Group E preview
Curacao: As harsh as I’m about to sound I don’t see a possibility of Curacao picking up even a point in this group, they have been put in a group with three brilliant teams in my opinion but they can still look forward to their first ever World Cup and do themselves proud by being at least competitive in the games they play which I’m sure they will be. They went through qualifying unbeaten but since then have only won once which was against Bermuda who are ranked 168th in the world by FIFA so you would expect Curacao to beat them, in the friendlies against other teams that are going to the World Cup they haven’t looked too good with a 4-1 loss against Scotland and a 5-1 loss against Australia in their last two matches. Obviously they will be buzzing to just be going to the World Cup and I hope they do themselves proud even if don’t pick up any points in this group, can Curacao shock the world and get out of the group? I don’t see it.
Player to watch: Tahith Chong
Ecuador: Now this is a team which ticks all the boxes of a ‘dark horse’, there is quality littered throughout this Ecuador side particularly in defence with the likes of Willian Pacho, Pierro Hincapie, Pervis Estupinan and Joel Ordonez. You can make the argument that their defence is one of the best in the tournament and that’s without mentioning Moises Caicedo who will anchor the team in midfield, unfortunately for Ecuador they don’t have the same quality in the attack but they do have Kendry Paez who Chelsea fans will be familiar with having signed him a few years ago and loaned him out to various clubs. They have the makings of a team which will be incredibly hard to beat but that lack of firepower would worry me if they were facing one of the better teams in the knockouts, I do like the look of this Ecuador team but that lack of a real attacking threat on paper anyway will hold them back of getting really deep in the tournament. I don’t see why they can’t least aim for the quarter or semi-finals depending on the draw, are Ecuador your dark horses in the tournament?
Player to watch: Joel Ordonez
Germany: I think it’s safe to say that ever since that World Cup win in 2014 Germany have been very disappointing when it comes to major tournaments, they got grouped in the last two World Cups in 2022 and 2018 but did get to the quarter-finals in the Euro 2024 going out to Spain in extra-time having arguably been the better team in that game. They are coming into this World Cup in brilliant form having won their last 8 matches but do find themselves in a tough group alongside Ecuador and Ivory Coast so they’ll have to be on top form to go through which I think they will, Julian Nagelsmann has found a formula which works for this Germany side and I hope we see the best of Floarian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala which we didn’t get this season for their clubs. Kai Havertz leads the line going into the tournament in brilliant form and I can see him having a good tournament for Germany up front, overall I see Germany having a strong World Cup but they’ll need Musiala and Wirtz on top form if they want any chance of winning it.
Player to watch: Aleksander Pavlovic
Ivory Coast: I love the look of Ivory Coast heading into this tournament, I know you can’t take much from friendlies but beating France on their own patch has to give this team so much confidence after in my opinion what was a disappointing AFCON in January going out to Egypt in the quarter-finals. They have so much quality all over the squad with the likes of Amad Diallo and Yan Diomande on the wings with Seko Fofana and Franck Kessie in midfield, the addition of Ange-Yoan Bonny is huge as they have been missing that ruthless striker in the team over the last few years. I do fancy this Ivory Coast side to go quite far in the tournament as the attacking firepower is up there with any team in the competition in my opinion but they are in a tough group so the first step has to be at least finishing 2nd and see who you draw from there, can Ivory Coast be Africa’s shining light in this World Cup? I don’t see why not.
Player to watch: Yan Diomande
Overall prediction for the group:
1.Germany
2.Ivory Coast
3.Ecuador
4.Curacao