As the 32 teams make their way to the continent of Africa for its first World Cup, I take a peek into my crystal ball to see who will end up champions.
It seems with every World Cup the form of five time winners Brazil is the yardstick which every other team needs to be measured against. Seasoned observers say beat Brazil and the trophy is yours and their form over the last two years is certainly impressive. Coach Dunga and his men qualified comfortably from their South American group sealing first place, they also won last summer’s Confederations Cup in South Africa defeating a resurgent U.S.A in the final.
Much will depend on the shoulders of midfield creator Kaka, who has not enjoyed a good debut season with Real Madrid following his £68 million move, but has been consistent for his country.
Dunga has shunned the likes of former World Player of the Year Ronaldinho for a more disciplined squad which critics say lacks the flair and panache of previous Brazil teams. They also have been placed in a tough group with Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal and Didier Drogba’s Ivory Coast.
Much fancied Spain, who previously struggled with the tag of favourites going into major tournaments, have also been in superb form ever since they became champions of Europe in 2008. Their qualifying campaign was even more impressive winning every single one of their 10 games. Their squad is perhaps the strongest of all the teams with a midfield to die for. With the likes of Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Xabi Alonso at manager Vicente del Bosque’s disposal their many not even be a place in the starting line up for Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas. David Villa and Fernando Torres will lead the line in a fearsome attack.
Defending champions Italy have struggled of late and although one can never discount any Italian team, it would be a big shock if they successfully defended the trophy. It looks a tournament too far for their aged squad.
A resurgent England, managed by Fabio Capello, should fare better and they also enjoyed an almost 100 per cent qualifying campaign. England fans will be praying Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney stays fit and can fire his team to glory and end their barren wait for a World Cup win since they beat arch rivals Germany in 1966.
And what of the greatest player in the world Lionel Messi and Argentina? Led by the mad, bad Diego Maradona –they are perhaps the hardest team to predict. If Messi can reproduce his scintillating Barcelona form then they have a great chance, as on paper Maradona certainly has the strikers to score the goals with Carlos Tevez, Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero and Diego Milito all included. But the concern is that Maradona does not have the tactical skill to knit all these great players into a winning team.
Germany can never be discounted, as along with Brazil, the 3 time winners are the most consistent at World Cups, but the massive loss of skipper Michael Black due to injury could be terminal and without their talisman it seems highly unlikely they will be able to lift the trophy.
With the tournament being staged in Africa, teams from the continent will also be closely watched but it seems only Ivory Coast with Chelsea’s Didier Drogba spearheading their attack has the strength in depth to worry any of the major teams.
If I had to pick a winner, which is always difficult in any World Cup, I would go for Spain because of their strength in depth as Brazil’s over reliance on Kaka could be their downfall.

Why Cesc has to go

As the latest set of transfer tittle-tattle hog the back pages of the newspapers –there is one story which dominates all others.
If the latest reports emanating from Cataluña and London are true and Arsenal are about to lose their skipper and talisman Cesc Fabregas to his boyhood club Barcelona then this provides Arsene Wenger with his sternest test.
When Manchester Utd finally caved in and allowed Cristiano Ronaldo to leave Old Trafford last summer to join Real Madrid the deal was negotiated from a position of strength.
Sure United had just been outclassed in the Champions League final against Barcelona but they had also just secured their third successive Premiership.

Moreover the Portuguese had won everything there was to win at Old Trafford and desired a fresh challenge to reignite the fortunes of a flagging Madrid who were flashing the cash like never before to restore their glory days.
For Fabregas the situation is entirely different.

