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Of Flying Discs And Spirit Of The Game: St. Stephen’s Frisbee Team

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A plastic disc sails through the air and an agile player deftly plucks it out of the air in one fell swoop, to fling it halfway across the field again. The sport that revolves around these ‘flying discs’ is currently the fastest growing sport in the world. To learn about this non-contact sport that is taking Delhi University by storm, DU Beat catches up with a few students of St.Stephen’s College who have constituted ‘Hawabaaz’, an Ultimate Frisbee team.

Dias Mario Antony, a MA student of History and captain of Hawabaaz, is quick to tell us that the sport, though popularly known as ‘Frisbee,’ is officially named ‘Ultimate,’ while ‘Frisbee’ is the name of the flying disc manufactured by the Wham-O toy company. Having watched previous batches of St. Stephens’ College, a group of students came together, resulting in a cohesive team-Hawabaaz that conducts intensive team practices every morning, along with their coach, Suhani Bedi, who plays for the Indian National Ultimate Frisbee team. Hawabaaz has played at tournaments such as the one held by the Ashoka University, with individual players participating at the Hat Tournament 2015, Delhi.

On the skill sets that the sport helps them to pick up, the team stresses upon stamina, endurance and agility. Each member contributes a different skill, forming an efficient team. “At least three female members are required to be a part of every team and there is no discrimination,” says Maria Benny, a second year student. A concept known as the ‘spirit of the game’ ensures that Ultimate is the only sport that is not supervised by a referee. This demands that conflicts are resolved immediately and peacefully on the field, requiring patience on the part of the players. Abi Thampi, a third year student, emphasizes on the stamina that the sport has helped him build. The team concurs- one does not require a certain level of fitness to begin playing the game.

Hawabaaz is hoping to get more students from Delhi University involved in this game that means the world to them.

Featured Image Credits: www.thesportsarmy.com

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DUB Speak

‘Running a Marathon’: The journey of a champion marathoner

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I ran my first race at the tender age of five. I was in upper kindergarten (UKG) and my school was celebrating its Annual Sports Day. It was a ‘Banana Race’: one had to eat a banana at the initial line and then run 50m to the finish line.  Technically, I never even ran the race because the tubby little me, cared only for the free banana. So after eating the banana, satisfied and content, I just stood at the initial line.

That was ‘then’. Fourteen years later, fast forward to the present year, ‘now’. I participated in the Vizag Marathon and came first in the ‘Open Women’s Category’. I won a certificate, a gold medal and a cheque of Rs.10,000. Who could have ever thought that the ‘Banana Girl’ would grow up to become a ‘Champion Marathoner’?

Marathon1

The journey wasn’t easy, of course. And the transformation took it’s time. But I honestly feel that ‘running’ is a sport that can be embraced by anybody and everybody.  It comes naturally to human beings- it does not need to be taught, because it is innate and self- evident. Unlike golf, tennis and swimming, it does not require a special environment (course, court and pool, respectively). It also does not need expensive equipment- just shoes, comfortable clothing and a steely will.

If you’ve ever felt like breaking the pattern of your sedentary lifestyle, doing something healthy and becoming active, then I urge you to take up running. You can start small- maybe walk, then take it up a level and jog and then go on to full-fledged running.  But, you must find that determination and START!

Once you start, you can follow these steps and soon, you’ll be running long distances like a pro. You can then challenge yourself and participate in marathons. And who knows, maybe even win them!

STEP 1: START AND REMAIN MOTIVATED
‘Running’, like all other sports, requires commitment.  Once you start training yourself, you need to muster up all your perseverance and keep at it. You’re not going to turn into a runner in a day, week or month. Accept that and don’t give up. Monitor your progress and stick to your regime. You’ll get your results over time. But when you do, you’ll look back and realise it was all worth the wait and persistent effort.

