Group A - Analysis

Group A Analysis: South Africa, France, Mexico, Uruguay

Predicted qualifier: Mexico, Uruguay

The French is the favourite of this group. However they will struggle. They don’t have a great coach, Gallas and Abidal look very vulnerable at the back to even resist Forlan and Hernandez, Toulalan as the sole defensive midfield meaning their defence can be easily exposed. Henry, Anelka or Govou and Gignac don’t look really sharp in front of goal. They are not as organized as Mexico and not as clinical as Uruguay. With Ribery as the only reliable person up front, there will be no easy game for them. Uruguay is a fairly well-shaped team. They are pretty solid at the back with Lugano, sharp in attack with Forlan and Suarez. They are a very dangerous team to play with as they are not well known to their opponents. Mexico has been very organized, young and energetic up front with Vela and Hernandez, I think they will finish as group winner. South Africa has no chance whatsoever, a draw or two may be a more realistic target.

The below are the squad list of the teams:

SOUTH AFRICA

Goalkeepers: Moeneeb Josephs (Orlando Pirates/South Africa), Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs/South Africa), Shu-Aib Walters (Maritzburg United/South Africa)

Defenders: Matthew Booth, Siboniso Gaxa (both Mamelodi Sundowns/South Africa), Bongani Khumalo (SuperSport United/South Africa), Tsepo Masilela (Maccabi Haifa/Israel), Aaron Mokoena (Portsmouth/England), Anele Ngcongoa (Racing Genk/Belgium), Siyabonga Sangweni (Lamontville Golden Arrows/South Africa), Lucas Thwala (Orlando Pirates/SouthAfrica)

Midfielders: Lance Davids (Ajax Cape Town/South Africa), Kagisho Dikgacoi (Fulham/England), Thanduyise Khuboni (Lamontville Golden Arrows/South Africa), Reneilwe Letsholonyane (Kaizer Chiefs/South Africa), Teko Modise (Orlando Pirates/South Africa), Surprise Moriri (Mamelodi Sundowns/South Africa), Steven Pienaar (Everton/England), MacBeth Sibaya (Rubin Kazan/Russia), Siphiwe Tshabalala (Kaizer Chiefs/South Africa)

Forwards: Katlego Mphela (Mamelodi Sundowns/South Africa), Siyabonga Nomvete (Moroka Swallows/South Africa), Bernard Parker (FC Twente/Netherlands)

FRANCE

Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris (Lyon/France), Steve Mandanda (Marseille/France), Cedric Carrasso (Bordeaux/France)

Defenders: Bacary Sagna (Arsenal/England), Patrice Evra (Manchester United/England), William Gallas (Arsenal/England), Eric Abidal (Barcelona/Spain), Sebastien Squillaci (Sevilla/Spain), Marc Planus (Bordeaux/France), Gael Clichy (Arsenal/England), Anthony Reveillere (Lyon/France)

Midfielders: Alou Diarra (Bordeaux/Framce), Jeremy Toulalan (Lyon/France), Florent Malouda (Chelsea/Chelsea), Yoann Gourcuff (Bordeaux/France), Abou Diaby (Arsenal/England)

Forwards:Thierry Henry (Barcelona/Spain), Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea/England), Andre-Pierre Gignac (Toulouse/France), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich/Germany), Sidney Govou (Lyon/France), Djibril Cisse (Panathinaikos/Greece), Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille/France)

MEXICO

Goalkeepers: Oscar Perez (Chiapas/Mexico), Guillermo Ochoa (America/Mexico), Luis Ernesto Michel (Guadalajara/Mexico)

Defenders: Rafael Marquez (Barcelona/Spain), Ricardo Osorio (VfB Stuttgart/Germany), Francisco Rodriguez, Carlos Salcido (both PSV Eindhoven/Netherlands), Hector Moreno (AZ Alkmaar/Netherlands), Paul Aguilar (Pachuca/Mexico), Efrain Juarez (Pumas UNAM/Mexico), Jonny Magallon (Guadalajara/Mexico), Jorge Torres Nilo (Atlas/Mexico)

Midfielders: Andres Guardado (Deportivo Coruna/Spain), Gerardo Torrado (Cruz Azul/Mexico), Israel Castro (Pumas UNAM/Mexico), Giovani dos Santos (Galatasaray/Turkey)

Forwards: Pablo Barrera (Pumas UNAM/Mexico), Adolfo Bautista, Alberto Medina (both Guadalajara/Mexico), Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Veracruz/Mexico), Carlos Vela (Arsenal/England), Javier Hernandez (Manchester United/England), Guillermo Franco (free agent)

URUGUAY

Goalkeepers: Fernando Muslera (Lazio/Italy), Juan Castillo (Deportivo Cali/Colombia), Martin Silva (Defensor Sporting/Uruguay)
Defenders: Diego Lugano (Fenerbahce/Turkey), Diego Godin (Villarreal/Spain), Andres Scotti (Colo Colo/Chile), Mauricio Victorino (Universidad de Chile/Chile), Martin Caceres (Juventus/Italy), Jorge Fucile (Porto/Portugal), Maximiliano Pereira (Benfica/Portugal)

Midfielders: Sebastian Eguren (AIK Stockholm/Sweden), Alvaro Pereira (Porto/Portugal), Walter Gargano (Napoli/Italy), Diego Perez (AS Monaco/France), Alvaro Fernandez (Universidad de Chile/Chile), Nicolas Lodeiro (Ajax/Netherlands), Egidio Arevalo Rios (Penarol/Uruguay), Ignacio Gonzalez (Valencia/Spain)

Forwards: Luis Suarez (Ajax/Netherlands), Diego Forlan (Atletico Madrid/Spain), Sebastian Abreu (Botafogo/Brazil), Edinson Cavani (Palermo/Italy), Sebastian Fernandez (Banfield/Argentina)