South American teams remain favored, but look for U.S. to make noise

Article by: Christian Petruzzi

FIFA announced this week that it has sold out seats for both the semi-finals and the final match in this coming summer’s World Cup, which will take place in South Africa from June 11-July 11. The only question that remains now is who will be playing in those matches.

Following in the footsteps of the 2006 edition of the Cup, which was held in Germany, this summer’s games will be especially tough, particularly for a country still in the process of putting the finishing touches on stadiums.

Back in 2006, fans witnessed a tournament centered on defensive, low scoring games where the smallest mistake would bounce a team from the tournament. In fact, the Italian side tied a World Cup record by allowing the fewest goals (two) by an eventual champion. The team featured a goaltender, Gianluigi Buffon, who was never scored upon by an opponent during the flow of play. The only two goals against Italy came from an own-goal by a defenseman and on a penalty kick in the final match. However, the 2006 World Cup’s defining and most memorable moment will forever be France’s Zinedine Zidane’s head butt of Marco Materazzi in the final, an act that got Zidane tossed from the game and will forever tarnish his legacy among soccer greats.

Looking ahead to this World Cup, it’s easy to determine who the favorites are. In Europe, the favorites are always the same: Italy, Germany, England and current European Champion, Spain.

In South America, both the Samba Kings of Brazil and the boys from Argentina should once again shine on the grand stage. But other than the historical favorites, which other teams really have a chance?

It may come as a surprise to many, but don’t count out the boys wearing red, white and blue. Yes, our very own U.S. team will be a serious contender at these games. Having flamed out in 2006, continuing a horrendous trend of playing their worst when the games are staged in Europe, the U.S. team should rebound and surprise many viewers around the world. Coming off of a finals appearance at the 2009 Confederations Cup, considered by many to be a mini-World Cup, the U.S. has the talent necessary to contend with teams like Brazil, Italy and Spain. After all, the team defeated Spain and was dominating Brazil at halftime of the Confederations Cup Final, before being undone by Brazilian reserves. If there is one thing that the U.S. lacks, it’s depth. Beyond the starting eleven, the U.S. just doesn’t have the kind of bench that teams like Brazil and England can produce.

As they were in 2006, the Brazilians are the favorites again in 2010. Brazil has always been a media darling when it comes to the World Cup. They are seen as the most creative and most exciting team to watch. The Brazilian mystique was created exactly 40 years ago this summer, when greats like Pele were dominating world soccer. Since that time, Brazil has produced only one team, in 1982, with the same excitement factor. That team, full of talent and creativity, was beaten by eventual champion Italy in the quarterfinals.  This year’s team will once again feature some of the world’s best offensive players, but more importantly, Brazil has arguably the world’s best goal-keeper in Julio Cesar.

After winning the Cup in 2006, Italy sat back and just got older. Sure they added some youth in the form of U.S. born sensation Giuseppe Rossi, but for a team that was the second oldest in 2006, they haven’t done nearly enough to get younger. They still have Buffon in goal, which means that they have a chance. They also benefited by drawing a weak opening group, as their opponents in the group stage will be Paraguay, New Zealand and Slovakia. However, they simply do not have the fire-power necessary to compete beyond the quarterfinals.

Argentina will be looking for their first World Cup victory since 1986, and this may be their year. They were a penalty shootout away from reaching the semifinals in 2006 and will be returning virtually the same roster. They feature a strong attack led by star Lionel Messi, who is being compared by some to Argentine great Diego Maradona.

European champion Spain also has the players to win the Cup, but they historically never live up to the hype at the World Cup. They should be contenders, and are in a position to finally silence their critics. However injuries, in particular the one suffered by striker Fernando Torres, may sidetrack Spain once again.

If talent alone equaled success, we would be looking at an all-South American final pitting Brazil against Argentina. However, look for the U.S. to at least reach the semifinals, and after that anything can happen.