STEP 2: EAT HEALTHY
You can fasten your journey by embracing healthy eating habits. The deadly cocktail of diet and fitness guarantee long-term benefits.  When you eat nutritious food, your internal health improves.  This gives a boost to your stamina and energy levels, enhancing your performance. So, chuck the fries and soda. Grab an apple and watch your overall fitness levels skyrocket to unimaginable heights!

STEP 3: CHALLENGE YOURSELF
When you feel you’ve achieved your goal of running 500m without panting, crank it up a notch and try doing the same for 1 km. And then 2,3 and 4kms. Don’t follow stagnated  goals. It is very important to keep moving forward. So you need to review your goals, increase speed, increase distance and then ensure that you’re meeting these goals within the given time frame. Remember, the key is to keep moving!


STEP 4: CHANGE THE SCENE
Your journey of transformation asks for your ‘patience’. Keep yourself going by changing your environment every now and then. If you’ve been running on your college tracks for over 6 months, try going to a park and practicing there. Or try a treadmill at the gym. Update your running playlist. Run with a friend. Jazz up the scene and make running fun! If you succeed in doing so, you’ll never have to come up with excuses to bunk training. 

STEP 5: GET REST AND SLEEP WELL
Over-training can derail all your sincere efforts.  Over-training can lead to muscle break-down, aches and serious fatigue. So if you over-train for a week and then need a week to recuperate from the damage, you’ve done yourself a huge disservice. It’s advisable to train only 5-6 days a week and keep at least 1 day of rest, when you let your body replenish prepare itself for next week’s training. Don’t let ambition blind you to the fact that you’re working with a human body, not a machine.

Now is the perfect time to add ‘running’ to your Resolution List. So get ready to get fit in 2016! Here’s to a ‘Healthy’ 2016! Hip, hip, HURRAY!

Image Credits: Kriti Sharma

Kriti Sharma
[email protected]

 

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Interviews

Paddle Hard: In conversation with Kaustubh Khade, Kayaking Champion

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Kaustubh Khade

In an event where speakers were talking about the meaning of ‘passion’, it was Kaustubh Khade who had me sync a beat with his. I was so glad to have heard his speech. He talked about dolphins and dangers which were a part of the splendour of his passion.

Khade has been Kayaking for five years and has many accomplishments to his name including having represented India in two Asian Championships; finishing 5th at the Asian Sea Kayaking Championship for solo kayaking and winning two silver and one bronze medal at the Asian Dragon Boat Championship. In March 2015, he achieved an exceptional feat by Kayaking (Paddle Hard) from Mumbai to Goa to raise money for Magic Bus, a non-profit organisation for underprivileged children and youth.

I couldn’t let go of the moment to fuel up my passion with an account of his journey.
Here is what I asked, and what he said:

Question – 1.) When did you happen to come across kayaking?

It was in 2010 when I went to Goa with my friends. We took a motorboat because we wanted to see Dolphins but, then we realised that the motorboat was scaring away the Dolphins. So, we decided to take a double Kayak. It was then that I had it in me, I started liking it. Although, I never saw the dolphins, but my friends did.

Question – 2.) Kayaking doesn’t seem to a layman anymore than just a source of recreation. But, how was it that you started pursuing it as a sport?

During the same trip to Goa, I happened to see a boat shore with Kayaks in Panjim. So, I went there and decided to buy one for myself. I wanted it to be delivered to Bombay. However, everyone was taken aback and they asked me, “Do you even know how to kayak?”
And so, they suggested a centre in Bombay for me to first learn kayaking.
Now that I come to think of it, I think that I was lucky enough to make an acquaintance so quickly. I started it off as an experiment but it blew up into a whole new array of passion.

Question – 3.) When you pursue your passion, you need to convince a lot of those who are close to you, especially your family. Your passion for Kayaking was both risky and dangerous. It is a very rare kind of passion. How did your family respond to that?

