#worldcup14brussels

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Hilarious Ronaldinho twin at Argentina training. MUST watch!! Messi just cannot stop laughing....

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World Cup 2014 Venue Guide: Cuiabá

Views from the ground:

https://www.google.com/maps/views/view/streetview/brazils-world-cup-stadiums/arena-pantanal-former-estadio-jose-fragelli/8idl2fGSaWjzDwi252HUQw?gl=us&heading=4&pitch=89&fovy=75

City: Cuiabá

Name: Arena Pantanal

Capacity: 39,553 seats

Matches: Group B – Chile vs Australia Group H – Russia vs Korea Republic Group F – Nigeria vs Bosnia-Herzegovina Group C – Japan vs Colombia

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World Cup 2014 Venue Guide: Manaus

View from within the stadium:

https://www.google.com/maps/views/view/streetview/brazils-world-cup-stadiums/arena-da-amazonia-former-estadio-vivaldo-lima/A3vGJ0tlc9soBc261Sj5oA?gl=us&heading=347&pitch=89&fovy=75

City: Manaus

Name: Arena da Amazônia

Capacity: 39,573 seats

Matches: Group D – England vs Italy Group A – Cameroon vs Croatia Group G – USA vs Portugal Group E – Honduras vs Switzerland

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2 days left 'till the madness starts so its time to listen to the official song of Brazil '14!

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World Cup 2014 Venue Guide: Porto Alegre

Exclusive pictures from inside the stadium:

https://www.google.com/maps/views/view/streetview/brazils-world-cup-stadiums/beira-rio-estadio-jose-pinheiro-borda/01QWhry6pHR7WnAutlWWAA?gl=us&heading=38&pitch=98&fovy=75

City: Porto Alegre

Name: Estádio Beira-Rio

Capacity: 42,153 seats

Matches: Group C – Ivory Coast vs Japan Group D – Italy vs Costa Rica Group A – Croatia vs Mexico Group G – USA vs Germany Round of 16 – 1F v 2E

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World Cup 2014 Top teams: Group E - France

Team Profile

After already eliminated in the group stages of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, France is certainly motivated to make up for that rather bitter experience. 

The performance of Les Bleus will largely depend on how well Karim Benzema, Paul Pogba and Mathieu Valbuena can perform throughout the tournament. The injury of Franck Ribery is definitely a big blow for the whole squad which won't be an easy task to overcome. Under the coaching of 1998 FIFA World Cup winner Didier Deschamps, France should make it quite far in World Cup 2014 though.

Strengths: good midfield (Cabaye, Pogba, Matuidi) which can assist Benzema well,relatively easy group and fixture

Weaknesses: strong team chemistry is not apparent, Ribery missing from the squad, no real leadership on the pitch

One to keep an eye on: Mathieu Valbuena (Olympique Marseille)

Possible line-up:

Worldcup14brussels projection: Quarter-finals. Les Bleus will easily beat Bosnia in the Round of 16 after topping Group E. However, they will lose out on penalties to Germany in the quarter-finals.

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World Cup 2014 Top Teams: Group F - Argentina

Team profile

Argentina will be looking for a 3rd World Cup title in Brazil, on the land of its eternal rivals. Argentine glory would certainly confirm Lionel Messi as an all-time football legend but it will take more than a smile.

There’s a lot at stake for the Albiceleste at this tournament and this could actually turn against them. Their defensive line-up has not really been resolved since 2010 and even coach Alejandro Sabella admitted that the team lacks balance. Keeper Sergio Romero looks like a weak link but "Los Cuatro Fantasticos" (Messi, Di Maria, Higuain, and Agüero) will certainly cause trouble for any defence they will be facing.

The principle question around Argentina’s World Cup quest is whether Lionel Messi can rise to the heights of his idol, Diego Maradona, lifting the World Cup trophy in Brazil. A whole nation’s fate will rest on La Pulga...

Strengths: Lionel Andrés Messi, massive firepower in attack, relatively easy group and possibly easy match in Round of 16  (vs. Switzerland?)

Weaknesses: Messi was out of form for much of the season, no real balance in the team, goalkeeper Romero can be a weak link (only made 3 appearances for Monaco this season)

One to keep an eye on: Ángel Di Maria (Real Madrid)

Possible line-up:

Worldcup14brussels projection: Semi-final. The Albiceleste will progress through Group F and will easily beat Switzerland in the Round of 16. Messi will lead Argentina to a famous victory against Belgium in the quarters before Spain ends Argentine hopes in the semis.

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World Cup 2014 Venue Guide: Recife

Captions from inside the venue:

https://www.google.com/maps/views/view/streetview/brazils-world-cup-stadiums/arena-pernambuco/Ym0nQDvRfmos-KGhnFYFPw?gl=us&heading=354&pitch=97&fovy=75

City: Recife

Name: Arena Pernambuco

Capacity: 40,604 seats

Matches: Group C – Ivory Coast vs Japan Group D – Italy vs Costa Rica Group A – Croatia vs Mexico Group G – USA vs Germany Round of 16 – 1F v 2E

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World Cup Facts

The 2006 FIFA World Cup Final between Italy and France was seen by over 710 million people worldwide.

