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World Cup Group D - Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy

Which two teams will progress from the group?

  • Uruguay and England

    Votes: 1 4.5%

  • Uruguay and Italy

    Votes: 7 31.8%

  • Uruguay and Costa Rica

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • England and Italy

    Votes: 12 54.5%

  • England and Costa Rica

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Italy and Costa Rica

    Votes: 2 9.1%
  • Total voters
    22
  • Poll closed .
Jordinho

Jordinho

Martin Peters
Staff member
Uruguay

Qualified by beating Jordan in the AFC - CONMEBOL playoff.

Have previously participated in 11 World Cups: 1930, 1950, 1954, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1986, 1990, 2002 and 2010

Previous best: Winners in 1930 and 1950

FIFA World ranking: 7

Uruguay are the reigning Copa America champions, having won the tournament in 2011. This was the 15th time they won it, putting them one ahead of Argentina in the all time stakes. Uruguay finished 4th in last year's Confederations Cup

Squad:

GK: Muslera (Galatasaray), Munoz (Libertad), Silva (Vasco da Gama)

DF: Lugano (West Bromwich Albion), Godin (Atletico Madrid), Coates (Liverpool, on loan to Nacional), Fucile (Porto), Pereira (Benfica), Gimenez (Atletico Madrid), Caceres (Juventus)

MF: Gargano (Parma), Pereira (Sao Paulo), Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid), Lodeiro (Botafogo), Perez (Bologna), Rios (Morelia), Ramirez (Southampton), Gonzalez (Lazio)

FW: Hernandez (Palermo), Suarez (Liverpool), Forlan (Cerezo Osaka), Stuani (Espanyol), Cavani (PSG)

Costa Rica

Qualified as CONCACAF runners-up.

Have previously participated in 3 World Cups: 1990, 2002 and 2006

Previous best: Round 2 in 1990

FIFA World ranking: 34

Costa Rica are the underdogs in this group, with all the other three having won the tournament in the past. They narrowly missed out on the 2010 World Cup after losing 1-2 on aggregate to Uruguay in a playoff.

Squad:

GK: Navas (Levante), Pemberton (Alajuelense), Cambronero (Herediano)

DF: Acosta (Alajuelense), Gonzalez (Columbus Crew), Umana (Saprissa), Duarte (Club Brugge), Mora (Saprissa), Francis (Columbus Crew), Diaz (Mainz), Gamboa (Rosenborg), Miller (New York Red Bulls)

MF: Borges (AIK Stockholm), Bolanos (FC København), Barrantes (Aalesunds FK), Granados (Herediano), Tejeda (Saprissa), Calvo (Vålerenga), Cubero (Herediano)

FW: Campbell (Arsenal, on loan to Olympiakos), Ruiz (Fulham, on loan to PSV), Brenez (Cartagines), Urena (Kuban Krasnodar)

England

Qualified as UEFA Group H winners.

Have previously participated in 13 World Cups: 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2010

Previous best: Winners in 1966

FIFA World ranking: 10

England have only progressed beyond the quarterfinal stage twice, last time in 1990 when they finished 4th, losing to Italy in the 3rd place playoff. Penalty shoot-outs seems to be their biggest weakness.

Squad:

GK: Hart(Emirates Marketing Project), Foster (West Bromwich Albion), Forster (Celtic)

DF: Johnson (Liverpool), Baines (Everton), Cahill (Chelsea), Jagielka (Everton), Smalling (Man United), Jones (Man United), Shaw (Southampton)

MF: Gerrard (Liverpool), Wheelchair (Arsenal), Lampard (Chelsea), Henderson (Liverpool), Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Milner (Emirates Marketing Project), Sterling (Liverpool), Lallana (Southampton), Barkley (Everton)

FW: Sturridge (Liverpool), Rooney (Man United), Welbeck (Man United), Lambert (Southampton)

Italy

Qualified as UEFA Group B winners.

