Cheering for Argentina
2010 FIFA world cup started on June 11th. Thirty two teams compete in this month long event for the coveted 5-kg gold trophy. In the past, Brazil has been the most successful team of the competition with 5 victories, followed by Italy with 4, Germany with 3, Argentina and Uruguay with two each while England and France have won it once. There are other strong contenders which have not opened their count yet; The Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, to name a few.
So, who is most likely to win the tournament?
On paper, Spain looks like the most complete team with star performers in every position. It is important to note that they are all in prime form and confidence after a Euro victory. Thus Spain would be the obvious favorite to win this tournament. But they have always been an under-performer at the World Cups and there is no reason to believe that it is going to be different this time.
Soccer crazy Brazil is a favorite anytime. The talent in the country is so abundant that a team of any random 11 interested candidates will be able to see it through till quarter-finals. Obviously an exaggeration but you get the point :-). Though the current form of Brazil's top players is not good enough to win the seventh game, everything can change with one good game.
Germany is known for its never-say-die attitude and it is evident from its past performances in the world cup. Apart from winning the tournament thrice, it has managed to reach finals and semifinals on several occasions. The lack of a super-star is more than compensated by efficient planning and clinical execution of the plans. Moreover their physical superiority makes them extremely lethal, particularly towards the full time.
Despite all this, I cheer for Argentina. Not many expect them to win the World Cup after their performances during the qualifiers. In my opinion, this eases some pressure off them. The Argentine team comprises of a bunch of supremely talented young lads; most of them younger than me. The man in-charge of the team, Diego Armando Maradona, is a yesteryear world cup hero and person with a mind younger than his players'. With such a combination, I expect them to play with a lot of hunger and passion to show off their skill and flair. For the sake of stylish, sneaky passing game they display and the exuberance they exude, I cheer for Argentina.
So, who is most likely to win the tournament?
On paper, Spain looks like the most complete team with star performers in every position. It is important to note that they are all in prime form and confidence after a Euro victory. Thus Spain would be the obvious favorite to win this tournament. But they have always been an under-performer at the World Cups and there is no reason to believe that it is going to be different this time.
Soccer crazy Brazil is a favorite anytime. The talent in the country is so abundant that a team of any random 11 interested candidates will be able to see it through till quarter-finals. Obviously an exaggeration but you get the point :-). Though the current form of Brazil's top players is not good enough to win the seventh game, everything can change with one good game.
Germany is known for its never-say-die attitude and it is evident from its past performances in the world cup. Apart from winning the tournament thrice, it has managed to reach finals and semifinals on several occasions. The lack of a super-star is more than compensated by efficient planning and clinical execution of the plans. Moreover their physical superiority makes them extremely lethal, particularly towards the full time.
Despite all this, I cheer for Argentina. Not many expect them to win the World Cup after their performances during the qualifiers. In my opinion, this eases some pressure off them. The Argentine team comprises of a bunch of supremely talented young lads; most of them younger than me. The man in-charge of the team, Diego Armando Maradona, is a yesteryear world cup hero and person with a mind younger than his players'. With such a combination, I expect them to play with a lot of hunger and passion to show off their skill and flair. For the sake of stylish, sneaky passing game they display and the exuberance they exude, I cheer for Argentina.
Comments
Post a Comment