More World Cup 2022 Musings and Hot Takes

As of the writing of this post, the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup have concluded, and these matches have been the most memorable quarter-final matches in some time. I have another collection of random thoughts on my mind while watching these matches, and here they are:

World Cup 2022 Musings + A Weekend in Tampa Bay

I just got back from an extended weekend in the Tampa Bay area to attend a wedding, and I got to say I had a wonderful time while I was away, and I am not talking about the warm weather. This is going to be a bit of a mishmash blog with my collection of thoughts I had during my time on the west coast of Florida where I feel like I am going to touch on everything. I feel like my mind is being more active, and I am bursting to get these thoughts on this blog post, so let us do this.

My World Cup 2022 Bracket

The World Cup is finally on the horizon, and there has been much expected buzz on the tournament. However, I would argue that there is as much negative press about the tournament (and in particular, the country hosting the World Cup) as there is hype and expectation. The 2022 World Cup in Qatar has been dogged by scandal. It is no secret that Qatar was able to host the World Cup through bribery, corruption, and shady backroom deals with the horrifically corrupt FIFA and other officials. It is also important to mention that many migrant workers coming to Qatar to build the important World Cup infrastructure experienced poor working conditions, illness, and even death. Throughout this tournament, we cannot ignore these things, and this has led to some people actively saying that they will not watch a single minute of this World Cup (aka "boycotting" watching the tournament).

My Top 10 Moments of the 2014 World Cup

The 2014 FIFA World Cup is unfortunately over, and it was an incredible tournament. Most of the teams provided entertaining football, and it was almost a complete contrast to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where most teams played not to lose. The 2014 tournament provided some amazing moments that I will remember for a very long time. Here are my top 10 moments of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, in chronological order.

1: Robin Van Persie's "flying header" against Spain

www.ballball.com

This was probably the most photogenic moment of the World Cup. Daley Blind puts in an absolute peach of a cross, and Van Persie sprints ahead of the ball-watching Spanish defence. He does well to adjust his body and it almost seemed like he jumped into the ball to head it past a helpless Iker Casillas and into the net. That goal definitely put a literal definition into the phrase "Flying Dutchman", and helped the Netherlands towards a rout of Spain.

2: Guillermo Ochoa's diving save against Neymar (Brazil vs. Mexico)

www.mlssoccer.com

It was almost inhuman how Ochoa managed to get to the ball and make a spectacular diving fingertip save on Neymar's powerful, perfectly placed header. You would think that heading that ball with power towards the side of the net would be a sure goal, but Ochoa almost made that save look effortless. It was indeed the save of the tournament. Ochoa's save, and his performance in general, ensured a draw against the high-powered hosts of Brazil.

3: Tim Cahill's volley for Australia against the Netherlands

www.independent.co.uk

A hopeful long ball into the box turned into the goal of the tournament. Australia weren't going to produce much, but who honestly saw that coming? Tim Cahill took one look at that long ball and then launched a nuclear missile of a volley off the bottom of the crossbar and into the net. It was a thunderous strike which Jasper Cillessen had no chance of saving.

4: Lionel Messi's last-gasp winner against Iran

www.wired868.com

Argentina and Iran were locked in a defensive battle for the majority of the match, with Iran holding firm against Argentina's advances and hoping for a famous result against the footballing superpower. Argentina needed someone to change the course of the match in their favour. Argentina needed Lionel Messi. He received the ball near the top of the 18 yard box, cuts left, and unleashes an unstoppable strike inside the far post. He put the team, and the country of Argentina, on his back, and anyone who still doubted that Messi can step up his game for his country have finally been silenced.

5: Luis Suarez's bite of Giorgio Chiellini (Italy vs. Uruguay)

www.independent.co.uk

It was a moment of madness from someone who simply doesn't learn. You can't bite people on the pitch, or anywhere for that matter. I've already made a post talking about the incident, but I hope he uses this four-month ban to get some serious help and to re-evaluate his life. Maybe his transfer to Barcelona can help with that. Surprisingly, the Suarez bite wasn't the defining moment of the 2014 World Cup.

