Over the next four days, I’ll preview all 64 World Cup games, making my predictions on all of them.  Each day, I’ll do two groups, as well as the knock-out games for those groups.  On Thursday, after all 8 Groups have been previewed, I’ll give my opinion on how the knock-out stage will play out, all the way up to the final match.

This is not a breakdown or analysis of all 32 teams.  While I watch a lot of international football, and admittedly pretend I know what I’m talking about, I don’t go as far as to pretend I’m an expert.  If you want expert analysis, go to ESPN’s World Cup page and read their detailed pieces on all 32 squads.

Here you’ll find my opinions on all 32 teams, and what I expect to happen to them over the next month.

GROUP A

(France, Mexico, South Africa, Uruguay)

Traditionally, the group with the host country, when the host country is a quote-unquote pushover like South Africa, is one of the easier groups.  For many people, this is just that; an easy group.  A lot of people see France as the clear favorite here, with Mexico and Uruguay probably fighting for second, and South Africa being a non-factor.

No host country is ever a non-factor.  South Africa is playing well as of late, and the emotions that they’ll have during this World Cup will give them an edge that maybe no WC host has ever had before.  In the history of the World Cup, no host country has ever failed to make it out of Group play.  South Africa will likely be the first to do this, but it won’t be without a fight.

France is the favorite here, having reached the 2006 Final, and winning the 1998 World Cup.  But this France team is different from years past, and is not close to playing its best football as we approach their first match.  I think France will surprise a lot of people, and disappoint their entire country, by not making it out of group play.

That leaves Mexico and Uruguay.  I expect both of these teams to advance out of the group stage, and to make a lot of noise while doing so.  Uruguay won the first two World Cups (’30, ’34), but has not been a factor lately, failing to win even a single match since 1970.  They were highly inconsistent in World Cup qualifying, finishing 3rd in South American scoring (behind Brazil and Chile), while also being shut out 4 times.  Their goaltending is also a big question mark.  But the talent is certainly there, and with France in trouble, I think Uruguay is ready to get back to being a prominent football country.

Mexico, in my mind, is the favorite in this group.  I’m in the minority here, but I believe they are playing as well as anybody.  A year ago, in WC qualifying, they got off to an awful start.  Then, they fired their coach, drastically changed their lineup, and have gone on a torrid run.  Just this week they beat Italy in a tune-up game, and have also faced and held their own against England, Netherlands, and Chile.  This tough schedule has them as prepared for the intensity of the World Cup as any of the 32 competing teams.

Five Players To Watch:

1. Javier Hernandez (Mexico) – Only a year ago it seemed Hernandez may not make the squad.  Then Javier Agguire took over coaching duties, made changes, and Hernandez became a key player.  Now he’s playing as well as anybody, and recently transferred to Manchester United.
2. Steven Pienaar (South Africa) – Far and away the best, and most recognizable, player on the South African roster.  The Everton midfielder quite literally holds all of RSA’s (Republic of South Africa) fate in his hands.
3. Luis Suarez (Uruguay) – Suarez is 23 years old, and primed to be one of the breakout stars of this World Cup.  Most of the world doesn’t know his name, yet Suarez scored 35 goals for the Dutch club Ajax this season.  If he carries that play over to the World Cup, he can carry Uruguay deep into the knockout stage.
4. Thierry Henry (France) – Henry is 33 years old, and playing in his 4th World Cup.  His ‘hand-ball’ against Ireland in October lifted France into the World Cup Finals.  How much does Henry have left in the tank?  His play will go a long way towards deciding how well France plays.
5. Giovani Dos Santos (Mexico) – Dos Santos is only 21, but is clearly one of the more talented players in the World Cup.  That’s not why he’s a player to watch.  Last week, Giovani’s younger brother Jonathan was cut from the National Team.  Rumors came out that Giovani was considering quitting the team, because he was ‘heart-broken.’  The story concludes that Jonathan claims he talked ‘Gio’ into playing in the World Cup.  How much of this is true?  And if it is true, how distracted is Gio going to be?

Schedule: (all times Eastern Daylight)

• June 11, 10:00 AM:  South Africa vs Mexico
• June 11, 2:30  PM:  Uruguay vs France
• June 16, 2:30 PM: South Africa vs Uruguay
• June 17, 2:30 PM: France vs Mexico
• June 22, 10:00 AM: Mexico vs Uruguay
• June 22, 10:00 AM: France vs South Africa

If you are to only watch one game in this group, make it Mexico vs Uruguay on June 22.

