Brazil

Nobody’s expecting much from the most storied team in world soccer this year — which might be the tonic the boys in gold and green require. Brazil lost six games in qualifying rounds (having previously lost only one since World War II) and had to beat lowly Venezuela in their last qualifier just to make it here. Hardly any fans showed up at the Rio airport to wish their heroes luck. The Brazilian style in recent years has been unrecognizable, with the flowing attack of il jogo bonito (“the beautiful game”) replaced by defensive-minded tactical play. Has forward Ronaldo, once viewed as the world’s best player, recovered from his four-year meltdown that began at France ’98? With Ronaldo and his 22-year-old namesake Ronaldinho in the attack, Rivaldo (of Spain’s Barcelona team) and Emerson (of AS Roma in Italy) in the midfield and Real Madrid’s devastating Roberto Carlos surging forward from the back, Brazil still has the talent to win it all. But the team’s defensive liabilities and ongoing schizophrenia suggest it probably won’t.

France

If anything, the defending champs are better than they were four years ago, when they triumphed on an unexpectedly fluid attacking style and an ecstatic wave of support from the formerly blasé French public. But everything depends on the injured thigh of midfield general Zinédine Zidane, who may look like a balding accountant but has staked his place among the best attacking midfielders the game has ever seen. Zidane will miss France’s first-round games against Senegal and Uruguay, neither of which will be as one-sided as you might think. If he comes back strong, I don’t think France can be beaten. With Patrick Vieira alongside Zidane in the middle, Thierry Henry and David Trézéguet up top to score goals and a superior defense anchored by Bixente Lizarazu and Marcel Desailly, this is the deepest and most experienced team in the tournament. Their path to the finals won’t be easy — I see them facing Brazil in the quarterfinals and Argentina in the semis — but the French have the confidence and composure to go all the way one more time.

Italy

As George Vecsey of the New York Times recently observed, the Italians have become world soccer’s answer to the Boston Red Sox: a perennial second-place team that always seems to fall short when it counts despite ample talent. It says here that nothing changes in 2002. Strangely, coach Giovanni Trappatoni hasn’t phoned me for advice, but I think Italy’s two-decade-long reliance on bone-crunching, disciplined defensive play has drained the spirit out of its game and left the team unable to compete with the very best attacking opponents. Sure, Paolo Maldini, Fabio Cannavaro and Alessandro Nesta are three of the best defenders in the world, capable of reducing almost any game to a frustrating hack-fest. But, you know, that isn’t really a good thing. For Italy to win, midfielder Francesco Totti and strikers Christian Vieri and Alessandro Del Piero, rather than the bruising back line, will have to make headlines.

Waiting in the Wings

England

It pains my Irish-American heart at least a little to say this, but this really could be England’s year. No, really. OK, maybe not. Swedish coach Sven-Goran Eriksson was a controversial hire (as the first non-Brit to hold the post), but he’s instilled a coherence and spirit that’s been missing from the English team for a generation. The problem is twofold: Beyond brilliant Manchester United midfielder David Beckham (that’s Mr. Posh Spice to fans of girl-pop, circa 1999) and lightning-fast Liverpool forward Michael Owen (who scored the goal of the ’98 tournament against Argentina), the English talent is frankly a bit thin. Secondly, trapped in the Group of Death with Argentina, Nigeria and Sweden, England could be ousted in the first round without even playing poorly. Even finishing second in that group won’t be a picnic, and whoever manages that will probably draw France in the second round. Toodle-oo, mateys!

Germany

Since last lifting the Cup in 1990, Germany has gradually slipped in the world rankings and is no longer considered one of Europe’s most dangerous teams. Past heroes like Lothar Matthaüs and Jürgen Klinsmann are gone, and the new generation of German players hasn’t risen to the same standard. There is hope, though; attacking midfielder Michael Ballack has emerged, seemingly from nowhere, as the team’s sparkplug, and Dietmar Hamann and Jens Jeremies join him in one of soccer’s best midfield units. The German defense is strong, as always, but this experienced team lacks scoring punch. The Germans actually have an easy group and should make it at least to the quarterfinals and possibly the semis, a fine result considering their recent woes.