6: James Rodriguez's volley against Uruguay

www.mirror.co.uk

Many football fans already knew about James Rodriguez from his playing days at Porto and now Monaco, but I think his volley was the moment when the whole world was introduced to him. His first touch was to control the ball with his chest, and his second touch was a precision looping volley that Fernando Muslera couldn't stop. Rodriguez was already having a great tournament, but that goal cemented him as the breakout star of the World Cup.

7: Tim Howard's goalkeeping performance against Belgium

www.abcnews.go.com

Despite the United States losing in extra time to Belgium in the Round of 16, Tim Howard was at his absolute best, making a record 16 saves in the match and regularly bailing out his defenders. It even spawned a popular hashtag (#ThingsTimHowardCouldSave). It was a shame that the rest of his team couldn't perform up to his standard, but Tim Howard's performance was one for the ages.

8: Neymar's broken vertebra

www.cbc.ca

Brazil may have progressed to the semi-final over Colombia, but it came at a great loss. Juan Zuniga made a reckless challenge and planted a knee right in Neymar's back, breaking his vertebra. Neymar was seen as the shining light that would lead Brazil to their 6th World Cup victory, but it felt like the light was faded when he got injured. It's sad because that injury exposed the mental fragility of the Brazilian national team, and it was pounced on by Germany.

9: Germany crushing Brazil 7-1 in the World Cup semi-final

www.theaustralian.com.au

It will forever go down as one of the shock results in world football. For Brazil to lose 7-1, at home, in a World Cup semi-final, is much more than an embarrassment. It is the worst loss in all of world sport. Brazil was reeling from the losses of Neymar and Thiago Silva, and it left them mentally fragile. All it took was the first goal from Muller for the floodgates to open, and the goals came in droves. I do feel for the Brazilian population, but I also felt a bit of schadenfreude watching Brazil lose in that way.

10: Mario Gotze's winner in the final against Argentina

www.ibtimes.com

It was the "Andres Iniesta" moment of the World Cup. The World Cup Final was an even match-up between Germany and Argentina and it sorely needed a breakthrough. We got it when Mario Gotze made a run into the box, received the ball from Schurrle, controlled the ball with his chest, and dinked the ball past Sergio Romero into the net. Cue the pandemonium. Gotze goes down in World Cup folklore, and Germany claims their fourth World Cup title.

Honourable mentions:

Pepe's headbutt - Stupid thing to do, but I wasn't surprised it was Pepe. Let his country down.

John Brooks winner for the United States against Ghana - His reaction to the goal he scored put a smile on my face.

Mauricio Pinilla hits the crossbar for Chile against Brazil - He was just centimetres from winning it for his country.

Louis Van Gaal subbing in Tim Krul for penalties against Costa Rica - The manager's gamble worked.

World Cup 2014: Brazil 1-7 Germany

(Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Wow. Didn't see that one coming.

Germany not only beat Brazil, but they absolutely clobbered them. Watching this as a neutral, it was a complete joy to watch. However, it was also depressing to watch.

It was a joy to watch, because seeing Brazil get routed in their own stadium, in their own country, and in front of their own fans, left me with an internal happiness. There are two thoughts I have in terms of why this result was internally happy to me. First off, it shuts up the stupidness from people claiming that FIFA is intentionally trying to get Brazil into the World Cup final by making sure referees treat the Brazilian players with leniency. The second thought is that this result shuts up the astronomical amount of bandwagoners who call themselves Brazil fans despite not having any sort of cultural connection or roots in the country. Seeing the sad faces and tweets from the bandwagoners put a smile on my face. On the other hand, watching Brazil lose in the way that they did was also a shocking scene. Seeing the malaise in the stadium and in the country grow with every German goal was depressing.

For the match itself, it started with end-to-end plays from both sides, and I was thinking that both teams could have the ability to score multiple goals in this match. But after Thomas Mueller scored on a set piece due to poor marking from Brazil, Brazil just collapsed. This match had the worst Brazilian defending I had ever seen in all my years of watching the Brazilian national team. I didn't think the absence of Thiago Silva would make much of a difference, but the leadership was completely missing. David Luiz, Dante, Maicon, Luiz Gustavo, Fernandinho, and Paulinho were all atrocious. Every time Brazil went forward, Germany dispossessed them and immediately went on the counter against the shambolic back line of Brazil. Klose got the second goal (which makes him the top scorer in World Cup history, beating Ronaldo, which is funny). Kroos got the third and fourth goals. Khedira added a fifth. Schurrle scored the sixth and seventh goals. It was a complete demolition, and every time Brazil managed to get a shot on Germany, Manuel Neuer was always there to stop them. Yeah, Oscar scored a consolation goal late, but the damage was already done.

