One of the more interesting groups of the World Cup this summer that you could argue any three out of the four will be disapointed if they do not progress to the second round. One of the three will be going home early so here is our look at Group D.
COSTA RICA
A lot has been said of this Costa Rican team but the glowing reference by many is that is the most talented ever assembled. However, they have been unfortunate with injuries as star players Alvaro Saborio and Bryan Oviedo both miss out through injury.
The squad includes two players that fans will know of – Bryan Ruiz of Fulham who has spent been on loan at PSV and Joel Campbell the Arsenal player on loan at Olympiakos. The latter many will recall scored against Manchester United in the Champions League.
Their debut in the World Cup Finals was Italia 90, winning their opening game against Scotland before going out in the second round. They qualified in 2002 and 2006 but did not make it out of the group on either occasion.
They are managed by Colombian Jorge Luis Pinto who is in his second spell in charge after being sacked during qualifying for the 2006 World Cup. He has made them a solid outfit and very hard to beat and he will be excited at the prospect of being the underdogs in a very tough group.
Their first choice kit colours are red shirts, blue shorts and red socks while their second choice is pretty much all white with the odd flash of red and blue here and there. They are currently ranked 34 by FIFA.
How Did They Qualify
Runners up in the CONCACAF qualifying group behind the USA who won the group and confortably ahead of Honduras who finished third.
Key Player
Levante goalkeeper Keylor Navas. He is only 26 but already an experienced international player. He was key to qualification for the finals with seven clean sheets in fourteen games.
Dark Horse
Bryan Ruiz. After going stale at Fulham his loan spell in the Netherlands is likely to have done him the world of good ahead of the trip to Brazil. If Costa Rica are going to create a shock then they will look to their captain for inspiration.
Odds
Best odds at the time of the article are 50/1 to win the group.
ENGLAND
The one time winners of the World Cup dream of a repeat. Even a small matter of forty eight years later. We can all dream and often do but the closest that we have come since 1966 is a semi final defeat to West Germany in Italia 90.
Manager Roy Hodgson will be looking to win the tournament as in his words ‘why bother going at all if you don’t think you can win it?‘ Hodgson is a manager with previous, an apparant thick skin and experience at this level of competition having managed Switzerland at a World Cup Finals. The local lad from Croydon is a likable chap and he has brought together a talented squad, perhaps one of the best blend of youth and experience since Italia 90.
England expects but that is always the case. Hodgson will want to do better than the second round that England achieved under Fabio Capello in South Africa 2010 that failed to live up to two quarter final appearances in 2002 and 2006 under the guidance of Eriksson.
There will be plenty of excitement with the likes of Lallana, Sterling, Oxlade-Chamberlain (if fit) and Barkley. Young players with no fear and any one of them could light up the competition.
As we all know, the first choice kit white shirt, white shorts and white socks while the second choice is red shirts, white shorts and red socks.
How Did They Qualify
A tough European qualifying group but England ended up top unbeaten ahead of the likes of Poland, Ukraine and Montenegro.
Key Player
Adam Lallana. A star in the making and could well take the World Cup by storm. Extremely comfortable on the ball and happy laying the ball off for team mates and running with it. He had a great season with Southampton in the Premier League and looking likely to continue that form this summer.
Dark Horse
Raheem Sterling. Given the chance he could be the next best number 19 for England since Gazza. Has pace in abundance and being a young player he is likely to play with a real lack of fear.
Odds
Best odds at the time of the article are 11/5 to win the group.
ITALY
Four times winners Italy are as likely as any European side to win the competition in South America. They often flatter to decieve as they followed up their latest triumph in 2006 with an exit in the group stages in 2010. In 2002 they only managed the second round after making the quarter finals in France 1998.
Head coach Cesare Prandelli, formerly of Fiorentina and Roma, will be doing all he can to guide his team to the latter stages but it will be tough. A squad of players that are mostly based in Serie A or at PSG is arguably one in which it is difficult to guage what they could be capable of. In past experience it has often been latter stages of bust and the very same seems possible in Brazil.