Portugal

Can one of Western Europe’s smallest nations, long a fringe player in world soccer, really hope to claim the grand prize? That probably isn’t realistic, but an unusually talented generation of Portuguese stars, led by Real Madrid’s Luis Figo and AC Milan’s Rui Costa, are poised to take their team much deeper into the tournament than it has ever ventured before. Portugal’s defense is arguably not up to the standard of their exciting attack (which also features forwards Pauleta and Sergio Conceiçao), but as the U.S. team is likely to discover on June 5, you can’t exploit a weak defense when you’re packing 11 players in front of your own net.

Spain

Yes, I have picked the Spanish team to go as far as the final and yes, that seems foolhardy in the extreme. Despite breeding some of the best players in the world (and hosting perhaps the world’s best professional league), Spain has never placed better than fourth in the World Cup. And that was in 1950. Moody star forwards Raúl and Fernando Morientes, both of Real Madrid, have been down this road before; both virtually disappeared during France ’98. Still, it appears that coach José Camacho has allowed his team to play a relaxed, fluid style better suited to its abilities, and the side is certainly brimming with first-class talent, even without suspended midfield star Josep Guardiola. Ivan Helguera, Gaizka Mendieta and Juan Carlos Valeron lend a midfield depth Spain has never previously possessed; they’ll have to protect the defense, an unstable blend of green, untested players and older, slower ones.

Hoping for an Audition

Cameroon

This marks the fourth straight World Cup appearance for the Indomitable Lions, the only African team ever to reach the quarterfinals (in 1990). As ever, they offer a potent mix of talent from professional leagues in England, Spain and France: defender Rigobert Song, midfielder Marc-Vivien Foë, forward Patrick Mboma, perhaps Africa’s best attacking player. Cameroon plays an engaging style and should survive the group phase (especially considering the Irish team’s recent implosion; see below), but that’s about it.

Croatia

The surprise of France ’98 — where this team from the former Yugoslav republic beat Germany and finished third — remains a sentimental favorite. The Croatians are a collection of crafty vets who still have ample scoring talent in forwards Alen Boksic and Davor Suker. But “crafty vets” is also synonymous with “old and slow,” and while Croatia ought to make the round of 16, their bracket puts them in the path of Portugal and Spain.

Denmark

As teams from Northern Europe go, the Danes aren’t all that boring. Really, I mean it. Furthermore, they could be one of the Cup’s real surprises if they can survive a group that includes France and Senegal. This is a confident, well-organized club of top-level European pros — led by midfielder Thomas Helveg of AC Milan and striker Ebbe Sand of Germany’s Schalke — whom everyone seems to have forgotten amid all the glamour-puss teams. If you want to lay a few bucks on a long shot, see what odds you can get on Denmark taking down an overconfident Argentina in the second round. You read it here first.

Ireland

I was all set to deliver a beery soliloquy on the thrilling new generation of players from my father’s homeland, and how they were prepared to take Ireland to its most glorious sporting result in history. The second round beckoned; the quarters were there for the taking; a semifinal berth was possible. Then Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane, the team’s heart and soul, indulged in a bout of nasty name-calling with coach Mick McCarthy and caught the next plane home. Sure, there’s some veteran leadership left, like goal-poaching forward Niall Quinn and defenders Ian Harte and Steve Staunton, to accompany young studs Mark Kinsella, Damien Duff and Robbie Keane (no relation). But without Captain Roy, the boys in green are out of their depth. A nation mourns. (And don’t think I’m kidding about that, either.)

