World Cup Cheat-Sheet: Ladies Edition (Group G: Germany, USA,Portugal & Ghana)

Here's the scoreboard as of this morning. Germany demolished Ronaldo's Portugal thanks in part to Portugal's true bad boy; Pepe. USA showed good face by beating out a stunned Ghana 2:1 & in between it all, Iran & Nigeria drew zero.

Now let's take a VERY slow & longing look at the pretty boys & the rough necks of Group G: Germany, USA, Portugal & Ghana

Germany :
Schwartz, Rot Gold! That just rolls off the tongue doesn't it? It means 'Black, Red, Gold', for the colors of the German flag. I have visited DE several times but when I was in Berlin for the 2006 World Cup match featuring DE vs ARG it was electrifying! I had never seen so many German flags out in the open. It was as if the Germans finally got their groove back. Today, people don't think twice about wearing the tricot & that's nice to see but what's nicer to see is the actual players in & out of their blacks, their reds, and their.. well, you decide from there. All I know is, some of these boys deserve gold stars for showmanship. They make me want to sing 'I love German boys!'.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: Die Mannschaft, means "The Team". German efficiency at its best because just two germanic words can often shock anyone who's listening
- Playing style: As Gary Lineker said during WC'90, "Football is a simple game; 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win." That was the Germany of old, today's squad add flair, style & as always precision to their plays.
- Players to watch: Marco "Rolls-Reus" Reus, Klose, Mueller & the sexiest coach at the WC, Joachim 'Jogi" Löw. His hair has a shampoo contract!
- How far can they go: With the best midfielding team Germany has ever seen, they can definitely get to the final if they can patch up their injured players in time & get Schweinsteiger back in tip-top form. The germans are tired of being #3 but no EU team has ever won the WC on LatAm soil, so can the Germans be the first?
- Lastly, behold the German squad & their mesmerizing coach ;)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel tagged this on FB as: "Dont hate the Playa', Hillary!"

Mesut Özil's "V" & abs want to send you their new selfie

Bastian has been bad, very bad!

The Squad, ready for after hours

Mario Gomez knows how to tease

Coach Löw and his oh-so-intense stare

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Portugal :
Portugal! Often undervalued & underestimated but most Portuguese don't mind it that way, since it means they get to keep more of that beautiful country to themselves. The same can be said of their football team. Yes they have one of the best players in the world but that's also the problem. Portugal has a talented squad which seems to be dwarfed by CR's ego & hype which in turn puts more pressure on CR & the squad. They are the dark, sexy, mediterranean... oh, sorry! right, they are one of the dark horses of the WC ;)

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: Selecção das Quinas; "The team of the Shields," refers to the 5 shields ("quinas") & the 5 dots in each shield (bezants) on the flag
- Playing style: Big on passing... the ball to CR9 so he can do as he pleases :(
- Players to watch: João Moutinho can pass well & Captain CR9 is touted as the single person who can carry Portugal to victory. Yeah, no pressure!
- How far can they go: Well after being ROCKED by DE they need to rock every other team in order to keep 2nd place. If they can do that, they'll bow out at the R16
- Lastly, here are 2 of Portugal's most 'valuable' players for reference purposes ;)

Helder Postiga + CR

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USA :
No, the US squad didn't make a wrong turn at the baseball field, they are back to prove they can do better than last time & that they can lift that darn-tooten WC trophy with the foreign words on it!

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: There's no official nickname but fans call them Stars & Stripes or the Yanks
- Playing style: Do-or-die mentality with a good defense & decent counter attacks but even with former german star player/coach Klinsmann as their coach, they still need a lil' extra something to help then beat the likes of DE & IT
- Players to watch: Bradley & german bad boy Jermaine Jones
- How far can they go: The US is in the true Group of Death & might make it out of the group alive if Portugal doesn't get its act together.
- Lastly, here is one of USA's most 'valuable' players for reference purposes ;)

LL Cool Oguchi Onyewu needs love

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Ghana:
The Ghanaian team feel robbed thanks to Uruguay's tactics at the last WC QF so they are back for revenge!

