2010 World Cup Draw

Here are the videos (sound might be a bit low but the picture is good)









If you haven't see the videos or know the results, spoilers are below!









Pictures of the Groups:










You could hear the gasps in the crowd when both Cote D'Ivoire and Portugal went into Brazil's Group. South Africa is also unlucky to draw both Mexico and France, arguably the top teams in their respective Pots.

American fans didn't get Group A but must be fairly pleased to be in with weaklings Algeria and Slovenia. Even though Bradley is not impressed.



Italy and Spain in absolute cupcake groups. Should be easy.

Here's the bracket for the 2nd round.

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/kostage.html


Assuming it's chalk and the top seeds win their groups:

South Africa (A) VS B2
England (C) VS D2
Holland (E) VS F2
Brazil (G) VS H2

would be the top half

Argentina (B) VS A2
Germany (D) VS C2
Italy (F) VS E2
Spain (H) VS G2

would be the bottom half

Bottom half seems stronger at the moment.

If you finish 2nd you move to the other side of the draw.

Some juicy 2nd round matches possible like

England-Ghana
France-Nigeria
Argentina-Mexico
Spain-Portugal
Italy-Denmark

More analysis from ESPN



And Skysports



What are your thoughts of the draw? How did your favourite country fare?

World Cup Seeding Announced!

Sacre Bleu! No seed? Zis is an outrage!!

Source: Guardian

FIFA had determined it's seeding for Friday

Pot 1: South Africa, Argentina, Holland, England, Italy, Brazil, Spain, Germany

Pot 2: (CONCACAF/Asia): USA, Mexico, Honduras, South Korea, North Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand

Pot 3: (South American/Africa): Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Cote D' Ivoire. Algeria

Pot 4: (Europe): France, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, Denmark, Switzerland, Greece, Serbia

Some thoughts:

FIFA decided not to use any complex formulas this time around. They simply took the Oct 2009 rankings.

As anonymous stated in the previous post, FIFA is protecting South Africa ensuring they get one of the weak South American teams and 5/8 chance of getting a weak Asian.

Brazil and Argentina MUST draw an African team.. if they get an strong European team as well, that would be a Group of Death.

USA's only hope is to:

A) Be the first team picked out of Pot 2 and go directly to South Africa's Group

B) Draw a South American instead of an African because US has a 5/8 chance of drawing an African and if they do so 2/5 chance that that Group will have someone named Brazil or Argentina in it.

If the US draws a European team they may survive. If they draw Brazil or Argentina then they must draw another european and african, they're toast.

Overall this draw might screw Brazil and Argentina more than anyone. America fans may feel slighted again but I know for sure there are 24 teams right now shaking in their boots that they don't draw USA.