With Brazil's unbeatable passion for football, and the manner of how they lost the semi-final, the hope is that there isn't any significant crowd trouble and that the authorities exert the appropriate force to stop potential violence. If there ever was a time to protest, not just the Brazilian national team, but the state of the country in general, right after the match would be the best time. Another thing I want to mention, and this might be a bit hyperbolic, but there were a few players for Brazil who were awful this tournament, and I hope that they aren't targeted by any Brazilians who have a vendetta against them. There's no tolerance for an "Andres Escobar" incident, but in a football mad country like Brazil, anything is possible.

So, Germany are now into the World Cup final and will play either Argentina or the Netherlands. As for Brazil, how can they possibly recover from this? This result is going to be etched into the minds of the Brazilian players. I don't have much of an idea how they can recover, but the players need to do what they do best and what they love the most, and that is to play football. Take out the frustrations on the third place match, and then go to your club teams and play the season of your lives.

Today was historical, and this match will be remembered for the ages.

Luis Suarez Doesn't Learn

Luis Suarez, to many people, is a scumbag. Despite currently being one of the world's best strikers, he does things that make you say "What drugs is this guy on". Before today, he was previously suspended twice for separate biting incidents when he was playing for both Ajax and Liverpool, respectively. You would think that he wouldn't be stupid enough to do it again, would he? Well, unless you were living under a rock, it happened again.

Near the end of the World Cup group stage match between Italy and Uruguay, there was an off-the-ball incident in the Italian 18-yard box where Luis Suarez apparently bit the shoulder of the Italian defender, Giorgio Chiellini and then fell down clutching his teeth. The referee and his assistant didn't see the incident and didn't issue a booking to Suarez, despite Chiellini showing a clear bite mark on his shoulder.

Two minutes later, Uruguay scored on a corner to win 1-0 and advance to the Round of 16.

When I was watching the match, I initially thought that Suarez tried to headbutt Chiellini, but the replays have shown that there was some sort of biting motion that was going on. Luis Suarez, you just don't learn, do you? This is the third time you've bitten someone in a match. Even Mike Tyson only ever bit one person in a boxing match. You knew you got lengthy suspensions for your previous biting incidents. Why would you even think that it was a good idea to do it again? Is biting someone a Uruguayan custom for showing respect?

With your past behaviour, I'm not even shocked or surprised. I would just like to know what went through your head when you sank your teeth into Chiellini's shoulder. Were you trying to win a penalty? Because that bite (and your subsequent dive) was a terrible way to get one. Were you trying to get in the head of Chiellini? What you did could work, but it is a very slim chance. I don't know what was going through your head, and I most likely never will.

There is no defending your actions, and to those who say that Chiellini rammed his shoulder into Suarez's mouth (lets face it, most Liverpool fans will try to defend him), you're a colossal idiot. Watch the replay. As for his punishment, I really hope that FIFA investigate this incident and hand Suarez a strong punishment for being a habitual biter. He has to be thrown out of the World Cup, and be banned 1-2 years from all football-related activities. Also, make sure that Suarez gets the help he really needs, because with all his incidents, surely there must be some deeper issues he is facing.

This is going to go down as the biggest moment of the 2014 World Cup. Already I've seen hundreds of Suarez-related memes about biting and hunger in general, and I've seen food companies jump on the Suarez bandwagon sending tweets mentioning Suarez in order to get clicks.

Overall, to sum up what I said above, I'm not surprised that Suarez did something like this, because of his past behaviour. He's already my most hated footballer, and this incident has sent my hate for him into the stratosphere. I hope FIFA has some balls, and suspends him for a very long time. Honestly, I hope they suspend him for this upcoming season, from all footballing activities.

I didn't think he would do it again, but guess what?