I have been lucky to have parents who have been very supportive. They are really pro sports. In fact, when I was studying in IIT, they used to ask me to give some time to sports. As far as Kayaking is concerned, in order to convince them I had to fake it a bit. Initially, I did not to tell them how risky it was.  In fact, it is only when they saw the videos of my expeditions, that it had them exclaim, “Oh! It looks like it’s dangerous!”
But then, they have been with me through this and have been really supportive.

Question – 4.) Indians are very passionate about cricket. Do you think you faced some problems because of the uniqueness and rarity of the sport you were pursuing? How well did the government support you? 

Most of the sports which are not cricket need attention at the grass-root level. Yes, to some extent bureaucracy and corruption eats up the sport. And indeed, we need some recognition for Kayaking. People are not aware of it. However, trends have changed too. Comparatively now, more people are showing interest in Kayaking.

Question – 5.) Pursuing mainstream jobs will lead you to mainstream success professionally. Passion is not considered to be feasible unless it makes you meet certain ends. In this context, is it important for your passion to fund you?

It is quiet tough to answer that. I try to keep my passion fuelled up and I think that’s something important. And also, it comes down to a certain mind set. You really need to weigh what is more important to you. For me a 9 to 5 stable job wasn’t as important as kayaking.

Question – 6.) Even after being an IIT-grad, nothing could keep you from following your passion. What is your message to some of those students who have their minds elsewhere? Those of us who are probably reading a book which they never wanted to read and would rather have their lives doing something they love? 

The students should realise that it is okay to be different. It is very important at the academic level that you realise your talents and interests. Because, it is at this level that some students are staled-off. Hence, we need to discover a lot. In college particularly, exploring is imperative.

Image Credits: http://i.ytimg.com/

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Spo(r)tlight

Best and Worst of 2015: Sports highlights of the year

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The year gone by gave both national and international sports enough reasons to be proud, with multitudinous achievements by different players, sportspersons and teams in terms of victories and breaking records. On the other hand, it also had its share of controversies, confusions and unwanted decisions.  

In this new series at DU Beat, we bring to you the best and worst of sports arena which has been abuzz with activity all through 2015. There have been several interesting developments with long-lasting impacts, on the home turf as well as abroad.

  1. Smashing victories

Those who made it big this year must most certainly be celebrated.

a. March 29: At the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, Australia defeats New Zealand to emerge as champions for the fifth time.

b. April: Kiran Gandhi completes the 26.2 mile London marathon without a tampon to raise awareness for women who do not have access to basic sanitation.

c. May 2: The’Battle for Greatness’ between Floyd Mayweather, Jr and Manny Pacquiao, touted as being the fight of the century in the professional boxing circuit, sees Mayweather defeating Pacquiao to take the title of WBO Welterweight Champion; a title that he was later stripped of, for not complying with the regulations of the World Boxing Organisation. The fight raked in the moolah for associated broadcasters due to record-breaking viewership.

d. July 6: USA defeat Japan to clinch the FIFA Women’s World Cup title, for the third time.

e. September: At the US Open, Sania Mirza and Switzerland’s Martina Hingis win the women’s doubles crown and their second successive grand slam title, making Sania Mirza the first Indian woman to win a doubles grand slam. Leander Paes and Martina Hingis went on to win the mixed doubles trophy.

f. October 25: Lewis Hamilton wins his second consecutive Formula 1 World Champion title, with his victory at the US Grand Prix, where he defeated fellow Mercedes racer, Nico Rosberg and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel.

g. November 29: Andy Murray defeats Belgium’s David Goffin and brought the Davis Cup home to Britain for the first time in 79 years.

  1. Big year for women in sports

a. Serena Williams was named Sports Illustrated’s ‘Sportsperson of the Year’ after having won 53 out of 56 matches in 2015. She is the first individual woman to win the award since 1983. Further, she won four grand slams in a row to call the feat a ‘Serena Slam.’

b. Ronda Rousey turned attention to women fighters in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Inspite of her loss to Holly Holm (November 15, 2015), which dispossessed Rousey of her three-year Women’s Bantamweight Championship, the fight brought profits in for the UFC, having sold the most tickets ever.

