World Cup Group C Names To Know

Previously:

World Cup Preview And Predictions

Group A Names To Know

Group B Names To Know

Group C

COLOMBIA

Who you know:

Radamel Falcao- one could argue that this is most devastating injury for any country leading up to the World Cup. Sure there are better players around the world, but the drop off from Falcao to his Colombian counterparts is devastating. Let’s face it: the only Colombians you have ever heard of are Juan Valdez and Pablo Escobar and while both offer their own unique “pick-me-ups,” neither can help Colombia reach the World Cup finals. Will Colombia advance past the group stage? Absolutely. Their 1st knockout stage match against England/Italy/Uruguay will mark the end of the line,

Who you should know:

Teofilo Guiterrez- having scored almost twice as many international goals as his remaining Colombian footballers, Guiterrez has proven his ability to rise to the occasion. His number will be called upon early and often and must prove that he can replace the attacking void left by Falcao.

Who you will know:

Jackson Martinez- Mark this as a “gut call,” but Colombia will have to score if they want to advance. There is no question that their defense is supremely talented and will keep them in most of the games they play. Someone will have to present a threat to opposing defenses and Martinez will be your man. Porto (Portugal) has produced some amazing players from their club (see Colombian striker Falcao) and a betting man should not feel hesitant to let his money ride on Martinez becoming the next B.M.O.C.

GREECE

Who you know:

Giorgos Karagounis – being the most capped player in the history of the Greece national team (135 to be exact), Karagounis has led an impressive club and international career. After superb 5 years at the local Grecian club Panathinaikos, Kara most recently spent time at England’s Fulham. At 37 years old and currently unsigned by any club, Kara will most likely bid adieu to the football world at the end of this Cup run.

Who you should know:

Dimitris Salpingidis – close your eyes and imagine a Grecian footballer and this is who you will see. Though short on stature, this Greek Adonis has been the face of a nation after scoring Greece’s first ever World Cup goal in 2010. Scoring again in Greece’s 2012 Euro Cup run, Dimitris could lead Greece to it’s first ever appearance in the World Cup knockout round.

Who you will know:

Konstantinos Mitroglou – while Greece lacks that one superstar, “Mitrogoal” will look to capitalize on the world stage. Having recently been called up to play abroad at Fulham, Mitroglou has the size and scoring ability to be an immediate game changer. His ability to find the back of the ole onion bag is unrivaled by his teammates and look for his touch to be the precursor to almost every Grecian scoring opportunity.

IVORY COAST

Who you know:

Didier Drogba – a man who truly needs no introduction. Drogba has been the heart and soul of the Ivory Coast. With over 100 caps and 65 goals for the Cote d’Ivoire, Drogba will catch the eye of every defender he faces. Scoring over 100 goal England’s Chelsea club, Drogba has been touring Chinese and Turkish clubs collecting his deserved pay-day. Standing at 6’2”, Drogba is literally head and shoulders above most Grecian and Japanese defenders and should have no trouble rising up to bury many headers during his group stage games.

Who you should know:

Yaya Toure – with a name like Yaya, it will not only be easy to spot him on the pitch, but also easy to cheer his name at home. Coupling his physicality with precise passing ability, Yaya is a force to be reckoned with. With his stellar play at Barcelona and Manchester City, Yaya will be a marked man in them midfield. One can expect that even the added attention won’t keep Yaya from booming one of his patented 30-40 blasts on goal

Who you will know:

Consider this a true toss-up between Saloman Kalou and Gervino. Both will likely be starting wingers outside of both Yaya (midfield) and Droga (striker), so it is anyone’s guess as to who will make the most noise. Kalou has had a more impressive run of goals recently at the French club Lille and amidst rumblings from Ivory Coast Coach Sabri Lamouchi that Drogba will have to earn his playing time (most likely idle threats), Kalou is more apt to fill that potential void. While Gervinho will most certainly make some waves on the outside, Kalou will be the one riding those waves in for a goal. 

JAPAN

Who you know:

Keisuke Honda – after scoring the lone goal in Japan’s first ever World Cup win on foreign soil back in 2010, Honda propelled Japan to the knockout stages by scoring and assisting goals against Denmark. Wining two “FIFA Man of the Match” titles in his three group stage games, Honda almost led Japan to an improbable win over Paraguay in the Round of 16 before falling short 3-5 on penalty kicks.

Who you should know:

Yasuhito Endo – it’s not often that a player with 144 international caps is not the most well-known player on his team, but this is the case with Endo. This lack of notoriety is not a reflection on his skill, but rather his choice not to leave his home country to play club soccer. Endo is wildly popular in Japan after playing for over 13 years and 400 games for the local club Gamba Osaka. Endo’s veteran presence and stability while be key if Japan looks to advance to the knockout stages for the second straight attempt

Who you will know:

Shinji Kagawa – this 25 year old attacking midfielder is looking for a break through tournament. His amazing skill set led to an impressive two years at German based Borussia Dortmund. This performance was quickly noticed by English juggernaut Manchester United, who scooped the young lad up in 2012. Kagawa seems buried by talent at Man U, even though he has played in almost half of the club’s games since 2012. Brazil will be Kagawa’s chance to showcase his talents to the world.