IT’S TIME FOR AFRIKA!!

The World Cup starts today, finally! Bucking Frilliant… feels like this one’s taken an age to come around! With Africa hosting the biggest sporting that is, for the 1st time ever, it definitely promises to be a lavish, colourful (and bloody vuvuzela noisy!) party.

Yes, this will be no war … it’s Africa and hence it has to be a paaarrrtaay!!

56 Games played between 32 Nations over 4 Weeks only to find the new Champions of the Beautiful Game!

With an estimated 750 million viewers poised to watch this time’s edition, it definitely seems to be the year’s biggest event. And even if you swear by your cricket love, I’m sure you won’t be able to resist the fever. With India’s favourite teams - Brazil and Argentina, both looking good and being tipped to take the top honours, it definitely seems to be the flavour of the month. Loyalties have definitely shifted from the day-long sport of cricket to the rather 90 minute excitement package called football.

In case you’re not a football junkie and have no clue about the on-going discussions about the WC, here’s a low down on what you exactly need to know:-

GROUP A: France, Mexico, Uruguay and South Africa

France - a great team of brilliant talent in every department but with an IDIOT for a manager. Although the same idiot got them to the final of the previous edition but it was mainly due to the brilliance of the great Zizou and not his football tactics.

Mexico - have a strong and exciting forward line and a decent enough mid-field but lack any strength in defence and on the bench.

Uruguay - 2 time world cup winners(yep, really!) and lucky qualifiers don’t really have much in them apart from some goal scoring talent.

South Africa - expect them to wear their hearts on their sleeves and play with a smile. The team - it’s rottened!

Stars - Henry, Gourcuff, Anelka, Evra, Ribery, Malouda, Javier Hernandez, Diego Forlan

Our Pick - France & South Africa (solely due to host advantage!)

GROUP B: Argentina, Nigeria, Greece and South Korea

Argentina - a dream attack and one-half of the ‘Greatest Players Ever’ for a manager … can you ask for more?! An absolutely horrible qualifying campaign with the ‘best player in the world’ proving to be absolutely rubbish and over a 100 players used. Need we say more?! But again … you can never count out the genius of Maradonna.

Nigeria - John Obi Mikel not playing. Nothing more!

Greece - will be out there to prove that Euro 2004 was no fluke. And will fail!

South Korea - the better and should i say more human half of Korea, they’d definitely try and emulate their Hiddink days …

Stars - Milito, Messi, Tevez, Higuain, Macherano, Veron, Park Ji Sung

Our Pick - Argentina & South Korea

GROUP C: England, USA, Algeria and Slovenia

England - what can one say! Suddenly India’s favourite side after Brazil. the “Golden Boys” will definitely look to prove their Premier League reputation right. Often criticized for not repeating their Premier League success … the Three Lions will be under immense pressure to prove the critics wrong. With Italian hard-man Fabio Capello at the helm of affairs expect no complacency or WAGfare - as seen previously!

USA - The Yanks will definitely try and prove how seriously they take the most watched sport. So what if they’re blonde as far as “soccer” goes … don’t count them out!

Algeria and Slovenia - both played and won their World Cup finals with play-off victories over Russia and Egypt, and it’s difficult to see them in South Africa as anything more than making up the numbers.

Stars - 90% of the England squad, Donavan

Our Pick - England & USA

GROUP D: Germany, Australia, Ghana and Serbia

Germany - Ballack OUT and Schweinsteiger the new poster boy! This is not a team of superstars but neither is it a team that will flounder on the big stage. It’s simply not the German way.

Australia - The socceroos’ football team is no match to their cricket counter-parts but with after a comfortable qualifying you can expect them to make the knock-outs, at least.

Ghana - Physically dominating with ruthless skill. The Dark Horse to reach the QFs. Will sure miss the brilliant Micheal Essien.

Serbia - A deadly back-four good enough to hold any side for 90 minutes and an undeterred attitude up-front. The best after Germany.

