Monday, June 5, 2006

World Cup Group Previews

World Cup Group A
World Cup Group B
World Cup Group C
World Cup Group D
World Cup Group E
World Cup Group F
World Cup Group G
World Cup Group H

I am going to write a preview for each of the 8 World Cup groups, although in my case "preview" will mean random thoughts in my head that I want to express rather than regurgitating information that could easily be found elsewhere. There are excellent previews, news, etc. available at Soccernet, as well as the entertaining writeups LD is doing over at Gunslingers, which cover not only footie but interesting info on the nations themselves. Both are worth a look; here you won't find in-depth previews with equal space on each team; some teams I might write a book on and some teams I might write 2 sentences on, but it will mostly be some opinions, some funny stories, and some lookalikes to watch for, as there are many people the non-soccer fans know that are competing this summer, they just know them under a different name.

I do not have a favorite team, as my favorite team is Nigeria and they did not qualify, but like anyone else there are some teams that I like more than others. As someone who follows the game enthusiastically I am just hoping for great matches, beautiful team football, brilliant individual performances, and some wonder goals. After the last World Cup, where massive favorites France didn't even get out of the group stage, win a match, or score a goal, and Euro 2004, which was won by 150-1 shots Greece, I think predictions are a bit futile, but I'll throw some in here and there probably I'm sure.


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