Not only is he set to rejoin the club where he was taken as a nine month old baby by his grandfather to his first game, where as a youth team player he shared the same dressing room as Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique, but he is moving to a team which humiliated Arsenal in this season’s Champions League quarter final.
Obviously the lure of returning to the club which is in his DNA would be almost too strong for any player to resist, but since Cesc has been at Arsenal the only medal on his mantel piece is a rather forlorn looking FA Cup winners medal and a European Championship with Spain.
In the meantime the Catalans have bagged 2 European Cups, 4 La Liga titles, 1 Copa Del Rey, 1 World Club Championship and are widely regarded as the finest football team on the planet.
Now could you imagine if the situation was reversed?
If Barca had been trophyless and Arsenal were securing titles – do you think Cesc woud be pinning for a homecoming ?
No I very much doubt it either.
For Arsenal fans – these facts are hard to stomach.
Fabregas is set to leave a club which has failed to match his own talents, ambitions and dreams.
The midfield maestro is one of the finest in the game yet in every match this season against top opposition whether it is Manchester Utd or Chelsea at home or Barca in Europe he has had to watch his teammates humbled and embarrassed.
The Arsenal skipper can deliver all the probing passes, goals and assists, but when Wenger refuses to buy a decent goalkeeper then all his brilliant work is in vain.
So Gunners’ fans can hardly blame their talisman for leaving –he has given them 7 years of sterling service and has at times carried his team to some wonderful victories.
But Fabregas is a winner and is tired of losing, and that is the brutal truth for all Arsenal lovers to endure.

Why Tiger can never be the greatest ?

As Tiger Woods lurches from one PR disaster to another it is almost incredulous to think that at the height of ‘Tiger Mania’ he was being lauded as comparable to Muhammad Ali.
Infact when the golfer made his comeback at this year's US Masters the press got themselves into such frenzy that they equated his homecoming with Ali's sensational return to the ring 40 years ago.

Much has already been said and written about the transgressions which have left the golfer so professionally and personally wounded.
Before the sordid revelations of flings with cocktail waitresses and porn stars were revealed to a shocked world, Woods was primarily known as a sporting phenomenon and for that there can be no doubt.
Since he altered the sporting landscape in April 1997 when he became the youngest US Masters winner, and first afro-american, he has amassed 14 grand slam victories and built a personal fortune of a billion dollars.
For a man of colour to smash the cosy white dominated world of golf is a supreme achievement.
But comparisons between Tiger and Ali are not only ill thought out and odious –they do both men a disservice.
Ali was also no saint –just a cursory look his private life will also reveal his fondness for the ladies. But he was fortunate in that he lived in a time before the rolling 24 hours news channels and the paparazzi culture which now stalks Tiger’s every move.

But it’s their achievements away from their respective sports which makes the comparisons laughable.
Tiger Woods is a supremely talented golfer; probably the best there’s ever been and has a wonderful smile.
Muhammad Ali was a supremely talented boxer ; probably the best there’s ever been......and not only did he have a wonderful smile but he challenged America’s attitude to non whites and shook the existing natural order.
He aligned himself with the controversial black power movement in a bid to politicise his status as the heavy weight champion of the world.
He refused to be drafted into the US army to fight in Vietnam on the grounds of being a conscientious objector after his conversion to Islam.
He once famously declared ‘I aint got no quarrel with the Viet Cong, they never called me n*****’.
This principled stance led to him being convicted, sentenced to five years in prison, fined $10,000, stripped of his heavyweight title and banned from fighting in the USA.
All this robbed Ali, and the world, of his best boxing years, yet he still returned and regained his heavyweight crown in some of the greatest fights ever to have taken place.
Can you imagine any modern day sportsman even considering an action like this?

So comparisons between Ali and Woods should be rendered useless and this is no fault of Tiger's.
Woods is a great sportsman and money making machine but he is no cultural icon like Ali.
For Ali’s achievements in and out the boxing ring, means he stands alone as the greatest.

T20 World Cup -Where have India gone wrong ?