Brazil 3-1 Croatia: Post-Game - World Cup 2014

The World Cup is finally back after four long and grueling years, and I couldn't be any more happier to see it, despite the socio-political issues surrounding Brazil. The first game is an interesting encounter between the hosts Brazil and Croatia.

The biggest question surrounding Brazil going into their first match in the World Cup is if they will be able to handle the immense pressure that will be put on them by the media and the fans. From what I've seen at the Confederations Cup and with the warm-up friendlies, I think that Neymar and the rest of the Brazilian national team will handle the pressure quite well and use the support of the fans to will them on. With Croatia, I think the question is whether Luka Modric will be able to be the big influence for the Croatian national team. Modric has had a stellar season with Real Madrid, and the hope is that he will be able to replicate his form for his country. Along with the free-flowing Ivan Rakitic, Modric should be able to pull the strings and dictate the play with Croatia. Another question with Croatia that will be answered when the match is played is if the suspension of Mario Mandzukic will negatively affect Croatia going forward.

1st half: Croatia started out very organized in its defending. They were almost methodical in their way of trying to dispossess Brazil. On the other hand, Brazil started out the more cautious of the two teams, building from the back and feeling out the opposition. In the beginning 15 minutes of the 1st half, it was Croatia who looked more likely to score, in which they relied on their wing play to create chances. Ivica Olic was the player who started strong for Croatia, running down the flanks and causing Dani Alves some problems. It was through Croatia's wing play that gave them a goal, which was an own goal my Marcelo.

The Croatia goal came as a shock to Brazil, and it was after the goal that they started to attack with some intent. Brazil relied a bit more on attacking through the middle, but they also caused problems on the flanks with Hulk and Oscar making themselves a nuisance. In the first half, Brazil were also determined to get scrappy in midfield, which proved successful, when after a scrap for the ball, Neymar picked the ball up and drove a low shot past Croatian goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa to get the equalizer.

2nd half: Brazil kept up the pressure on the Croatian goal while Croatia resumed their organized, methodical defending which gave them some success. Brazil's bright spot in the match was Oscar, who's skill on the ball drew the Croatian defenders towards him and opened up space for the other Brazilian attackers.

The big moment in the match came in the 69th minute when Fred was apparently fouled in the box and the referee called a penalty, to the anger of the Croatian players. Watching the replay, there was minimal contact made on Fred, and it looked like Fred embellished the fall as well. Neymar dispatched the penalty, and the match became more open, as Croatia were searching for the equalizer, and Brazil were looking to put the match away. Brazil finally did put the match away as Oscar ran towards the Croatian defence and shot the ball past Pletikosa into the back of the net.

Overall: Brazil managed to start on the right foot, despite the initial scare, but they didn't look like the polished Brazil we were used to seeing. It was an entertaining encounter, and an entertaining first match of the World Cup. It was a shame to see the winning goal happen the way that it did. There were some people that proclaimed that there was a fix for Brazil to win, but I think it was just a bad call by the referee, who maybe succumbed to the fan pressure.

With that penalty call, it could be possible that we could see more games decided in this matter, and it could be possible that it could be an issue in the World Cup. Maybe there could be talks of instant replay in the future to settle calls like this, or maybe retroactive punishment on divers. It's too early to talk about it now, but it is something to keep an eye on.

My World Cup Bracket

The World Cup is only days away, and I've been wondering for a while who I think will be the teams to progress into the various rounds of the tournament. A week ago, I created a preliminary bracket for the 2014 World Cup, and it has went through many changes. I flip-flopped on which teams will make it out of the group stage, and I had an even harder time trying to figure out which "dark horse" will progress the furthest in the tournament. Back in December of last year, when the groups were announced, I made some picks as to who would get out of the group stage, but those picks have changed a bit. To say that determining my bracket caused much frustration is an understatement.

So, after much deliberation, I'll present my own World Cup picks that I will rely on throughout the tournament. If you're not sure about your own bracket, feel free to use mine for the tournament. I won't be posting any explanations on this post, just my picks. If you would like my explanation on some picks, feel free to contact me on Twitter, or leave a comment on this post.

So, let's do this.

Group Stage

Group A: Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon

Brazil will win the group.
Croatia will finish second.

