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Goalkeepers will have a major to role to play and guide their team to a winning position in 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Somehow, goalkeepers do not have that craze and popularity like strikers or midfielders, despite their hard work. However, it needs to be remembered that they are the ones who finally save the ball from entering into the net. A team can have excellent strikers but without a good keeper, it can never prosper. There are quite a few goalkeepers who are expected to perform excellently in South Africa and lift their respective teams to the winner’s seat. Let us see who can be the probable ones to bet your money on:

Iker Casillas (Spain): He is perhaps the best keeper in global football at this moment. The captain of the Spanish football team, this 28 year old is expected to make some stunning saves once he wears the gloves for the national side. Casillas has that fitness and common sense which makes him so formidable against penalty shots. There has been lots of matches where he has single handedly lifted the side through his awesome saves.

Julio Cesar (Brazil): He has already entered the list of all time great Brazilian goalkeepers at such a young age. A proud winner of the Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year in 2009, this 6 feet 1 inch player of Portuguese descent has played 47 times for the national side since 2004. A lot is expected from him in 2010 World Cup.

Gianluigi Buffon (Italy): 32 year old Buffon, nicknamed Gigi is like a pillar for the Italian side. He played a pivotal role in the penalty shoot out versus France and made his team champions of the 2006 World Cup. This year too, this Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year for 9 times, will do his bit for the Azzuris. For over a decade now, he has been an important part of the national side with more than 100 appearances.

Tim Howard (USA):  This 31 year old goalkeeper is an important part of USA football team. He was the best keeper in the Confederations Cup 2009 and hopes to improve his form in this year’s world cup. A regular for Everton at the club level, he has made 50 appearances for the national squad.

David James (England): The strong goalkeeping skills of David James will surely give more confidence to the English football side. After the departure of David Seaman, James has successfully done duties for his home side and has performed excellently in humdingers. He already has 50 caps for the national team and is expected to prove his mettle on the South African soil.

It remains to be seen whether the gloves also prove their part this World Cup in South Africa along with the boots and lift teams to the winner’s podium.

Martial Arts Birmingham

Fabio Cannavaro (Italy): 2006 Germany World Cup winning captain Fabio Cannavaro will be anticipating that he bids adieu to his supposedly last World Cup appearance in style. Cannavaro has already made history by being the most capped player for Italy and winning the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2006, the only defender to win the crown so far. His performance in the 2006 World Cup has already gone into the folklore of Italy. Certainly age has caught up with him and he lacks pace now. But Cannavaro’s tackles and aerial abilities are still undisputed.

Ashley Cole (England): Arguably the best left back in the world and fresh from winning English Premier League 2009/10, Ashley Cole has been the backbone of England’s defense along with club mate John Terry. Cole’s all round abilities including his sudden charge forward, goal scoring abilities and making excellent crosses, had earned him the “Mr. Reliable” tag. With six FA Cups and three Premier League titles, Cole has been one of the most successful English players in the last decade. And with Cole reaching the prime age in 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, England can expect him to deliver the best.

Lucio (Brazil): Lucio was one of the three players from Brazil’s 2002 World Cup winning team who played the entire 630 minutes of the tournament. Lucio is in the league of those rarest central defenders who have the ability to bring the ball up through the opponents and within the striking zone. And Brazil’s strong defense line has been centered on Lucio for some time now. The Inter Milan defender played a big role in getting the historic treble by winning the Serie A, Coppa Italia and finally the UEFA Champions League. Captaining the Brazil team in 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Lucio will be hoping to lift the Cup for the second time.

Philipp Lahm (Germany): With Michael Ballack out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, who better could have been to lead Germany but Philipp Lahm. In the last World Cup, Lahm’s performance was terrific and Germany will look up to him even in the current edition as well. Bayern Munich’s right back is famous for his pace, dribbling and crossing abilities. His ability to play in the left wing as well has been highly effective for both Bayern and Germany. Germany was third in 2006 World Cup, but with a versatile captain in Philipp Lahm they are one of the best contenders in South Africa.

