by Tim Lefoe
The World Cup 2010 is now only less than a year away with the qualifying campaigns coming to an end soon. Thus, it might be the best time to see who has done well and who might struggle. With the finalised teams to be decided once the playoffs are done, some of the eventual qualifiers could be considered as trophy favourites.
When trying to decide who might have the best chance of becoming champions, one of the first factors to consider would be the World Cup's location. The 2010 edition marks a landmark event as it will be the first time the competition is hosted in Africa. This could be a boost for African teams while those from Europe and the Americas could face travel fatigue.
The same could have been said when the tournament was first held in Asia in 2002. The end result was more of the same as the European and South American teams continued to dominate. But African teams have continued to evolve since then and are now a serious threat to countries from the two main continents in football.
Of those who have already booked their place in the finals, only Spain and Brazil would be considered likely finalists. Spain have continued where they left off after winning Euro 2008 despite a hiccup during the recent Confederations Cup. That minor setback could prove to be a blessing in disguise as the Spanish now know what mistakes to avoid.
Brazil have outlived a difficult early period during Dunga's time in charge and now look increasingly the best team in the world. Their recent win over Argentina signaled their strong intention to run roughshod over the rest of the competition to claim the title. Whenever the Brazilians have managed to marry their natural talent with modern organisation as they are doing now, they have always come out on top.
Apart from these two representatives from each of the dominant continents, there are few who have also caught the eye. England, Holland and Ivory Coast should be the next heavyweights to join Spain and Brazil in the confirmed list of countries. But none of them have shown the consistent and fearsome form that the latter two have brought fans in the past year.
Until the dust settles down with the final group of countries who have guaranteed their place in the finals, the best choice for the likely 2010 World Cup winner would be Brazil. Their current form is hard to ignore and the country continues to produce top football talent. If the manager Dunga can keep his players motivated and at the peak of their powers, there will be few teams who could actually stop them from a date with destiny.
About the Author
Tim Lefoe is a writer with The Soccer Show where news and previews of the latest football matches all over the world are provided. You may also get to watch live football online via the site to keep up with the latest World Cup action.
No comments:
Post a Comment