  1. Those you will not see on the field in 2016

a. November 30: Kobe Bryant announces his retirement from the LA Lakers, ending a career that spanned 20 years. He claimed that the ongoing season would be his last, after receiving flak for poor performance owing to numerous injuries.

b. December 17: Chelsea FC sacks manager Jose Mourinho after to the club’s poor performance in the English Premier League.

Sports
Jose Mourinho | Source: www.theguardian.com

c. December 23: Swedish Robin Soderling, who was the first to defeat Rafael Nadal at a French Open (2009), announces his retirement from professional tennis due to glandular fever.

  1. Allegations of Corruption on FIFA

a. December 21: The FIFA ethics committee bans former FIFA President, Sepp Blatter, and UEFA President, Michel Platini, from football for eight years when evidence brought to light Blatter’s payment of 2 million Swiss francs to Platini. FIFA’s credibility has been shaken by the allegations of corruption that it has faced earlier this year.

Sports
Blatter and Platini | Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
  1. Russia Banned for Doping Offences

a. November: The World Anti-Doping Agency confirmed the alleged state sponsored use of performance enhancing drugs by Russian athletes. WADA has accused the Russian government of covering up evidence of drug use by its athletes. WADA has suggested banning Russian track and field athletes from competition, including the 2016 Olympics at Rio. Russia thus became the first country to ever be banned for doping offences.

Featured Image Credits: www.indianexpress.com

Abhinaya Harigovind

[email protected]

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DUB News

DU warns students admitted under sports quota for not playing for their colleges

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Every year more than 3,000 students seek admission in the University of Delhi through sports quota. Sports quota is an admission procedure available for those students who define excellence in their sport and represent the college granting them admission in various tournaments in the university as well as outside.

Recently, the University expressed concern over students who are admitted via sports quota disagreeing to represent their colleges in inter or intra university events and concentrate more on the National or International games. The University of Delhi’s officials have asked the colleges to cancel admissions of those students who are disagreeing to represent their colleges in these events. The Sports Council of DU hs sent a letter to all colleges for the same.

Sources reported that the cut-off for these candidates is usually 20-30% lesser than the others and there is even a relaxation in the attendance for these candidates. It becomes a matter of fraudulent actions if they aren’t playing for their college in the University events.

Sidhant R. Seth

[email protected]

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Spo(r)tlight

16 colleges move closer to league stages of DU’s Football Tournament

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After 4 days, 26 matches and 86 goals, 16 teams have survived the first set of qualifiers and are aiming to make it through to the league stages of the DU Inter College Football Tournament that are scheduled to begin from the 14th of October. The results are as follows:

 

  • 6th October:Satyawati (E) College 2-0 SGND Khalsa College
    SGGSCC 4-2 Sri Aurobindo College (E)
    Shivaji College 1-0 Aryabhatta College
    Ram Lal Anand College 2-1 Ramjas College
    Dyal Singh College (E) 1-0 Acharya Narendra Dev College

 

  • 7th October:CVS 2-0 Keshav Mahavidyalaya
    DDUC 4-1 Rajdhani College
    Sri Aurobindo College 2-1 Bhaskaracharya
    Zakhir Hussain (E) 6-0 Ramanujan College
    IGIPESS 2-1 Dyal Singh College

 

  • 8th OctoberSatywati (E) 0-0 Hansraj (4-2 on penalties)
    PGDAV 5-0 CIC
    Satyawati 3-1 NSIT
    Maharaja Agrasen College 4-1 SGGSCC
    Shivaji College 2-1 DCAC
    Ram Lal Anand 2-1 Shyam Lal College
    Swami Shraddhanand College 1-0 ARSD
    Dyal Singh College (E) 1-0 Deshbandhu College

 