Nemanja Vidic (Serbia): Though Serbia is not one of the so called biggies in the football world; they have a World Class center back in Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidic. He was a part of the “famous four” of erstwhile Serbia and Montenegro who conceded only 1 goal in the 10 qualifying matches in 2006 World Cup qualifiers. Now in Serbia’s first independent World Cup appearance, Vidic is the team’s key man in the defense. He is famous for his aggressiveness, ability to fiercely tackle opponents, heading in both defense and set piece movements. Being in one of the toughest groups in 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Nemanja Vidic is expected to be the greatest barrier to the opponents.

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World Cup champions of 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002! What more can be said about the Brazil football team. Whenever any World Cup approaches, the first probable contender for the trophy is Brazil. The same will also be true in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The Brazilian boys are full of confidence and ready to face any hurdle and get back the coveted trophy. Thousands of Brazilians are wishing that their favorite Canarinho reigns the football world again.

How They Got There?

Robinho - The Little Wizard

All through the World Cup 2010 qualifiers, Brazil displayed demanding and dominating performance. With 34 points from a total of 22 matches, they secured the first spot in the final league standings. After drawing with Columbia in the first match, the Brazilians bounced back in majestic style by beating Ecuador 5-0 and their good form continued. In total they won 9 matches and drawn 7. Their only 2 defeats came against Paraguay and Bolivia. The road to the African soil was more or less guaranteed and it was confirmed when they beat arch rivals Argentina by 3-1.

The Coach

Carlos Caetano Bledorn Verri, nicknamed Dunga in the football circuit, is the present coach of Brazilian football side. This former skipper and midfielder has stepped into the coach’s shoes for doing service to his home country. His best achievement came in 1994 when he captained Brazil to lift the World Cup title. This year too, Dunga will hope to win that prized trophy, not as captain but as the coach. Under him, the side has performed excellently and hopefully the form will continue in South Africa. Usually, Dunga prefers the  4-2-3-1 formation where the lone striker is backed by a formidable central midfield wing. His vast on-field experience has helped the team to a great extent.

The Team

Golden Boys Always in Contention

Just like the past years, the Brazilians are again expected to play excellent football in almost all quarters of the game. To lead the attack will be the formidable Robinho along side Luis Fabiano. Robinho is the main striker of the side and is hungry for success this season while Fabiano too is a world class finisher. The central midfield  has some highly skilled players like Gilberto Silva and Kaka. The experience of quality defenders such as Lucio and Juan will surely add more depth to the side. The main goalkeeping task will be done by Julio Cesar, who has scores of experience with the team.

Watch Out for The Kaka Show In Africa

The past world cup was not so good for the Brazilians and they are eager to make amends this time. Surely thousands of fans will be treated with some great football when the team takes field.

Others in Group G

1. Korea DPR
2. Cote d’Ivoire
3. Portugal

Year 1986: Argentina wins the 13th version of the FIFA World Cup. Since then, a long 24 years have passed and the land of DiStefano and Maradona has not seen the good times of wining back the prized trophy. This is exactly what the Argentinian football team will hope to break when they enter the field for this year’s contest in South Africa. With the legend Maradona himself as the coach, the team with promising youngsters will hope to change history in their favor and take back the world cup to their homeland.

How They Got There?

Messi Ready To Cause Nightmares To Best Defenses

The road to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa was not so smooth for La Albiceleste. They displayed a lackluster performance and were pretty lucky to get into first five of the final standings of the qualifying round. In fact they were the fourth team to qualify and could have been easily toppled by Ecuador. The team started well with wins against Chile and Venezuela in their first two matches and but their form faltered in the later stages. The defeat versus Columbia was followed by a meager draw with Ecuador. More ill luck waited and Argentina was defeated by Chile and suffered their greatest loss in the stage by 6-1 goals versus Bolivia. This caused  Alfio Basile his job and Maradona steeped in. Eventually luck favored the team and they qualified for South Africa after winning the last two games against Peru and Uruguay.

