2010 FIFA World Cup Group G

Now this is as tough as the competition gets! Group G of the 2010 FIFA World Cup comprises Brazil, Portugal, Côte d'Ivoire, and Korea DPR. These teams, with Korea DPR being an exception, come into the World Cup with serious and noteworthy reputations against their names. The teams most likely to get past this tricky group are Brazil and Portugal, and if Korea DPR scratches out upset wins, the fate of the Ivorians will be as good as sealed. As for Korea DPR, their chances of making it to the ‘Round of 16’ will rest on the array of performances they come up with when facing the stalwarts in their group.

The mighty and awe-inspiring Brazilians will look to start off their ‘South African’ tour on a high. They face stiff competition in Côte d'Ivoire and Portugal, but also possess enough firepower to counter the competition. The record holding five-time world champions, under the wingspan of coach Dunga and the capabilities of Kaka and goalkeeper Julio Cesar are expected to make a mockery of the competition. The Brazilians in South Africa will also gain inspiration from their recent successes. The team topped the ranks in the South American group, won the FIFA Confederations Cup and also took home the Copa America trophy. Winning the World Cup at South Africa will only add a glorious crest to what is the addictive Brazilian plumage. 

Portugal, the other biggie in this group, has a lot riding on them. Their road to South Africa was far from close to looking good. The Portuguese had luck on their side, if it wasn’t for their frantically dug out win against Bosnia-Herzegovina, the team may not have even made it to the World Cup. The coach Carlos Queiroz will look forward to a lot from his players at South Africa, being let down is definitely not on the cards. The players on their part will want to build on the efforts of a stupendous Christiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo paired with his star teammates Deco, Liedson and Pepe can pose a serious threat to the aspirations of their rivals.

Brazilian and Portuguese players to look out for include Kaka (BRA), Cristiano Ronaldo (POR), Liedson (POR) and Luis Fabiano (BRA).

Moving on, Côte d'Ivoire and Korea DPR are the two other teams that make for a complete Group G. The Ivorians enjoyed an extremely successful trip to South Africa. The journey was a rosy one with only wins to celebrate. The Elephants will look to establish themselves as a tough and gritty side that can show courage and perform in hostile game situations. Drogba, Kolo Toure, Yaya and Solomon Kalou will certainly aim for the skies at South Africa.

The North Koreans will meet their old rivals at the 2010 World Cup. For the players it’s as good as a duty to try and replicate the efforts of their predecessors at the 1966 World Cup. The North Korean team in the 1966 World Cup rudely stung the Italians when they beat them 1-0 to make it to the quarter finals. Sadly for the team, their successful journey to the quarter finals ended in a dramatic 3-5 loss to the Portuguese. Thus, history as far as Korea is concerned will play a very important role in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The team will strive towards upsetting the final results of Group G and maybe even try to sneak their way to the Round of 16!

The schedule for the Group E matches is given below.