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: Black Stars in reference to the black star on Ghana's flag
- Playing style: progressive, versatile with a bit of flair
- Players to watch: Bad boy Kevin Prince-Boateng, Afriyie Acquah & Asamoah Gyan, Ghana's all-time top scorer
- How far can they go: It's the group of death but Ghana is going to fight tooth and nail to get through to the Semis in order to meet Uruguay again
- Lastly, here is one of Ghana's most 'valuable' players for reference purposes ;)

Kevin Prince Boateng showing us some of his skills

World Cup Cheat-Sheet: Ladies Edition (Group F: Argentina, Bosnia &Herzegovina, Iran & Nigeria)

The World Cup scoreboard as of this morning:

So far, a few upsets, a few triumphs, some minor scandals and a few snoozes but one thing that will never put you to sleep is watching Argentina play.

Here's a look at Group F: Argentina, Bosnia-H., Iran & Nigeria

Argentina:
Argentina! land of long hair, short shorts & sexy goals (besides great wine & steak!)

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: Albiceleste
- Playing style: Attack, Attack & oh yeah, ATTACK! they're known for sometimes leaving a few minor holes in defense but there's no denying their quick, stylistic attacking prowess and Coach "Pachorra" (Calm) Sabella will try to keep his men in line, all the way to the final.
- Players to watch: Lionel Messi has been given the Captain's armband, a true symbol of the country's belief in "La Pulga" (the flea). Higuain (El Pipita) & Aguero (Kun) will also have a chance to strut their stuff
- How far can they go: ARG & FRA are the only 2 teams to win every major FIFA men's tourney but ARG has done it all with out the help of Platini & Blatter ;) And this time Argentina is in Brazil, the land of their biggest rival (before England & Germany). These 2 footballing nations treat futbol as a religion and Messi is Argentina's god. No matter how Argentines feel about his results for the national shirt, they all agree that Messi is one of, if not, THE greatest footballer in the world. If you look at the numbers, ARG has lost only 2 out of their 16 qualification games so Argentina is extrememly hungry for a championship on Brazilian soil & I truly believe the final will be ARG vs DE or ARG vs BRA, so if you're looking for a real clasico? This will be the Super-Uber clasico!
- Lastly, here is one of Argentina's most 'valuable' players for reference purposes ;)

Higuain's develish smile   __________

Bosnia & Herzegovina :
Its's the country's first showing since the break up of Yugoslavia and they have a group of talented players trying to make history

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: B&H's nickname is "zmajevi" which means "dragons"
- Playing style: fun team to watch thanks to one of the best passers in the world; Pjanic
- Players to watch: Pjanic & Edin Dzeko
- How far can they go: Coach Susic scored a hat-trick as a player for the former Yugoslavia against Argentina in 1979 (& was named best-ever foreign player at PSG) so he's out to prove he can do it again, this time as Coach, but as you saw last night, Bosnia needs to regroup and try their best to keep their 2nd place hopes on track after the own-goal they scored at the 3rd minute.
- Lastly, here is one of BH's most 'valuable' players for reference purposes ;)

Emir Spahic, the rock of the Bosnian team

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Iran:
Iran does well in regional competitions & now they hope Coach Quiroz can help them make the same kind of impression at the World Cup

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: "Team Melli" which means National Team
- Playing style: Tough, determined but lacking foresight & fluidity
- Players to watch: Reza (Gucci) G.
- How far can they go: Portuguese coach Queiroz, known for his stints at Real Madrid, Man U & the POR natl team, has led Iran & South Afirca to the world championships but with the likes of Bosnia & ARG, I dont think they'll make it out of the group
- Lastly, here are 2 of Iran's most 'valuable' players for reference purposes ;)

Javad Nekounam + Alireza Jahan Bakhsh

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Nigeria:
The current African champions are looking to take home some international bling