The Coach

The greatest son of Argentinian football, Diego Armando Maradona has again come back, this time not as the voracious striker but as the coach. Like before, he would hope to bring the cup back home by some innovative coaching tactics (just like his awesome attacking skills). The coaching of the legend will surely bring an added confidence and motivation in the team. The master forward mainly prefers the  4-4-2 formation and relies heavily on a combination of strikers and central mid fielders.

The Team

Can They End Their 24 Years Draught?

Lot of Maradona’s as well fans’ hopes are rested on Lionel Messi, perhaps the best striker of recent times. La Pulga is raring to go and is a big contender for the Golden Boot award. To support him will be Gonzalo Higuaín, another prolific goalscorer. Captain Javier Mascherano and ace Juan Sebastian Veron will be the main pillars of central midfield to be backed by defenders Clemente Rodríguez and Gabriel Heinze. Keeper Diego Pozo hopes to save more shots from going to the nets just the way he had done in previous games.

How Well Can Carlos Tevez Support The Fire Power?

Can  the Argentinians do it this time and become the Latin American lions on African soil? Time will prove it!

Others in Group B

1. Nigeria
2. Korea Republic
3. Greece

As the home team, a lot was expected from Germany in the 2006 World Cup. However, things didn’t work out as they had wanted and the team could not move on to the final. Now after four years, the German football team will wish to start afresh and win the road to glory in South Africa. The three time World Cup winners are currently ranked 6 in the FIFA ratings and hope to clinch the title for the fourth time when they enter the field in this year’s tournament.

How They Got There?

Lucas Podolski Can Tear Any Defense Apart

The discipline and efficiency of the players ensured that the German team bags the first position in group 4 of the European qualifying round for 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Out of the 10 games that they played, the team won 8 matches and drew 2. Germany showed all the class needed to beat strong opponents like Finland and Russia. The team started with a big bang after they beat minnows Liechtenstein by 6-0 goals. In a closely contested game with Finland, Miroslav Klose’s splendid hat-trick saved their day with a draw. Against rivals Russia, the Germans played all round attacking football and won in both home and away matches. It was more or less obvious that the team will easily qualify for South Africa and that came in the penultimate match against Russia.

The Coach

As the national coach Joachim Low has improved the temperament and style of the German football team to a significant extent. After taking the job, the main objective of this former striker was to lift the spirits and continue the attacking style which his predecessor Jurgen Klinsmann had instilled into the side. Low puts stress on total discipline and hard work, which according to him are the keys to improve the skills and performances of players.  Under the coaching of Low, the team has relied heavily on a strong midfield with a 4-4-2 format. However, in some crunch matches, he has also experimented with 4-2-3-1 formation.

The Team

How Many Will The German Guns Deafen?

Prior to their journey to South Africa, the team suffered a major setback after their main striker and captain Michael Ballack was ruled out due to injury. However, keeping aside their misfortune, they would rely heavily on Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski to make up the attacking line up. The midfield has players like Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira who will be backed by a expert defenders such as Arne Friedrich and Philipp Lahm. In the absence of Ballack, Lahm has been made the captain. Manuel Neuer will act as the main goalkeeper of the side.

They Are Well Know For Hard Tackling Style

With their attacking style and power football, Germany does have that firepower needed to be the side to lift the 2010 World Cup.

Others in Group D

1. Australia
2. Serbia
3. Ghana

Italy will look forward to retain their position as the defending world champions when they step into the players’ shoes in this year’s world cup. The team will look to continue their impressive run from the 2006 World Cup in Germany and hope that history repeats itself again this year too. A mix of exuberance and experience, the Italian football team is perhaps the perfect side to support if you are a fan of traditional football.

THE REIGNING WORLD CHAMPIONS

How They Got There?

