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Home|Germany 2006|Travel|Guide|Groups|Group F
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Germany World Cup 2006 Group F
GROUP F
*BrazilCurrent holders, five-time winners and worthy favorites this time around, who can stop the Brazilians from cruising to their sixth world title? Impressive in winning the 2005 Confederations Cup, topping the South American qualifying group (losing only to Argentina away and Ecuador at altitude) and with a seeminglyly endless supply of new talent, only injuries to key players look like derailing the Brazilian juggernaut. Why even look for weak points in the Selecao when the sum of the parts threatens to conjure up the most potent attacking force in World Cup history? The embarrassment of Brazilian creative riches borders on the downright rude, with Ronaldinho, Kaka, Robinho, Adriano and Ronaldinho all commandeering the ball and the imagination, and in what order? Not that the five-time winners have too many weak points. This is fifth-time around for coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, for a start, having steered Korea, UAE and Saudi Arabia at this stage besides lifting the actual trophy as Brazil coach back in 1994. Goalkeeper? Not this time: Dida has held down his AC Milan berth for over five years and his judgement is just one of the many Euro-friendly strengths Brazil will bring to the table in Germany. Add the savvy and local knowledge of Lucio, Roque Junior and Ze Roberto and only the age of the defence could be considered a possible issue. Difficult as it may be to accept, they really are human, famously succumbing as favourites in relatively recent memory. But Brazil won't worry that only one non-European nation has won the tournament on European soil - as it was Pele's first, in 1958, and most of their players will feel at home. Whoever can beat them should win the big one - and will have earned it. Fixtures
Brazil v Croatia 13 June; KO 21:00; Berlin CoachCarlos Alberto Parreira Record1930, 1934, 1966 First Round; 1982 & 1990 Second round; 1954, 1986 Quarter Finals; 1938 & 1978 Third place; 1974 Fourth place; 1998 runners-up; 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002 Champions. FIFA RankingMen to watchPredictions & Latest OddsSolid favorites to repeat as winners How they qualifiedBrazil finished at the top of the South American qualifying group to qualify with ease. On the sidelinesCarlos Alberto Parreira is in his third spell as coach and won
the trophy in 1994 in the USA. AnalysisThe SquadGoalkeepers Rogerio Ceni (Sao Paulo), Julio Cesar (Inter
Milan), Dida (AC Milan), 
CroatiaAlongside Sweden, Croatia underwent a bruising battle for the right to progress from Group 8 - only for both nations to advance anyway. But the fact that the Croats beat their main rivals home and away yet only finished top of the group on goal difference perhaps masks a soft underbelly capable of being exploited in Germany. The draw with minnows Malta in September - in which 21-year-old playmaker Niko Kranjcar, son of coach Zlatko Kranjcar scored the visitors' only goal - was a real low point in the campaign. Croatia suffered first-round elimination in 2002 and again at the European Championships in 2004 but the location of next year's tournament might help avoid a third straight such exit. Germany is home from home for a number of Kranjcar's squad including Werder Bremen striker Ivan Klasnic and former Bayern Munich brothers Niko and Robert Kovac. However, whether the current crop has the quality to match the 1998 squad of Boban, Prosinecki and Suker and advance from a devilish group is less certain. Fixtures
Croatia v Brazil 13 June; KO 21:00; Berlin CoachRecord2002 First Round; 1998 Third place Men to watchSomething tells us they won't get out of this group. How they qualifiedCroatia topped Sweden in European Qualifying Group 8. On the sidelines It's a father-and-son combination for the Croats with father Zlatko
as manager and son Niko Kranjar as midfield maestro. AnalysisThe SquadGoalkeepers Tomislav Butina (Club Bruges), Joe
Didulica (Austria Vienna), Stipe Pletikosa (Hajduk Split), 
AustraliaWhat a year for football in Australia. The reenergised domestic scene received the perfect accompaniment when the Socceroos edged past World Cup veterans Uruguay in November to pinch only their second-ever finals appearance. The two-legged affair was awash with heroes, none more so than Middlesbrough 'keeper Mark Schwarzer courtesy of two penalty shootout saves and the free-roaming Harry Kewell, showing signs of his best form in the Sydney decider. But what a task awaits Guus Hiddink's side in Germany. Every opponent in tricky Group F has a story attached. Meeting Brazil is a dream come true and one to savour regardless of the result. Japan will be a fellow AFC nation come the World Cup. And Croatia's side features a handful of Australia-born players who thought their international future lay with the land of their ancestry rather than of their birthplace. Reserve goalkeeper Joey Didulica and defenders Ante Seric and Joe Simunic all jumped ship when Croatia came calling while a number of stars including the likes of captain Mark Viduka and Tony Popovic remained with the green-and-gold. Right decision? June 22 will reveal all. Fixtures
Australia v Japan 12 June; KO 18:00; Kaiserslautern CoachGuus Hiddink RecordSecond appearance, first round (1974) FIFA RankingMen to watchMark Viduka, Marco Bresciano Predictions & Latest OddsWith nothing to lose, a dangerous outfit, their time may come but
not in 2006. How they qualifiedAustralia came through the Oceania/South American play-off with Uruguay on penalties. On the sidelinesGuus Hiddink, who has lead South Korea and the Netherlands to World
Cup semi-finals, will continue to coach both Dutch club side PSV
Eindhoven and the Socceroos. AnalysisAustralia Team In-depth Profile The SquadGoalkeepers Mark Schwarzer (Middlesbrough), Zeljko Kalac
(AC Milan), Ante Covic (Hammarby 
JapanJapan and Japanese football have made great strides since the national team reached its first World Cup finals at France 1998. At the 2005 Confederations Cup, Japan drew with Brazil and beat Euro 2004 champions Greece with some ease. Japan are reigning Asian champions and qualified for Germany '06 at the top of their group. Japan's patient possession football and 3-5-2 system (though Zico has been experimenting with a 4-4-2 line-up the players seem not to like) can cause problems for even the top teams. In Nakata, Ono, Nakamura and Inamoto, Japan possess a quality and experienced engine room, the problem is putting the ball in the net and performing against supposedly weaker teams. Fixtures
Japan v Australia 12 June; KO 18:00; Kaiserslautern CoachArthur Antunes Coimbra aka "Zico" Record1998 First Round; 2002 Second Round FIFA RankingMen to watchShunsuke Nakamura, Hidetoshi Nakata Predictions & Latest OddsWe think Nippon might squeeze out Croatia and gain revenge for
1998. How they qualifiedJapan edged out Iran in their Asian Qualifying Group. On the sidelinesBrazilian coach Zico, like German counterpart Jurgen Klinnsmann,
spends much of his time away from the country, whose soccer team
he manages. AnalysisJapan
In-Depth Team Profile The SquadGoalkeepers Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi (Jubilo Iwata), Yoichi
Doi (FC Tokyo), Seigo Narazaki (Nagoya Grampus Eight) For highlights of the qualifying rounds, read Soccerphile's Ozren Podnar's "Best of the World Cup Qualifiers." |
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