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: "The Super Eagles"
- Playing style: Bold, blazing & bombastic
- Players to watch: Kenneth Omeruo & Vincent Enyeama
- How far can they go: Coach Keshi is only 1 of 2 men who have won the Africa Cup of Nations as both player & coach but can he infuse that type of discipline & proper strategy into this squad? If Bosnia doesn't get its act together, Nigeria just might have a chance at reaching the R16
- Lastly, here is one of Nigeria's most 'valuable' players for reference purposes ;)

You'll always be safe in Vincent Enyeama's hands

World Cup Cheat-Sheet: Ladies Edition (Group E: Switzerland, Ecuador, France & Honduras)

Wow what an opener! What did you think of the Brazil vs Croatia game? Think the Ref made the right calls? And by any chance, have you noticed any valuable players on.... or off screen? ;)

Remember: Every week I'll give you WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW which is a mash-up of 1) the team's playing style, 2) my opinion on their chances of moving forward at the World Cup, 3) some team stats, 4) top plays, 5) names of vital players, 6) stories from the frontline, and most importantly, I'll showcase each team's most "valuable" player(s). Please feel free to add to the conversation in the comments section

So with just a few hours left before the next match, we now move our gaze towards group E: Switzerland, Ecuador, France & Honduras

Switzerland :

Chocolate, cheese, watches... what cant this tiny country do? ah yes, football! But wait! that's changing quite quickly. There's a new Swiss in town & they're ranked 6th.. in the world! And with half the squad eligible to play for other countries it says a lot about modern Swiss culture

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

- Team nickname: La Nati, meaning The National Team

- Playing style: Today's squad is becoming quite good at a mix of defense and stellar counter attacks

- Players to watch: Granit Xhaka & Fabian Schar

- How far can they go: The Swiss have gotten so good that they ended Spain’s 11-match winning streak at the last WC & beat Brazil 1-0 recently, but a top scorer still eludes them so I think they'll be ousted at the QF once they meet DE or ESP

- Lastly, here is one of Switzerland's most 'valuable' players for reference purposes ;)

Yann Sommer wants you to feel his guns

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Ecuador:

Ecuador isn't just home to the beautiful Galapagos islands (where Darwin began to study evolution), it's also home to one of the greatest densities of volcanoes in the world. Oh and many love to eat guinea Pig.... I hear it tastes like rabbit?

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

- The team's nickname: La Tri for the 3 colors of the Ecuadorian flag

- Playing style: a great attacking squad who often lack good defense & sharp organization

- Players to watch: Felipe Caicedo & Luis Valencia

- How far can they go: This team will be interesting to watch because their striker Christian Benítez passed away suddenly last year leaving a void in the team both physically & emotionally so this team is fighting to get to the top in honor of Benitez but even with the likes of Valencia I'm afraid they won't get passed the group stage due to their defense

- Lastly, here is one of Ecuador's most valuable players, for reference purposes ;)

Antonio Valencia wants to show you his new towel

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France :
I may be a bit biased but this is one of those countries where I can't help but wonder what's in the water. From Mulhouse to Bordeaux, from Paris to my beloved Marseille, France is a country full of romance, wonderment & intriguing rendezvous ;)

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: Les Blues (or for some, FIFA's pet)
- Players to watch: for this entry let's just stick to Giroud.. let's stick oh so very close to Giroud. Actually they've got several great players; Pogba, Valbuena & Lloris
- Playing style: Giroud's playing style.. oops, I meant France's playing style is being molded by former '98 champ & amazeballs coach Didier Deschamps who's tasked with making sure France plays pure french football; solid plays with a lot of flair, and it's working.
-How far will they go: France has always been FIFA's golden child and this grouping is no different. France should be able to make it out of the group but for their sake they'll have to come out 1st in the group because I doubt they'll make it past ARG in the R16 if they come out 2nd in their group.
- Lastly, here is one of France's most 'valuable' players for reference purposes ;)

Olivier Giroud... All Day & All Night!