Group B: Spain, Netherlands, Chile, Australia

Spain will win the group.
Chile will finish second.

Group C: Colombia, Greece, Ivory Coast, Japan

Colombia will win the group.
Japan will finish second.

Group D: Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy

Italy will win the group.
England will finish second.

Group E: Switzerland, Ecuador, France, Honduras

France will win the group.
Switzerland will finish second.

Group F: Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iran, Nigeria

Argentina will win the group.
Bosnia-Herzegovina will finish second.

Group G: Germany, Portugal, Ghana, USA

Germany will win the group.
Portugal will finish second.

Group H: Belgium, Algeria, Russia, Korea Republic

Belgium will win the group.
Russia will finish second.

Round of 16 (winners in bold)

Brazil vs. Chile
Colombia vs. England
France vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina
Germany vs. Russia
Spain vs. Croatia
Italy vs. Japan
Argentina vs. Switzerland
Belgium vs. Portugal

Quarter-Finals (winners in bold)

Brazil vs. England
France vs. Germany
Spain vs. Italy
Argentina vs. Portugal (my surprise of the tournament)

Semi-Finals (winners in bold)

Brazil vs. Germany
Spain vs. Portugal

3rd Place Match (winner in bold)

Germany vs. Portugal

World Cup Final (winner in bold)

Brazil vs. Spain

Brazil will beat Spain and win their 6th World Cup.

The World Cup 2014 Slogans

The World Cup is fast approaching, and I need to ramp up my coverage of this prestigious tournament. What better for me than to talk about the slogans that will be on the team buses for each country. The slogans have been voted on by the public through FIFA, and I will give my honest opinion on each country's voted slogan. Some of the slogans were well thought out, while other slogans were just plain odd. Let's get started.

Algeria: DESERT WARRIORS IN BRAZIL

Pretty standard and direct. These desert warriors are sure to go down fighting. Actually, I don't know about fighting, but them going down will be a given, barring a miracle.

Argentina: Not just a team, we are a country.

This slogan is trying to tug at the heartstrings of the Argentinean people. The embodiment of the country will be on the likes of Messi, Aguero, and Di Maria. Hope they don't succumb to the pressure.

Australia: SOCCEROOS: HOPPING OUR WAY INTO HISTORY!

How cute. The history Australia must be thinking about is getting zero points in their group stage matches and conceding about 20 goals. Hopping right back on the plane…

Belgium: EXPECT THE IMPOSSIBLE!

Expect the impossible from Belgium? It could be a possibility to be honest. That team could make a deep run in the tournament.

Bosnia-Herzegovina: DRAGONS IN HEART, DRAGONS ON THE FIELD!

I like this slogan. This slogan is solid motivation for a team that is in their first World Cup.

Brazil: BRACE YOURSELVES! THE 6TH IS COMING!

Are they talking about their 6th World Cup win? It’s a tall order considering the astronomical amount of pressure being put on the team. They have a chance, though.

Cameroon: A lion remains a Lion

Cameroon wins the award for the most obvious slogan in the World Cup.

Chile: CHI CHI CHI!, LE LE LE! Go Chile.

This slogan is ridiculously tacky.

Columbia: Here travels a nation, not just a team!

I feel a bit indifferent about this slogan. You'll notice a common theme with slogans trying to use "the nation" or "the country", instead of "the team".

Costa Rica: My passion is football, my strength is my people, my pride is Costa Rica.

This slogan is powerful and patriotic. Usually a winning combination with slogans and this slogan nails it.

Croatia: WITH FIRE IN OUR HEARTS, FOR CROATIA ALL AS ONE!

That's a slogan to fire up their fans. 

Ecuador: ONE COMMITMENT, ONE PASSION, ONLY ONE HEART, THIS IS FOR YOU ECUADOR!

Did this slogan need to be this long? Will it fit on the team bus?

England: THE DREAM OF ONE TEAM, THE HEARTBEAT OF MILLIONS!!

Sadly, those millions of England fans will feel the disappointment and embarrassment only England can deliver.

France: IMPOSSIBLE IS NOT A FRENCH WORD

However, the words "surrender" and "revolt" are certainly French words.

Germany: One Nation, One Team, One Dream!

