I don't know why Germany have only one recognised striker in their squad but even Spain used to play with a striker, even just the one up front. I think teams are to technical a bit now. The game has not changed that much, score more goals than the other team will always do the job

Thomas Mueller can play it.

But that is not enough. I thought Germany had a good chance to win it. Now I have to rethink that idea.

Spain changed the idea of you must have two strikers, and one off the bench to win.

But in Germany's case having one striker could be a problem.

Especially if Klose is their only striker. He is about 50.....

They also have Podolski. 1 more goal for Klose and he equals Ronaldo as WC top scorer. I do agree though he's about 50

Over the last few tournaments, the top scorers total has been constantly decreasing. I mean 4 at the last WC and 3 at Euro 2012 is a joke .

Anyway i'll guess Messi with 6, i believe Argentina will at least make the semi's since it's in the southern hemisphere.

Podolski and Mueller are both listed as midfielders

It's confusing FIFA.com have Mueller,Klose and Podolski listed as forwards - http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/teams/team=43948/players.html . Wiki have only Klose and Podolski listed as strikers - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FIFA_World_Cup_squads#Germany

The BBC also have Klose and Podolski listed as forwards - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27388351

Nowhere have i seen Podolski listed as a mid, where did you read this?

Wayne Rooney is another player listed as a striker who could be done under the Trade Descriptions Act.....

Will here it is first game starts tommorow Thurday

Game Time Location TV
Thurs. June 12
Group A: Brazil vs. Croatia 4 p.m. Sao Paulo ESPN

Fri. June 13
Group A: Mexico vs. Cameroon noon Natal ESPN2
Group B: Spain vs. Netherlands 3 p.m. Salvador ESPN
Group B: Chile vs. Australia 6 p.m. Cuiaba ESPN2

Sat. June 14
Group C: Colombia vs. Greece noon Belo Horizonte ABC
Group D: Uruguay vs. Costa Rica 3 p.m. Fortaleza ABC
Group D: England vs. Italy 6 p.m. Manaus ESPN
Group C: Ivory Coast vs. Japan 9 p.m. Recife ESPN

Sun. June 15
Group E: Switzerland vs. Ecuador noon Brasilia ABC
Group E: France vs. Honduras 3 p.m. Porto Alegre ABC
Group F: Argentina vs. Bosnia 6 p.m. Rio de Janeiro ESPN

Mon. June 16
Group G: Germany vs. Portugal noon Salvador ESPN
Group F: Iran vs. Nigeria 3 p.m. Curitiba ESPN
Group G: United States vs. Ghana 6 p.m. Natal ESPN

Tues. June 17
Group H: Belgium vs. Algeria noon Belo Horizonte ESPN
Group A: Brazil vs. Mexico 3 p.m. Fortaleza ESPN
Group H: Russia vs. South Korea 6 p.m. Cuiaba ESPN

Wed. June 18
Group B: Australia vs. Netherlands noon Porto Alegre ESPN
Group B: Spain vs. Chile 3 p.m. Rio de Janeiro ESPN
Group A: Cameroon vs. Croatia 6 p.m. Manaus ESPN

Thurs. June 19
Group C: Colombia vs. Ivory Coast noon Brasilia ESPN
Group D: Uruguay vs. England 3 p.m. Sao Paulo ESPN
Group C: Japan vs. Greece 6 p.m. Natal ESPN

Fri. June 20
Group D: Italy vs. Costa Rica noon Recife ESPN
Group E: Switzerland vs. France 3 p.m. Salvador ESPN
Group E: Honduras vs. Ecuador 6 p.m. Curitiba ESPN

Sat. June 21
Group F: Argentina vs. Iran noon Belo Horizonte ESPN
Group G: Germany vs. Ghana 3 p.m. Fortaleza ESPN
Group F: Nigeria vs. Bosnia 6 p.m. Cuiaba ESPN

Sun. June 22
Group H: Belgium vs. Russia noon Game of day gallery Rio de Janeiro ABC
Group H: South Korea vs. Algeria 3 p.m. Porto Alegre ABC
Group G: United States vs. Portugal 6 p.m. Manaus ESPN

Mon. June 23
Group B: Netherlands vs. Chile noon Sao Paulo ESPN
Group B: Australia vs. Spain noon Curitiba ESPN2
Group A: Cameroon vs. Brazil 4 p.m. Brasilia ESPN
Group A: Croatia vs. Mexico 4 p.m. Recife ESPN2

Tues. June 24
Group D: Italy vs. Uruguay noon Natal ESPN
Group D: Costa Rica vs. England noon Belo Horizonte ESPN
Group C: Japan vs. Colombia 4 p.m. Curitiba ESPN
Group C: Greece vs. Ivory Coast 4 p.m. Fortaleza ESPN2