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Honduras

Third time is the charm? It's their 3rd time at the WC & although they aren't going up against Spain or Argentina, the term "group of death" is all relative so their main objective is to FINALLY win at least ONE game in their group.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: La Bicolor & Los Catrachos, which is the name for native Hondurans, derived from General Florencio Xatruch who fought an American insurrectionist's attempts to reintroduce slavery. Xatruch's men were called "xatruches," which then became "catruches,"
- Playing style: diamonds in the rough who, at times, create scattered but decent plays
- Players to watch: Carlo Costly & Emilio Izaguirre
- How far can they go: This team is in Brazil......on vacation :(

- Lastly, here is one of Honduras' most 'valuable' players for reference purposes ;)

Noel Valladares

thanks to headbandsandheartbreak.wordpress.com for some of the OG visuals

The 7 Laws of football & the infamous offside rule: Easy Peasy!

Clueless on the rules? Does it aggravate you when, after the millionth try, your loved ones still don't understand the off-side rule? Do you get frustrated trying to understand the basic rules of futbol? Hopefully this will help!

The laws of football:

Law 1: A match is played between two teams, with no more than 11 players (each) on the field at one time

Law 2: A match can not start if a team has less than 7 players.

Law 3: Matches normally consist of two 45 minute halves with a 15 minute half-time which can only be changed by the referee. Referees can add time to the clock (O/T)

Law 4: The Ball: The ball is out of play when:

- It has wholly crossed the goal line or touchline
- Play has been stopped by the referee.

The ball is in play at all other times:
-It rebounds off a goalpost, crossbar or corner flag and stays on the field.
-When it hits a referee or assistant referee when they are on the field.

Laws 5: Throw Ins, Goal Kicks, and Corner Kicks

When the ball goes out of play over the touchline, a throw-in will be taken by a player from the team who did not touch the ball last. When the whole of the ball goes over the goal line, a goal kick or corner is awarded, depending on which team touched the ball last. If the defending team touched it, a corner is awarded to the opposition. If the attacking team had the last touch, a goal kick is awarded.

Law 6: Free kicks are either direct or indirect, and the ball must be stationary when the kick is taken. The kicker must not touch the ball again until it has touched another player.

Law 7: The Offside

The offside rule was created in order to stop lazy players from simply waiting at the goal area for an easy goal. Cheeky buggers

- In short, if a flag is up, it's offside ;)

As per FIFA:
It is not an offence in itself to be in an offside position.
A player is in an offside position if:
•he is nearer to his opponents' goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent
A player is not in an offside position if:
•he is in his own half of the field of play or
•he is level with the second-last opponent or
•he is level with the last two opponents

WHICH MEANS....
- There must be 2 opposition players between you and the goal at the moment you touch the ball or when the ball is played by one of your teammates
-Offside only applies at the time that the ball was last touched by an attacking player, not after the touch. Once a teammate passes a ball to the attacking player, the attacker can legally sprint past the last defender to receive the pass.
-you can be in an offside position, but as long as you don't participate in the play, you will not be called offside

Now for those of you who are like me, and understand everything better through shopping metaphors, here's a fun explanation I recently heard:

There’s this one pair of Christian Louboutin Very Prive at 80% off (that’s the goal line) but in front of you, stand other shoppers who are in the way of you & those gorgeous Loubies (they're the opposing team). Behind you is your best friend who is holding your credit card (that’s the ball). If you start running towards the shoes (the goal line) and your friend throws the credit card (the ball) to you after you’ve manage to barge past the last two shoppers, you’re off-side and lose the shoes

Again, you must always remember that until the card has "actually been thrown towards you", it would be plain wrong for you to be in front of the other shoppers and you would be OFFSIDE.

ONside

OFFside

Thanks to extremesoccerlover & watchandwhistle for the visuals

Where can I watch the world cup in NYC?!