This slogan is simple and to the point. The slogan is a bit industrial, just like Germany.

Ghana: BLACK STARS: HERE TO ILLUMINATE BRAZIL

That's incorrect. If a star in the sky is black, it wouldn't be able to illuminate anything.

Greece: 'HEROES PLAY LIKE GREEKS'

If this was Euro 2004, then it could be true. Not sure about now, though.

Honduras: We are one country, one nation, five stars on the heart

Decent slogan, but Honduras don't really have much else going on in the tournament, don't they?

Iran: HONOUR OF PERSIA

Three words are all you need sometimes.

Italy: Let’s paint the FIFA World Cup dream blue

Well, at least it's painting the World Cup dream, and not the trophy itself.

Ivory Coast: Elephants charging towards Brazil!

Better hope these elephants will be able to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

Japan: SAMURAI, THE TIME HAS COME TO FIGHT !

Japan is channeling their inner 19th century with that slogan.

Korea Republic: Enjoy it, Reds!

This slogan is so stale. It's like Korea are happy to get medals for simply participating in the tournament.

Mexico: Always united, Always aztecas

Mexico could have used this slogan during their qualification for this tournament.

Netherlands: REAL MEN WEAR ORANGE

I would like to argue that people who tend to choke are more likely to wear orange.

Nigeria: ONLY TOGETHER WE CAN WIN

Are you sure? I thought you can only win by standing alone. Man was I wrong.

Portugal: The past is history. The future is victory.

This might be the best slogan of all (and it rhymes!), but I have an alternative slogan: "Help us, Cristiano Ronaldo. You’re our only hope." 

Russia: No one can catch us

I can't help but think this is a thinly veiled statement towards the Western World regarding the situation in Crimea.

Spain: Inside our hearts, the passion of a champion

Spain may be the defending champions, but I have questions on whether they can maintain the passion.

Switzerland: FINAL STOP: 07-13-14 MARACANA!

The Swiss train is more likely to break down on the way.

Uruguay: Three million dreams … Let’s go Uruguay

At least there are a number of dreams.

USA: UNITED BY TEAM, DRIVEN BY PASSION

That slogan would make even the most patriotic bald eagle shed a tear.

2014 FIFA World Cup Group Stage Draw - Reaction + Predictions

So, the Group Stage Draw for the 2014 FIFA World Cup is all set. After taking a few hours to digest the newly-formed groups, it's about time for me to share my thoughts on those groups, and offer (very early) predictions on who I think will make it out of the groups. Some groups were easy to predict, and others require a lot of thinking to predict. Anyways, here's what I thought:

Group A: Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon

Not surprisingly, since the World Cup is being hosted by Brazil, they are going to get most of the spotlight in the tournament. Brazil have shown that they can respond well to the pressure of the home crowd (Confederations Cup 2013), so I don't see Brazil having much trouble with their opponents. Cameroon, on the other hand, have a couple of decent players (Eto'o, Song) but I can't see them progressing out of the group.

Mexico and Croatia are interesting to me, as they both underperformed getting to the World Cup. Mexico had an awful CONCACAF campaign and had to beat New Zealand in the FIFA play-off. Croatia had to beat a spirited Iceland side in the UEFA play-off. I picked Croatia to progress because they have more quality players than Mexico, and Mexico were just plain awful in the hex. Mexico needs a lot more improvement than Croatia do.

It's worth noting that Croatia (3429) has to travel almost 3000 miles more than Mexico does (662) to get to their matches. This is an advantage for Mexico, as they will be more fresh than Croatia when they finally play each other for their final group matches.

My Predictions: Brazil to top the group, Croatia to finish runner-up.

Group B: Spain, Netherlands, Chile, Australia

First things first, I'm sure Australia are just happy to actually make it.

Spain, even though they've regressed slightly, are still one of the top teams in world football and are capable of repeating as World Cup champions. This is obviously a tough group for them, but they'll have these teams chasing the ball up and down the pitch with their tiki-taka style, so I'm sure they'll progress.

The Netherlands and Chile will be the ones to battle it out for the second spot out of the group. Both teams are ruthless and hungry in attack, but they are a bit weak in the back. I picked the Netherlands over Chile because of their experience in big tournaments and Chile are a bit of a young, almost naive side, especially when I watched them play Brazil at the Rogers Centre.

