There are a couple of groups that could be labelled as “The Group of Death” at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and Group D is one that fits the tag well.
Italy, England and Uruguay have seven World Cups between them, and they will be joined by 1990 World Cup surprise packets Costa Rica, from Central America.
Italy
The Azzurri are a different side to the one that suffered a humiliating elimination from the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Coach Cesare Prandelli has brought in a new generation of players and encourages his team to play a more possession-based game than the Italian sides of old.
2006 World Cup heroes Gianluigi Buffon, Daniele De Rossi and Andrea Pirlo are still key players for Italy. They do have some fine support though in Giorgio Chiellini and Claudio Marchisio, and there are some emerging youngsters such as Mattia De Sciglio, Marco Verratti and Lorenzo Insigne, who could make a name on the world stage.
Italy will be without midfielder Riccardo Montolivo, who broke his leg in a friendly against the Republic of Ireland, and striker Giuseppe Rossi, despite recovering from a knee injury.
Plenty of pressure will be placed the enigmatic striker Mario Balotelli. Despite being an inconsistent performer at club level, Balotelli is still a key player in Prandelli’s attack.
England
Out are the majority of England’s so-called Golden Generation and in are some fresh faces for the Three Lions.
Steven Gerrard will captain the England side in Brazil and Frank Lampard has made the squad but veteran left-back Ashley Cole did not make the cut.
Former Inter and Udinese coach Roy Hodgson has brought in youngsters such as Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge from Liverpool as well as late bloomers Adam Lallana and Rickie Lambert from Southampton.
The youthful talent looks appealing in attack and in the midfield but the defence is really missing some experience. Glen Johnson, who has won 51 caps, is an exception. Joe Hart has been inconsistent in goal for Manchester City this season.
England is expected to line-up in a pragmatic 4-2-3-1 formation, but for Hodgson, it gives a platform for his youngsters to flourish. Wayne Rooney is not expected to be the talisman in attack like in previous tournaments though.
Surprisingly the English press and fans are not expecting much from their team but this could be to the advantage of the Three Lions.
Uruguay
The Celeste finished fourth in the 2010 World Cup and won the 2011 Copa America but this generation of Uruguayan players is starting to age.
The likes of Diego Lugano, Diego Forlan and Egidio Arevalo Rios are over 30-years-old and are still present in the Uruguayan squad. Uruguay will be playing close to home though and playing in the nation in which they won their last World Cup back in 1950.
In Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez, Uruguayan coach Oscar Tabarez has two strikers who are at the height of their powers. Suarez is recovering from a knee injury but he is still tipped to a vital role in this Uruguayan team.
Tabarez would be expected to use the 4-4-2 formation but his team can change formation when necessary. He will rely on his defence and midfield to offer protection so his forwards can work their magic in attack.
Uruguay’s Italian-based contingent includes the likes Walter Gargano, Martin Caceres and Diego Perez and there are a number of players who have played on the Italian peninsula in the past.
Costa Rica
Los Ticos are expected to be the whipping boys in the group despite finishing second in their group in the CONCACAF region.
Costa Rica will be without their prolific striker Alvaro Saborio, who pulled out due to a foot injury. The veteran striker scored eight goals in the World Cup qualifiers, and now the responsibility to lead the attack has been placed on Olympiakos forward Joel Campbell, who is on loan from Arsenal.
The Costa Ricans have a mix of players who play in Costa Rican Primera Division as well as players who are based overseas.
Aside from Campbell, Costa Rica’s foreign-based stars include Levante goalkeeper Keylor Navas, and PSV Eindhoven’s Bryan Luiz, who is on loan from Fulham.
Coach Jose Luis Pinto is likely to place his team in the 5-4-1 formation and play defensive but the formation is expected to change to a 3-4-3 when the team has to attack.
Follow Vito Doria on Twitter: @VitoCDoria