Several friends have asked me where should they watch matches or where will I watch matches, so I thought I'd make it easy for folks to enjoy the beautiful game at a nice bar/restaurant or outdoor space where the screens aren't the size of an iPad, and where you won't feel intimidated or leave the place smelling like sawdust & stale beer. Yes you can probably watch a few games at home, solo, but where's the fun in that?! :) Feel free to add your favorite venues in the comments section & check back often as I'll update this growing list quite often


Outdoor Venues/unofficial fan zones
- Zum Schneider: Sylvester & the Deutscher gang are really kicking things up a notch by having a few viewing parties by the east river, in conjunction with their 2 locations in the E Village & Montauk
- Circo have opened up their patio so you can enjoy football during your lunch hour
-Cafe Centro's Beer Bar added several large outdoor screens. Bankers; rejoice!
- West 46th Street (Little Brazil) between 5th & 6th Aves will show Brazilian matches on a giant screen
- Iona & Berry Park in Brooklyn
- Studio Square & Bohemian Hall Beer Garden in Queens

Downtown Manhattan:
- Luca bar will show all the games & if youre lucky maybe you'll ge to see their sweet pup Bella
- The neutral downtown temple of football is still Nevada Smiths (newly renovated)
- Dublin6 for more neutrality
- Casa La Femme will add a big screen during the WC
- Pao! for the Portuguese
- Sweetwater Social where Ilaria & Michele will help the Italians kick it all off

Chelsea & Gramercy
- The neutral, central, temple of football is Smithfield Hall.
- There's also the chic & sexy Ainsworth
- La Nacional & Socarrat for tapas & tiki-taka at several locations
- OCabanon for the games & some proper pâté et rosé


Midtown East & West:
- Tonic has 2 huge locations, is home to the Dutch during the WC but still v neutral
- Connelly's sev locations
- Saki Bar Hagi for the Japanese fans
- BXL This Belgian connection has several locations
- Opia
- Manchester Pub
- Circo & Le Cirque Cafe  have created fun cocktails for the games, named after famous players

Upper West Side/ UES:
- Uptown Social  has a humongous screen

Brooklyn:
- Miss Favela is planning on adding an outdoor screen for your viewing pleasure
- Bar Tabac for the Frenchy in all of us
- Caffé Romeo is the epitome of old school AmerItaliano, where calcio is shown weekly
- Harfield Road  will help keep an Englander's spirits up

Queens:
- Casa Galicia  is a Spaniard staple
- El Pequeño Coffee Shop will have several flat screens on duty for the Ecuador fans
- Boca Junior Argentina Steakhouse - 'nuff said!
- La Gran Uruguaya Bakery will have a few decent sized screens
- Caffe Borbone where Algerians will huddle around 1 screen

Bronx:
- Papaye Restaurant has a decent sized screen but if you're Uruguayan, this Ghanaian spot might not be your best bet ;)

Staten Island: really? ;)
-Play sports bar

And if you're a fan of Cachaça, the sexy boys & girls at Avuá Cachaça have created a kool event calendar showing where you can enjoy their spirit, while showing yours ;)

World Cup Cheat-Sheet: Ladies Edition (Group D: Uruguay, Costa Rica, England & Italia)

Welcome back! And thank you so much for your support, feedback & ideas (please keep them coming!). I started this blog with the hopes of making the world cup experience (and the world) smaller, so I hope these cheat-sheets are helping you ladies scout great talent via my favorite sport, fútbol!

As requested, in future posts, I'll discuss rules of the game, fun & quirky facts, obstacles facing some of the teams as well as a special spotlight on great players

So let's keep the party going by taking a look at the first 'Group of Death' or as I like to call them, the group of dead-gorgeous. Group D: Uruguay, Costa Rica, England & Italia:

FYI: Every week I'll give you WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW which is a mash-up of 1) the team's playing style, 2) my opinion on their chances of moving forward at the World Cup, 3) some team stats, 4) top plays, 5) names of vital players, 6) stories from the frontline, and most importantly, I'll showcase each team's most "valuable" player(s). Please feel free to add to the conversation in the comments section