By their sheer skill, strength and temperament, Italy easily reached the top spot of the qualifying round of this year’s tournament. With a total of 7 wins and 3 draws, the ticket to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa was achieved more or less easily by the team. Right from the first game when they defeated Cyprus, the Italians looked in commanding form and impressed  fans with a fine display of attack and defense. With 1 match to spare, Italy drew with Ireland and booked their berth to South Africa.

Italy Boost A Strong Forward in Gilardino

The Coach

One of the well known coaches in world football, Marcello Lippi has been a key exponent behind such splendid form of Italy. This 61 year old Italian is best known for making unique decisions on and off the field which has led to great results. During his stint as the national coach of Italy, he has brought out new tactics which have earned him accolades. The main objective of such techniques is to utilize a player’s skills in a suitable way to achieve best results. Under the coaching of Lippi, Italian football has reached new heights and instilled a sense of confidence and unity among the players.

The Team

Azzuris Looking To Expand Their Reign

Alberto Gilardino has every possibility to be the star performer for Italy in this year’s world cup. This prolific striker is known for speed and strong shots and was the top scorer in the qualifying matches. He earned praises after scoring a stunning hat-trick against Cyprus. Midfielder Simone Pepe is also in good form and has scored well in some of the club matches. Captain Fabio Cannavaro is the main defender of the side while the goalkeeping will be done by Gianluigi Buffon. Both Cannavaro and Buffon are experts in the game and will bring that added touch of experience to the squad.

As Ever They Have The Strongest Defense

The Azzurris will spare no effort to retain their pride and defend the champion crown this time too. Its going to be a  hard battle but they have that fire power to win it.

Others in Group F

1. Paraguay
2. New Zealand
3. Slovakia

9th July 2006 was really a black day for France after they lost the finals against Italy on a penalty shootout in that years World Cup Final. Four years have passed and France will definitely wish to reverse their fortunes in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The new generation of French players will try to continue the legacy of Platini and Zidane as they take on the field in South Africa and go past their opponents with style.

How They Got There?

How Many Will King Henry Enslave

After becoming World Cup champions in 1998, France did not perform so well in the 2002 version of the tournament. Fortune still did not favor them and in spite of coming so close to the title, the French team lost the finals to Italy by penalties in 2006. In the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, France performed pretty well. Although the team lost to Austria in the first match, they were quick to bounce back and win versus Serbia. More wins and draws followed and the team was well placed in the tables. Finally, the certificate of qualifying was achieved after France won the play off against Ireland through an extra time goal.

The Coach

After France’s dismal performance in 2002, it was time for making some changes in the team. This is when Raymond Domenech stepped in as the coach of the team and got it out of rough waters. Since then, he has become an integral part of French football team and is now the longest serving national coach. Under his coaching, the team performed exceptionally and also lifted themselves to become runners-up in 2006 Germany World Cup. This former French player mainly relies on an innovative forward style with 2 wide attacking players and a single striker.

The Team

Les Blues Gunning For Success

The French football team blends the enthusiasm of youth with the experience of star performers. With Thierry Henry and Nicolas Anelka as the main strikers, there is always a chance of winning. Henry is in good form and has had a good stint with Barcelona. Players like Franck Ribery are expected to make a good impression while the defense line will be taken care of by William Gallas and Sebastien Squillaci. Despite his young age, goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has earned praises for his wonderful saving skills and quick sense of mind.

Magic Touch of Anelka Ready To Cast A Spell

The never say die attitude matched with an all out attack are the main keys behind the success rate of the  Les Bleus. Hopefully we will get to see the same this time too

Others in Group A

1. South Africa
2. Uruguay
3. Mexico

FIFA World Cup eluded the legendary Johan Cruyff and co. in 1974. Four years later, Cruyff wasn’t there but his compatriots still reached the World Cup final and again lost it. That’s how Netherlands has been, entertaining the entire world with Rinus Michels’ Total Football, but hasn’t been able to win any major crown except 1988 European Championships. Netherlands performance in 1974 was incredible as they defeated Brazil, Argentina and East Germany in the second round to reach the finals. But hosts West Germany defeated the Dutch by 2-1. In their next World Cup in 1978, again Netherlands displayed brilliant football and after beating Austria and Italy, they drew with West Germany to reach the finals against the hosts, Argentina. In the controversy marred final, Netherlands lost 3-1 and history was repeated again. But in 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa Netherlands are looking highly ambitious and dangerous too.

