getting excited (World Cup 2002 - the build up)

Member Name: NIKNAKy2k2

Product:	World Cup 2002 - the build up
Date:	06/02/09 (3 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It's football at it's best

Disadvantages: only lasts a month

The World Cup is held every four years since 1930 which Uraguay won. Each World cup has a host country and this year it will be played in Japan and South Korea. There will be eight groups of four teams that I will list below:
GROUP A
France
Denmark
Uruguay
Senegal

MY PREDICTION:
1.France
2.Denmark
3.Uraguay
4.Senegal
France won the last World Cup and I think they will win this time as well.Denmark will just clinch second place just ahead of Uraguay.Senegal are lacking experiance but have done well to qualify for the World Cup.Zinedine Zidane will be a threat.

GROUP B
Spain
Slovenia
Paraguay
South Africa
MY PREDICTION:
1.Spain
2.Paraguay
3.Slovenia
4.South africa

With players like Raul, Spain have a good chance of finnishing top.Paraguay got to the second round last year and will probaly do the same this year.Slovenia will just miss out, but have a chance.South Africa were knocked out in the group stage in 1998 and will probaly do the same in 2002,but with there determination after missing out on hosting the 2006 world cup anything could happen.
GROUP C
Brazil
Turkey
China
Costa Rica

MY PREDICTION:
1.Brazil
2.Turkey
3.Costa rica
4.China
Brazils amazing skills will earn them first place.Turkey have had success in club football and will probaly finish second.This is Costa Rica's first World Cup in twelve years but they may not get past the first round.China's lack of experiance will probaly mean they finish fourth.Rivaldo will be a threat.

GROUP D
South Korea
Poland
USA
Portugal
MY PREDICTION:
1.Portugal
2.South Korea
3.Poland
4.USA

There will be a real fight for second spot between South korea and Poland but South Korea being host nation will probaly clinch it.As for the USA they have done badly in recent World Cups especially in 1998 where they lost all three games but if they do well who knows.Portugal did so well in Euro 2000 and with players like Luis Figo (who is one of my favorate players)Will help Portugal come first.
GROUP E
Germany
Saudi Arabia
Ireland
Cameroon

MY PREDICTION:
1.Germany
2.Ireland
3.Cameroon
4.Saudi Arabia
Also like Group D there will be a real fight for second place.If Roy Keane is fit for the World Cup Then he might help Ireland to second place but Cameroon will not make it easy for them.Germany will finish first because they have being a strong team in previous world Cups but there defence is probaly ther weak point.(You know what i'm thinking).Saudi Arabia probaly wont make it because they have got a tough group and eight coaches came and went in the past six years.

GROUP F
Argentina
England
Nigeria
Sweden
MY PREDITION:
Argentina
England
Sweden
Nigeria

Ths group has being rightly named the group of death.Argentina with all there skill and players will probaly clinch first spot.Then there will a fight for second place between England,Sweden and Nigeria.Nigeria are a little bit inconsistant.They can thrash one team one game but lose another game.In 1998 they toped thier group only to lose 4-1 to Denmark in the next round.Sweden are a very tough side to beat and have not lost to England in their last nine meetings. Svens knowledge of Sweden will help England to Second place.It also looks like Daid Beckam will be fit and hopefully score a few more free-kicks which helped England get to the World Cup.Henrick Larsson and Feddie Lyungberg will be England biggest threat.
GROUP G
Italy
Ecuador
Croatia
Mexico

MY PREDICTION
Italy
Mexico
Croatia
Ecuador
Italy have a lot of experiance of the World Cup and will finish first.Mexico and Croatia will fight for second place.This is Ecudors first World Cup so they lack experiance although they did beat Brazil to reach the World Cup.Francesso Totti dazzling creative skills will be a threat to Italy's oppenents.

GROUP F
Japan
Belgium
Russia
Tunisia
MY PREDICTION
Belgium
Japan
Russia
Tunisia

Belgium will want to forget there dissapointment of Euro 2000 by doing well in the World Cup.They will go top.Japan will be determined to do well on home soil but will have to do well to overcome russia.Tunisia will do better this World Cup but probaly won't get to the second round.
The top two teams from each group qualify for the second round. The winners of the second round go into the quarterfinals. The winners of the quarterfinals go into the semis and the winners of the semis go into the final. The World Cup will start on May 31 and last until June 30.

~CLIMATE~
People going to the World Cup will better take an umbrella because it will be very wet and humid.The average temprature will be about 25c(77f).
~ Who will win the World Cup? ~

Usually, if a good team host the world cup, then that team will win, as they are always the home side. However, this year, the hosts aren't particularly world-beaters so the cup's up for grabs. I think the team with most of a chance of winning would be France, Argentina or maybe Brazil. These teams have won before, but France have been improving over the last few years. As for England, I'll obviously be supporting them but I don't think they will win, although I think they can do well. So good luck to England!

Summary: It's football at it's best