Group A

I can't really see past Germany and Poland for this one. Costa Rica and Ecuador might run them close in the games but I think that the European sides should see them off.

Germany

Poland

Ecuador

Costa Rica

Group B

England and Sweden from this group but not sure who will win it though. I expect both of them to win their first two games and it will come down to the final round on the 20th of June to see who wins the group. I think it will be settled on goal difference and England will just get through in 1st place.

England

Sweden

Paraguay

T & T

Group C

Obvious favourites to progress here would be Argentina and Holland but I wonder if Serbia & Montanegro will cause a wee upset and sneak through instead of one of them, perhaps Holland. Don't expect Ivory Coast to cause many problems.

Argentina

Holland

Serbia & Montanegro

Ivory Coast

Group D

Portugal and Mexico to get through this one for me though Iran might suprise a few with some decent performances. Angola are rubbish. Simple as.

Portugal

Mexico

Iran

Angola

Group E

I would expect the Czechs and Italy to win through in this one with USA finishing 3rd and Ghana in last.

Czech Rep.

Italy

USA

Ghana

Group F

Think this one is quite tricky to rpedict. Brazil are clear favourites to progress and I would expect them to do so. But it's the battle for 2nd that will be very interesting indeed. I would say it is between Japan and Australia myself and I think that Japan will just pip them to it. Croatia will also have a say in it as well and could get close themselves but I don't think they will have quite enough. I think this will be the most interesting group.

Brazil

Japan

Australia

Croatia

Group G

France to win this one and South Korea and Switzerland to do battle for 2nd spot. Really not sure who would win through in that one to be honest. Right now I shall take a stab at South Korea!

France

South Korea

Switzerland

Togo

Group H

Spain and Ukraine in this final group for me. Spain really should do so much better than they actually do do at these tournaments but they seem to excel in failure. Hopefully Torres will live up to the hype that surrounds his obvious talent and show us why Chelsea want to pay £40 million for him.

Spain

Ukraine

Saudi Arabia

Tunisia

I see that Beckham is stepping down as England captain................he would be as well stepping down as an England player.

David Beckham has decided to step down as England captain after holding the role for six years.

But the Real Madrid star does want to to continue his international career.

Beckham revealed his decision at England's final press conference in Germany in the wake of their World Cup quarter-final defeat by Portugal.

The 31-year-old midfielder said: "I feel the time is right to pass on the armband as we enter a new era under new coach Steve McClaren."

Hmm jumping before you get pushed, smart move Becks  :001:

Sven deserves praise for the tactical masterstroke of putting "penalty specialist" Carragher on right at the end of extra time :

From BBC :

Liverpool defender Carragher said: "The referee said he never blew his whistle so I had to wait until after he blew it. I didn't realise. I obviously don't take that many. I've taken two in my career."

:clapping04:

not a bad game so far even if their hasn't been a goal.... Italy have gone 4-3-1-2 now so looks like their gonna go for the win!

don't really mind who wins tbh they've both played well enough to go through

Wow Im exhausted after watching the last period of extra time! What a match!

some game... feel a bit for Germany but Italy were excellent, some goals!!

best ref so far

  Thank goodness the whining divers are finally gone . What a terrible

    advertisement for the game. Good for France.

Were France much better?  Soft penalty!. Henry certainly made the most of it.  Hope Italy hump them in final.  They will if they can repeat their performance against Germany.  Best game I've seen in a long time.  In my opinion, England wouldn't have lived against either Italy or Germany even if they'd scrambled through against Portugal and France.

Come on Italy!!!!  :001: :001: :001: :001:

How laid back was that penalty.... :015:

I was a few minutes late in tuning in ... switched TV on just before the penalty was taken .... Zizou was very lucky and as I type this, Materazzi has just scored with a superb header for Italy ... 1-1

But my point was - for no apparent reason just after the France penalty - the commentator said "and for those of you that dont know, England won the cup in 1966" ..... think it was because he was talking about controversial goals in the final and was talking of Hurst but even my missus said 'WTF has that got to do with this game !!!" ........

1966 was the last time there were 2 goals in the opening 20 mins in a world cup final

Think I'll go and watch paint dry :sleep01:

Then Zidane goes fruit loops!!!  :010:

I have been in that situation (although not on a football pitch) - some cnut is winding you up, you keep your hands down cause you know smacking them is the wrong thing, then something snaps and instinct or whatever you want to call it kicks in and you just go in with the head.

Well done Italy!

Deserved IMO and stopped that cheat Henry getting his hands on the WC  :001:

Zidane - total class. Best but I have seen in ages - lifted Mazerati off his feet  :notworthy01:

What a way to end your career - when I hang up my boots I'm going to do it in style like that.

Thought both teams were full of divers half of them wouldn't know what to do if they really were halfed.

Zidane today named best player of the tournament  :010:

Well done FIFA  :015:

Idiots!  :006: Cannavaro by miles - he has been the most consistent player in the whole tournament. The voting stopped at half time in the WC Final so they won't count the red card. The worst thing is that if you go the official WC site and look at the voting for the Golden Ball Zidane is most peoples choice anyway! He has only played about 2 games - he was garbage in the rest  :017:

Zidane was excellent and brought some much needed class to the tournament, I would have given him the award after he single handedly destroyed the Brazilians in the quarter finals.  He shouldn't have reacted the way he did but 1 mistake doesn't darken what was a masterclass in how to play football.

Cannavaro was excellent but it would have to be a very poor tounament for a defender to get the award, Zi Zou gets my vote ......even if I did loose out on £125 at bookies because of him

Zidane was excellent and brought some much needed class to the tournament, I would have given him the award after he single handedly destroyed the Brazilians in the quarter finals.  He shouldn't have reacted the way he did but 1 mistake doesn't darken what was a masterclass in how to play football.

Cannavaro was excellent but it would have to be a very poor tounament for a defender to get the award, Zi Zou gets my vote ......even if I did loose out on £125 at bookies because of him

Why would it be poor for a defender to get it? They are just as important as any other part of the team. Zidane got the sentimental vote.

In my opinion the award should be taken away from Zidanne.  Had the vote closed at the end of the game and not at half time) many of those who voted for Zidanne would, quite rightly, have changed their minds.  You shouldn't honour thugs!  Cannavarro was easily the best player throughout the finals.

Zidane was excellent and brought some much needed class to the tournament, I would have given him the award after he single handedly destroyed the Brazilians in the quarter finals.  He shouldn't have reacted the way he did but 1 mistake doesn't darken what was a masterclass in how to play football.

Cannavaro was excellent but it would have to be a very poor tounament for a defender to get the award, Zi Zou gets my vote ......even if I did loose out on £125 at bookies because of him

Why would it be poor for a defender to get it? They are just as important as any other part of the team. Zidane got the sentimental vote.

.....because defenders are there to stop players being creative and although Cannavaro was excellent and stopping teams scoring goals, Zidane showed class, flair and goals and was the playmaker that created almost every attacking move that France produced. IMO football is best expressed through a playmaker rather than a defender

I don't think other teams were sentimental in letting France through to the final surely if anything that gives testiment to his playing ability 

"I wish death to you and your family"

"go f**k yourself"

This is apparently what Materazzi said to Zidane according to an italian lipreader from BBC New at 10...... If someone said that to me I think probably would have reacted aswell!

especially since his mother was taken seriously ill the day before

Well I would say something like "Well Ive f&$*ed all yours and they were cr@p" rather than headbutt the guy. Some people have no sense of humour!  :001: