Brazil + Portugal + Cote d’ivoire + doesn’t matter who else = Group of Death. Well, there is no disrespect intended towards North Korea when I write the words “doesn’t matter who else” but quite honestly, when we have those three teams lined up in one group, it isn’t necessary to have another top footballing nation alongside to name it as “the group of death”. It is already one. But offcourse, if D.P.R Korea can spice up the group a little bit more, with some inspiring performances and probably with an upset or two, matters will get very interesting.

About Brazil, it’s needless to say what they are all about especially with regards to the game of football. The name says it all. However, there is one massive difference that we will notice this summer between the Brazil that we know and the team that will take field from June 15th onwards. This Selecao side looks to have a different approach towards the game as they are ready to shun the beautiful side of it for the right results. The flair, the art or the skillful display of fluid football as we all associate Brazil with, might not be put on show as Dunga seems to have instilled elements of his own persona from his playing days within the team’s style and technique. It is going to be a Brazilian side ready to bring on a gritty, physical and a technically sound performance in order to churn out wins against their opponents. Dunga’s selection policy has seemingly been in accordance to the adapted philosophy of grinding out results.

No place for Ronaldinho might have raised a lot of eyebrows all around the world. Although the player himself was not on talking terms with the head coach, presumably for some unfootballing reasons, his performances for Milan last season looked to have come close to the ones with which we were all familiar with when he donned the Barca colours. This gives a clear indication on how strict Dunga has been to follow the philosophy he has laid down. The exclusions of Brazilian wonderboys Ganso and Neymar also add to the thought of a Brazilian side playing unbrazilian football. Nevertheless, they still stand red hot favourites to win the cup alongside England and Spain. With some tough tackling midfielders in the middle in form of Ramires, Gilberto Silva, Felipe Melo and Kleberson, the team looks set to implement the smash and grab strategy with full effectiveness.

Luis Fabiano, Nilmar and Robinho will be on the receiving end of those supplies from midfield to turn them into goals whereas, whatever form of creativity and flair one can hope to see will have his or her eyes fixed on Kaka and Elano as they will look to create all the goal scoring chances and also score a few themselves. The Brazilian defence looks strong and capable of thwarting any decent attack from opposition with Lucio and Juan in the centre while Dani Alves, Maicon and Michel Bastos engaged at the wing back positions. Overall it looks a strong, compact and capable unit ready to make the semis with ease.

Portugal and Ivory Coast come as the next favorites to go through however unfortunately there happens to be just one free slot for qualification to the next round and therefore it stands quite unnecessary to remind one as how important the match between the two will have in order to find out who goes through along with Brazil. Mind it, I am not giving Brazil a free pass to progress through the next round but by the look of things and considering the philosophy with which Brazil will go into this World cup, it looks more likely that they go through ahead of the others. However in the past, we have seen the groups of death produce memorable shocks so we have to be ready for anything. Cristiano Ronaldo, once the World footballer of the year for 2007/08, seems to have kept going as far as scoring goals and making a reputation for being one of the best of this present generation is concerned. At club level he might have won a lot of trophies but with Portugal he has won and done nothing.

Quite honestly, Cristiano became a household name all over the world mostly because of his association with Manchester United and now Real Madrid. His contribution for Portugal so far has yielded nothing for them and to be frank no one expects Cristiano to do a Maradona and give Portugal its inaugural World Cup because 1). Football, over the years, has evolved and has become fiercer for one single individual to win things all by himself and 2). There can be only one Maradona and not even a “Messidona” can replicate his genius. Cristiano, in any case, is a sincere athlete to say the least. He might have a lively off-the-pitch life but he still shines on it as much as off it. A hard working and disciplined individual gifted with all possible attributes one can fathom, as one would have to go all the way back to the late 50’s and 60’s to see Pele working his magic with similarly endowed attributes.

If there is one thing that Ronaldo needs to fight with, in order to claim legacy, it would be his alter ego which sometimes gets the better out of him. It is not that Portugal have no other quality in their lineup other than CR7 (He still wears the no 7 jersey for Portugal). Deco, Miguel Veloso, Liedson, Simao and Nani have all proven to be very effective in their respective roles on their day but Ronaldo as their captain will have to lead the way. After all if you are one of the best in the business, the world cup is the place where you have to prove it over and over again, no matter how many times you do it at club level. Portugal looks to be a decent side with good players in defence, midfield and attack but they don’t look like a World cup winning team. Ivory Coast on the other hand matches Portugal in all aspects of the game. Drogba will lead the way as captain and their best player. If anyone can match Cristiano on his day, it would be Didier Drogba.

The strong, pacy, skillful and immaculate striker with his deadly accurate shooting can cause opponents to forget the rest and focus solely on him to prevent defence breaches and goals from nowhere. Then we have Salomon Kalou and Aruna Dindane to support in attack. In midfield, Yaya Toure, who has been the toast of the season along with Xavi and Iniesta in European football, will be orchestrating play from the centre along with Zokora and Romaric. While in defence, his brother Kolo Toure and Steve Gohouri will be the main men to prevent the opposition easy breakthroughs, Emmanuel Eboue and Guy Demel will look dangerous down the flanks. The first up battle between Portugal and Ivory Coast should open up the group for further excitement. D.P.R Korea, with due respect, will consider themselves privileged at the same time unlucky to be in the group of death, facing the best.

No one would be expecting North Korea to progress even if they had been placed in a weaker group. With all due respect, they have done exceptionally well to qualify facing some of the powerhouses of South Korea, Iran and Saudi Arabia but one would have to admit that they were facing some other like-sized fishes in a small pond. But now, here, they face the sharks of the ocean where the chances of being eaten up by these sharks are very high. Then again, strange things happen in football as I have said it a million times before and therefore they should remain optimistic about playing good football and putting up a challenge in front of the big guns. Hong Yong-Jo, their captain along side Jong Tae-Se have been their main goal getters upfront in the qualifiers and will therefore look to breach the oppositions’ backlines in the finals as well. Ri Kwang Chon and Nam Song Chol will try to some add solidity to the defence with their experience whereas Kim Young Jun and Pak Nam Chol will lend help from the midfield to attack.

The stage is set for fireworks as Brazil will look to dominate their opponents whereas Portugal and Ivory Coast will be happy to get past Brazil with even a point and try settling matters between themselves. The first match of the group will always have a huge importance as it is the case with other groups. Group openers often reveal the plot of the story as it would unfold. Brazil have a comfortable opener against the Koreans and a victory will give them the much needed confidence to go on and face the tougher opponents in form of Portugal and Ivory Coast whereas on the other hand it looks daunting for either Portugal or the Elephants if they lose their first match as they would be under immense pressure to win their other two.

The winner of the match between the two however might find things going a bit easier as a win against the North Korean side will probably seal their place for the next round as it would not matter much if they lose to Brazil. In this case scenario, Portugal looks to be the side with the better chance of making it as if they win their first match against Ivory Coast, their immediate match after that is against North Korea which might serve well for them and they don’t have to go down to face Brazil in order to decide their fate whereas Ivory Coast would then have to win their immediate match after that which would be against Brazil. By the look of things, Brazil and Portugal might find circumstances in their favour but they still have to grab the initiative. From my perspective, I find it difficult to see Brazil crash out early whereas Ivory Coast with more in form players and firepower and the African atmosphere all around looks favourite to join the Samba kings in the next round as very possibly then we might have to wave good bye to Cristiano and co.