32 countries with 736 players in total will battle it out at the Brazil FIFA World Cup 2014 this summer with Spain, Argentina, Brazil as favourites to win the competition but before the final round here is what I think the group stages of this year's World Cup would look like which will be prompted by few facts below.
No European team has ever won the Fifa World Cup on an American soil before while Brazil is the only team from American Continent to ever win the world cup hosted in Europe (Sweden 1958). So teams from Europe faces a difficult task, so will history come to play or will the jinks be broken? We will find out soon.
Th e first and last time Brazil hosted the prestigious competition Uruguay emerged as the champions as only six countries have hosted and won the Fifa World Cup ( Uruguay-1930, Italy-1934, England-1966, Germany-1974,Argentina-1978 and France-1998) will Brazil join this countries as a host and eventual champions?.
Brazil 2014 is the 20th edition of the Fifa World Cup as the competition failed to stared in 1942 and 1946 so expect a lot of surprises as their are lots of mouth watering fixtures that looks like semi final fixtures right from the group stage, here is my Brazil 2014 on paper.
Group A- Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon
The host has been tipped by many as favourites in this group but Croatia is a team that could silence the stadium on the opening day of World Cup as the Samba Boys will be under pressure with the likes of Luka Modric, Rakitic and Mandzukic firing all cylinder it could be the first shocker of this year's World Cup and not forgetting the Mexicans that knows the Brazilian team very well. As for the Cameroonians I can only wish them luck, the team has been struggling and most of their players are ageing, will they be able to match the fast tempo of the modern game? time will tell, but one cannot take everything away from them because they've got lots experiences in their squad.
Brazil has got lots of young talents in its squad mixed with the old, The team has great qualities and prospects such as the wonder boy Neymar, Oscar, Thiago Silva, Maicon and others, they will go through though but not as easy as many predicted but the runners up will be either Croatia or Mexico but this will be determined by Cameroon which I foresee hurting one of this teams from qualifying to the next round. The indomitable lions will be an upset in this group but I don't see them going to the next round.
Group B- Spain, Holland, Chile, Australia
Spain will be defending their title as the previous champions of the competition but it will be a very difficult task, for me Spain has reached their peak and will be dropping, most vital members of the squad are ageing the creative Xavi is 34 years of age, he has been struggling at the club level, the Ticki-Tacka is losing its trend, its been mastered by oppositions recently and the Spanish Coach took a giant Step dropping the likes Llorente, Negredo, Carvajal and captain Gabi of Athletico Madrid all have had good season with their club sides, Coach De Bosque picked Torres who had less playing time in his club and Diego Costa who has injury worries . Remember France after winning the World Cup and conquering Europe as well, they were sent packing in the early stage of Korea/Japan 2002 same might be the case for the Spaniards. Chile has been very impressive with Sanchez and Vidal leading the attack and for them Brazil is like home, the Chileans might be this year's revelation, they will qualify with the Dutch as well, this could be a pay back time for Holland, V. Persie and Arjen Robben will want to redeem their previous loss of lifting the trophy am tipping Holland and Chile to progress to the next stage.
Group C-Colombia, Greece, Ivory Coast, Japan
This is an open group, all teams in this group can make it out, this group could see the least points to qualify to the next round at this year's World Cup group stage but if the Ivorians play together as a team than been an individual we could see them going all through to the quarter finals, they have all it takes the problem has always been bringing it together as a unit, Colombia without their captain Falcao is huge loss to them so I will take the Japanese ahead of them but the Colombians are very difficult to play while Greece are also very well composed just not a high scoring side. Ivory Coast and Japan to the next phase.
Group D- Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy
Group D is Deceitful as anything could happen, it's tricky, as tagged by many, its the group of Death, mouth watering fixtures like its the semi finals already, it's going to be a clash of the titans and I think nothing will be determined until the last match of the group is played.
Uruguay is one of the favourites according to history but I would love the young talented lads mixed with the old from England to progress but Italy has a very good record of the World Cup, the Azzuris definitely knows how to play when it comes to the big stage.
Uruguay don't really play beautiful football but knows how to do the most important in the game so well which is scoring goals, their attack is breath taking Suaraz, Cavani and Diego Forlan combine so well, am putting my money on them to make it out of this group while Italy and England match against each other could be their qualification factor so am living it between any of the two teams to join Uruguay in the next round.
Switzerland team have been playing together for a while, coming together from the youth level not forgetting they defeated Spain at the last edition of the World Cup and they've improved so well, they are not the favourites in this group but should make it out of the group phase together with their European counterpart, the French national team is in a rebuilding process but they can pose a big threat at this year's World Cup, to avoid division in the team like their previous outings the coach axed some players out of the team despite their great form and replaced them with some young lads who have been lifting their game as each game passes. The only threat is Honduras which is very physical side but the European teams in this group are more technically sound than them so France and Switzerland will make it to the next phase of World Cup. 
Group F- Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Nigeria
The Super Eagles is making its 5th appearance at the Fifa World Cup and it's their second as an African champions, we have everything in our favour to qualify in this group only if we could continue the way we ended the African cup of Nations in terms of taking an opponent one at a time and I see this year's World Cup as a payback time against Argentina or atlease a draw after winning our two previous matches in this group, we have a very good group and I see us getting to the quarter finals. Argentina for me tops my favourites team to lift the trophy at the 2014 Fifa World Cup and will definitely make it out of this group, the Albiceleste attack is suicidal to any defence line with Angel sparkling Di Maria and Messi withdrawn to the midfield and Ezeqiel Lavezzi, Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain on the frontline they can defeat any team, the best way to defend is to attack this philosophy works very well for this team as they emerged top Scorers at CONMEBOL, their defence might not be that strong like the rest of the team"s department but the coach has recalled Demichellis to help them out after a good spell in his first season with EPL champions that doesn't mean am taking everything away from the rest of the teams but if anything is to happen as a surprise it will be Bosnia and Herzegovina which is the only debutant in this year's world cup and they might want to prove something. Nigeria and Argentina going through.
Group G- Germany, Portugal, Ghana, USA
Germany is a clear favourite in this group and a potential semi finalist but this group is also tricky, Portugal's captain Cristiano Ronaldo with so much firing power can fire his team into the next round, the present world footballer the year form will determine the progress of the Portuguese team as they look ordinary without their captain who has been been battling with injuries recently , the Black Stars of Ghana can battle for a place in the next round as the team always give everything when playing , they are compacting, play together so well , high team spirit with so much energy but only that they lose their momentum when it matters most but not withstanding they pose a very big threat just like the USA will make life difficult for any of the teams.
My bet is on Germany and Portugal/Ghana for the next phase of the competition.
Group H- Belgium, Algeria, Russia, South Korea
Belgium is that team everybody is waiting to see at the 2014 Fifa World Cup but will they explode? I say yes because most their players are on top of their games and are playing at the highest level, they should definitely make it to atlease quarter finals while South Korea or Russia will battle it out for the second spot, the only Nothern African team to make it to this year's world cup is Algeria but the Nothern African teams don't really pose any threat. My crystal ball tells me my Brazil 2014 medalist would be Argentina, Brazil, Chile/Germany, this is my Brazil, this is my World Cup.
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