Uruguay :
A land of just over 3 million people who are known for their open mindedness & social equality, Uruguay was the first Latin country to legalize same-sex marriage, marijuana and offer laptops to all schoolchildren. All this from the 2nd smallest Latin country where cows outnumber people 3:1. But their best export (besides beef & wine) is futbol! They won the first world cup in 1930 & have been a mainstay of international futbol competitions ever since.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Team nickname: In Latin America not only does the team have a nickname but the players & the coach have their own as well. Uruguay is known as Los Charrúas (an extinct indigenous group) or La Celeste/celestial; an homage to the shirt color worn during a local match win & their first victory over Argentina in 1910
- Playing style: Lethal. Great defense, dangerous marking & counter-attacks
- Players to watch: Edison "El Matador", Egidio 'El Cacha', Luis Suarez 'El Pistolero' & Diego Lugano 'Tota' in his last hoorah
- How far can they go: One thing UY does not lack is 'garra' or fighting spirit nor are they lacking in front to back talent (pun intended!) but Suarez's injury + Lugano's aging (but glorious!) body is leaving Group D a bit more open than expected. Hopefully one of Coach Tabarez aka El Maestro's lucky ties will help them advance to the Semis once more
- Lastly, here are a few of Uruguay's most 'valuable' players for reference purposes ;)

Dueling Diego's: Captain Diego 'Tota' Lugano (1 & 2) & Diego 'Cachavacha' Forlan (3). Who wins in your book?

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Costa Rica :
PURA VIDA! is Costa Rica's catch phrase and it's what they'll need to get to the R16 again.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: Ticos
- Playing style: Very defensive
- Players to watch: Captain Bryan "La Comadreja" Ruiz & Celso Borges
- How far can they go: The Ticos are known for their defense but with Bryan Oviedo's injury keeping him out of the WC, CR's chances have just gotten tougher. Their goal is the R16 but it'll be almost impossible to make it out of the group stage against Italy, England & Uruguay
- Lastly, here's one of Costa Rica's most 'valuable' players for reference purposes ;)

Someone left Bryan Ruiz & his abs, out in the rain

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England :
London calling!! England! Land of royal intrigue, fatastic 80's music & footie! Oi!

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: The Three Lions (or Engerlund!)
- Playing style: Defensive, physical with long passes but with so many Liverpool players on this squad we might see a new style emerge.
- Players to watch: Raheem, Ross & Rooney
- How far can they go: Eternal optimists, every four years since their 1966 win, England always speaks of their amazing chances at winning every world cup only to be sent home during the R16 or QF but this year they've got great young, ambitious talent. The 2nd youngest squad at the WC definitely have the hunger but will they have the steel nerves needed to get passed Italy & Uruguay? PS: they've never won against UR in a WC & Andrea Pirlo's Italy knocked them out of Euro'12. If they can get out of this group, the R16 will be a tough go against Colombia, on LatAm soil
- Lastly, here is the England squad, at YOUR service ;)

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Italia:
4 time WC champions, they are the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup behind Brazil. They are 1 of the oldest squads yet they play like 25 year olds which causes me to affectionately call them the sexy vampires because these guys NEVER seem to grow old!

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: Gli Azzurri/ The Blues, in hommage to the Savoy blue hue, a color traditionally linked to the royal house that unified Italy in 1861
- Playing style: Some call it "fantasia & furbizia" (imagination & cleverness) or "fantasisti" but I call it "Pescecani" Shark style. A 'let's wait & see where they make an error and then successfully exploit it to our advantage', making it quite a sight to see.
- Players to watch: Andrea Pirlo! he might be going through a highly publicized divorce but he's l'Architetto! (the architect) & he's a professional so I'm sure we'll see his matrix moves at play against England. Mario "red card" Balotelli
- How far can they go: They have a very solid record against UR/ENG & with Suarez injured, the sharks will be circling their prey in hopes of an easy kill/road to the final but I think they'll be stopped by Brazil or Spain in the Semis
- Lastly, here are a few of Italy's most 'valuable' players for reference purposes ;)

The naughty & nice sides of Italy's bad boy, Dani Osvaldo. Ciro Immobile calming the crowd. Claudio Marchisio, Domenico Criscito... heck, the entire Italian team obviously doesn't like to wear pants!
Grazie Italia!

