Steve Foster
Well-known member
The inaugural match in Group G sees Germany meet Portugal. Both teams will be fancied to go through in this Group, but who do you think will prevail in this match?
World Cup 2014: Guide to Germany's Group G
GERMANY (seeded)
How do they play?
Style & formation: Blessed with far more flair than many Germany sides of the past, their fluid 4-2-3-1 is underpinned by Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira - recently back from a long-term injury - anchoring the side from the base of midfield.
Ahead of them lies creative fulcrum Mesut Ozil, who is likely to be flanked by Thomas Muller plus one from a number of other options. Marco Reus, a likely starter, withdrew through injury on 7 June.
Strengths: They have an incredible array of attacking midfielders that guarantee goals. Manuel Neuer can lay claim to being the world's best goalkeeper and Philipp Lahm, whatever position he plays in, brings calmness and tactical nous along with his vice-captain Schweinsteiger. The free-scoring Muller has a priceless knack of being in the right place at the right time.
Weaknesses: More than you'd imagine. Left-back is an issue for coach Joachim Low, while the defence as a whole has been porous of late and was given a torrid time by Chile's movement in a friendly in March. Khedira and Schweinsteiger have had injury-hit seasons and can Ozil shake off his Arsenal torpor?
Miroslav Klose is just one goal shy of Ronaldo's all-time World Cup finals tally of 15, but turning 36 means his powers are surely on the wane.
Key player
Philipp Lahm was described by Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola this season as "the most intelligent player I've ever coached". The best right-back in Europe over the last decade has made a seamless transition this season under the Bayern boss into the Sechser (sixer) position in midfield and may well do the same for Germany.
One to watch
Borussia Dortmund's Erik Durm has been transformed from a forward into a full-back over the last year, and his club manager Jurgen Klopp has called him an "extraordinary talent".
Blessed with incredible stamina and pace, 22-year-old Durm has usurped Marcel Schmelzer at left-back for club and country.
The boss
At the helm since 2006, Joachim Low signed a new contract until 2016 earlier this year but the pressure is on to win a trophy after some agonising near-misses. His win percentage is the highest of any Germany manager.
How they qualified
Germany breezed through their qualifying group, only dropping points in a bizarre 4-4 draw with Sweden - having led 4-0. They scored 36 times in 10 matches, with seven of their attacking players totalling three goals or more.
World Cup record
Germany have reached the final seven times, winning for the third time in 1990.
Runners-up in 2002, they were third in 2006 and 2010.
Fifa ranking: 2
Possible starting XI
Squad
Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Roman Weidenfeller (Borussia Dortmund), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hannover)
Defenders: Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Erik Durm (Borussia Dortmund), Kevin Grosskreutz (Borussia Dortmund), Benedikt Howedes (Schalke), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal), Shkodran Mustafi (Sampdoria).
Midfielders: Julian Draxler (Schalke), Matthias Ginter (Freiburg), Mario Gotze (Bayern Munich), Christoph Kramer (Borussia Monchengladbach), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), Andre Schurrle (Chelsea), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich).
Forwards: Miroslav Klose (Lazio), Lukas Podolski (Arsenal).
PORTUGAL
With Cristiano Ronaldo in your team, the sky's the limit. However, getting out of a very tricky group will be their primary objective before they can start thinking of a potential quarter-final against Argentina. The likes of Pepe and Joao Moutinho give them a strong spine, but they remain without a world-class striker, meaning the goalscoring burden rests with Ronaldo.
Will Cristiano Ronaldo finally bring his club form to the World Cup stage in Brazil?
They could be forgiven for thinking they are playing in Lisbon such is the expected level of support for them from the Brazilian public. There have been too many laboured team displays since they were beaten on penalties by Spain in their Euro 2012 semi-final.
Key player
Who else but CR7? Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo scored 51 goals in 47 club appearances this season and already has a museum dedicated to him. Debate rages about who is better out of him and Lionel Messi, but in Portugal they now argue over who wins out of Ronaldo and Eusebio.
However, carrying injuries into this tournament won't help his bid to right the wrongs of two disappointing World Cups for him in 2006 and 2010.
