So were a few days late on this one as qualification began on Friday, but the predictions still hold the same merit (I hope?). Nine groups make up the field for UEFA qualification and thirteen teams will qualify for the World Cup in Brazil in 2014. With the second slate of matches scheduled for tomorrow, let's make some predictions for who will be playing in South America two summers from now.
Group A: Croatia, Serbia, Belgium, Scotland, Macedonia, Wales
Some may look at this group and view it as inferior because it lacks a recognizable European power. Big mistake. Group A possesses depth from top to bottom and wins away from home may be hard to come by. Serbia is the lone team from the group to qualify for the last World Cup, but the retirement of Nemanja Vidic and Dejan Stankovic will test the depth of a squad filled with question marks. Croatia was unlucky not to advance from the group stages in Euro 2012 and have a new manager at the helm after Slaven Bilić decided to move on to club football. Bilić was viewed by many as spark for a Croatia squad that can lack a cutting edge when playing weaker opponents so it will be interesting how they play under new manager Igor Štimac. The wild card of this group is Belgium. The Belgians have a plethora of talent littered all over the Premier League including Eden Hazard, Thomas Vermaelen and Vincent Kompany to name a few. Belgium has the most talented squad in the group but their youth and inexperience could prove to be a hindrance. With question marks throughout this group, look for experience to prevail at the top. Oh and don't be surprised if a Wales team led by Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey scalped a team or two at home.
1. Croatia
2. Belgium
3. Serbia
4. Wales
5. Scotland
6. Macedonia
Group B: Italy, Denmark, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Armenia, Malta
Fresh off finishing runner-up in the European Championships this summer, Italy looks to continue their momentum in World Cup qualifying. Easier said than done in a group that contains three teams from the Euro '12 field. Denmark has bested Portugal in qualifying for the last two major tournaments so Italy better beware of the quality the Danes bring to the table. A Petr Čech led Czech Republic team is on the rise as well and could easily spoil the party for Italy or Denmark. The Azzurri seem to find a way to navigate to the top of every qualifying group. They'll do so again but it won't be easy.
1. Italy
2. Denmark
3. Czech Republic
4. Bulgaria
5. Armenia
6. Malta
Group C: Germany, Sweden, Republic of Ireland, Austria, Kazakhstan, Faroe Islands
Before the summer, I would have told you that this was the toughest group for qualifying. Not the case anymore. Sweden and Ireland disappointed on the international stage in Euro '12 and took away a lot of the shine in Group C. The Germans are far and away the class of the group and should win it with ease. Whether they qualify without dropping a point like they did for Euro should not be as much of an issue to manager Joachim Low as finding a starting XI that works and sticking with it. Despite their disappointment in Polkraine, Sweden still has a strong squad and arguably the best striker in the world in Zlatan Ibrahimović. It's never easy to play a team in Scandinavia and Sweden will use that to their advantage to nab the second spot in the group.
1. Germany
2. Sweden
3. Ireland
4. Austria
5. Kazakhstan
6. Faroe Islands
Group D: Netherlands, Turkey, Hungary, Romania, Estonia, Andorra
It's back to the drawing board for the Oranje after a humiliating Euro '12 campaign. Out is Bert Van Marwijk and in is Louis Van Gaal back in charge looking to change the ways of a talented but dramatic Dutch squad. For a team with a back four that breaks easier than wet toilet paper and chemistry problems in the midfield, Van Gaal and Co. should be happy they've been gifted a group that shouldn't cause them too many problems. Turkey best days are a thing of the past with their most talented players in Nuri Şahin and Hamit Altintop either playing not enough or out of position. Holland should cruise through Group D and may do so without dropping a point. The more interesting battle will be the one for second place. Hungary is a team that has crept into the top 40 of the FIFA World Rankings and could be poised to upstage Turkey and make the playoff round. Budapest pride for a minor shocker in Group D.
1. Netherlands
2. Hungary
3. Turkey
4. Estonia
5. Romania
6. Andorra
Group E: Norway, Slovenia, Switzerland, Albania, Cyprus, Iceland
No really I'm serious. This is the group. Norway got some wins at the right time and earned themselves a spot in Pot 1 for qualifying. Maybe more surprising than Norway making it into Pot 1 was the fact that Switzerland fell so far in the rankings that they ended up in Pot 3. Despite that tumble, the Swiss are without a doubt the class of this group and one of the most exciting teams in Europe. With young stars like Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka, Switzerland will return to their regular European success and will be a team to look out for in Brazil. Slovenia is the second best team in this group by default and SHOULD finish second. If not, look for Albania to possibly pull a stunner.
