World Cup Blog Power Rankings

May 5th, 2006 | by: WC Bob |

We are starting to get down to the nitty gritty of the World Cup with roster announcements coming one after another and the start of an onslaught of exhibition matches. As a result the exclusive World Cup Blog Power Rankings are starting to see some teams’ stock rise, while others fall. As always, we take into account the news coming out of all 32 countries and base our ranking on current form and how we project they will do in the World Cup. Your comments, feedback and bribes also make a difference.

Last week’s rankings in ( )

1. Brazil (1) – Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Adriano and Kaka to start against Croatia.
2. Spain (2) – Easy group, talented team, and we continue to overrate them.
3. Argentina (3)– El Pato in goal? Duckkkkkk!
4. Germany (6) – German oddsmakers like the host country.
5. Czech Republic (5) – Koller back, Poborsky dinged.
6. Italy (4) – Lippi’s training camp roster includes some head scratchers.
7. Portugal (8) – Scolari pre-capping select players. No clue why.
8. Netherlands (9) – Lots of young talent, but is there enough depth?
9. France (10) – The kids of ‘98 are starting to collect their pensions.
10. Croatia (10) – The lineup for Brazil match looking very solid.
11. Sweden (13) – Ljunberg finally scores ending a long drought
12. England (7) – Fans might want to borrow Rooney’s oxygen tank to breathe.
13. Mexico (12) – Happy Cinco de Mayo.
14. USA (15) – Brian Ching to the rescue…or something like that.
15. Serbia & Montenegro (16) – Zvonimir Vukic’s metatarsal is the envy of many.
16. Switzerland (16) – Middle of the pack, could fail or delight.
17. Ukraine (14) – Blokhin doesn’t like his own players.
18. Cote d’Ivoire (18) – Might not be a more fun team to watch this summer.
19. Paraguay (20) – England’s loss might be Paraguay’s gain.
20. Japan (22) – Yanagisawa feeling groovy, might be fit.
21. Iran (21) – The support grows with women cheering them on.
22. South Korea (23) – This could be a nice sleeper pick for you gambling types.
23. Ecuador (24) – Players with nicknames like Bam Bam and Kangaroo. Cool
24. Poland (19) – Lithuania loss, a wake up call or a sign of things to come?
25. Trinidad & Tobago (25) – Minor injuries a bit of a concern.
26. Australia (28) – Injury concerns not as big as once thought.
27. Tunisia (26) – We need to find a way to rank them higher than this.
28. Costa Rica (27) – Some talent but too many questions marks.
29. Saudi Arabia (30) – Eto’o to play in Kingdom but not for national team.
30. Togo (31) – Who could root against this team?
31. Ghana (32) – Russia friendlies cancelled but they get a trip to France.
32. Angola (29) – Brutal injury and visa news for our beloved Palancas.

April 28 Rankings
April 21 Rankings

April 14 Rankings

International Football News – World Cup Blog RSS Feed

http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org/1/a-lack-of-depth.html A lack of Depth – FIFA World Cup 2006 – Netherlands World Cup Team Blog

[...] The comment made by Bob in the World Cup Blog Power Rankings and a phrase from an article I posted earlier got me thinking. The Dutch are really lacking in some areas of player development. We are really getting down to the bottom of the barrel in terms of defending and goalkeeping. I mean no disrespect to the players chosen for those positions but one can’t argue that there the pre-provisional squad list on Marco van Basten’s desk was over flowing with quality contenders for the defence and goalkeeping spots. They just don’t exist. The bit that caught my eye in the article was the sentence, “In goal, Edwin Van der Sar is uncontested — to the extent that injury to the trusty Manchester United ‘keeper would expose the yawning gap in Dutch goalkeeping.” [...]
sphinx

Take Czech and Spain out of 10.
As for Spain footballing not only matters NO. of talents. History is proven n’times.
Czech looks out of gas after Euro 2004. Pavel and Povorsky too old to lift them upright.