FIFA World Cup 2010 - Team Profile Germany

Germany's 6th place in the FIFA world rankings does scant justice to their pedigree and record that includes three World Cups won, in 17 appearances, the last one coming in 1990. But Germany's history in recent years has been a case of missed opportunities, whether at World Cups 2006 and 2002, or at Euro 2008.

In the qualifiers, however, the European giants performed to potential, twice putting it across Russia, apart from dismissing Wales, Liechtenstein and Azarbaijan.

The man to watch is Miroslav Klose, a crafty striker, with a prolific scoring record. Pudolski, midfielder-cum-striker, is another great prospect. Tragically, Germany have lost their star midfielder and captain, Michael Ballack, to injury, on the eve of the World Cup. They have another talented midfielder in Bastian Schweinsteiger, who will be under greater pressure of expectation, in Ballack's absence. They also have a great defender in Phillip Lahm. But German fans will lament the absence of Torsten Frings, from the line-up.

However, Germany should have little trouble heading their group D, the other teams being Serbia, Ghana and Australia. In fact, Germany hold a record of sorts, of not losing a single group game, from 1986 onwards.

Their first real challenge should be in the quarter-final, in the form of Argentina. If they survive Argentina, Germany are likely to run into Italy, in the semi-final. In Ballack's absence, Germany seem beset by an unsurmountable problem. But don't write them off; like true champions, they are given to rising to the big occasions.

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Suresh Iyer is an avid sports fan and blogger.

FIFA World Cup 2010 - Team Profile England

Ranked 10th in the FIFA world rankings, England boast many star players. They are placed in a relatively easy group C, along with USA, Algeria and Slovenia. Though England are expected to be group leaders, they have consistently underperformed, whether at Euro 2004 and 2008, or World Cup 2006.

Arguably, England face greater pressure than other teams because of the British media that hold the players up to 24x7 scrutiny, and hype everything they do, to feed frenzied English fans who actually beg for more.

The players are thus converted into tabloid superstars, and their real or imagined talents are presented in an exaggerated way in newspapers and on television.

And it does not help that many of the England players earn king's ransoms playing in the Premier League.

At a certain point, the media start believing in their own hype. Consequently gullible fans who read these reports about their favourite players hold up the players to imaginary standards and are disillusioned when the stars don't fulfill their expectations.

Getting back to the matter at hand, like some of the other big teams, England have also appointed a new coach, Fabio Capello, in the hope of a better showing, this time around. Capello's presence did improve things, in the qualifiers, where England won all but one of their 10 matches, in style.

Wayne Rooney, Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch were particularly impressive, in the forward line; Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard did likewise in midfield. On a negative note, some of their stars are injury prone. Ashley Cole is returning after nursing a broken ankle. Ledley King is a good defender who's also injury prone. Another casualty of injury is the celebrated Beckham whose future as a player has been jeopardized by a career threatening industry he suffered recently. Needless to say, Beckham will not play in this World Cup.

Rio Ferdinand has taken over as captain from the sacked John Terry, but has chosen to retain his predecessor as a player in the squad, a move that Beckham has praised.

England are expected to head their group, although they will not have forgotten their loss to USA, at the 1950 World Cup. They are likely to meet France in the quarter-final, and if they survive that match, Brazil in the semi-final.

A team that won in 1966, and whose fans numbering in millions pray for a repeat performance, England would do well to reach the semi-final.

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Suresh Iyer is an avid sports fan and blogger.

FIFA World Cup - France Team Profile

You would be forgiven for thinking the French players are showbiz celebrities rather than sportsmen. They are in the news for all the wrong reasons. The fact that they are in a relatively weak group A in the FIFA World Cup appears to have made them overconfident, and their lazy demeanour only serves to compound the showbiz impression.

During the qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup, they were in the news for their inconsistent game. The icing on the cake came in the match against Ireland, where Thierry Henri did a 'hand of God'.

Their relief at eventually qualifying will scarcely suffice to erase the humiliating memory of going down 1-3 to Austria. France's solitary win from five semi-final entries at the World Cup is indicative of their underperforming on the big stage.

In the case of Theirry Henri, his undoubted skills and 51 strikes in a record of 117 caps for France, notwithstanding, the controversial goal against Ireland did nothing to enhance his reputation. The fact that he got away scot free only compounds the crime. Or, is this Henri's way of continuing the tradition of controversy that the previous captain, Zidane, established?

Regardless of the controversies surrounding their qualification, the team's coach did manage to get them to the final against Italy in 2006. Then also, the expectations from the team were very low.

And coach Domenech is confident that his team will give him a great parting gift by performing well. Domenech will be succeeded at the team's helm by Laurent Blanc.

Theirry Henry, whose hand of God kept Ireland out of the cup could play little part initially, owing to injury. The forward line is likely to be manned by Anelka in place of Henry, along with Andre-Pierre Gignac.
They should be ably supported by Franck Ribery in midfield, provided Ribery has recovered from injury.

As of now, it looks unlikely that Ribery will be in the staring eleven for the first match. Regardless, France should sleep walk past their rivals, Mexico, Uruguay and South Africa, in their group. Greece, their probable rivals in the round of 16, should not bother them unduly, either. Their first real challenge will be in the quarter-final, most likely England. If they can get past this hurdle, they will probably meet the winner of a Brazil-Netherlands encounter.

Controversies notwithstanding, France's manager Raymond Domenech can be credited with taking his team to the final in 2006.

If France are anywhere near as inconsistent in the World Cup, as they were in the qualifiers, England will be licking their chops.

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Suresh Iyer is an avid sports fan and blogger. His new blog on sports is fast becoming popular, backed as it is by comprehensive knowledge and research