One to watch
Blessed with a calmness that belies his 21 years, William Carvalho made an ice-cool debut off the bench in the play-off second leg against Sweden.
The Angolan-born defensive midfielder has had a superb first season in the first team at Sporting Lisbon and the likes of Manchester United have been circling. A Sporting fan, he famously turned Benfica officials away from his house when they tried to sign him as a 13 year old.
The boss
Paulo Bento was banned for six months after he manhandled officials during a controversial Euro 2000 semi-final with France but he has matured into a top-class coach. Capped 35 times, he has the respect of his players and his greatest triumph has arguably been getting Cristiano Ronaldo, his former team-mate at Sporting Lisbon, to replicate his extraordinary club form on the international stage.
Derided in some quarters for so-called negative tactics, he recently had his contract extended to the end of Euro 2016.
How they qualified
They progressed via the play-offs for the second successive World Cup, with Ronaldo's hat-trick against Sweden equalling Pauleta's national record 47-goal tally, which he has since broken.
They only lost to Russia in their group but finished second after drawing with Northern Ireland and Israel, twice.
World Cup record
Portugal are heading to their sixth World Cup. They came third on their debut in 1966 and were also semi-finalists in 2006. Three years ago, they lost to eventual champions Spain in the last 16.
Fifa ranking: 4
Squad
Goalkeepers: Beto (Sevilla), Eduardo (Braga), Rui Patricio (Sporting).
Defenders: Andre Almeida (Benfica), Bruno Alves (Fenerbahce), Fabio Coentreo (Real Madrid), Joao Pereira (Valencia), Neto (Zenit), Pepe (Real Madrid), Ricardo Costa (Valencia).
Midfielders: Joao Moutinho (Monaco), Miguel Veloso (Dinamo Kiev), Raul Meireles (Fenerbahce), Ruben Amorim (Benfica), William Carvalho (Sporting).
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Eder (SC Braga), Helder Postiga (Lazio), Hugo Almeida (Besiktas), Nani (Manchester United), Rafa (Braga), Varela (FC Porto), Vieirinha (Wolfsburg).
World Cup 2014: Guide to Germany's Group G
GERMANY (seeded)
How do they play?
Style & formation: Blessed with far more flair than many Germany sides of the past, their fluid 4-2-3-1 is underpinned by Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira - recently back from a long-term injury - anchoring the side from the base of midfield.
Ahead of them lies creative fulcrum Mesut Ozil, who is likely to be flanked by Thomas Muller plus one from a number of other options. Marco Reus, a likely starter, withdrew through injury on 7 June.
Strengths: They have an incredible array of attacking midfielders that guarantee goals. Manuel Neuer can lay claim to being the world's best goalkeeper and Philipp Lahm, whatever position he plays in, brings calmness and tactical nous along with his vice-captain Schweinsteiger. The free-scoring Muller has a priceless knack of being in the right place at the right time.
Weaknesses: More than you'd imagine. Left-back is an issue for coach Joachim Low, while the defence as a whole has been porous of late and was given a torrid time by Chile's movement in a friendly in March. Khedira and Schweinsteiger have had injury-hit seasons and can Ozil shake off his Arsenal torpor?
Miroslav Klose is just one goal shy of Ronaldo's all-time World Cup finals tally of 15, but turning 36 means his powers are surely on the wane.
Key player
Philipp Lahm was described by Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola this season as "the most intelligent player I've ever coached". The best right-back in Europe over the last decade has made a seamless transition this season under the Bayern boss into the Sechser (sixer) position in midfield and may well do the same for Germany.
One to watch
Borussia Dortmund's Erik Durm has been transformed from a forward into a full-back over the last year, and his club manager Jurgen Klopp has called him an "extraordinary talent".
Blessed with incredible stamina and pace, 22-year-old Durm has usurped Marcel Schmelzer at left-back for club and country.
The boss
At the helm since 2006, Joachim Low signed a new contract until 2016 earlier this year but the pressure is on to win a trophy after some agonising near-misses. His win percentage is the highest of any Germany manager.