How They Got There?

Arjen Robben's Trickery Will Cause Nightmares

The Flying Dutchmen have shown tremendous form in the qualifiers by winning all the eight matches. They defeated FYR Macedonia, Iceland, Norway and Scotland in both home and away matches. In the process they scored 17 goals and conceded just 2. Despite the presence of Norway and Scotland, Netherlands comfortably topped Group 9 and sailed straight to the World Cup finals.

The Coach

Netherlands national football team is coached by Bert van Marwijk, a former Dutch club footballer with an ordinary playing career. As a coach, Marwijk’s biggest achievement was when he led the Dutch club Feyenoord to lift the UEFA Cup in 2002. Apart from coaching several Dutch football clubs, he also coached German giant Borussia Dortmund. Though appointment of Bert van Marwijk as Holland’s national coach was not received positively by the fans, his cent percent success rate in the qualifiers has taken him to a different level. And with the legends like Philip Cocu, Frank de Boer and Dick Voorn assisting Marwijk, things are certainly looking positive for the coach. Just like his predecessors Marwijk too believes in attacking football and so far it has paid off well.

The Team

How Will The Flying Dutchmen Fare?

The Netherlands world cup squad is full of young players. The forward line comprises of Bayern Munich’s Arjen Robben, Arsenal’s striker Robin van Persie and Liverpool duo Ryan Babel and Dirk Kuyt. The midfield has Bayern’s Mark van Bommel, Manchester City’s Nigel de Jong and Real’s Rafael van der Vaart. The formidable Dutch defense that conceded only two goals in the qualifiers have PSV’s Andre Ooijer, Feyenoord‘s Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Bayern’s Edson Braafheid and Hamburg’s Joris Mathijsen. Ajax’s Maarten Stekelenburg will be the chief custodian for the Dutch.

How Much Justice Will They Bring To Their Skills

2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa will be Netherland’s ninth World Cup appearance. Despite giving the world some of the most gifted players, lifting the World Cup has still been a dream for Netherlands. Will the Bert van Marwijk led team be able to achieve what their predecessors couldn’t? Will Netherlands put a stop to the allegations of “big match chokers” forever in South Africa? We do not know yet, but just a few more days wait and all will be unveiled in the greatest show on earth.

Others in Group E

1. Denmark
2. Japan
3. Cameroon

Talking about the Spanish football team, the only word that can be used is class! They are the second best team as per the FIFA rankings and have every chance to reign in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The Spanish are hoping for the big thing to happen this time which is already evident from their confidence and star performance. The Spanish team’s form is capable of creating some shivers down the spine of the competitors.

How They Got There?

How Much Change Will Fernando Torres Make

Winning the 2008 UEFA EURO Cup started the dream run for the La Roja, which will perhaps be completed only after winning the World Cup. With 6 successive wins, Spain started their  2010 World Cup qualifiers campaign on a big note. Quite amazingly they topped the group rankings of the qualifying stage having won all the 10 matches.  After winning against novices Bosnia-Herzegovina, Armenia, Estonia, they beat Turkey. However, their greatest win came versus Belgium at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium where they won by 5-0. There was no looking back for the Spanish team and the path to World Cup 2010 Finals was easily sealed.

The Coach

It was not an easy task for current coach Vicente del Bosque to take over from EURO winning coach  Luis Aragones and still retain that level of confidence and consistency. However, this well acclaimed former coach of Real Madrid managed it with absolute professionalism and kept the winning streak going. His hard work, innovative tactics and perseverance bore fruit and helped the team to win all the matches in the qualifying stage. An excellent manager, del Bosque has brought more depth to the Spanish  team by his innovative tactics.