My Predictions: Spain to top the group, Netherlands to finish runner-up.

Group C: Colombia, Greece, Ivory Coast, Japan

Colombia is my "dark horse" of the tournament. That team has the power to surprise a lot of people and go very deep in the tournament. They are the favourites to finish first in the group. Plus, they have Falcao, who is probably one of the best strikers in world football right now.

It was a tough choice for who would take the second spot. The Ivory Coast are stacked in attacking options (Drogba, Gervinho, Bony) and have Yaya Toure as their midfield destroyer. Japan are playing well right now and have some outstanding creative players in Kagawa and Honda. Greece are industrial (aka boring), but are difficult to break down. I ended up barely choosing the Ivory Coast over Japan.

My Predictions: Colombia to top the group, Ivory Coast to finish runner-up.

Group D: Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy

Costa Rica may be a solid team in CONCACAF, but they have no chance in this group.

Which leaves 3 teams competing for 2 spots. I believe Italy are the best team in this group, but not by much. If their world-renowned defence can stay focused and not make stupid mistakes, then they are winning the group. Uruguay have the best offence in the group, with Suarez and Cavani leading the charge, among other sublime players on that side.

England are another story altogether. They have good players, and on a good day, they can hang with the best of Europe, but they lack creativity. Their style of play is very direct, not very technical, and easy to figure out by opponents. It also doesn't help that there is going to be a media circus around them. The English footballing media hypes up the England players as superstars and make bold claims that "this is our year", but then slam those same players when England are knocked out. A lot of people talk about why England don't have a very good national team. Lets face it, the media is one of the major reasons why.

My Predictions: Italy to top the group, Uruguay to finish runner-up.

Group E: Switzerland, Ecuador, France, Honduras

France ALWAYS seems to get the easiest group. I don't know if this is just coincidence, or Michel Platini is paying FIFA under the table (don't think many would be surprised at that lol). Anyways, France at a World Cup is usually hit (1998, 2006) or miss (2002, 2010). If we were to follow the pattern, France should do just fine. Let's hope there are no more mutinies in that solid core of players.

Honduras did well to get to this stage, but they will be outclassed in this group. It was a bit difficult to choose between Switzerland and Ecuador, but after looking at their teams, I chose the Swiss.

My Predictions: France to top the group, Switzerland to finish runner-up.

Group F: Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iran, Nigeria

Argentina are, by far, the best team in this group. The other teams don't come close. With Argentina, I think the narrative will surround Lionel Messi and say something like: "Can he finally win the World Cup and become one of the best players to ever play the game". Something like that.

Bosnia and Nigeria is close to call for the second spot in the group. I think Bosnia has a bit more quality going forward, and they also have a solid goalkeeper in Asmir Begovic.

Honestly, I can't really say much about the Iran national team, because I don't really know them.

My Predictions: Argentina to top the group, Bosnia-Herzegovina to finish runner-up.

Group G: Germany, Portugal, Ghana, USA

Yikes. I think this is the toughest group of them all in terms of the teams involved.

Germany are the ones that will most likely finish first in the group. They have a number of amazing players that can take the team deep in the tournament. Portugal's national team isn't that great, but they do have Cristiano Ronaldo, a player who can single-handedly turn the match on its head and push Portugal to the later stages of the tournament. Portugal is the perfect example of the "one-man team". Ghana has some very good midfield and attacking options, but I can't see them progressing.

Which brings me to the USA. The odds are stacked against them. If there is any national team I can think of that has the "never say die" attitude, it is the USA, but I think this is too much for them. They have to travel the most out of all the teams in the World Cup, they have to face a Ghana side that knocked them out of the last 2 World Cups, and they have to play two European juggernauts. The American football media can hype the team all they want, but I don't think they will be progressing.

My Predictions: Germany to top the group, Portugal to finish runner-up.

Group H: Belgium, Algeria, Russia, Korea Republic

Belgium have a "golden generation" of players, and many people pick them to be the surprise of the tournament. I don't think they will do well in the later stages of the tournament, but I think they will top the group. I picked Russia to come second, because I don't think Algeria and South Korea will do a whole lot.

