2014 World Cup Groups - Group G

Group G

 Germany  -   Portugal  -   United States  -   Ghana

Overview
It’s Jurgen against Jogi: U.S. manager Jurgen Klinsmann, the former manager of Germany, faces his old assistant and successor, Joachim "Jogi" Loew. What an emotional encounter that will be. Klinsmann led the U.S. to a thrilling 4-3 win over a second-string Germany in a June friendly. Now it’s for real. While that grabs the headlines, don’t let it escape your attention that Ghana and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal are also in this group. It promises to be tough and things could get steamy in Group G. No one wants to play in the Amazonian city of Manaus, but that’s just what the U.S. and Portugal will have to do in their second group game. It’ll get them and their fans hot under the collar.

2014 World Cup Groups - Group F

Group F

 Argentina  -   Iran  -  Nigeria  -   Bosnia and Herzegovina

Overview
This may not be one of the most eye-catching groups, but it does promise to be one of the most punishingly competitive. Argentina are the clear favourites for the group and have already forewarned competition debutant Bosnia of Argentinian power in a November friendly, walking all over Safet Susic’s side despite having a significantly understrength squad. Bosnia have plenty of attacking assets of their own -- this promises to be a group full of goals -- and will enter their first World Cup without any fear, having already hit the jackpot simply by qualifying top of a group featuring Greece.

2014 World Cup Groups - Group E

Group E :

 France  -    Switzerland  -   Ecuador  -   Honduras

Overview
After the playoffs, exhale. Didier Deschamps must have a potent horseshoe somewhere in his bag; after a disastrous first leg of the playoffs against Ukraine, everything has gone right since, with a rousing comeback at the Stade de France in the return that gave way to this favourable draw. Neighbouring Switzerland will also be pretty pleased, scoffing at the inference that lightning doesn’t strike twice -- they cruised through a clement group containing Iceland, Slovenia and a very off-colour Norway.

2014 World Cup Groups - Group D

Group D :

 Italy  -   England  -   Uruguay  -   Costa Rica


Overview
This pool may not contain any outright favourites for the trophy, but it is the one with the most historic winners. Italy, Uruguay and England have a total of seven World Cups among them, and the feeling is that they will be the sides competing for the top two places, with Costa Rica capable really of only complicating affairs for one of those three.

2014 World Cup Groups - Group C

Group C :

 Colombia  -   Ivory Coast  -   Greece  -   Japan

Overview
Yes, the group lacks a true marquee name in terms of the teams, but there is also an absence of any obvious whipping boy. The baseline quality of this group is quite high, and all of the games will be relatively even. What's more, there's an intriguing rock-paper-scissors aspect to many of the matchups, with Colombia's attack facing Greece's defence, and Japan's technique having to deal with the tenacity of the Ivory Coast's Yaya Toure.

2014 World Cup Groups - Group B

Group B:

  Spain  -   Netherlands  -   Chile  -   Australia   

Overview
Winning this group is a necessity for any team with designs on reaching the latter stages. Second place almost certainly will mean having to play Brazil in the second round in Belo Horizonte. That allows little margin for error for two heavily favoured teams who meet in the group’s first match. What a scene-setter Spain versus Netherlands provides, and then both must hold off the tough challenge of Chile. Finishing at the top also means that Brazil cannot be met until the final in Rio.

2014 World cup Groups - Group A

Group A: 
 Brazil  -   Mexico  -   Cameroon -  Croatia

Overview
The 2014 World Cup draw has been made, and Group A has some interesting matchups.
It's all about Brazil. Nothing less than total victory will be good enough for the host nation. The misery of losing in 1950's decider to Uruguay cannot be repeated. To right that wrong, and return to the scene of that crime -- the Maracana -- Brazil must reach the final. The journey begins in Sao Paulo, the largest city in the southern hemisphere, then up north to tropical Fortaleza before their final group game in the modern capital of Brasilia.