How they qualified
Germany breezed through their qualifying group, only dropping points in a bizarre 4-4 draw with Sweden - having led 4-0. They scored 36 times in 10 matches, with seven of their attacking players totalling three goals or more.
World Cup record
Germany have reached the final seven times, winning for the third time in 1990.
Runners-up in 2002, they were third in 2006 and 2010.
Fifa ranking: 2
Possible starting XI
Squad
Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Roman Weidenfeller (Borussia Dortmund), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hannover)
Defenders: Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Erik Durm (Borussia Dortmund), Kevin Grosskreutz (Borussia Dortmund), Benedikt Howedes (Schalke), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal), Shkodran Mustafi (Sampdoria).
Midfielders: Julian Draxler (Schalke), Matthias Ginter (Freiburg), Mario Gotze (Bayern Munich), Christoph Kramer (Borussia Monchengladbach), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), Andre Schurrle (Chelsea), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich).
Forwards: Miroslav Klose (Lazio), Lukas Podolski (Arsenal).
PORTUGAL
With Cristiano Ronaldo in your team, the sky's the limit. However, getting out of a very tricky group will be their primary objective before they can start thinking of a potential quarter-final against Argentina. The likes of Pepe and Joao Moutinho give them a strong spine, but they remain without a world-class striker, meaning the goalscoring burden rests with Ronaldo.
Will Cristiano Ronaldo finally bring his club form to the World Cup stage in Brazil?
They could be forgiven for thinking they are playing in Lisbon such is the expected level of support for them from the Brazilian public. There have been too many laboured team displays since they were beaten on penalties by Spain in their Euro 2012 semi-final.
Key player
Who else but CR7? Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo scored 51 goals in 47 club appearances this season and already has a museum dedicated to him. Debate rages about who is better out of him and Lionel Messi, but in Portugal they now argue over who wins out of Ronaldo and Eusebio.
However, carrying injuries into this tournament won't help his bid to right the wrongs of two disappointing World Cups for him in 2006 and 2010.
One to watch
Blessed with a calmness that belies his 21 years, William Carvalho made an ice-cool debut off the bench in the play-off second leg against Sweden.
The Angolan-born defensive midfielder has had a superb first season in the first team at Sporting Lisbon and the likes of Manchester United have been circling. A Sporting fan, he famously turned Benfica officials away from his house when they tried to sign him as a 13 year old.
The boss
Paulo Bento was banned for six months after he manhandled officials during a controversial Euro 2000 semi-final with France but he has matured into a top-class coach. Capped 35 times, he has the respect of his players and his greatest triumph has arguably been getting Cristiano Ronaldo, his former team-mate at Sporting Lisbon, to replicate his extraordinary club form on the international stage.
Derided in some quarters for so-called negative tactics, he recently had his contract extended to the end of Euro 2016.
How they qualified
They progressed via the play-offs for the second successive World Cup, with Ronaldo's hat-trick against Sweden equalling Pauleta's national record 47-goal tally, which he has since broken.
They only lost to Russia in their group but finished second after drawing with Northern Ireland and Israel, twice.
World Cup record
Portugal are heading to their sixth World Cup. They came third on their debut in 1966 and were also semi-finalists in 2006. Three years ago, they lost to eventual champions Spain in the last 16.
Fifa ranking: 4
Squad
Goalkeepers: Beto (Sevilla), Eduardo (Braga), Rui Patricio (Sporting).
Defenders: Andre Almeida (Benfica), Bruno Alves (Fenerbahce), Fabio Coentreo (Real Madrid), Joao Pereira (Valencia), Neto (Zenit), Pepe (Real Madrid), Ricardo Costa (Valencia).
Midfielders: Joao Moutinho (Monaco), Miguel Veloso (Dinamo Kiev), Raul Meireles (Fenerbahce), Ruben Amorim (Benfica), William Carvalho (Sporting).
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Eder (SC Braga), Helder Postiga (Lazio), Hugo Almeida (Besiktas), Nani (Manchester United), Rafa (Braga), Varela (FC Porto), Vieirinha (Wolfsburg).
