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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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The night of 6^th April saw the repeat of the 2011 Cricket World Cup final in the Twenty20 format as India met Sri Lanka in an all-Asian final. The game was highly anticipated what with the huge fan-following the game enjoys, especially in the Indian subcontinent.

Sri Lanka reached the finals with the Rain Gods turning in their favour as the semi-final between West Indies and Sri Lanka was abandoned due to rain and the Lankans were judged the winners by the Duckworth-Lewis Method. India had had a very strong run in the competition with a hundred percent winning record in the tournament this year. The Indian side overcame a massive total of 172 runs set up South Africa in the Semi-final to win the game with 5 balls to spare. Virat Kohli shined through the game knocking an unbeaten 72 runs off 44 balls to clinch the match.

If Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s team went on to win the final, it would be the first team ever in the history of the sport to hold all the major titles in its trophy cabinet, having won the One-Day World Cup in 2011 and the Champions Trophy last year. The odds appeared to be in favour of the Indian side as Sri Lanka had faced a cursed streak in major trophy finals in the past, losing the One-Day World Cup finals in 2007 and 2011 and the Twenty20 World Cup final in 2009 and 2012.

Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bowl first. Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane were the openers for the Indian side. Rahane once again took an early exit to the dressing room with 3 runs off 8 balls. Virat Kohli delivered a note worthy performance yet again, again knocking 77 runs off 58 balls. The disappointment for the Indian side turned out to be the usually reliable, Yuvraj Singh, whose hard-hitting style is world renowned. He was only able to gather 11 runs off 21 balls much to the frustration of Indian fans, pretty evident from the scenes in the stadium. Overall, India put up a below-par total of 130 runs for 4 wickets.

Sri Lanka’s innings was a perfect example of the saying, “Slow and steady wins the race” as Kumar Sangakkara hit 52 runs for 32 balls remaining unbeaten to clinch the title for the Lankans and to conclude his T20 career in a perfect way. Sri Lanka won the match by 6 wickets.

The Lankans finally broke their curse in the finals much to the disappointment of the 1 billion supporters in India. Sangakkara was named the Man of The Match for match-winning innings while Virat Kohli got a well-deserved Player of the Series award for his batting prowess.

Image courtesy: sports.ndtv.com

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