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World Cup 2014 Top Teams: Group G - Germany

Team profile

Germany will always be amongst the favourites of a World Cup. In recent international tournaments, they have been so close, yet so far from winning a title, including as the host team at the much anticipated 2006 World Cup.  3-time winners in the past, Jogi Löw’s Nationalelf is prepared to take World Cup glory again after 24 years. Led by the current stars of Bayern München and Borussia Dortmund, they have every reason to do so.

Despite the absence of Fiorentina hitman Mario Gomez, Miroslav Klose is ready to break the record for most World Cup goals (he needs one goal to equal Brazilian Ronaldo who has scored 15 World Cup goals). The likes of Kroos, Schweinsteiger, Khedira, Özil and Mario Götze in midfield will certainly be a joy to watch. Can this generation finally do it?

Worldcup14brussels will certainly keep a close eye on them and their fans in Brussels during their campaign...

Strengths: team chemistry, strength of attacking midfielders, relatively easy draw to the semis after the group stage

Weaknesses: injury blows (Gomez, Reus, Schmelzer OUT, Neuer, Schweini, Khedira and Özil are not 100%, short of real strikers (only Klose), no real left-back in the squad

One to keep an eye on: Julian Draxler (Schalke 04)

Possible line-up:

Worldcup14brussels projection: Semi-final. The Nationalelf will top Group G. They will eliminate Russia in the Round of 16, as well as France in the quarterfinals with comfortable wins. Brazil will spoil the German party with an extra-time goal in the semis. Germany is in agony once again.

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World Cup 2014 Venue Guide: Salvador

  Google maps takes you inside the stadium:

https://www.google.com/maps/views/view/streetview/brazils-world-cup-stadiums/arena-fonte-nova/0JZ-kFHc-NA5BX496U2FcQ?gl=us&heading=61&pitch=87&fovy=75

City: Salvador

Name: Arena Fonte Nova

Capacity: 49,280 seats

Matches: Group B – Spain vs Netherlands Group G – Germany vs Portugal Group E – Switzerland vs France Group F – Bosnia-Herzegovina vs Iran Round of 16 – 1H v 2G Quarter-final – W51 v W52

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Check out the highlights from South Africa 2010!

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World Cup 2014 Top teams: Group G - Portugal

Team profile

If there’s a team at the World Cup that fully depends on one player then it is certainly Portugal. All eyes will naturally be on Ronaldo in Brazil. He scored all four goals during the two-legged play-off against Sweden, including a stunning hat-trick in Stockholm.

Can the Real Madrid ace propel Portugal to World Cup glory in a similarly single-handed fashion as Diego Maradona has done so with Argentina in 1986? Odds are against this, underlined by the fact that they are not among the tournament favorites.

Paulo Bento’s main concern is most likely the lack of class in strikers as he cannot really rely on anyone else besides Helder Postiga and Hugo Almeida.

Strengths: Cristiano Ronaldo, good record at major tournaments

Weaknesses: too much dependency on Cristiano, no quality strikers

One to keep an eye on: William Carvalho (Sporting Lisbon)

Possible line-up:

Worldcup14brussels projection: Round of 16. The Lusitans will go through Group G with wins over Ghana and the US but losing to Germany will only earn them a second spot. They will face Belgium in the Round of 16 and will fail to reach the quarterfinals.

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The official song for FIFA World Cup '98 hosted by France will definitely get you in the mood for the upcoming World Cup. It is also one of the first World Cups that we, the creators of this blog, remember from when we were small kids! Nonetheless, the World Cup fever still continues to persist - more than ever! 

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World Cup 2014 Venue Guide: Fortaleza

Take a look from inside the stadium:

https://www.google.com/maps/views/view/streetview/brazils-world-cup-stadiums/arena-castelao-estadio-governador-placido-castelo/HPdOL9FalToLfseLvCJB9g?gl=us&heading=11&pitch=92&fovy=75

City: Fortaleza

Name: Arena Castelão

Capacity: 57,747 seats

Matches: Group D – Uruguay vs Costa Rica Group A – Brazil vs Mexico Group G – Germany vs Ghana Group C – Greece vs Ivory Coast Round of 16 – 1B v 2A Quarter-final – W49 v W50

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World Cup 2014 Venue Guide: Brasilia

Take a look from inside the stadium:

https://www.google.com/maps/views/view/streetview/brazils-world-cup-stadiums/estadio-nacional-de-brasilia-mane-garrincha/uKSb1jKonr491Xj_6V-PIQ?gl=us&heading=9&pitch=83&fovy=75

City: Brasilia

Name: Estádio Nacional de Brasilia

Capacity: 65,702 seats

Matches: Group E – Switzerland vs Ecuador Group C – Colombia vs Ivory Coast Group A – Cameroon vs Brazil Group G – Portugal vs Ghana Round of 16 – 1E v 2F Quarter-final – W55 v W56 Third place – L61 v L62