  • 9th OctoberShaheed Bhagat Singh College (E) 4-1 CVS
    SRCC 3-0 Hindu College
    Shyam Lal College (E) 5-1 DDUC
    Bhaskaracharya 2-2 Moti Lal Nehru College (3-0 on penalties)
    Zakhir Hussain (E) 3-1 Shaheed Bhagat Singh College
    BR Ambedkar 1-0 SGTB Khalsa College
    SSCBS 4-1 PGDAV(E)
    IGIPESS 2-1 St. Stephens College

 

The sixteen teams will face off in another set of matches on the 10th and 12th of October to determine which four will progress to the league stages. Last year’s top four teams: KMC, SVC, Moti Lal Nehru (E) and champions Zakhir Hussain were given direct entry to the league stages and will face off against the four victors that emerge over the next two match days. The current top scorer of the tournament is Puneet from Zakhir Hussain (E) who has scored 6 times in 2 matches. Madhav from SSCBS and Thang Mamang from Shyam Lal (E) are tied for second place with four goals each.

 

We would like to remind our readers that matches are available live on www.ncfl.in along with highlights and updates brought to you by the North Campus Football League team.

 

Shraman Ghosh

[email protected]

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Spo(r)tlight

Udghosh 2015, the sports festival of IIT Kanpur closes with Sanath Jayasuriya gracing the event

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Udghosh’15, the annual sports festival of IIT Kanpur,  was conducted from 1st-4th October, 2015. It sees massive participation from all over the nation year after year and has been growing well since its inception.

This year, Udghosh’15 showed the amount of raw talent that the youth of this nation possesses and that all it needs to be moulded into a sporting force to be reckoned with are encouraging tournaments.

The festival also saw some wonderful performances in the first two days. Day 1 featured a lively and soulful performance by “The Local Train”, which enthralled the crowd and was a perfect start to the festival. After a long day of tiring sports, the students found it the perfect platform to let off their steam. The second day featured bike stunts by the “Ghost Ryderz”, which was the first of its kind in any sporting festival in India. The crowd was wooed by the amazing daredevilry shown by the group, and was left waiting for more.

Udghosh Udghosh

Day 3 featured an amazing performance by Nikhil D Souza, the voice behind some of the most romantic songs of our generation such as Mere Bina, Gubbare and Sang Hoon Tere among many others. The crowd was especially captured by his wonderful rendition of Mere Bina.

On day 4, the crowd was entitled to a raft of amazing sports performances by all the final day participants. The success of the festival was even clearer by the fact that all the competitions were conducted fairly and it was unanimous that the winners of all competitions were definitely the best among the lot.

The most important spectacle of Day 4, however, was the Closing Ceremony graced by Mr. Sanath Jayasuriya. His pearls of wisdom will definitely last forever with everyone who was present at the OAT that day. His humility and dedication towards sports was something which all the participants must look up to if they want to be successful in life. His words showed us that talent might make you a good player, but it is your attitude and dedication that makes you a great sportsperson.

Apart from all this, a plethora of informal events went on side by side during the four days, which kept the non-participants busy. The adventure villa and the poker tournament received massive participation and was a huge success.

Image Credits: Udghosh Team, IIT Kanpur

Contributed by the Udghosh Team

 

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Spo(r)tlight

Delhi University sweeps several sports at BITS Open Sports Meet 2015

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BITS Pilani recently conducted the BITS Open Sports Meet(BOSM), its annual sports fest from the 18th-22nd of September. The fest, in its 30th edition witnessed record attendance as well as participation. Colleges from all over India descended on the golden sands of Pilani to give stellar performances. Many new sports events were added to the itinerary. BOSM also hosted its first ever prof-show, a music concert by the immensely popular electro- indie band “The F16s”. The organizing clubs and departments then kept the crowd entertained with numerous fun games and events- like Human Foosball, zorbing, street football and Anti-Chess. The renewal of the LAN gaming competition was a hit as well, witnessing huge crowds either to play or just enjoy the action!

