HAVING discussed which Liverpool players have a chance of making the England squad for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, thoughts now turn to the rest of the squad and their respective international teams.
Last Friday’s draw pitted England against Uruguay, Italy and Costa Rica, with a potential match-up between the likes of Gerrard, Johnson and Sturridge against a certain Luis Suarez. However, there are many other Red stars that could feature in football’s showpiece event.
Looking at the home nation Brazil, Liverpool’s two players eligible for the five time world champions, Lucas Leiva and Coutinho, have a great chance of making the World Cup squad if they can maintain a good level of form for Liverpool. Lucas is one of the mainstays in the current Liverpool midfield, breaking up attacks and when on top form, is one of the best defensive midfielders in the league. With over 20 caps for Brazil already, he looks likely to make the squad.
However, he may struggle to get into the starting XI with the likes of Ramires, Luis Gustavo, Hernanes and Paulinho. Nevertheless, his chances are good compared to Coutinho. Other attacking midfielders such as Oscar and Bernard seem to be ahead at the moment, while he is unlikely to claim a place ahead of others like Robinho and certainly Neymar. He, like Lucas, needs to keep up a consistent run of good form and stay fit to have any chance, with the likelihood being that he is fighting Bernard for an attacking midfield place in Brazil’s squad.
Moving onto one of England’s main rivals in their World Cup group – Uruguay. Of course there is one man who would be in any starting XI of the 32 teams in Brazil, but another who has barely featured in the red shirt of Liverpool because of injury. Luis Suarez is crucial to Uruguay’s hopes of repeating their 1950 triumph in Brazil, but Sebastian Coates does seem to play at a higher level internationally compared to at Anfield and with an ageing defence for the South Americans, Coates could be a major player if fit. However, he does face stiff competition from Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid), Diego Lugano (West Brom) and Martin Caceres (Juventus). Both Suarez and Coates will be in the squad and Suarez will definitely start against England, while Coates has a great chance if both avoid further injury.
Five Liverpool players have a chance of playing for the reigning world champions Spain – Luis Alberto, Iago Aspas, Jose Enrique, Pepe Reina and Suso.
Luis Alberto is a promising player who is featuring prominently in Spain’s youth teams, but Spain have masses of players in their prime not featuring in the starting XI or even the squad, so it’s too soon for Alberto. Unless there is a massive demonstration of world-class form from Iago Aspas (if he gets another chance to play), he will not make the squad with other forwards such as Pedro, Alvaro Negredo and Roberto Soldado.
Jose Enrique does have a chance if he can get back from injury quickly and get ahead of the likes of Jon Flanagan and Aly Cissokho to help fire Liverpool to a top four finish as the 1st choice left-back. If he then gets a chance in a friendly for Spain, he has to perform. Nacho Monreal is not ahead of Kieran Gibbs for Arsenal so doesn’t have the guarantee of regular football, while Enrique is on the same level as Alvaro Arbeloa and Cesar Azpilicueta. The only one who is definitely ahead is Barcelona’s Jordi Alba, but Enrique has every chance of going to Brazil as the back-up if he can be successful with Liverpool and impress if he gets the chance for Spain.
Pepe Reina should be in the squad, but needs to keep playing well for Napoli as David De Gea looks to gatecrash the big three of Casillas, Valdes and Reina. Finally, Suso has really impressed for Almeria this season, but like Alberto he is very unlikely to make the squad as it’s too early yet for him, but if he continues the way he is playing, he has a great chance in future years.
France have a fairly easy group at the World Cup and will be expected to progress, but will Mamadou Sakho and Aly Cissokho be joining them? Sakho has established himself in the French side and scored a vital goal in helping them to book their place in Brazil. Eliaquim Mangala, Laurent Koscielny and Raphael Varane will all provide stiff competition, but at the very least Sakho looks set to be part of the squad in Brazil. For Cissokho it’s more difficult. He has barely played for the national team and is struggling to establish himself at Liverpool. Furthermore, with the likes of Lucas Digne and Gael Clichy already in the squad, it is very unlikely that Cissokho will make the French World Cup squad.
Other Liverpool players to look out for at the World Cup include Kolo Toure (Ivory Coast) and Victor Moses (Nigeria), who seem set to start for their respective teams in Brazil, while Simon Mignolet faces a fight on his hands with the wonderful Thibaut Courtois for the Belgian goalkeeper’s jersey. Meanwhile, the likes of Fabio Borini, Brad Jones and Tiago Ilori face a fight just to make the plane for Italy, Australia and Portgual respectively. Unfortunately, there are others in Liverpool’s squad who will have no chance of starring in Brazil, such as Daniel Agger (Denmark), Joe Allen (Wales), Martin Skrtel (Slovakia) and Oussama Assaidi (Morocco).
Nevertheless, a significant number of Liverpool’s squad will be strutting their stuff at the pinnacle of world football, with the Uruguay vs England match a particular one to look forward to!
itz gonnnaa be fun