Wed. June 25
Group F: Nigeria vs. Argentina noon Porto Alegre ESPN
Group F: Bosnia vs. Iran noon Salvador ESPN2
Group E: Honduras vs. Switzerland 4 p.m. Manaus ESPN
Group E: Ecuador vs. France 4 p.m. Rio de Janeiro ESPN2

Thurs. June 26
Group G: Portugal vs. Ghana noon Brasilia ESPN2
Group G: United States vs. Germany noon Recife ESPN
Group H: South Korea vs. Belgium 4 p.m. Sao Paulo ESPN
Group H: Algeria vs. Russia 4 p.m. Curitiba ESPN2

Fri. June 27
Rest day Rest day

Complete shambles, that must be the worst opening goal in world cup history . Less than 20 minutes in but Brazil look terrible on defence and timid on attack, hoping for a Croatia win here if Brazil don't get their act together.

Neymar gets hurt in the warm up.

But brazil is brazil they score to tie it. Goal scored by guess who Neymar.

Score at half 1-1

It was a decent first half if i may say.

Second half was interesting. Brazilian up top player fakes a foul and gets a pk call for Brazilian. So they cheated to get the PK

Neymar scored on the pk. 2-1

Late in game Brazil scored again. Final 3-1 Brazil

I thought the first half was both boring and pathetic. A famously attacking (positive) team such as Brazil, crumbling at home. Thumbs up to Neymar,T.Silva and especially Luka Modric who made it a half decent opener.

Jimmy Fallon just asked Chris Rock what he thought of the World Cup. He said: I don't care! Brazil is known for ass!

Pretty disappointed in Brazil's Over all game. It was not just winning when Brazil played it was how you won that really mattered. I guess that is out the window now.

Today the only game I am interested in seeing is Spain v Netherlands. That has the potential be be a great game.

When the game is played right it not a game anymore to me. It becomes more like art. People who don't understand the game just watch what is going on near the ball. Not wants going on off the ball.

I wish when they televise it they can shot it from further away from the ball so you can see both.

The announcers here think you have to dumb down the game to hold American viewers. That is a mistake.

That is why when I watch a game on TV I turn down the sound.

Theres nothing worse in sport than hearing American commentators talk over a football game, it's cringe worthy..

Kinda like when the Brits do the talking on those New York Mafia documentaries .

And I'm not even being sarcastic, because you're right about American announcers doing soccer .

Even when past players comment on the game. They are told not to get to complicated tacticly.

We did have one commentator I liked his name was shamus Malin. He actually has a coaching license so he would use words like shape, negative space and he had an elegant way to describe the game. He did the 94 world cup.

He may still do games in New England. But no WC games anymore.

Not a bad first half, as usual Mexico are one of the most interesting teams that won't make it any further than the second round if even that. I have to say the refs have been appaling so far. After last nights penalty debacle, we now have 2 clear Dos Santos goals being discounted

Mexico deserved there win today, the officials where again shocking.Cameroon where very poor.

Spain off the mark against Holland 1-0 up..

Van Persies goal was amazing. I thought he was going to wait for the ball to get a little lower so he could volley it with his left foot, but he made the right decision imo. Well taken penalty, but i agree with Gary Lineker that Costa deliberately streched his leg out so there would be contact.

Holy shit !

The Dutch did a job on them. The score could have even been worse. They wanted to bury Spain

holy shit !!!!!!!

They really tore Spain a new asshole

Stunning result! I must admit i overlooked Holland because of their weak defence, but as KillingJoke said They really tore Spain a new asshole . I really loved Van Persie and Robbens goals, especially VP's first one, and now i'm rethinking my position on Holland.

At this point i'm still not ruling Spain out since they also lost their opening game in 2010, it was by alot less but it was also against much weaker opposition in Switzerland. Also imo the result is a bit misleading, while Holland were no doubt the better team, Spain had a better first half imo and even had their chances in the second half. Not to mention the revenge Holland obviously wanted after that brutal 2010 final.

Well no one saw that coming, Holland where fantastic in the second half and Spain could just not cope with Holland.

End of a era for Spain maybe or just a very bad day at the office..

Chile leading 2-0 against Australia after only 15 minutes, could be a long night for Australia,,

At the end of the day their two best players Xavi and Iniesta are aging and are alot less effective nowadays i think that has been shown in Messi's output last season also. I'd also say that they're missing a potent striker like Villa, while Costa is great he played a bit too much like a playmaker himself tonight imo, which Spain have an overabundance of like Silva,Xavi and Iniesta. They need someone like Villa who is only really looking to finish, even though he also had the occasional flash of technical brilliance.