When Spain successfully defended their continental crown by thrashing Italy 4-0 in the final of Euro 2012, two years after lifting the World Cup, their place amongst the greatest international teams in football history was secured. La Furia Roja’s golden generation, built around the Barcelona midfield triumvirate of Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets, have largely remained intact. Immortality beckons in Brazil this summer. Spain’s standing as the greatest international side ever will be beyond dispute should they win an unprecedented fourth consecutive major title and become the first European side to lift the World Cup in South America. To accomplish this, however, Spain, and their rivals will need to perform in sweltering temperatures and stifling humidity. With six of the 12 host cities for the tournament located away from the cooler south-east stretch of Brazil, the 2014 World Cup will be as much a test of stamina and conditioning as skill.
For Spain coach Vicente del Bosque, who favours the high-tempo pressing and passing tiki-taka game, the challenging conditions could mean a winning formula will need to be tweaked. Del Bosque is preaching a message of caution and humility. He said recently: “Our past achievements offer no guarantee of future triumphs. My message is to stay humble, be vigilant, and not to let us believe that anything will be easy at the World Cup.”
The first challenge will be deciding who to pick from such a talented squad. Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa is a brilliant but volatile addition to a close-knit group, while first choice goalkeeper and skipper Iker Casillas has not played even a minute of league football this season at Real Madrid.
Del Bosque has plenty to ponder before Spain kick off their campaign against the Netherlands in Salvador on June 13—a repeat of the 2010 final. Expect a less volatile encounter this time. The defensive and aggressive tactics deployed by the Netherlands in Johannesburg won few admirers abroad and sparked an identity crisis at home.
With Louis van Gaal brought in to save the Oranje after a winless Euro 2012, a return to attack-minded, technically proficient football came as the Dutch cruised through their World Cup qualifying group. The Netherlands always possess a host of world-class players and much will depend on whether veteran quartet Arjen Robben, Robin van Persie, Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart can produce brilliance in tight games. Van Gaal described it as a ‘small catastrophe’ when Roma’s influential midfielder, Kevin Strootman, was ruled out of the World Cup after sustaining a serious knee injury in March, and in a tournament likely to favour young legs, this ageing Dutch side face being outshone by less vaunted neighbours.
Belgium will travel to its first World Cup since 2002 with a truly formidable and star-studded squad. From the man widely regarded as Europe’s best young goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, to defensive rock Vincent Kompany and dangerous playmaker Eden Hazard, Marc Wilmots’ side boasts quality all over the pitch. If, as expected, the Red Devils make light work of a group containing Russia, South Korea and Algeria, few teams will relish facing one of the most popular World Cup dark horses we’ve ever seen.
Ronaldo, the pivot of the Portuguese team
While Belgium’s prize crop of players gives them strength in every position, Portugal, on the other hand, go to the World Cup branded a ‘one-man team’. Cristiano Ronaldo was named the world’s greatest footballer after winning his second Ballon d’Or in January and craves to have the kind of impact on a World Cup like Diego Maradona did in 1986. His four goals over two legs against Sweden in the playoffs gave ammunition to those who feel that Portugal are too reliant on their talismanic captain.
It’s a perception which the Real Madrid star hopes his team can use to their advantage: “We don’t have the pressure because we are not favourites and that is a good thing,” he told reporters recently. “To win a World Cup would be the crowning glory of my career. First we have to get through the group stages and afterwards we will see.” If industrious midfielders Joao Moutinho and William Carvalho, in addition to chief enforcer Pepe, can provide a solid platform for Ronaldo’s stellar talent, Portugal will believe they can beat anyone in Brazil—even their toughest group opponents, Germany.
Die Mannschaft rarely show up in a tournament without being one of the most high-calibre squads, and this year bookmakers put them ahead of even Spain. It has become a source of dismay at home that Germany have not lifted the trophy since 1990. Losing the 2002 final and finishing third in the last two tournaments has even seen them labelled ‘chokers’. But Joachim Low’s side are stronger than his dazzling class of 2010, and have a promising balance of experience with youthful verve built around a Bayern Munich spine, including reliable goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and ‘wunderkind’ Mario Gotze.
Another coach who has invested heavily in youth is England’s Roy Hodgson. Four years after Fabio Capello took a squad of players with an average age of 29.8, his successor has brought that right down to a spritely 26. In Raheem Sterling, 19, Ross Barkley, 20, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 20, England possess a clutch of fearless young stars capable of hurting opponents and alleviating some of the pressure on star attacker Wayne Rooney, who has disappointed on this stage before.
England might be hopeful that Rooney can finally open his World Cup account after two goalless tournaments, but they will kick off their 2014 campaign against a team in possession of a similarly precocious talent. Italy coach Cesare Prandelli has stopped short of building his side around the obvious talents of Mario Balotelli, the Azzuri’s leading scorer in qualifying.
The volatile striker has been warned by his manager to show patience and tactical maturity in Brazil or he will find himself on the sidelines.
With Giorgio Chiellini, Daniele De Rossi, Gianluigi Buffon and the majestic deep-lying playmaker Andrea Pirlo, Italy posses a world-class line-up—even if their prodigal forward ends up on the bench.
Adisruptive, frustrated substitute can damage the morale of the group and this concern was at the forefront of Didier Deschamps’s mind when he omitted Manchester City’s in-form Samir Nasri from his 23-man French squad. After 2010’s implosion, with France exiting the group stage amidst an acrimonious player strike, Deschamps is understandably going out of his way to ensure he has a happy camp. In Paul Pogba, Blaise Matuidi, Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema, France have no shortage of stars who have performed with distinction for their clubs this season.
Croatia, Greece, Russia, Switzerland and Bosnia make up the rest of Europe’s representatives in Brazil, and while each include one or two high-pedigree players, they might struggle to assert themselves when faced with more capable sides.
How coaches structure the downtime in Brazil between matches to ensure adequate recovery time in order to reduce the risk of injuries, while also keeping their players in peak condition for the searing heat, could mean the difference between World Cup glory and failure.
Spain and Italy will have both learned from their experience at last year’s Confederations Cup, when fatigue kicked in towards the latter stages of the tournament. However, European teams, in general, are far better travellers now than they were in 1978, when Argentina hosted South America’s last World Cup.
Brazil have home advantage and Argentina have, at last, figured out how to play to Lionel Messi’s considerable strengths—these two teams are the favourites for good reasons. But Europe’s leading sides head to the tournament with confidence that they can beat the heat and do what no other European team has done before. Don’t rule them out.
Amar Singh is Digital Sports Editor for the London Evening Standard
