World Cup fever

TIME really flies fast. Was it already four years ago when I woke up at dawn, turned on the tv and saw heavily favored Brazil losing to host France in the World Cup final? I was then working in Singapore - a football crazy little hub. Back in home country four years hence, the buzz for World Cup Korea/Japan within my sphere is practically zilch. The Filipino culture is not keen on football.

But unlike most of my countrymen, I follow the football matches around the world religiously and the only person I can discuss this topic with is my little brother who’s frequently not around. I’m left with nobody to talk with but that’s life and no sweat.

As we’re already halfway through May, millions of fans worldwide can’t wait for the event to unfold on the 31st in Seoul, Korea with the France and Senegal match. Looking at the brackets, we ask ourselves, who will emerge victorious and lift the most coveted trophy in the world? If upsets aren’t on the horizon, the seedings give us a clue. These aren’t fearless forecasts but merely an analysis based on the country’s World Cup history and recent form.

To advance to the second round, the top two teams in each bracket is decided in the preliminary matches in a round robin format, then it’s single knock-out sytem from the round of 16 to the finals.

It pays to be defending champion and the number one team in the world as France is a shoo-in to the second round and a toss-up for the rest in Group A. Spain should extinguish the ghost of World Cup past minus the dashing midfielder Pep Guardiola to take Group B along with South Africa but Paraguay shouldn’t be taken for granted with Jose Luis Chilavert as goalkeeper.

Japan National Team

Group C has Brazil bracketed with debutante China and CONCACAF mainstay Costa Rica but Brazil and Turkey are the odds-on favorites to finish 1-2 for the second round. Group D will have Luis Figo’s Portugal first and the US second unless host side South Korea will thrive well on home soil.

Group E is composed of strong sides with two-time champs Germany and Olympic gold medalist Cameroon predicted to make it to round 2 but the Republic of Ireland strong showing in the qualifying shouldn’t be ignored. To further confound England’s problems sans David Beckham, Group F is the toughest bracket of the tournament. Nigeria was the 1996 Olympic champion but it would be disaster if England won’t progress so together with talented Argentina, Sven Goran Erikkson squad will live to play in Round 2.

Italy will hold court in Group G and the other three - Ecuador, Croatia, Mexico - hoping for a pass.

The other host, Japan is braced for Round 2 as no football superpower is present in Group H.

In the round of 16, Germany (1st E) will meet South Africa (2nd B) and the most awaited match of the round, the clash of titans, between England (2nd F) and France (1st A). Argentina (ist F) may bump into Denmark (2nd A) while a repeat of Sydney 2000 between Spain (1st B) and Cameroon (2nd E) may again foil the higher ranked Spaniards long-time finals dream.

A spot is etched for Italy (1st G) in the quarters if it is pitted with either the US and South Korea (2nd D). Zen-like Brazil is hands down choice over Belgium or Japan (2nd H) despite the embar-rassment in the Confederations Cup against Japan last year. Portugal (1st D) will make it against the second ranked team in Group G while Turkey is aided by a friendly draw in its march to the quarterfinals.

If there are no monumental overturns in the month-long event, the sides and status quo of football powerhouses aren’t thwarted, the quarterfinals will look like these : France vs Brazil, Germany vs Italy, Cameroon vs Portugal, Argentina vs Turkey. Portugal and Argentina can easily beat both Cameroon and Turkey and will meet separate opponents respectively.

As prophesied by pundits, Brazil have no chance against France but with names like Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos and Giovanni Elber, who could count the four-time champions out? Based on rankings, Italy should be it but the Germans are the Germans, football is in their blood, too.

Realistically, not a thing is rendered certain. I might be totally wrong from the first level and the hierarchy is shuffled and France and England may not meet in the round of 16 after all. But regrdless of the results, this World Cup is going to be exciting and like millions of other fans, I’m anxious for the games to begin. *

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