Group G (Germany, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, the US) and Group B (Netherlands, defending champion Spain and New York City FC’s David Villa) are packed with star power. Group H? Not so much. Belgium, favored to win, is just fine with that. But can this young team make a deep run?
Belgium is inexperienced at World Cup level, but with their attacking talent — stars such as Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku — playing in big European leagues, they might handle the big stage well.
Russia, Algeria and South Korea probably will fight for second. Russia gave up just five goals in 10 European qualifiers to finish atop its group, ahead of Portugal. They’re stingy defensively thanks to Italian coach Fabio Capello and CSKA Moscow keeper Igor Akinfeev, and probably have enough to hold off Korea and Algeria, an overlooked longshot.
Belgium
Coach: Marc Wilmots
Odds: 14-1
FIFA rank: 11
Formation: 4-2-3-1
World Cup finishes: Qualified for six straight World Cups from 1982 to 2002, reaching the knockout phase five times and coming in fourth in 1986.
Players to watch: Eden Hazard will start on the left but move all over the field to make plays. With striker Christian Benteke out (Achilles), they’ll look to Hazard’s Chelsea teammate Romelu Lukaku, who had 14 Premier League goals on loan to Everton.
Overview: Belgium is physical and disciplined, with Manchester United holding midfielder Marouane Fellaini and imposing Manchester City centerback Vincent Kompany providing a stout spine. They need veteran Kevin De Bruyne to shake off rust on the right flank and Everton’s Kevin Mirallas or Manchester United’s Adnan Januzaj – arguably the top teen in Europe – to come through on the left.
Schedule: June 17 vs. Algeria (Belo Horizonte); June 22 vs. Russia (Rio de Janeiro); June 26 vs. South Korea (Sao Paulo)
Russia
Coach: Fabio Capello, an Italian whose my-way-or-the-highway approach has gotten results
Odds: 100-1
FIFA rank: 19
Formation: 4-1-4-1
World Cup finishes: Once a power as the USSR, they had group-stage exits in 1990, 1994 and 2002.
Players to watch: CSKA Moscow goalie Igor Akinfeev broke a national record with 12 consecutive scoreless hours. Russia has to get offense from his CSKA Moscow teammate Alan Dzagoev on the left flank, and on the right from Alexander Samedov, who plays at crosstown rival Lokomotiv Moscow.
Overview: Capello moved away from Andrey Arshavin, building a team that relies on a tough back line and high pressure. They’ll have to force turnovers and excel on the wings. This is a mostly domestic-based team, with Dynamo Moscow’s 23-year-old Alexander Kokorin – who had four goals in qualifying – hailed as the future of Russian soccer.
Schedule: June 17 vs. South Korea (Cuiaba); June 22 vs. Belgium (Rio de Janeiro); June 26 vs. Algeria (Curitiba)
South Korea
Coach: Hong Myung-bo, who captained South Korea to a fourth-place finish in the 2002 World Cup on home soil
Odds: 500-1
FIFA rank: 57
Formation: 4-2-3-1
World Cup finishes: Reached the Round of 16 in 2010 before losing to Uruguay. Knocked out in the group stage in six of eight World Cups.
Players to watch: Bayer Leverkusen’s 21-year-old Son Heung-min can create from the left wing. Koo Ja-cheol can line up as a support striker or central attacking midfielder with 2010 captain Lee Chung-Yong.
Overview: The Taeguk Warriors have reached the knockout stages of two of the last three World Cups. They’re industrious, but with a shaky defense they need standout performances from the likes of Park Chu Young (team-high six goals in qualifying), Ki Seung-yueng (loaned from Swansea to Sunderland), Son and Koo.
Schedule: June 17 vs. Russia (Cuiaba); June 22 vs. Algeria (Porto Alegre); June 26 vs. Belgium (Sao Paulo)
Algeria
Coach: Vahid Halilhodzic, former coach of Ivory Coast
Odds: 2,000-1
FIFA rank: 22
Formation: 4-2-3-1
World Cup finishes: Went winless in the 2010 World Cup, the country’s third appearance
Players to watch: Valencia’s Sofiane Feghouli, who epitomizes the young generation the Desert Foxes are cultivating. The French-born 24-year-old is electrifying on the right wing, though he can play as an attacking midfielder.
Overview: After years of losing Algerian players to the French National Team – think: legendary Zinedine Zidane, Samir Nasri and current standout Karim Benzema – they’re starting to hold onto and develop their talent. Center back Madjid Bougherra anchors the defense, while Hilal Soudani (Dinamo Zagreb) and Saphir Taider (Inter Milan) support Feghouli in the midfield.
Schedule: June 17 vs. Belgium (Belo Horizonte); June 22 vs. South Korea (Porto Alegre); June 26 vs. Russia (Curitiba)