Japan

No, they shouldn’t be good enough to make much noise in this tournament, not really, despite terrific midfielder Hidetoshi Nakata, who plays for Parma in Italy. But Japan has improved steadily under French coach Philippe Troussier, and playing before 50,000 hysterical home fans in every match won’t hurt. Japan has two other fine European-based midfielders in Junichi Inamoto and Shinji Ono, and drew perhaps the tournament’s weakest group (with Belgium, Russia and Tunisia). If they can find a way to score goals, don’t be shocked if they make it to the second round. Once there, however, they will probably face Brazil.

Nigeria

As usual, there’s talent to burn on Africa’s deepest team. But the Nigerians also have a reputation as international soccer’s biggest chokers, and this year they have the misfortune of joining Argentina, England and Sweden in the Group of Death. Everywhere you look on this roster, there’s a star: defender Celestine Babayaro of London’s Chelsea, forward Kanu of London’s Arsenal, midfielder Jay Jay Okocha of Paris-St. Germain. But given Nigeria’s propensity for infighting and grievous defensive lapses, they might not win a game.

Russia

This Russian team is experienced, competent across the field and rather dull. Given their placement in the relatively easy Group of Sloth (with Belgium, Japan and Tunisia), the Russians could easily find themselves in the quarterfinals before anybody notices them. Russia can 0-0 and 1-1 you to death with solid defense, ball control and the balanced attack of midfielders Valery Karpin and Alexander Mostovoi and star striker Vladimir Beschastnykh.

Senegal

New kids on the block always make for fashionable underdogs, and the entertaining Senegalese side upset a series of favored African teams on the way to its first World Cup appearance. The fact is, Senegal may be a great story but the team is weak defensively and has to play France and Denmark in the opening round. Getting here was a terrific accomplishment and for young strikers El Hadji Diouf and Khalilou Fadida — as for Senegalese soccer as a whole — the future looks bright.

Sweden

This is the sleeper squad in the Group of Death that also includes Argentina, England and Nigeria. Sweden plays a defensive, ball-control style based around goalkeeper Magnus Hedman and defensive stopper Patrik Andersson. It’s not much fun to watch, but the Swedes allowed only three goals in a 10-game qualifying run. If they can frustrate and shut down the potent offenses of their group opponents — and Glasgow Celtic striker Henrik Larsson can steal a goal somehow — Sweden (which has made it to the semifinals three times, after all) could go further than anybody expects.

First-Round Games Not to Miss

ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC will broadcast every World Cup match. But given the 13- to 16-hour difference between Korea/Japan and North America — which puts most game times somewhere between martini hour and donut time — some games will be tape-delayed for English-language U.S. broadcast. (As purists already know, Univision will show all games live in Spanish, so in most of the country you can watch the Cup even if you don’t have cable.) Check your local listings for further clarification. All times noted are Eastern Daylight time.

France vs. Senegal Friday, May 31, 7:30 a.m.
In the tournament’s opening game, the defending champs face their first test, an entertaining underdog team that just happens to be a former French colony. (Leave the Frantz Fanon racial politics out of it; around half the French team is of African descent.)

Ireland vs. Cameroon Saturday, June 1, 2:30 a.m.
An early showdown between two charismatic teams with high hopes. Whoever wins is probably through to the second round. Unhappily, in world soccer that’s the perfect prescription for a 0-0 draw.

Argentina vs. Nigeria Sunday, June 2, 1:30 a.m.
These two teams could score 10 goals between them. Argentina will score more.

England vs. Sweden Sunday, June 2, 5:30 a.m. On the other hand, this one’s for purists. Likely to be a tactical nail-biter decided by a bad call in the penalty box.

Croatia vs. Mexico Monday, June 3, 2:30 a.m.
Two teams that play attractive, attacking soccer and really have nothing to lose. Ought to be a barn burner.

USA vs. Portugal Wednesday, June 5, 5 a.m.
Showtime for Bruce Arena’s young U.S. squad, against a star-studded team with tremendous expectations (that might be looking past this game just a little).

