Welcome to the third installment of the World Cup Cheat Sheet. This week we will be examining one of the most talked about—and the most anticipated—group of the tournament:
GROUP D: Uruguay | Costa Rica | England | Italy
Uruguay
- Pro Tip: While Brazil and Argentina usually get all the attention as “Best South American team,” Uruguay is a force to be reckoned in their own right, including currently holding the record for most won Copa América titles (15 to be exact) to date.
- Player to Watch: Luis Suárez; often portrayed as a villain or a heel, Suarez is no stranger to international controversy. He has bit players, been accused of racial remarks, and has a controversial handball that could rival Diego Maradona’s Hand of God. But, despite the above, he is currently one of the best players in the English Premier League.
- Jersey to Wear: Edinson Cavani; the Napoli-turned-Paris Saint Germain player’s nickname is El Matador, which is the second best nickname in professional soccer (after Francesco Totti’s The Emperor). And Cavani has earned it; he was the top goal scorer in Serie A last year and is currently in second place—behind teammate Zlatan Ibrahimovic—for top goal scorer in Ligue 1 this year.
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Costa Rica
- Pro Tip: Costa Rica did incredibly well during the qualifying rounds for the 2014 World Cup, including a 3–1 win over the United States. They will definitely be a team to watch in this group, as they will be a major influence to the total points earned in for each team overall.
- Player to Watch: Bryan Oviedo; the 23 year old Everton player is becoming a rising star in Europe, winning the title of “Danish Cup Player of the Year” when he played with Copenhagen in 2012.
- Jersey to Wear: Bryan Ruiz; another Bryan from the Premier League, however this one is currently on load to PSV Eindhoven from Fulham. Ruiz is also the captain of the national team, having played for Costa Rica for almost a decade.
England
- Pro Tip: England is insufferable to watch because of their fans, their media coverage, and their WAG obsession. Which is really a shame, because the team isn’t actually half bad.
- Player to Watch: Wayne Rooney; Rooney has been having a less-than-great last couple of seasons at his home club of Manchester United, due to a variety of reasons. The World Cup will be his chance to remind people why he was once considered one of the best in the world..
- Jersey to Wear: David Beckham; cheesy? Yes. But there’s a million for sale on eBay. Plus, he just recently announced the launch of a new Miami-based MLS franchise. However, if you’re looking for a current/more subtle player, Steven Gerrard is your best bet.
Italy
- Pro Tip: The Italians may actually win the whole tournament. Seriously.
- Player to Watch: Mario Balotelli; there is nothing that could be written that would do the Milan striker justice as to why you should be fascinated by him. He has had a bit of a rough season at home in the Italian domestic league, so he will do his best with the national team to remind fans and critics alike why he’s one of the most talked about players in the world. That is, if he gets chosen for the squad.
- Jersey to Wear: Gianluigi Buffon; the Italian goal keeper is a living legend; just make sure you wear a proper keeper jersey if you do.
Group Winners: Uruguay and Italy (but it won’t be easy for either)
Next Cheat Sheet will examine both Groups E (Switzerland, Ecuador, France, Honduras) and F (Argentina, Bosnia -Herzegovina, Iran, Nigeria). If you missed previous cheat sheets, you can check out Groups A and B here and Group C here.
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