raymond Domenech should have no problem guiding his squad through the group stage. He will have an excellent squad at his disposal with the likes of captain Thierry Henry, Nicolas Anelka, and Real Madrid youngster Karim Benzema. They will be aided by an able bunch with the likes of Bordeaux’s Yoann Gourcuff, left winger Florent Malouda of Chelsea fame, and controversial Franck Ribery of Bayern, who’s arguably the most talented of all France’s attacking options.

This will be an exciting group to watch. France will have to play smart in their first match against Uruguay securing an early win, and then must follow with at least a draw with the Mexicans. If they can pull that combination off, their final match South Africa won’t carry much weight, at least from them. Meanwhile, La Celeste probably has the group’s most fearsome lineup of strikers, but will not only need a solid outing against France, but wins against South Africa and Mexico if they want to advance. El Tri will be the pivotal squad in this group, having the talent to advance from the group stage and the ability to down the South Africans and Uruguay. They will need to start with a win over South Africa, who will have a very tough time of advancing out of this group. But there is a first time for everything and there can be no greater motivation than representing their country in a FIFA World Cup on home soil. The one intangible advantage is that they will have the support of the home crowd.