Stars - Schweinsteiger, Lahm, Podolski, Klose, Cahill, Vidic, Ivanovic

Our Pick - This one’s a bit tricky … we’ll go with Ze Germans & Serbia

Group E: Holland, Denmark, Cameroon and Japan

Holland - Everyone’s second team in Europe and the preachers of Total Football have surprisingly never won the WC. But with a brilliant attack, sublime mid-field and rubbish defence (as always!), you can expect the Dutch to have an easy campaign till the QF at least.

Denmark - A decent squad with not much really. Have a knack of springing up surprises.

Cameroon - should be decent so long as Samuel Eto’o doesn’t throw a hissy fit (he hilariously threatened to withdraw from the competition the other week after champion arse-wanker Roger Milla said some sort-of mean things about him).

Japan - can play well when they want to but run out of motivation in less than 90 minutes.

Stars - Kuyt, Rob Van Persie, Robben, Sniejder, Van Der Vaart, Van Bommel, Eto’o

Our Pick - Holland & Denmark

Group F: Italy, Paraguay, New Zealand, Slovakia

Italy - defending champs who have often looked like chumps in the recent years. A shocking down-slide after the victory 4 years back and an absolutely clueless squad. With Lippi’s love for chess-like tactics and a similar situation before Germany ‘06, don’t count the aged Italians to bow down so easily. Expect the shrewd Lippi to take them to the semis at least.

Paraguay - A good qualifying and a decent form in friendless indicates an assured entry into the knock-outs. Decent defence and attack, the only place the South-Americans lack is the mid-field with minimal creativity.

New Zealand - called one of the worst teams to qualify (blame it on that rubbish litle oceana group), the black caps will just be saying good0-bye soon enough.

Slovakia - their first tournament as an independent nation, and qualifying was a success for them. They’ll be relying on the sought-after Marek Hamsik for their creativity, but this might be a step too far for them.

Stars - Cannavaro, Rossi, Chiellini, Pirlo, Roque Santa Cruz

Our Pick - Italy & Paraguay

Group G: Brazil, Ivory Coast, Portugal and North Korea

Brazil - what can one say! India’s favourite team and the world’s second. With Mourinho like manager in Dunga who has sacrificed the traditional flair for a more solid game play. Although leaving Ronaldinho and Adriano out could prove fatal at the later stages of the tournament, expect the Samba boys to have an easy run.

Ivory Coast - with a brilliant qualifying and a rubbish decent manager in Ericksson, Ivory Coast are everyone’s dark horses to make it to the semis. With the typical African physicality and ruthless style of football, don’t expect them to give in easily to the Brazilians or the Portuguese.

Portugal - no Nani and Pepe. With a considerable ‘weakened’ attack and defence and the best player in the world not firing … don’t be surprised if last time’s semi-finalists don’t even make the next round.

North Korea - he only thing interesting about them is how their inevitable thrashings will be reported back home. Hail the Dear Leader.

Stars - Robinho, Kaka, Maicon, Dani Alves, Julio Ceaser, Lucio, Drogba, Cristiano Ronaldo, Deco

Our Pick - In this group of death we’ll go with Brazil & Ivory Coast (Yep, expect Portugal to crash out!).

Group H: Spain, Chile, Switzerland and Honduras

Spain - without a doubt the best team in the world. Absolutely flawless. The only team to have a world-class replacement for every player on the pitch. The question is - Who can stop them from winning?!

Chile - clearly the second favourites after finishing 2nd in the qualifying behind Brazil. A very talented attack and a decent mid-field should see them through to the last 16.

Switzerland - their biggest asset is probably manager Ottmar Hitzfeld, and not a lot should be read into their success in qualifying - they were in an absolutely rancid group, and still drew with Israel. Twice.

Honduras - nothing much to say. Will be catching the plane right after their 3rd game.

Stars - The entire Spanish squad, Palacious

Our Pick - Spain & Chile

With the group G the only tough one, expect affairs in the others to go on smoothly.

Hot Favourites - Spain, England, Germany, Holland, Brazil and Argentina

Our Pick - Spain / Brazil