Echoes of 1966
Echoes of 1966 were soon sounding out as the toughest group emerged last night. Portugal, so often England’s bête noire in recent tournaments, can look back to historic games with North Korea (now the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) and Brazil, when Pel? was all but kicked out of the tournament, even before they contemplate how to deal with Didier Drogba and the Ivory Coast. What a group this should be.
North Korea’s army team beat the might of Italy at Ayresome Park in Middlesbrough to record one of the World Cup’s biggest shocks, before racing into a three-goal lead against Portugal only for Eus?bio to inspire an epic comeback and a 5-3 victory for the team. His side were then beaten by England, thanks to two thunderous shots by Bobby Charlton, in the semi-final.
Kim Jong Hun’s team are ranked No 84 in the world, however, and this is their first appearance in the World Cup finals since 1966. That was the only time Brazil failed to win the World Cup between 1958 and 1970, and one of the saddest abiding images of an eventful tournament was Pel? being helped from the field, unfit to continue, as Portugal beat the defending champions 3-1 at Goodison Park.
Deco is the Brazilian-born superstar of the Portugal team, although he must be viewed now in the fading light of an international career that once promised greatness. With the Ivory Coast boasting one of the world’s best all-round strikers — his Chelsea team-mate, Drogba — there is the chance that Brazil and Portugal will go into their final group game requiring a decisive result to book their place in the last 16. The prospect of Kak? facing off against Cristiano Ronaldo in Durban on June 25 is enough to make any football fan start drooling.
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The Ivorians were unlucky to be drawn in the “Group of Death” in the previous World Cup, their first appearance in the finals, when they came up against Argentina, Holland and Serbia and Montenegro. Now Drogba, Kolo and Yaya Tour?, Salomon Kalou and their team-mates have their work cut out again. If they were to finish runners-up in this section, they could expect to face Spain in the second round. And that would be a real challenge.
BRAZIL
Player to watch Elano, whose pinpoint delivery from set-pieces has become one of this giant Brazil team’s greatest weapons
Coach Dunga, a World Cup winner with Brazil in 1994, attracted criticism for his tactics but has won over the sceptics and has proved to be an adept coach
Best XI (4-2-3-1): Júlio C?sar — Maicon, Lúcio, Luisão, Andre Santos — Gilberto Silva, F Melo — Elano, Kak?, Robinho — L Fabiano
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Celebrity fan Paulo Coelho — arty writer
Population 182 million
Fifa ranking 2
World Cups [18] 1930, 1934, 1938, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006
Best performance Winners 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002
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How they qualified Won South American group. Five wins in a row in closing stages eased them through
Won 9 (Home 5, Away 4)
Drawn 7 (Home 4, Away 3)
Lost 2 (Home 0, Away 2)
Form W W W L D
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Goals scored 33
Goals against 11
Top scorer: Luís Fabiano 9
NORTH KOREA
Player to watch Hong Yong Jo, the captain, who plays for Rostov in Russia, where his every move is monitored by the National Security Agency of North Korea
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Coach Kim Jong Hun demonstrated tactical nous while qualifying, not least away to Saudi Arabia. Needing a point to qualify, North Korea secured a goalless draw
Best XI (4-4-2): Ri Myong Guk — Cha Jong Hyok, Pak Nam Chol, Ri Kwang Chon, Ri Jun Il — Pak Chol Jin, Ji Yun Nam, Kim Yong Jun, Mun In Guk — Hong Yong Jo, Jong Ta Se
Celebrity fan Pak Doo Ik — beat Italy in 1966
Population 22.47 million
Fifa ranking 84
World Cups [1] 1966
Best performance Quarter-finals, 1966
How they qualified Second in Asian group two. Edged through to the finals ahead of Saudi Arabia
Won 8 (Home 5, Away 3)
Drawn 6 (Home 3, Away 3)
Lost 2 (Home 0, Away 2)
Form W W L D D
Goals scored 20
Goals against 7
Top scorers: Hong Yong Jo, Jong Chol Min 4
IVORY COAST