My Predictions: Belgium to top the group, Russia to finish runner-up.

So, there you have it. A lot can change between now and June. Some teams that people may have wrote off can go on an incredible run of form, or maybe some teams picked to be favourites may go on a slump. Who knows? I may revisit my predictions closer to the World Cup, but for now, this is what I am sticking with.

Brazil vs. Chile – Post-Game + Media Gallery

It was a bit of an impulse decision, but there was no way I was going to miss this.

I had a ticket to go see the international friendly between Brazil and Chile this past Tuesday at the Rogers Centre. Now, I can’t remember the last time these teams were in Toronto, or if they ever played here at all, but when I sat in my cubicle at work the day of the match, I thought to myself, “This will probably be the only chance I will get to see the Brazilian and Chilean national teams”. Yes, this friendly was a bit of a cash grab, and there will be those who complain that ticket prices were too high, but these people fail to realize that there were thousands of Brazil and Chile fans who would never get the opportunity to see their heroes play in front of their own eyes, and for that kind of experience, it will be worth the money.

I left work and began to walk the few blocks to the Rogers Centre, while stopping off to get something to eat. As I approached the stadium, there was a crescendo of horns and drums surrounding it. Fans were walking around with flags of the two countries around their backs like Superman’s cape. There were kids with face paint of the two countries’ colors, big flags being waved, and fans holding up signs showing their love and admiration for the national teams. The pre-game atmosphere was very festive. There were no signs of crowd trouble, and both sets of fans seemed to get along well.

I was walking up to Gate 2 to enter the stadium, and on the way, I was caught up in a Chilean crowd full of loud banging drums, singing, and dancing. My video doesn’t do it justice. It was absolutely loud.

I entered the stadium and went up to my seat to survey the pitch. The grass looked okay for a field that was hastily put together the day before, but it would be in for a beating when the match starts.

More fans wearing the red of Chile and the yellow of Brazil began to file into the stadium, and soon after, the two teams were out for their warm-ups. There was a constant flash from cameras and phones as the two teams warmed up for the match to follow.

The majority of the cheering was for Neymar, not surprisingly, as he received the loudest roar when his name was called for Brazil’s starting eleven. Soon after the warm-ups, both teams came out for the national anthems to an energetic and raucous crowd at the Rogers Centre.

The first half, I admit, was rather dull. The only big time cheer I heard was when Hulk scored the first goal of the match to make it 1-0 to Brazil. Other than that, both teams were trying to feel each other out. Chile was marching down the field after Brazil’s first goal, but their attacking prowess was seriously lacking for a team that is considered to be an offensive powerhouse.

The early stages of the second half were a bit more adventurous for both teams, but not by much. I started to think that this match wouldn’t be as exciting as I thought it out to be. Then, out of the blue, Eduardo Vargas rips a snapshot that David Luiz lazily attempts to block. Julio Cesar doesn’t even move as the ball nestles in the corner of the net. It’s all tied up at 1-1, and the Chilean fans in the stadium go wild.

After that goal, Brazil ramped up the pressure and began to pepper the Chilean defence with their traditional Brazilian attacking flare. Neymar scored a cheeky backheel goal, but he was offside by a number of yards. A few minutes later, Neymar received the ball inside the 18-yard box and did a double flick over the Chilean goalkeeper, but his shot was blocked. If he were to score a goal from that, it would have easily been the goal of the year. Not long after, the breakthrough for Brazil finally came, when an unmarked Robinho headed in a goal from a cross. It was now 2-1 to Brazil, and Robinho and Neymar did a little dance for the cheering crowd.

The match ended, and Brazil won the friendly by two goals to one. The match initially felt like both teams didn't take the match seriously, but as the match progressed, the drive to win became more entrenched in both teams. At the end, the fans were appreciative of the effort that both Brazil and Chile put in.

Looking back at the match, I thought it was an unforgettable and surreal experience. I got to see some of the best players in the world. Seeing the likes of Neymar and Alexis Sanchez take the field was incredible. Every time they touched the ball, it felt like something magical was going to happen. I felt honoured to see them in the flesh, and I'm sure everyone else in the stadium felt the same way. This experience is something that I will treasure for the rest of my life.