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Several colleges from DU had participated in BOSM this year. Shri Ram College of Commerce clean swept all 3 categories in the Chess competitions. The basketball teams from SRCC also put forth telling performances on the court and deservedly won the boys’ event and narrowly lost out in the finals in the girls’ event. The boys beat the equally amazing Hans Raj in the final. Sri Venkateswara, or Venky as their fans here called them, comfortably won the football event beating BITS Dubai in the final.

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The fest was a roaring success, right from the opening ceremony to the finals on the last day, everyone who attended had been thoroughly entertained. The rain, as is customary during every BOSM, tried to throw the spanner in the works on the opening day itself, but the sheer enthusiasm of the audience and the resilience of the participants and the organizing committee was enough to chase the clouds away and BOSM went off just as planned.

How the fest betters itself next year, only remains to be seen.The success it had this year was unprecedented.

 

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Admissions 2015

Admission through Sports Quota in 2015: The where, when and how

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Delhi University incorporates students who are not just academically excellent, but also physically proficient. To nurture and encourage the sportspersons of the nation, the University provides a Sports Quota in its admissions to its undergraduate programme. Given below is a quick summary of the things you need to know about these trials and tests.

The University has notified each and every college to display on their websites and notice boards information regarding the number of seats under Sports Quota along with the positions/events for various Sports/Games that sportspersons will be tried for by 27th May 2015. This information has been provided well in-advance of the beginning of the regular UG admission procedure. The issue and receipt of applications/forms will be done from 28th May to 15th June. It is important for aspirants to fill the college-level form before appearing for the fitness tests and fitness trials.

Super Category

The sportspersons who have participated/represented the country in the following competitions are not subject to any trials and are infact admitted to any college they apply to.

  • Olympic Games
  • World Championships
  • Asian Games
  • Asian Championships
  • Commonwealth Games
  • Paralympic Games

Admission Procedure

1. Fitness Tests conducted by Delhi University

Three fitness tests will be conducted by DU as a preliminary examination for subsequent marking of Sports Certificates and Trials. The tests will be video-graphed and will judge one’s endurance, strength and speed. The fitness tests will be conducted in the University Polo grounds, from 18th June to 20th June, 9am onwards and the results of which will be displayed on the DU website on 22nd June 2015.

Test #1: Standing broad jump

Test #2: 1000mts. run/walk

Test #3: 50mts. dash

Note: For archery, chess and shooting, it is essential for a candidate to pass in at least one of the above mentioned tests to be able to give college trials. For other sports including cricket, football and basketball, a candidate is required to pass in at least two of the above menti0ned tests.

2. Sports Trials conducted by colleges

The colleges will hold trials for various sports 23rd June 2015 onwards which too will be video-graphed. The trials will hold a total of 50 marks. Minimum 18 marks out of 50 are necessary for admission to the college. The trials will be assessed on the basis of skill test, game performance test, game specific fitness, fundamentals of the sport etc. Each sportsperson will also be awarded marks out of 50 for their sports certificates. The image below indicates the marking criteria of certificates:

 

spotta

 Source: www.du.ac.in

 

Colleges set their own schedules for sports trials. Aspirants are prompted to keep checking the websites of their desired colleges for information. They may also dial or visit colleges for information. Some of the colleges that have notified their guidelines are online are:

St.Stephens College: http://www.ststephens.edu/admissions/sports.htm

Hindu College: http://www.hinducollege.org/sports_notice.asp

Moti Lal Nehru College: http://www.mlncdu.ac.in/pdf/Sports_Criteria_for_Admissions.pdf

 

Documents Required

The candidate should submit self-attested copies of all the certificates along with the application/form. If the candidate clears the trials, his/her name will be displayed on the college website for three days to address any grievances, after which the student will be required to submit an undertaking on judicial stamp paper of Rs.100/- declaring that he/she shall play for the University during the course of their undergraduate study. The candidate should have been active in the sport recognized by IOA and AIU for the past three years. Preference will be given to sports in which Inter-College and Inter-University Events are held.

