Group A:France looks a good team but due to Thierry Henry's controversial hand-ball that made a goal helped his country to qualify in a European play-off with Republic of Ireland (FAI). The controversial was heated up by FAI to recall for replay but was rejected by FIFA. The host nation, South Africa should progress to Round of 16. Uruguay & Mexico are both equal in good positions.
Players to watch: Nicolas Anelka, Thierry Henry, Djibril Cisse (FRA), Diego Forlan (URU), Cuauhtemoc Blanco (MEX), Benni McCarthy (RSA).
My top 2 will be France & South Africa.
Results: Uruguay & Mexico advanced to round of 16
Group B:Argentina also a good team to be watched, coached by football great "Hand of God" Diego Maradona who played his 1986 Mexico World Cup. During his coaching years, his team flopped up & down, causing his team suffered shock defeat in a World Cup 2010 qualifying matches. As far as Lionel Messi was a top scorer for his Barcelona club this season, he may cause trouble in his opponent's defense. A few Argentine players also played in English Premier League especially Liverpool, Manchester City & Newcastle United. Nigeria will advance for Round of 16, if it's impossible for Korea Republic & Greece to go through.
Players to watch: Carlos Tevez, Lionel Messi, Javier Mascherano, Juan Sebastian Veron (ARG), Nwankwo Kanu, Yakubu Aiyegbeni (NGA), Park Ji-Sung (KOR), Giorgos Karagounis (GRE).
My top 2 will be Argentina & Nigeria.
Results: Argentina & Korea Republic advanced to round of 16
Group C:It's an easy group for England & USA to advance for round of 16 as Algeria & Slovenia were no outsiders in their previous World Cup. Mostly English players played in English Premier League are well known personalities, therefore not mostly I should recognized US faces currently played in US Soccer League, so better watch out for US keeper Tim Howard who currently played for Everton club.
Players to watch: Wayne Rooney, Peter Crouch, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, John Terry (ENG), Tim Howard (USA), Yazid Mansouri (ALG), Milivoje Novakovic (SVN).
My top 2 will be England & USA.
Results: USA & England advanced to round of 16
Group D:Germany is a favorite team to advance for ¼-finals, therefore for me is hard to predict who will advance to Round of 16. Do you think Australia can make it again like in 2006 Germany World Cup? I don't think so. As for Serbia which was formerly Yugoslavia in previous World Cup history has a chance to enter Round of 16. Ghana & Australia are no outsider to World Cup teams.
Players to watch: John Mensah, Michael Essien, Matthew Amoah (GHA), Mark Schwarzer, Tim Cahill, Harry Kewell (AUS), Lukas Podolski, Miloslav Klose (GER), Nemanja Vidic Milan Jovanovic (SRB)
My top 2 will be Germany & Ghana.
Results: Germany & Ghana advanced to round of 16
Group E:Netherlands aims for top group. It's a hard time for Cameroon, Denmark & Japan to move on to Round of 16. I expect Cameroon & Denmark to fight for second place in their group.
Players to watch: Dirk Kuyt, Ryan Babel, Arjen Robben, Robie van Persie (NED), Daniel Agger, Lars Jacobsen, Jon Dahl Tomasson (DEN), Shunsuke Nakamura, Keiji Tamada (JPN), Samuel Eto'o, Rigobert Song (CMR).
My top 2 will be Netherlands & Denmark.
Results: Netherlands & Japan advanced to round of 16
Group F:Easy group for Italy, the 2006 World Cup champion, would make through ¼-finals. A big test for Slovakia & Paraguay to make second place in a group, therefore a second time New Zealand's appearance will not make it to next round.
Players to watch: Alberto Gilardino, Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluigi Buffon (ITA), Paulo da Silva, Roque Santa Cruz (PAR), Ryan Nelsen (NZL), Robert Vittek, Miroslav Karhan (SVK).
My top 2 will be Italy & Paraguay.
Results: Paraguay & Slovakia advanced to round of 16
Group G:Brazil & Portugal are favourite teams due to their native language. Brazil has potential in football style with familiar personalities. Will Portugal overcome Ivory Coast for a second place? A big test for their matches to decide, therefore North Korea will make a surprise. The last time in World Cup 1966, the Koreans advanced through ¼-finals. What a big surprise!!!
Players to watch: Robinho, Kaka, Luis Fabiano (BRA), Cristiano Ronaldo, Deco, Ricardo Carvalho, Pepe (POR), Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou (CIV), Hong Yong-Jo (PRK).
My top 2 will be Brazil & Portugal.
Results: Brazil & Portugal advanced to round of 16
Group H:Spain is a favourite team for top group. Therefore, Chile & Switzerland will be their hard time to fight for a second place. Honduras is not easy to make it.
Players to watch: Fernando Torres, David Villa, Xabi Alonso, Xavi Hernandez, Carles Puyol (ESP), Mark Gonzalez (CHI), Alexander Frei (SUI), Wilson Palacios (HON).
My top 2 will be Spain & Chile.
Results: Spain & Chile advanced to round of 16
Round of 16:
France vs Nigeria - Nigeria (both eliminated in Round 1)
Results: Uruguay vs Korea Republic - Uruguay
Argentina vs South Africa - Argentina (South Africa eliminated in Round 1)
Results: Argentina vs Mexico - Argentina
England vs Ghana - England (England eliminated in Round of 16)
Results: USA vs Ghana - Ghana
Germany vs USA - Germany (USA eliminated in Round of 16)
Results: Germany vs England - Germany
Netherlands vs Paraguay - Netherlands
Results: Netherlands vs Slovakia - Netherlands
Italy vs Denmark - Italy (both eliminated in Round 1)
Results: Paraguay vs Japan - Paraguay
Brazil vs Chile - Brazil
Results: Brazil vs Chile - Brazil
Spain vs Portugal - Spain
Results: Spain vs Portugal - Spain
¼-finals:
Nigeria vs England - England (England eliminated in Round of 16)
Results: Uruguay vs Ghana - Uruguay
Netherlands vs Brazil - Brazil
Results: Netherlands vs Brazil - Netherlands
Argentina vs Germany - Argentina
Results: Argentina vs Germany - Germany
Italy vs Spain - Spain (Italy eliminated in Round 1)
Results: Paraguay vs Spain - Spain
½-finals:
England vs Brazil - Brazil (eliminated in ¼-finals)
Results: Uruguay vs Netherlands - Netherlands
Argentina vs Spain - Spain (Argentina eliminated in ¼-finals)
Results: Germany vs Spain - Spain
3rd place:
England vs Argentina - Argentina (eliminated in ¼-finals)
Results: Uruguay vs Germany - Germany
Final:
Brazil vs Spain (Brazil eliminated in ¼-finals)
Results: Netherlands vs Spain - Spain
The 2010 World Cup champion will be Brazil.
Results: Spain