How can a country that plays more T20 than any other appear like novices?
That question was certainly racking my brain after seeing Chris Gayle and his West Indian teammates run India ragged during Sunday’s T20 World Cup encounter in front of a partisan and raucous crowd in Barbados.
The hosts’ 14 run victory left the richest and most powerful cricketing nation on the planet on the brink of a second successive departure at the Super 8 stage.
Many viewers will be asking how top order batsmen who were plundering bowling attacks just weeks ago in the IPL have been made to look distinctly ordinary on the quicker pitches of the Caribbean.
True the absence of Virenda Sehwag is a massive blow - any team would miss the game's most destructive opener.
But his absence alone should not be able to wholly explain the team's poor performances against both Australia and the West Indies.
Much has been made of the team’s vulnerability against the short ball, which was brutally exposed by the Australians. But this weakness is nothing new.
What is more uncomfortable for the selectors and the team management is that, following last year’s poor showing in England, the shadow of the recently concluded IPL, is looming large.
The IPL was supposed to be the brave new dawn for Indian cricket –not just a marketing goal in making a few men a lot of money but also a natural breeding ground for young Indian players to compete against and with the world’s best.
But the whole credibility of the IPL is at stake if those players who shine for their franchises, wither in the glaring spotlight for their country.
And by the world’s best we should mean Tendulkar, Steyn, Pietersen, Kallis, Sehwag –players who are not only box office for the marketing men but also proven current matchwinners.
The longer the likes of Ganguly, Warne, Gilchrist and other ex players are allowed to ply their trade, the longer the tournament is diminished.
The IPL should be for the best of the best - not a wealthy retirement home for glorious names of yesteryear.
And what is more, fans will not stand for players earning fortunes from their franchises while turning in sub standard performances for their country.
Ask any Indian cricket fan whether he or she cares if the IPL can cement its position as ‘one of the great sporting brands’ by increasing its ‘brand value’ of $4.13 billion?
Everyone know the answer to that question....everyone it seems except the BCCI?

D-Day for Ronaldo and Messi

They are the two brightest stars in the football galaxy and yet for Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, heartbreak awaits one of them.
For you see tonight, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, the two irremovable mountains of Spainish football, it is D-Day.
After what seems like endless weeks of pummelling the rest of the league into submission, it’s the penultimate round of games which could finally seal the destiny of the championship.
To recap reigning champions Barca, Messi’s home since the age of 13, lead their arch rivals by a point and tonight travel to fourth placed and Champion League hopefuls Seville.
Meanwhile Madrid, who smashed the world record when they shelled out a whopping 94 million Euros for Ronaldo, entertain Athletic Bilbao who are eighth and bidding for a Europa League place.
If Barca win, and Madrid slip up, then Pep Guardiola’s side will retain their titile, as they won both this season’s Classicos and head-to head separates sides if they are level on points.
As both are expected to win their final games of the season, tonight’s events at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan in Seville, and the Bernabeu in Madrid, will seal the leagues fate.
This season La Liga has resembled something akin to a Rocky slug-fest.
Two heavyweights searching for the knockout blow while leaving the rest trailing in their wake.
Third placed Valencia are a massive 24 points behind Madrid, surely not healthy for any competitive league.
But should anyone be surprised?
A look at the World’s 20 Richest Clubs helps explain why the gap between the top two and the rest of Spain has gone from being a disparity to a yawning chasm.
Real Madrid and Barca are ranked 1st and 2nd with income reaching a jaw dropping 401 and 365 million Euros respectively.
No other Spanish club makes the list.
The reason for such disparity is largely due to the sale of TV rights.
In England and Germany, the EPL and Bundesliga sell their rights collectively and the money is then distributed among all the clubs.
However in Spain, Barca and Madrid negotiate their massive contracts individually which leaves the rest of the league fighting for the rest of the TV pie like two bold men over a comb.
So the duopoly is set to continue and while events tonight will be no doubt enthralling as the two best players in the world try and drag their respective clubs over the winning line, the claim that La Liga is the best in the world is a hollow one until the rest of Spain catches up.

My team of the year

As the European season draws to its thrilling finale with league titles still undecided in England, Italy and Spain, I take a look at those players who have shined for their clubs this season and should be making all the headlines in South Africa.
Goalkeeper -Hugo Lloris (Lyon and France)
Probably the hardest choice simply because no shot stopper has performed at the top of their game, but I am plucking for Lyon and Les Bleus keeper Loris who has bags of potential and is the only Frenchman with any sort of form going into the World Cup.

Left back - Ashley Cole (Chelsea and England)
Cheryl Cole might not want him anymore but he would walk into my team. On form the best left back in the world before he suffered a broken ankle in February. His performances have been even more impressive when you consider how much the tabloids have earmarked him as public enemy number 1.