The Team

Classy La Roja Raring

Very few teams have that depth and talent as the Spanish football team. Be it in the attacking line or at the defense position, the Spanish players are ready to give their hundred percent. The team has a terrific  attacking line led by David Villa and Fernando Torres, which will be further strengthened by their strong midfielders such as Andres Iniesta and Xabi Alonso. Both Villa and Torres are in the peak of form and can cause sleepless nights for opponents. Coming to defense, Spain has some impressive players like Carlos Marchena, Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique. Captain Iker Casillas will be the main goalkeeper and and may wish to end his world cup stint in a big way.

Xabi The Playmaker

The Spanish are hungry for blood and wish to carry on their dream run of form to the World Cup. Reino de Espana may be the king of this World cup.

Others in Group H

1. Switzerland
2. Honduras
3. Chile

There are some teams in the football world for whom the saying ” So near, yet so far!” fits exceedingly well. Portugal football team, two times FIFA World Cup semifinalists, is one such team. In 1966, despite Portugal’s dream run to the semi-final where they defeated Hungary, Bulgaria, defending champions Brazil and North Korea en route, they finally lost to hosts England. Portugal had to be contend with a third place finish. Again in 2006 Germany World Cup Portugal defeated Angola, Iran, Mexico and England. But they lost 2-1 to France in the semi-finals and finished fourth after losing to hosts Germany. But in their fifth appearance in 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Portugal looks poised to create history.

How They Got There?

Best Forward In Their Side

Although touted as the group favorite, Portugal’s world cup qualifier campaign wasn’t a cakewalk. After winning the inaugural match against Malta, Portugal lost the next match to Denmark and went onto draw the next four out of five matches and faced the elimination threat. But, the second phase saw a resurgent Portugal, drawing with Denmark in the away match and defeating Hungary and Malta. The three matches saw Portugal scoring 8 goals without conceding any. This earned them the playoff spot against Bosnia-Herzegovina. But Portugal won both the home and away matches comfortably and was through to the World Cup finals.

The Coach

Portugal national football team coach Carlos Queiroz is credited to have guided players like Luis Figo, Rui Costa and Fernando Couto to win the FIFA World Youth Championships in 1989 and 1991. Apart from coaching Portugal during 1991-1993, Queiroz has coached U.A.E and South Africa. Under Queiroz’s coaching South Africa qualified for 2002 Korea/Japan World Cup. But Carlos Queiroz is best known for being the assistant coach of Manchester United in two phases, during 2002-2003 and 2004-2008. He also coached Real Madrid during 2003-2004 and won them the Spanish Super Cup. In his second stint with Portugal since 2008, Queiroz was almost on the verge of being sacked after Portugal’s disastrous performance in the first half of the qualifiers. However, he will now look forward to prove his mettle on the biggest stage in South Africa.

The Team

Can Talent Bring Rewards In Africa?

Portugal’s star studded world cup squad has arguably the best striker in the world Cristiano Ronaldo. The Real Madrid star has Manchester United’s Nani and Atletico Madrid’s Simao Sabrosa for company. Portugal has one of the strongest midfield in the world with Chelsea’s Deco, Real Madrid’s Pepe and Porto’s Raul Meireles at the helm of affairs. Chelsea’s Ricardo Carvalho led defense has Valencia’s Miguel, Chelsea’s Paulo Ferreira, Porto’s Bruno Alves and Rolando. The Portuguese are likely to stick to their first choice goalkeeper Eduardo in South Africa.

Pool of Talent Just Gets Bigger

Portugal has a very high team spirit and their grit and determination was the reason for which they bounced back so well in the qualifiers. But will the team’s talent and team spirit be able to win them the title? World Cup is a tournament that tests mental strength, apart from skills. There are other strong contenders in 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa as well. But can Portugal outrun all of them?

Others in Group G

1. Brazil
2. Korea DPR
3. Ivory Coast