1. Switzerland
2. Slovenia
3. Albania
4. Norway
5. Iceland
6. Cyprus
Group F: Portugal, Russia, Israel, Northern Ireland, Azerbaijan, Luxembourg
With all due respect to Israel, Northern Ireland, Azerbaijan, and Luxembourg, it's a two team race in Group F. Portugal and Russia are the class of the group and the matchups they have against each other should determine the winner. A Selecção has failed to win their qualifying group in the last two major tournaments and Cristiano Ronaldo will look to change that. Russia meanwhile are in the middle of controversy after Dick Advocaat was sacked as manager and Andrei Arshavin's head-scratching comments about Russian fans has left him out of the squad. With their current form, Portugal seems likely to take the group leaving Russia fighting for a World Cup berth via the playoff round.
1. Portugal
2. Russia
3. Israel
4. Azerbaijan
5. Northern Ireland
6. Luxembourg
Group G: Greece, Slovakia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Lithuania, Latvia, Liechtenstein
This group isn't as poor as Group E but it's close. Greece is fresh off a berth in the quarterfinals of Euro '12 and always seem to sneak their way into major tournaments despite a recognizable star. The Greeks rely on their sound defense and timely scoring to qualify for major tournaments and World Cup '14 won't be any different. Slovakia has Marek Hamšík and Martin Škrtel but isn't the same team they were a few years back. That leaves the door open for Bosnia-Herzegovina. Behind an offensive attack led by Edin Džeko, the Bosnians will finish runner-up in Group G.
1. Greece
2. Bosnia-Herzegovina
3. Slovakia
4. Lithuania
5. Latvia
6. Liechtenstein
Group H: England, Montenegro, Ukraine, Poland, Moldova, San Marino
England fans, this group isn't as easy as you'd think. Montenegro, Ukraine, and Poland all pose threats and beat the Three Lions on any given day. That being said, England is the class of this group and should finish on top. The battle for second might be the most compelling in all of qualifying. Poland and Ukraine each had moments of excellence and calamity over the summer while Montenegro possesses two excellent offenisve talents in Stevan Jovetić and Mirko Vučinić. Anyone of these teams could end up second. So I'll flip a three-sided coin. Hold on lemme grab it. And here we go (flipping coin, see result below).
1. England
2. Poland
3. Montenegro
4. Ukraine
5. Moldova
6. San Marino
Group I: Spain, France, Belarus, Georgia, Finland
Oh the price you pay for stumbling in the FIFA rankings. France found that out the hard way as they dropped to Pot 2 and was drawn with the World Cup and two-time European Champions from Spain. There are three other teams in this group but let's be honest, the whole world is only focusing on the two powerhouses. On paper, France's talent is about on par with Spain. The difference is the locker room. Just when you thought the stink of World Cup '10 was behind Les Bleus, Samir Nasri, Yann M'Vila, and Jeremy Menez had to express their opinions and got themselves suspended from the national team. France doesn't have the chemistry or unity to compete with Spain and will have to qualify through the playoff format for the second consecutive World Cup.
1. Spain
2. France
3. Georgia
4. Finland
5. Belarus
Now, onto the playoffs. The top EIGHT second place teams will make the playoff round while one second place team will find themselves going home. With my predictions, the second place teams are Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Hungary, Slovenia, Russia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Poland, and France. The tiebreak starts with the second place team with the least amount of points. Due to the depth of their group, I believe that team will be Poland. Now on to the matchups of the playoff rounds. As of now, FIFA isn't going to seed the teams so they will be set at random so here are my random matchups. France v. Hungary, Denmark v. Bosnia-Herzegovina, Russia v. Slovenia, and Sweden v. Belgium. Out of those hypothetical matchups, I'll take France, Denmark, Russia, and Belgium to move on and qualify for World Cup '14.
UEFA Qualifying Teams
Croatia
Italy
Germany
Netherlands
Switzerland
Portugal
Greece
England
Spain
France
Denmark
Russia
Belgium
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