Centre back -Gerard Pique (Barcelona and Spain)
The 23-year-old Catalan oozes class and is the closest thing we have in the modern game to Beckenbauer. His goal against Inter Milan in the Champions League Semi Final was worthy of a top striker. Future Spain captain.

Centre back - Lucio (Inter Milan and Brazil)
His containment of Didier Drogba against Chelsea in the Champions League was a master class in defending, like Pique excellent on the ball.
Right back – Maicon (Inter Milan and Brazil)
Brazil can count on not one but two truly stellar right backs in Dani Alves and Maicon. Both fantastic going forward but like Dunga I am selecting the Inter Milan man as he is the better defender.

Midfield – Xavi ( Barcelona and Spain)
Simply the best passer of a ball in the world, instrumental in setting the tempo for both his club and country. For Barcelona he loads the bullets which allow Messi to fire.

Midfield –Wesley Sneijder (Inter Milan and Holland)
Real Madrid cast off who has fitted seamlessly into Jose Mourino’s side and is the team’s heartbeat. Can show Madrid President Florentino Perez just how foolish he was in offloading him when he takes the field in the European Cup final.

Left midfield – Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich and Holland)
Another Real Madrid reject after he was deemed surplus to requirements at the Bernabeu.
Seems to have finally escaped his injury nightmare which has plagued him throughout his career. His 20 plus goals have taken the German giants to the brink of a treble and like Sneijder can embarrass his former employers in the Madrid showpiece. Still only 26.

Right Midfield –Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid and Portugal)
The world’s most expensive player has been somewhat overshadowed because of a certain genius from Argentina (see later) but the Portuguese winger has excelled in his first season in Madrid scoring 32 Goals and pushing Barcelona all the way in La Liga. Will hope to steal the headlines this summer.

Forward –Wayne Rooney (Manchester United and England)
Has truly come of age this season as his 34 goals have carried a rather uninspired Manchester United. Will need every inch of his broad shoulders to carry the hopes of a nation in South Africa.

Forward – Lionel Messi ( Barcelona and Argentina)
What else is there to say? 42 goals for his club, greatest player of his generation....now he has to go and do it for his country!

Why Messi and Maradona need each other more than ever

Lionel Messi –the greatest football player in the world is at a crossroads.
However absurd that sentence sounds....it’s true.

This summer a successful World Cup will mean he can rightfully dine at football’s exclusive top table so far only reserved for Pele and Maradona.
If he can replicate his stunning club form for Argentina, which has so far proved elusive, and lead his country to glory his place in football’s pantheon will be complete.
But the one man who could potentially stop him more than any opposition defender is the person who currently dines at that table......Messi’s national team manager –the seriously unhinged Diego Armando Maradona.

Ever since the Argentine FA took the bold /stupid decision to appoint the former drug addict as the national coach many feared the worst.
To his credit Maradona did at least stumble through qualifying to ensure the team reached South Africa, which at the time of his appointment was far from guaranteed.
But in that campaign he has used more than 100 players –not exactly the actions of a sure footed manager.
And it’s his failure to get the best out of Messi which is proving to be Maradona’s greatest conundrum.
This failure, and Messi himself is not blameless, to match his performances for Barcelona is frustrating fans of the national team.

The Barcelona wizard has, at the tender age of 22, won just about everything there is to win with the Catalan giants.
So far in his short, but already glorious career he has, sitting proudly on his mantel piece a rack of major honours including 3 La Liga titles, 2 European Cups and 1 World Club Championship.
This season, the current European and World player of the year, has scored an incredible 42 goals in all competitions.
Yet despite all that success his performances for his country have never come close to matching his stellar club form.
Critics cruelly label him ‘Superman’ in Barcelona’s colours but ‘Clark Kent’ for Argentina.
There are even some whispers among Argentine journalists that Maradona is loathed to get the best of Messi because that would mean usurping his own crown of the greatest ever player.
But I for one don’t believe this dark conspiracy because both can seal their place in football folklore with victory in South Africa.

For Maradona, already a World Cup winner in 1986, the chance to lead his team to glory will smash the old adage that great players cannot become great managers.
And for Messi a strong campaign leading to World Cup glory means he will finally win over his doubting compatriots.