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Our Brazil World Cup group stage preview series kicks of with the analysis and predictions for Group A, which will see hosts Brazil take on Croatia, Mexico and Cameroon.
Brazil might lack a bit of the all star talent they previously had, especially on the offensive end, but make no mistake – this team can go all the way. Scolari has made the best out of this squad and Brazil still has a number of world class caliber players who can single handedly decide a game. Brazil played some great football in preparation for the World Cup, including a 3-0 win over Spain in the Confederations Cup final and 13 wins in the last 14 games (11 of which came by at least two goals). The Selecao should be able to cruise trough this group but they will need Neymar to be at his best if they are to challenge for the World Cup, as they lack attacking depth, both in midfield but especially in the striker position. On a sidenote, this might be the first time in history when Brazil’s defensive players are the stars of the team.
- Key players: Neymar, Thiago Silva
- Strong spots: Overall quality, Defense, Midfield, Attacking speed, Home court advantage, Manager
- Weak spots: Keeper position, attacking depth
- Odds to qualify: 1.06 @ Betfair
Croatia did not have the easiest time qualifying for the World Cup, finishing 2nd behind Belgium, but eventually they took care of business in the playoffs against the surprise package of Iceland. The Croatians seem to be in a bit of a decline compared to recent years but they still have a quality squad and a lot of experience at this level. Their form as of 27th May is not the best with just 1 win in 5 games and Croatia will have to improve if they are to qualify for the second round. But, all in all, Croatia does seem the most solid and experienced team behind Brazil in this group A.
- Key players: Luka Modric, Mario Mandzukic
- Strong spots: Defense, Tactical discipline, Experience
- Weak spots: Keeper position, Defensive depth, Keeping possession
- Odds to qualify: 2.22 @ Betfair
Similar to Croatia, Mexico seems to have lost some power in the last few years and had a disappointing qualifying campaign, finishing 4th behind USA, Costa Rica and Honduras in Central America. The New Zealand playoff tie was of course an easy task for Mexico, but questions arise whether they can still mix it up with the best in the World. Mexico has a squad composed mostly of domestic based players and will need their few stars to step up and score some goals in this Group – because defensively and in the midfield area they are not at the same level as Croatia, nevermind Brazil. The bookies are rating Mexico with similar chances to advance as Croatia, but that might not be the case.
- Key players: Javier Hernandez, Giovanni Dos Santos
- Strong spots: Offense, Counterattacks
- Weak spots: Midfield, Defensive discipline, Poor form
- Odds to qualify: 2.20 @ Ladbrokes
Cameroon will come to Brazil with a star filled roster of european-based players and it’s no wonder they qualified for the World Cup for the second consecutive time. Nevertheless, Cameroon will need to prove they can play as a team if they are to have any hope of going through and, like all African teams, will have to cope with meeting opponents of a superior level compared to the ones on their continent. All in all, Cameroon’s quality squad might make betting on them to do some damage in Group A a profitable investment.
- Key players: Samuel Eto’o, Alexandre Song
- Strong spots: Midfield, Quality individual players
- Weak spots: Keeper position, Team chemistry, Inconsistency
- Odds to qualify: 6.00 @ Winner
Stay tuned on Betdistrict for complete group stage analysis and extensive World Cup insight. Follow our facebook page and our Brazil 2014 blog for complete World Cup coverage.