Japji Kaur, a National level gymnast from IP College says, “It is very highly beneficial if one has a recommendation letter from a well-known sports personality of their field or their coach. Also, personal interview is where you can either move a step ahead in getting selected or simply be cleared out of the trial. Be absolutely sure in your answers and show your dedication towards your sport and the college you are trying for. Your certificates must show consistent participation in the sport or there is a good chance you won’t be selected even if you have a medal.”

 

For more details, follow the links below:

http://www.du.ac.in/du/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=5484&cntnt01returnid=83

http://www.du.ac.in/du/uploads/Admissions/2015/ug/20052015_UG_guidelines.pdf

 

Featured image credits: Wikimedia Community

Ayesha Sareen

[email protected]

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Spo(r)tlight

5 teams to watch out for during the FIFA world cup 2014

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Football fans from all over the world are buzzing as sport’s most popular event in the world, the FIFA World Cup 2014 is here. And yes, the very fact that it is going to be held in Brazil this time puts it on an even higher pedestal. As has been the case with every World Cup, a lot is expected not only from the tournament as a whole but also from certain individual teams. So it is no exception that 2014 should be any different, and here are the top five teams (in no specific order) that everyone will be dying to have a look at in this Football season.

1. Spain

A talented and creative side with a plethora of midfield options, Spain’s greatest strength however lies in their team chemistry and characteristic tiki-taka playing style. Vicente Del Bosque will be looking to add a second World Cup star to the Spanish jersey, and thus also becoming the first manager ever to win successive World Cups.

The analysis of the unique reinvented Spanish football philosophy ‘tiki-taka.’

However, many critics often cite the example of last year’s Confederations Cup, and thereby suggest that tiki-taka has been deciphered and Spanish era of football dominance is now on a decline. Therefore, it is the perfect opportunity for the defending champions to silence off their critics and regain their throne in world football.

2.Belgium

Most football pundits term them as the dark horses of this World Cup. Belgium’s squad comprises of a great young bunch of talented players. The individual brilliance of these star players have been showcased at some of the greatest platforms offered in European football. They are however not considered as serious contenders to win the cup as the squad lacks composure and experience, and might find it difficult to adjust in the varied conditions of Latin America. Nevertheless, the pacy, swift and robust Belgian players are always a delight to watch.

belgiummain
The Belgium Football team 2014. Image Courtesy: www.bleacherreport.com

3. Brazil

Watching Brazil play in front of their home fans is an unparalleled joy which no football fan has ever experienced yet. Luiz Felipe Scolari has managed to rediscover the natural attacking thrust and free flowing footballing style that Brazil is remembered for, and the 5 time World Cup winners head into the competition as the favorites to win the tournament.  However, this Brazil side is relatively young and inexperienced, and it will be exciting to see whether they are able to live up to the massive expectations riding on their shoulders.

Brazil decimating the current World Champions (Spain) in the Confederation Cup, 2013.

4.Germany

No European team has ever managed to win the World Cup on Latin American soil. And if there is one team that is most likely to break the deadlock this year, it has to be on Joachim Loew’s side. Be it because of the squad’s perfect mix between experience and youth, or perhaps because of their organised style of build up play, or maybe even because of the individual quality inherent in this German side. Therefore, many people feel that it should be hardly surprising if the 3 time World Cup winners were to emerge as champions in Brazil.

 

5.Argentina

Someone once said ‘Attack is always the best defense’. He was probably an Argentinean. Messi, Higuain, Aguero, Di Maria, Lavezzi, and Fernando Gago are only a few of the star names in the Argentinean team sheet. Coach Alejandro Sabello is going to have a really tough time choosing  his attack, and will also be hoping that his immensely gifted attacking squad will be able to make up for the defensive worries that plague his side. It is definitely expected that their matches are going to attract a large portion of the neutrals.

An array of Argentina’s amazing  attacks and some of the most memorable goals.

 

Featured Image credits: www.soccerlens.com

 

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