Argentina vs. England Friday, June 7, 7:30 a.m.
The match of the first round and maybe of the entire tournament. The plot is rich and deep: the Falklands war, Argentina’s tainted victories in ’86 and ’98, the two countries’ general dislike of each other. (And the fact that the two opposing star midfielders, David Beckham and Juan Sebastián Verón, are teammates at Manchester United.) Even if nobody scores, the atmosphere, the level of play and the fouling will be intense.

Italy vs. Croatia Saturday, June 8, 5 a.m.
The world will want Croatia’s squad of crafty but stylish scorers to break down the stifling defense of the Azzurri. Sadly, it won’t happen. This also has the smell of a 0-0 draw, but with two teams this theatrical on the field, somebody’s likely to get red-carded for faking an injury.

Brazil vs. China Saturday, June 8, 7:30 a.m.
Nobody knows what to expect from the physically imposing, grindingly defensive Chinese team, which is making its first Cup appearance. Nor from the melodrama-plagued Brazilians either, for that matter. Could be deadly dull, could be a classic.

Japan vs. Russia Sunday, June 9, 7:30 a.m.
Well, it’s an important and unpredictable game, anyway, involving two nations who don’t historically get along. But it’s likely to be tedious. Forget I said anything.

South Korea vs. USA Monday, June 10, 2:30 a.m.
The Americans probably have to win this one to advance. In front of a maniacal home crowd in Daegu, that might be asking too much.

Denmark vs. France Tuesday, June 11, 2:30 a.m.
An intriguing matchup that ought to decide the group championship. Zidane should return to the French lineup here, and even if les Bleus have already booked a spot in the second round, there’s plenty of incentive to win: The loser probably gets Argentina or England next.

Cameroon vs. Germany Tuesday, June 11, 7:30 a.m.
One of these teams — and possibly both — is for real. Cameroon will surely settle for a draw, but the Germans will want to make a statement here.

Nigeria vs. England Wednesday, June 12, 2:30 a.m.
Two tireless, talented sides with big dreams, in a match that ought to mean one goes home and one advances. Of course it could end up being a stinker — that’s the nature of the sport — but after Argentina-England this is the game to catch.

Mexico vs. Italy Thursday, June 13, 7:30 a.m.
If Italy still needs points and Mexico still has a chance, don’t miss this one. This year’s Mexican team is a shadow of its high-style former self, but still might be capable of playing the best soccer in the world for 15 minutes at a stretch.

Poland vs. USA Friday, June 14, 7:30 a.m.
OK, by this point this tough, evenly matched game might not matter much (except to the Poles, who have a decent shot at advancing). But in all likelihood it’s the Yanks’ last chance to go home with good memories.

“I think they should come out with a strong statement and not just wash it away and hide behind it with some wishy-washy comments,” Lavrikovs told The Associated Press. “We are talking about a very basic human right that is being violated.”

Blatter, speaking in South Africa on Monday at the launch of a post-2010 World Cup legacy project, was asked if he could foresee any cultural problems with the tournament being held in Qatar.

“I’d say they (gay fans) should refrain from any sexual activities,” he said, smiling.

Lavrikovs noted the situation “is not a joke.”

“This is a matter of life and death to people,” Lavrikovs said. “Qatar and more than 70 other countries in the world still criminalize individuals for homosexual relationships, and some countries even punish them by death sentence.

“It’s disappointing to see that an organization that is promoting the game, which in its statutes condemns discrimination of any kind, is coming out with comments like this.”

Qatar beat Australia, Japan, South Korea and the United States in the FIFA vote on Dec. 2.

Since FIFA made what is widely regarded as a surprise decision, concerns have been raised about Qatar’s hosting such a major tournament while it has stringent laws that are seen by many to violate basic human rights.

“Sepp Blatter jokes about the risk to gay visitors in 2022, but Qatar’s anti-gay policies are no laughing matter,” British human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said.

Also condemning Blatter was John Amaechi, a former NBA player from Britain who revealed in 2007 that he was gay.

