The 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa is now well underway with only a few more matches left to decide on the teams who will make it to the round of sixteen or the knock off stage. As always, the media along with several football pundits have been speculating on who the favorite is to win the coveted trophy. The problem is that the media passes its judgment on which team is tipped to win and after a few matches, it changes its stand. So for instance, at the beginning of the tournament it was Spain all the way as tournament favorites. But after their shocking defeat at the hands of minnow Switzerland, suddenly they are no more favorites. Now all of a sudden, the media is hailing Argentina as the team that could go all the way to the top. The point is that no one can predict a clear winner and so attempting to try and pick a favorite is not the best thing to do and that too if you keep on changing your stand after every game. At best we can have four to five favorites. In fact experience will tell that no ‘favorite’ has gone on to win the trophy expect maybe in the case of Brazil, which is usually among the favorites in each edition of the FIFA world cup. In the last world cup, no one expected Italy to win the trophy at the beginning of the tournament. Similarly France also went on to reach the final during the last edition after a string of draws and sloppy performance in the group stages.
Anybody from among the four or five teams can win this year’s world cup. Despite the loss to Switzerland, the early favorites Spain can still win this world cup. Defending champions Italy play very defensively and are slow starters. They have played two boring games and drawn both including the upset draw against minnows New Zealand. Traditional slow starters, the Azzuris could just about squeeze into the last 16 if group leaders Paraguay beat New Zealand as is still expected. Brazil is the other favorite as they have always been. They may not have the star power of the past, but Team Brazil remains a power house nonetheless. That brings us to the last three picks. The Netherlands, Argentina and Portugal. At least on the field Netherlands and Argentina have looked the best teams so far. Not surprisingly the media and football pundits are now hailing Argentina as favorite to win the trophy. Portugal with their world ranking of three is yet to play to their potential. But then as mentioned anybody from among the above favorites can win this year’s edition. The million dollar question is which team it will be. Will team spirit triumph over individual brilliance or vice-versa? Will history repeat itself (Argentina, Brazil and Italy) or will we see history being made (Spain, Netherlands or Portugal). Or more dramatic still, will it be Diego Maradona’s tryst with destiny—a world cup for Argentina as coach, which will be a rare feat after won the coveted trophy as captain in 1986. And who knows it may take more than just team spirit or individual brilliance. The eventual champion whoever it is may have to be inspired to reach for the highest pinnacle of success.
