World Cup Preview - Group H

Spain

Coach: Vicente del Bosque


Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), José Manuel Reina (Liverpool), Víctor Valdés (Barcelona)

Defenders: Raul Albiol (Real Madrid), Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid), Joan Capdevila (Villarreal), Carlos Marchena (Valencia), Gerard Piqué (Barcelona), Carles Puyol (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)

Midfielders:Xavi Alonso (Real Madrid), Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Cesc Fábregas (Arsenal), Andrés Iniesta (Barcelona), Javi Martínez (Athletic Club), Xavi Hernández (Barcelona)

Strikers: David Jiménez Silva (Valencia), Jesus Navas González (Sevilla), Juan Manuel Mata (Valencia), Pedro Rodríguez (Barcelona), Fernando Llorente (Athletic Club), Fernando Torres (Liverpool), David Villa (Valencia)

The most aesthetically pleasing team in the tournament. They play "the beautiful game" and make it look easy. Just youtube David Silva's goal against Poland, from a game they won 6-0 two days ago. It truly is majestic stuff.

After winning Euro 2008, they shedded their unwanted tag of "bottlers" and have the quality to go all the way again, not only in the first 11, but the whole squad, with the likes of Valdes, Reina, Fabregas, Navas and Pedro all likely to start on the bench.


It will take something special to beat Spain in this tournament, especially as they boast two of the best strikers in the world in David Villa and Fernando Torres.

Key Man

Andres Iniesta - in my view, the best player in the world.  Iniesta can play anywhere across the middle, and can boss the game in whatever position he plays in.

Iniesta can do it all, dribble, pass, shoot and the understanding between him and Xavi is key for both Barcelona and Spain.








Switzerland

Coach: Ottmar Hitzfeld


Goalkeepers: Diego Benaglio (Wolfsburg), Johnny Leoni (Zurich), Marco Woelfli (Young Boys)

Defenders: Stephan Lichtsteiner (Lazio), Philippe Senderos (Everton), Stephane Grichting (Auxerre), Steve von Bergen (Hertha Berlin), Mario Eggimann (Hannover 96), Reto Ziegler (Sampdoria), Christoph Spycher (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Midfielders: Valon Behrami (West Ham), Gokhan Inler (Udinese), Benjamin Huggel (Basel), Pirmin Schwegler (Eintracht Frankfurt), Gelson Fernandes (Saint-Etienne), Tranquillo Barnetta (Bayer Leverkusen), Xherdan Shaqiri (Basel), Marco Padalino (Sampdoria)

Strikers: Alexander Frei (Basel), Blaise Nkufo (Twente), Eren Derdiyok (Bayer Leverkusen), Marco Streller (Basel), Hakan Yakin (Luzern)

With Switzerland, you know what you are going to get.  They will be highly organised and tight at the back, if not a little drab going forward.

Switzerland are likely to feel the odd-ones out in this group due to both their style of play, and the fact they are the only non-Spanish speaking nation of the 4.

Switzerland made history in Germany 06, by being eliminated despite not conceding a goal all tournament, and despite their efficiency at the back, their struggle for goals will be a hindrance once again.

Key Man

Gökhan Inler - The defensive midfielder has established himself as Switzerlands best player in recent times, and if he continues his form I expect a move to a bigger club will be on the cards after the tournament.





Honduras

Coach: Reinaldo Rueda


Goalkeepers: Ricardo Canales (Motagua), Noel Valladares (Olimpia), Donis Escober (Olimpia)

Defenders: Victor Bernardez (Anderlecht), Maynor Figueroa (Wigan), Oscar Garcia (Olimpia), Sergio Mendoza (Motagua), Emilio Izaguirre (Motagua), Johnny Palacios (Olimpia), Mauricio Sabillon (Hangzhou Luchen), Osman Chavez (Platense)

Midfielders: Edgard Alvarez (Bari), Julio Cesar de Leon (Torino), Roger Espinoza (Kansas City Wizards), Amado Guevara (Motagua), Ramon Nunez (Olimpia), Wilson Palacios (Tottenham Hotspur), Hendry Thomas (Wigan), Danilo Turcios (Olimpia)

Forwards: David Suazo (Genoa), Georgie Welcome (Motagua), Carlos Pavon (Real Espana), Walter Martinez (Marathon).

Haven't won in their last 5 games, and it's hard to see where they will end that poor run of form in this tournament.

David Suazo is a calm finisher, but it's hard to imagine that the creatively limited side will carve out many chances for him.

Fitness doubts linger over Spurs man Wilson Palacios.

Key Man

David Suazo - The experienced Inter Milan man will need to be at his clinical best to save his side form embarrassment. Suazo has recently been sent on loan to Benfica and Genoa due to limited opportunities at Inter.








Chile

Coach: Marcelo Bielsa


Goalkeepers: Claudio Bravo (Real Sociedad), Miguel Pinto (Universidad de Chile), Luis Marín (Union Espanola)

Defenders: Waldo Ponce (Universidad Catolica), Gonzalo Jara (West Bromwich Albion), Gary Medel (Boca Juniors), Mauricio Isla (Udinese), Arturo Vidal (Bayer Leverkusen), Pablo Contreras (PAOK Thessaloniki), Ismael Fuentes (Universidad Catolica)

Midfielders: Marco Estrada (Universidad de Chile), Carlos Carmona (Reggina), Rodrigo Millar (Colo Colo), Jorge Valdivia (Al Ain, United Arab Emirates), Matias Fernandez (Sporting Lisbon), Gonzalo Fierro (Flamengo),Rodrigo Tello (Besiktas)

Strikers: Humberto Suazo (Real Zaragoza), Alexis Sanchez (Udinese), Mark Gonzalez (CSKA Moscow), Fabian Orellana (Xerez), Esteban Paredes (Colo Colo), , Jean Beausejour (America)

Playing a 3-4-3 I fully expect Chile to be one of the most exciting sides in the tournament. Chile attack, attack and then attack some more, and I expect them to be involved in some of the most open games of the tournament.

Having only lost one game from 7 this year, Chile go into the tournament in good form, and I expect this to conintiue easpecially as coach Marcelo Bielsa has unfinished business with the World Cup after his Argentina side failed in 2002. 

Key Man

Alexis Sanchez - known as "El Niño Maravilla" (the Wonder Boy), Sanchez is widely regarded as one of the most exciting yougnsters at the tournament.

Sanchez has scored 11 goals in 26 goals international games, and can play as a winger, attacking midfielder and striker



Prediction

1. Spain
2. Chile
3. Switzerland
4. Honduras