“The statements and the position adopted by Sepp Blatter and FIFA regarding LGBT (Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Transgender) fans who would pay the enormous ticket and travel prices to attend the World Cup in 2022 should have been wholly unacceptable a decade ago,” Amaechi said on his website.

“Instead, with little more than an afterthought, FIFA has endorsed the marginalization of LGBT people around the world,” he added.

Amaechi also demanded an apology from FIFA and urged other associations to distance themselves from Blatter’s comments.

“Anything less than a full reversal of his position is unacceptable,” he said.

The worst part is, not only was America snubbed, but terrorists won. The 2022 World Cup will be held in Qatar, a tiny Persian Gulf state. Behold the wrath of Mike Allen:

TOP STORY – “Russia and Qatar take World Cup to new lands” – Reuters/Zurich: “FIFA gave its ultimate recognition to emerging markets on Thursday by awarding the 2018 and 2022 editions of the prestigious and lucrative World Cup soccer finals to Russia and Qatar, both new hosts. Russia won the right to put on the 2018 World Cup, the first time it will have been staged in Eastern Europe after 10 editions in the western half of the continent. Qatar, which has never qualified for the World Cup finals, will stage the 2022 tournament, a first both for the Middle East and for an Arab country. It will also be the smallest nation ever to host the World Cup.” http://reut.rs/hz0k7t

–The U.S. inexplicably lost to Qatar, which is two-faced in the war on terror and full of radical sympathizers. A Ben Smith reader points out a WikiCable “in which Mossad chief Meir Dagan briefed Bush homeland security aide Frances Fragos Townsend: Dagan characterized Qatar as ‘a real problem.’” http://politi.co/f0kcmq

–International Herald Tribune p. 1: “FIFA tilts soccer’s future toward the East.”

–Brits push for FIFA reform – BBC: “England 2018 bid chief executive Andy Anson has warned his country against bidding for the World Cup again until Fifa reforms its voting process.” http://bit.ly/gyKAhC

PLAYBOOK FACTS OF LIFE: These obviously absurd choices are the product of a corrupt process that includes no accountability. These organizations (FIFA, IOC, etc.) are Eurocentric, if not blatantly anti-American. As a wise young friend e-mails, “These bids are like a modern day ‘Concert of Europe.’ And we certainly aren’t Prince Metternich, despite what we may think.”

Lots of people consider Qatar a poor choice for the World Cup, but not because it’s not America. Or because they are secretly pro-terrorist! Or because Mossad said something bad about them in a secret cable! It’s considered a poor choice because it is a tiny nation with no soccer team of its own. Also it’s a desert with high summer temperatures and they pump absurd amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere. And it’s full of foreign-born indentured servants with very few rights. And you’re not allowed to drink booze in public. But “being two-faced in the War on Terror” is pretty far down the list of reasons why this might be a bad idea.

Also, FIFA is a Zurich-based international organization, so calling it “anti-American” is pretty much a non sequitur. As for “Eurocentric,” much of Europe is very disappointed in FIFA for awarding a World Cup to Qatar. (Qatar is not in Europe.) And Russia, despite its own problems, is not an “obviously absurd choice,” because it’s a massive world power that loves soccer. Also, your “wise young friend” sounds insufferable.

The other nations bidding for 2022 were the U.S., Australia, Japan or South Korea. All would’ve been fine choices, though the fact that Japan and South Korea co-hosted it in 2002 probably disqualified them, and the U.S., unlike the rest of those nations, is not a country that cares about soccer. So if Mike Allen could put aside the jingoism and Islamophobia for a moment, he would perhaps see that he should really be outraged on behalf of Australia, which has never hosted a World Cup and which put together what was, by most accounts, a pretty good bid.

[Via Peter Feld]

The invertebrate was stepping “back from the official oracle business,” Tanja Munzig, a spokeswoman for the Sea Life aquarium in Oberhausen, told AP Television News at the time.