World Cup Cheat-Sheet: Ladies Edition (Group C: Colombia, Greece, Cote d'Ivoire & Japan)

With less than 3 days til kick-off, we now turn our attention to one of the most culturally diverse groups in the competition, Group C

FYI: Every week I'll give you WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW which is a mash-up of 1) the team's playing style, 2) my opinion on their chances of moving forward at the World Cup, 3) some team stats, 4) top plays, 5) names of vital players, 6) stories from the frontline, and most importantly, I'll showcase each team's most "valuable" player(s). Please feel free to add to the conversation in the comments section

So let's continue with Group C: Colombia, Greece, Cote d'Ivoire & Japan

Colombia:
Looking for eternal sunshine? well Colombia is the only country in the world with just 1 season; Summer! so all you need is your bikini ;)

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Team nickname: Los Cafeteros/ The coffee growers
- Team's golden era was the 1990's, making it as far as the R16 in Italy'90
- Playing style: Today's squad is fun to watch thanks to their fast pace & creative style
- Players to watch: Juan Cuadrado is a definite threat and James Rodriguez is the team's Talisman
- How far can they go: They were tapped as the Dark Horse of the games but without star player Falcao (due to injury), Rodriguez having trouble moving the ball against Tunisia in a friendly and recent goalkeeper errors, I'm afraid their dreams of getting past the R16 stage might become more of a nightmare. Colombia's luck falls thankfully on the fact that Group C isn’t much of a challenge for them, especially when playing on LatAm soil so the real test will be in the R16 against Italy or Uruguay & if there's anyone who can push a team to the QFs, it's Argentinean coach Jose Pekerman (his team thrashed Uruguay in their last match up)
- Lastly, here is one of Colombia's most 'valuable' players for reference purposes ;)

Cristian Zapata's million dollar smile

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Greece : Watching the Ethniki play will be a welcome respite from all the turmoil Greece has been experiencing these past few years

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: The Ethniki
- Playing style: defensive football is Greece's strength especially at the goal posts but lately they’ve also garnered a bit of a name in set-pieces (free & corner kicks).
- Players to watch: Orestis (goalie), Sokratis
- How far can they go: The Greeks may have created the Olympics but it's clear football isn't their best sport. This is only the 3rd time they've made it to the WC (but never past the group stage) & it's the first time they aren't playing against Argentina & Nigeria (can you imagine their relief!) so they just might, maybe, hopefully, make it past the group stage if they can keep their defense super tight against an injured Colombia & succeed at a few strategic counter attacks but the forecast isn't sunny for Greece in brazil
- Lastly, here is one of Greece's most valuable players, for reference purposes ;)

Alexandros Tzorvas is always in the right place, at the right time

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Cote d'Ivoire :
Africa's strongest hope is Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). This time, they are being led by the youngest coach in the competition, former French player & sharp dresser Sabri Lamouchi who if successful in taking CdI to the Semis, will be laughing in France’s face for 2 reasons; 1) the colony has won against the colonialists & 2) it would be Lamouchi's sweet revenge after being left out of the winning 1998 French squad

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: Les Éléphants
- Players to watch: 2 of Africa's hero's; Drogba in his last WC & YaYa if he's fit enough
- Playing style: they're not called Les Elephants for nothing! a fun mix of pace, power & versatility
- How far can they go: Well their goal is the Semis but I think they might get stopped at the R16 against Uruguay or Italy due to spotty defense and an aging, unorganized squad
- Lastly, here is one of CdI's most 'valuable' players for reference purposes ;)

Kalou wants to play

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Japan :
Land of the rising sun and hello kitty, Japan's football fans are in for a treat now that Adidas has added Pikachu to the fan jersey (adults $75/kids $42) but can Samurai Blue deliver on a Brazilian pitch?

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: Japan does things a bit differently. They usually name the team after their coach so this time around they are called Zac's Japan (for Italian coach Zaccheroni) but they’re also known as Samurai Blue & Daihyō
- Players to watch: Keisuke Honda & Shinji Okazaki
- Playing style: extremely technical, razor-sharp passing or "Tiki-Taka on crack"
- How far can they go: They are the 5-time champs of the Asia Cup but I'm afraid the WC R16 might be a bit too far out of their reach this time due their weak defense
- Lastly, here is one of Japan's most 'valuable' players for reference purposes ;)

Eiji Kawashima and his pecs