Player to watch Didier Drogba, the Chelsea striker, is one of the most valuable forwards in the world. His form for club and country this season has been little short of magnificent
Coach Vahid Halilhodzic, the experienced Bosnian, had a successful playing and coaching career in France and has the attacking beliefs to make the most of the team’s strengths
Best XI (4-4-2): B Barry — E Ebou?, A M?ït?, K Tour?, A Boka — K Keïta, Y Tour?, D Zokora, S Kalou — D Drogba, S Doumbia
Celebrity fan Alpha Blondy — reggae man
Population 16.96 million
Fifa ranking 16
World Cups [1] 2006
Best performance First round 2006
How they qualified Won African group E. Stormed through, scoring 19 goals in final group phase
Won 8 (Home 6, Away 2)
Drawn 4 (Home 0, Away 4)
Lost 0 (Home 0, Away 0)
Form W W W D W
Goals scored 29 Goals against 6
Top scorer: Didier Drogba 6
PORTUGAL
Player to watch Cristiano Ronaldo, the one shining star to gaze at when Portugal are in town. The £80 million man can change a game in the wink of an eye
Coach Carlos Queiroz took charge in 2008. Thought of as too theoretical and uninspirational by the Portuguese media
Best XI (4-3-3): Eduardo — P Ferreira, R Carvalho, Pepe, B Alves — Tiago, Duda, Simão — C Ronaldo, R Meireles, Li?dson
Celebrity fan Keanu Reeves — actor of Lebanese-American-Canadian-Chinese-Portuguese descent
Population 10.1 million
Fifa ranking 5
World Cups [4] 1966, 1986, 2002, 2006
Best performance Third 1966
How they qualified Second in European group one. Lost to Denmark and had three goalless draws but beat Bosnia-Herzegovina in play-offs
Won 7 (Home 3, Away 4)
Drawn 4 (Home 2, Away 2)
Lost 1 (Home 1, Away 0)
Form W W W W W
Goals scored 19 Goals against 5
Top scorer: Simão 4
Did you know?
? At World Cups since 1994 Brazil have fielded five “R to O” forwards: Rom?rio, Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, Robinho. The first four played for Barcelona.
? North Korea, the 1966 quarter-finalists, were the only Asian team to progress beyond the first round until Saudi Arabia did so in 1994.
? Ivory Coast were the only team at the 2006 tournament to name a 23-man squad consisting entirely of foreign-based players.
? England beat Portugal 10-0 in Lisbon in their first meeting in 1947 but have won only once in the countries’ past 11 clashes.
Star player: Kak?, Brazil
Along with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, Kak?’s team-mate at Real Madrid, the Brazilian will be a man to watch at this World Cup. He has yet to set the world alight at Real after his £56 million move to the Spanish club last summer, but the former AC Milan forward has that rare ability to turn a game in an instant.
With a devastating turn of pace, he has skill and vision in abundance and is dangerous from just about anywhere on the pitch. His goal against Atl?tico Madrid last month, a blistering 25-yard strike, showed perfectly his ability to conjure something out of nothing, and with Robinho and Luís Fabiano, he forms a potent alliance for his country. Indeed, when all things are considered, what chance did Manchester City really stand of signing him?
Spotlight on ... Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast After scoring the goal that guaranteed the country’s qualification for the first World Cup to be held on their continent, Didier Drogba said: “My team-mates and I want to make history and change the way people think about African football.”
The Chelsea striker’s emphasis on his team-mates was all well and good, but Les ?l?phants must prove that they are not a one-man team. With players such as Salomon Kalou, Kolo Tour?, Emmanuel Ebou?, Didier Zokora and Yaya Tour?, that should not be difficult.
The hope is that Drogba will be fit and able to fire Ivory Coast to glory — or at least the knockout phase. Ranked No 19 in the world, behind only Cameroon in Africa, they have recent experience of reaching the later stages of tournaments, losing on penalties to Egypt in the final of the African Cup of Nations in 2006 and 4-2 to Ghana in the 2008 semi-finals.
Fixtures
Tuesday, June 15 Ivory Coast v Portugal (Port Elizabeth, 3pm); Brazil v North Korea (Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg,7.30pm)
Sunday, June 20 Brazil v Ivory Coast (Soccer City Stadium, Johannesburg, 7.30pm)
Monday, June 21 Portugal v North Korea (Cape Town, 12.30pm)
Friday, June 25 Portugal v Brazil (Durban, 3pm); North Korea v Ivory Coast (Nelspruit, 3pm)