“He won’t give any more oracle predictions — either in football, nor in politics, lifestyle or economy,” she said. “Paul will get back to his former job, namely making children laugh.”

Paul correctly predicted the outcomes of all seven of Germany’s World Cup games. He made his predictions by opening the lid of one of two clear plastic boxes, each containing a mussel and bearing a team flag.

After his World Cup soothsaying skills were revealed, the English-born Paul was appointed an ambassador to England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup. He had English roots, having been hatched at Weymouth Sea Life Center on England’s south coast in 2008.

Imitators sprang up all over the world, including Mani the Parakeet in Singapore and Lorenzo the Parrot in Hannover, Germany.

The latest was a saltwater crocodile named Dirty Harry, who predicted Spain’s World Cup final win and called the result of Australia’s general election by snatching a chicken carcass dangling beneath a caricature of Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

Paul became so popular in Spain that a northwestern Spanish town tried to borrow him.

In response to hundreds of requests to bring Paul to Spain, the Madrid Zoo asked Sea Life if it would be willing to make a deal to bring him in as a tribute to the Spanish team’s victory, either temporarily or for good. But the German aquarium turned down that offer, too.

Paul also had an agent and his name was used to help endangered turtles on the Greek island of Zakynthos.

——

David Rising in Berlin contributed to this report.

The soccer world governing body’s ethics committee also will investigate whether two countries bidding for either the 2018 and 2022 World Cups engaged in collusion.

“Today is a sad day for football and for FIFA,” Sulser said.

FIFA’s ruling executive will select the two World Cup hosts in a Dec. 2 secret ballot in Zurich. The 2018 tournament bidders are England, Russia and joint bids by Belgium-Holland and Spain-Portugal.

FIFA launched investigations after British newspaper The Sunday Times alleged Adamu and Temarii offered to sell their votes for funding toward soccer projects.

Amadu was filmed requesting $800,000 to build four artificial soccer fields in Nigeria, and for the money to be paid to him directly.

“The decision to provisionally suspend these officials is fully justified and should not be put in question,” Sulser said. “The evidence that has been presented to us today has led us to take this provisional measure, as we considered that the conditions were definitely met to take this decision and we deem that it is crucial to protect the integrity of the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup bidding process.

“We are determined to have zero tolerance for any breach of the code of ethics.”

Countries bidding for the 2022 hosting rights are the United States and four Asian confederation countries, Australia, Japan, Qatar and South Korea.

FIFA barred bidders from making agreements with other candidates, and insisted they must act with “integrity, responsibility, trustworthiness and fairness.” FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke issued a reminder of the rules last month after rumors of vote-swapping deals being struck.

The Sunday Times allegations kicked off a dramatic week as FIFA seeks to maintain the integrity of the bid process.

Temarii, the Oceania Football Confederation president, met FIFA president Sepp Blatter on Sunday and asked to clear his name before the ethics committee.

The 43-year-old former professional player was filmed asking for $2.3 million to fund a soccer academy in Auckland, New Zealand.

“I’m confident about my integrity, but I made a mistake by talking in that way,” Temarii told The Associated Press on Sunday.

The newspaper also quoted Temarii saying backers of two other unidentified bidders offered $10 million to $12 million to Oceania.

FIFA does not have power to fire members of the 24-strong executive because they are elected by their continental bodies.

However, its code of ethics for officials says those who “severely fail to fulfill, or inadequately exercise, their duties and responsibilities, particularly in financial matters, are no longer eligible and shall be removed from office.”

Adamu’s four-year term ends at the Confederation of African Football’s congress on Feb. 23 in Khartoum, Sudan. The 57-year-old former physical education teacher joined FIFA’s executive in 2006, succeeding Ismail Bhamjee from Botswana, who resigned after a ticket scalping scandal at the World Cup in Germany.

Temarii, who has led 11-nation Oceania since 2004, is scheduled for re-election at a Jan. 21-23 congress on his home island.