WORLD CUP!

No words can describe my excitement for this years World Cup. It started a couple of days ago, but there's still twenty plus days left and fifty plus games to still be played so here are my thoughts and predictions on this years World Cup.

Player to watch: Lionel Messi

Making defenders cry because of how freaking good he is. Check out this goal and then check out the face of the defender (0:31) who lost his jockstrap trying to defend it.



This past season Messi received the FIFA World Player of the Year award beating out Christiano Ronaldo. Messi is currently considered the best player in the World and scored forty seven goals this past season to prove it. Messi has impressed for years at Barcelona, but has yet to transfer his amazing club form in national team appearances so that's what he'll be looking to do at this years World Cup. After seeing Argentina's first game this morning I don't think he's going to let us down. No goals yet, but they'll come.

Teams to watch: Spain, The Netherlands, Argentina and Brazil

Spain are favorites to win and any team with Xavi and Iniesta and Fabregas running the midfield very well could win. In fact any team that even had one of them would increase their chances of winning ten fold and Spain has all three. With Fernando Torres returning to full health and joining David Villa up top, the most potent strike partnership in the World is again at large. With the likes of Puyol, Pique and Ramos on defense they've got quite a team, not to mention their back-up goalies would be starting on just about any other team in the tournament. So mark your calendars for their opener on June 16th and watch them take Switzerland for a ride.

The Netherlands are sneaking under a lot of people's radars. It's true I could only give you the name of one or maybe two of their defenders, but I think their offense will make up for there defenders lack of prominence. It's unfortunate that Arjen Robben will miss their first game due to injury, but hopefully he will be ready for the second. With Wesley Sneijder, Rafael Van der Vaart and Mark Van Bommel in midfield and Robin Van Persie and Dirk Kuyt up top they've still got enough talent to get out of their group, but without Robben at 100% their chances are slim of getting to much further than that.

Argentina. We already discussed Messi who could very well win the tournament for Argentina on his own, but it's probably comforting for Maradona and all of Argentina knowing that Carlos Tevez, Gonzalo Higuain, Diego Milito and Sergio Aguero are your other strikers.

Brazil is always in the mix, but I don't really want to talk about them. I lost respect for them the second Ronaldinho wasn't included in the squad. Keep your eyes on Kaka and Robinho. Joga bonito is dead in Brazil, but juega bonito is living on is Spain. If they win this year it won't be because of beautiful play.

USA Predictions

We tied England today. We should make it out of our group. I don't have too many expectations other than getting out of our group, but it would be awesome if we got further than that.

Thank you Robert Green!