Under the guidance of Juve midfielder Andreas Pirlo they have a player that on form is one of the best in the world. While in goal they have the might of experienced keeper and most capped Italian Gianluigi Buffon. Along with the likes of Di Rossi and Chiellini, they have the experienced backbone to supplement inexpererience internationals such as Immobile, Insigne, Parolo, Darmian and Paletta.
The kit never changes with blue shirts, white shorts and blue socks as first choice and white shirts, blue shorts and white socks as second.
How Did They Qualify
The Italians had no trouble qualifying for the finals. They finished top of the group unbeaten ahead of runners up Denmark and the Czech Republic in third.
Key Player
Andrea Pirlo. Likely to be his last World Cup but he is expected to pull the strings in the Italian midfield if he is allowed to. The Juve player takes everything in his stride and always looks unphased by the big occassion. If he turns up then then Italy will do well.
Dark Horse
Ciro Immobile. Just signed for Dortmund who have looked to replace the departed Lewandowski so certainly big shoes to fill. He could well show what the Germans have invested in should he get the nod if Balotelli isn’t in the mood.
Odds
Best odds at the time of the article are 13/8 and favourites to win the group.
URUGUAY
The two time winners of the trophy will be looking forward to this World Cup in South America after their fourth placed finish in South Africa 2010. They have retained the same nucleus of a side from four years ago that have become more experienced.
Before 2010 they had a mixture of uninspiring appearances at the World Cup Finals since 1970, failing to qualify on five different occassions. But after the last time out a lot is expected of this side containing Suarez, Cavani and Forlan among others.
Head coach Oscar Tabarez has his work cut out in a tough group but his players should cope with the familiar surroundings better than other teams in the very tough group. Having never lost against England and never won against Italy at a World Cup Finals, something will have to give if they are to qualify for the second round.
Much is being made of the fitness of top scorer Luis Suarez and an aged Diego Forlan will no longer be able to carry the team like he used to. Expectations are high with the finals being held in their own continent but that does not guarantee success. You only have to look back to Mexico 1986 when they went out in the second round while they did not even qualify for Argentina 1978.
They are, however, the Copa America champions having won the competition in Argentina 2011. They secured their fifteenth title by beating Paraguay in the final after seeing off Peru in the semis and Argentina in the quarters.
The classic kit remains with light blue shirts, black shorts and white socks as the first choice and all white kit as the second.
How Did They Qualify
The South American qualifying is a league system and it was a close run thing this time around. With Brazil not having to qualify, Argentina took top spot from Colombia and Chile. Uruguay were beaten to the fourth spot on goal difference by Ecuador. That meant that they had to play a two legged qualfier against Jordan which they won 5-0 on aggregate to be assured of a place in Brazil.
Key Player
Luis Suarez. Who else? The big question is his fitness if indeed he is to recover quickly enough from the post season knee surgery. While Uruguay have plenty of talent throughout the team, they will miss Suarez if he doesn’t make it.
Dark Horse
Edison Cavani. Forever in the shadow of Suarez but has carved out a decent career for himself besides. The former Napoli player now at PSG will thrive if Suarez is not fit.
Odds
Best odds at the time of the article are 21/10 to win the group.
Group D Prediction
Perhaps the easiest thing to predict is Costa Rica finishing bottom of the group but I would be a fool to suggest it will be as straight forward as that.
Uruguay will be tough opposition in a World Cup being held in South America and you just can never rule out the Italians even if they have let many of us down who like a flutter now and then.
With my rose tinted glasses on, I am going to predict big things for England this summer who will kick off with a draw against notorious slow starters Italy and follow that up with another draw against Uruguay and a win in the final game against Costa Rica.
It will be a very tight group and it could very well go down to goal difference but I predict Italy to beat Uruguay but lose to Costa Rica with Uruguay squeezing through as runners up.
Bold perhaps but there, I’ve said it …
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