The 2014 World Cup’s Group F is all about Argentina. Bosnia-Herzegovina are making their first appearance at the FIFA World Cup, while Iran have only ever faced their group rivals in friendlies. Nigeria are the other combatants.
Group F: Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran and Nigeria
ARGENTINA
Strength: Anarchic
Best World Cup Finish: Champions in 1978 and 1986.
Last World Cup Appearance: South Africa 2010 (knock out stage)
Argentina often fielded a bold 4-3-3 formation. Drawn in a relatively easy group (along with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran and Nigeria), Argentina should cruise to the knockout round. Key player Messi is joined up top in the 4-3-3 with Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain.
Argentina also will benefit this time around from having Alejandro Sabella as coach, rather than Maradona. For all Lionel’s success at Barcelona, Messi hasn’t been able to dominate the game at the international level. He’s scored a single goal in the last two World Cups, and has never advanced past the quarterfinals. While Messi is far and away the biggest star and biggest storyline in Group F, watch out for Angel Di Maria who defines the team shape. He’s a winger with stamina and discipline. He recorded 17 La Liga assists – the highest figure in the top five European leagues.
Should Messi be able to lead his Argentina to its first title since 1986, however, many pundits will say he’s surpassed Pelé as the greatest soccer player of all time. He’ll have plenty of support in Brazil from Gonzalo Higuaín, Sergio Aguero, Ángel di María and others.
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
Strength: Playmakers
Best World Cup Finish: First World Cup finals appearance Bosnia and Herzegovina is appearing in its first-ever World Cup this year, after gaining independence from Yugoslavia in 1992. Despite top- flight striker Edin Dzeko, anything more than getting out of Group F would be a big surprise for this team.
Although the squad is overflowing with playmakers, it lacks effective ball- winners to screen the defence. In qualifying – a 4-4-2 diamond – yielded 30 goals, 18 from strike duo Edin Dzeko and Vedad Ibisevic. Key players in Stoke City goalkeeper Asmir Begovic is one of the Premier League’s best and talented young playmaker Miralem Pjanic will be the Bosnian players to watch. Roma’s Miralem Pjanic turned down luxembourg and France to represent the country he left just before war broke out. He’s a technically gifted dead-ball specialist.
IRAN
Strength: defensive
Best World Cup Finish : Reached the finals three times (1978, 1998, 2006), but have never got past the group stage.
Last World Cup Appearance: 2006 (group Stage)
Iran are Asia’s highest ranked team, and one of the most talent-deficient teams in the tournament, with few players established outside Iran’s domestic league. Their build-up is often slow and predictable and they were desperately short of cutting edge in recent friendlies against Belarus and Montenegro.
The most experienced player, at least internationally, is Javad Nekounam, who played in La Liga for six seasons with Osasuna.The 26-year-old made his international debut last year and scored six goals in as many games in 2013 and will be the player to watch. Former MetroStars coach Carlos Queiroz also selected Fulham’s Ashkan Dejagah
NIGERIA
Strength: Physical and Competent
Best World Cup Finish: reached the last 16 in 1994 and 1998
Last World Cup Appearance: 2010 group stages
Nigeria scored a mere seven goals in six games of its qualifying group stage and went an unimpressive 3-0-3. But it also is the defending African Cup of Nations winner, so maybe Nigeria just knows how to get the job done. They produced a competent showing at the Confederations Cup, but improvement is needed to reach the knockout stages in 2014.
Their Dangerman Victor Obinna (Lokomotiv Moscow) has scored 11 goals in 44 games so far for Nigeria. Emmanuel Emenike was the top goal-scorer in the African Cup of Nations and John Obi Mikel has been with Chelsea since 2006. The Super Eagles should be a motivated squad after a disappointing 2010 World Cup. The player to watch; Victor Moses who provided real cutting edge at last year’s Africa Cup of Nations and was sorely missed at the Confederations Cup, for which he was injured.
