World Cup: Group A Preview

In just over a month, the World Cup will kick off in Mexico City with a replay of a World Cup classic, Mexico vs South Africa. It’s fitting that the same fixture that started off the 2010 World Cup will start the biggest tournament yet. Mexican fans will be hoping for a moment as iconic as Tshabalala’s opener in that edition of the tournament. As we approach the tournament, I want to take a closer look at the teams coming to North America and the potential magic around each of them.

Czechia – The Czech contingent used a mix of stubbornness and belief to force their way into the World Cup field. In the qualifier playoff semifinal against Ireland, they erased a two-goal deficit and won on penalties. In the final against Denmark, they blew a one-goal lead twice and once again won on penalties. Pavel Sulc’s goal in that final is a must watch if you haven’t seen it. West Ham midfielder Tomás Soucek is the backbone of the team, and the proficiency of striker Patrick Schick will dictate the impact the Czechs can have in America. No one thing for sure, you don’t want to go to penalties against this team.

Player to watch: Ladislav Krejcí
Ceiling: Round of 16

Mexico – Mexico appears to be the host nation best poised to make a deep run into the tournament. Their Liga MX squad has performed well in the buildup to the World Cup, earning draws against heavyweights Portugal and Belgium. Javier Aguirre’s men are led upfront by Fulham striker Raul Jimenez and AC Milan’s Santi Gimenez. The main question around the team is who goes in goal after the injury of Luis Malagón, possibly opening a spot for legend Guillermo Ochoa in the squad. Keep an eye out for Copa America breakout Gilberto Mora, the teenager will be the x-factor once more for La Selección.

Player to watch: Gilberto Mora
Ceiling: Semifinals

South Korea – Heung-Min Son will be looking to lead his side to glory for possibly the last time in his playing career. Despite his move from England to the MLS, I expect him to be as dangerous as ever working in tandem with players like Hwang-Hee Chan and PSG’s Kang-In Lee. I worry about the Koreans defensively despite the talent in the squad. Led by veteran Kim Min-Jae, the backline has struggled with teams that can counter quickly; that weakness got exposed in heavy defeats to Brazil and Côte d’Ivoire earlier this season.

Player to watch: Jun-Ho Bae
Ceiling: Round of 16

South Africa – The Mamelodi Sundowns captivated me during the Club World Cup last summer. In a largely bland tournament, I found their style of football to be very compelling. They played high risk high reward football, playing fast and never bashful to commit numbers forward. The Sundowns squad is represented heavily in the South African team, so I expect to see some of that energy from them. They’re the underdog of the group but it’s important to remember that they were able to fend off Nigeria in group play. Additionally, in the new World Cup format with some third-place teams advancing, teams only need one win to basically guarantee a spot in the knockouts.

Player to watch: Lyle Foster
Ceiling: Round of 32