Latin Post.com breaks down the team's in Group E of the 2014 World Cup; which of these teams are the favorites to win futbol's biggest prize in Brazil this summer?
The World Cup is a major showpiece for some of the biggest soccer teams around the globe. However, one of the highlights of the tournament is watching how some of the relative "unknowns" fare against the bigger powers. Costa Rica enters this tournament as one of this lesser-known soccer nations and actually fits the aforementioned description of a small country taking on big powers as it will face Italy, England and Uruguay in the group stage. Can the underdog seize the spotlight from the aforementioned World Cup champion nations?
The last time a World Cup champion won back-to-back tournaments was in 1962, when a Pele-led Brazil managed the feet. That generation of players was widely considered the greatest international team of all time. However, another team has managed to enter into that conversation after being the first team to win three straight international tournaments in a row. That team is the current defending champion Spain, which enters the tournament after winning the 2008 and 2012 Euro Cups and the 2010 World Cup. Can Spain make history by winning its second straight World Cup and its fourth straight major tournament?
African sides have never had formidable success at the World Cup and many do not believe that that trend will come to an end in Brazil this summer. There are some teams that are expected to get out of the group stage, but Cameroon in not one of them. Can the team prove doubters wrong?
FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke inspected venues in Sao Paulo, Curitiba, and Cuiaba to verify if they would be ready in time to host matches for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
The Swiss enter the World Cup in a rather interesting position. The team was among the top eight sides for the FIFA drawing and was thus seen as a "group leader." However, few would look at Switzerland as an elite soccer country and their history has never really supported this notion either. However, the Swiss were drawn into a relatively easy World Cup group and could prove doubters wrong with a stellar performance. Is Switzerland ready to take the next step?
England has been a perennial underachiever on the international level, but the team has often managed to get out of the group stage relatively unscathed throughout the last few World Cup tournaments. However, the team faces a monumental challenge in 2014. Will the Three Lions play in the knockout rounds this summer?
World Cup Brazil 2014 is fast approaching, and Latinos and soccer aficionados around the world are gearing up to see their favorite soccer teams battle it out on the field, willing to give their blood, sweat and tears for their countries, in the midst of a Brazilian backdrop filled with screaming fans.
Greece does not have an illustrious history at the World Cup, but the European nation has a chance to make a run this year after being placed into one of the less competitive groups of the tournament? Can the 2004 European champions finally put on a solid performance in the world's biggest tournament?
Australia returns to the World Cup in 2014 but has a tough task to overcome in order to move on from the group stage. Will the Socceroos be remembered for this tournament or will they continue to languish among the worst teams in the tournament?
Russia will make its hotly anticipated World Cup return in 2014 with hopes of creating and building experience ahead of its 2018 tournament. The Russians were drawn into a highly favorable group in 2014, but will the team finally overcome its rough history in the tournament?