Have previously participated in 17 World Cups: 1934, 1938, 1950, 1954, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2010

Previous best: Winners in 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006

FIFA World ranking: 9

Sticking to its strong defense while also embracing more attacking football, Italy were surprisingly strong in the Euro 2012 and in the Confederations Cup in 2013, but they fell to Spain both times. The biggest question is: Which Balotelli shows up?

Squad:

GK: Buffon (Juventus), Sirigu (PSG), Perin (Genoa)

DF: De Sciglio (AC Milan), Chiellini (Juventus), Darmian (Torino), Abate (AC Milan), Barzagli (Juventus), Bonucci (Juventus), Paletta (Parma)

MF: Motta (PSG), Candreva (Lazio), Marchisio (Juventus), Aquilani (Fiorentina), De Rossi (Roma), Parolo (Parma), Pirlo (Juventus), Verratti (PSG)

FW: Balotelli (AC Milan), Cassano (Parma), Cerci (Torino), Immobile (Torino), Insigne (Napoli)

GROUP D SCHEDULE:

June 14: Uruguay vs. Costa Rica in Fortaleza; England vs. Italy in Manaus

June 19: Uruguay vs. England in São Paulo

June 20: Italy vs. Costa Rica in Recife

June 24: Italy vs. Uruguay in Natal; Costa Rica vs. England in Belo Horizonte
 
Uruguay def. Costa Rica
England/Italy draw
England def. Uruguay
Italy def. Costa Rica
Italy def. Uruguay
England def Costa Rica
 
I just don't think England will go out in the groups. Will most likely lose in the knockouts
 
Yossarian said:
Draws galore in this group, I suspect, in all of the games not involving Costa Rica.
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Even though I've put Costa Rica to lose every game, they are actually a decent team. They are most likely to adapt to the climate better than England and Italy and have some decent players. Joel Campbell and Bryan Ruiz to name a few. They did very well in qualifying and exceeded many expectations. Shock of the group? Perhaps. I just think the other teams will have a bit more.
 
Mumorn said:
Even though I've put Costa Rica to lose every game, they are actually a decent team. They are most likely to adapt to the climate better than England and Italy and have some decent players. Joel Campbell and Bryan Ruiz to name a few. They did very well in qualifying and exceeded many expectations. Shock of the group? Perhaps. I just think the other teams will have a bit more.
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Since drawing them I have been reading up on Costa Rica. They are tight defensively and play a 5-2-3 formation. It will be interesting to see how they fair because it is a set up that we are not very familiar with.
 
Uruguay beat CR
Italy beat England
Uruguay draw with England
Italy beat CR
Italy draw with Uruguay - with both teams only needing a point to qualify
England beat CR

England fly home.
 
I imagine our results vs Uruguay and Costa Rica will be the same as Italys results against them two so the game with them is massive.
 
I can see plenty of draws between Italy, Uruguay and England, which will probably mean that progress will be down to how many goals they can put past Costa Rica.

And this is where England will be at a severe disadvantage.
 
Seeing pictures of workers spray painting the pitch to be used on saturday with green paint to get rid of the dry brown patches
 
THFC6061 said:
I can see plenty of draws between Italy, Uruguay and England, which will probably mean that progress will be down to how many goals they can put past Costa Rica.

And this is where England will be at a severe disadvantage.
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I was saying the same thing to a work mate the other day.
Italy, us and Uruguay to draw their matches, group to be decided on goals dif against Costa Rica.
Can see Uruguay topping the group if it goes that way if I'm honest.
 
England and Italy to progress. Don't see Uruguay being as good as 2010. Too reliant on Suarez this time round with Forlan very old and Cavani imo, flattering to decieve at International level. Wouldn't be surprised to see both opening fixtures being draws actually.
 
Libero said:
England and Italy to progress. Don't see Uruguay being as good as 2010. Too reliant on Suarez this time round with Forlan very old and Cavani imo, flattering to decieve at International level. Wouldn't be surprised to see both opening fixtures being draws actually.
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Uruguay aren't good at all. I'd also be surprised if they qualified
 
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