Projected Finish: (3 points for W, 1 point for draw)

1. Mexico 7 points
2. Uruguay 5 points
3. France 2 points
4. South Africa 1 point

Group B

(Argentina, Greece, Nigeria, South Korea)

This is easily one of the least interesting groups in the World Cup, if not the least interesting completely.  Argentina is a clear favorite here.  There is no European superpower here (the only group that doesn’t have at least one).  South Korea is perceived to be awful.  Greece hasn’t done much of anything since their incredible run in the 2004 Euro’s, and Nigeria, which may be the 2nd best team, is playing very defensive football lately.  While this has been very effective for them, it goes against their traditional style, and definitely isn’t as exciting to watch.

Argentina is easily the favorite in this group.  They are one of the favorites of the entire World Cup.  They have arguably the best player on the planet, in Lionel Messi.  I’m not sure if they’ll go 3-0-0 in group play, but it is certainly possible.  If Argentina doesn’t win Group B, I’ll be shocked.

Nigeria, Greece, and South Korea are all pretty closely rated, and any of these teams can realistically finish second in the group.  In the end, I don’t think Korea has the star power to really make a run in this world cup, and I think Greece is playing so poorly that while they’re 2nd in this group as far as the FIFA rankings go, they’ll likely finish last in this group.  That leaves Nigeria.  They’re a good team, but certainly not a great team.  Their current style of play fits this group very well, though.  Add in the home-continent advantage, and I expect them to be playing with a lot of emotion, and more than likely get out of Group B and into the knock-out stage.

Five Players To Watch:

1. Lionel Messi (Argentina) – Not only the player to watch in this group, Messi is the player to watch in the entire tournament.  If you are a casual ‘soccer’ fan, and only watch it once every four years, when the World Cup is on, make sure you watch Argentina’s matches, just so you can see this man in action.  He played brilliantly for Barcelona in club play this year, but hasn’t faired as well on the international level yet in his career.  If he plays as well as he is capable, he can carry Argentina to the title.  If he doesn’t perform up to his standards, his career legacy is going to take a hit, even at such a young age.
2. Diego Milito (Argentina) – Milito wasn’t slated to start for the Argentinian squad until recently, when he exploded for Inter Milan, his club team.  He’s played better in every match this entire year, climaxing in the UEFA League Finals, where he scored 2 goals to capture the championship.  If he carries that play over to the World Cup, him and Messi up front will give every other team fits for the next month.
3. Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria) – The aging Nigerian captain has publicly said he wants this tournament to be his swan song, and go out with a bang.  Kanu is not just a hero in Nigeria, though, he’s an icon on the entire continent of Africa.  Expect great things from him in the next month.
4. Park Ji-Sung (South Korea) – Easily the most recognizable South Korean player.  Ji-Sung plays for Manchester United, and the midfielder is vital to Korea’s success.  He won’t be enough alone to help Korea get out of group play, but he is without a doubt the man you tune into their matches to watch.
5. Vasilis Torosidis (Greece) – The 25 year old is not yet the most recognizable Greek footballer, at least to the rest of the world.  He soon will be.  Expect this World Cup to be his coming out party, and then watch him transfer to a major European club in the near future.

Schedule (All times Eastern Daylight)

• June 12, 7:30 AM: South Korea vs Greece
• June 12, 10:00 AM: Argentina vs Nigeria
• June 17, 7:30 AM: Argentina vs South Korea
• June 17, 10:00 AM: Greece vs Nigeria
• June 22, 2:30 PM: Nigeria vs South Korea
• June 22, 2:30 PM: Greece vs Argentina

If you are to only watch one game in this group, make it Argentina vs Nigeria on June 12.

Projected Finish (3 points for win, 1 point for draw)

1. Argentina 9 points
2. Nigeria 6 points
3. South Korea 3 points
4. Greece 0 points

Round of 16

In the Round of 16, 1st in Group A plays 2nd in Group B, while 1st in Group B plays 2nd in Group A.

June 26, 10:00 AM:  Mexico (1A) vs Nigeria (2B)

I’ll analyze this matchup more once it becomes official (or I’ll analyze the real matchup once I’m proved wrong), but for now I would expect Mexico’s run to continue into the quarterfinals if they met up with Nigeria in this game.

Once in the quarterfinals, Mexico would play the winner of the 1C/2D matchup, which I’ll breakdown tomorrow.

June 27, 2:30 PM:  Argentina (1B) vs Uruguay (2A)

If this matchup were played tomorrow, I’d expect Argentina to win it.  In three weeks, Argentina may be playing unbelievable and could run away with this.  They could also struggle through group play, still finish first, and face off with a Uruguay squad that is primed to upset their CONMEBOL rival.

Argentina, who I expect to win this match, will play the winner of the 1D/2C matchup.