Alex Butcher (@alexbutcher12) takes a look at the dark horses who have produced some impressive performances so far at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
With the group stages approaching their climax, there have already been shocks, surprises, and the obvious disappointments. But there are a few teams that don’t, and perhaps won’t, fit into those categories at whatever furlong they may fall.
There are three teams in my eyes that came into this competition as dark horses. The first of which are Belgium. The ‘Red Devils’ have been talked about so much that I almost ruled them out of this article, but for a team with no experience of major international tournaments, their progression is something worth noting.
This set of players has been labelled as the new “Golden Generation” of Belgian football, and there is no doubt to their individual credentials. Thibaut Courtois, Vincent Kompany and Eden Hazard can lay claims to being amongst the world’s very best in their respective positions.
Marc Wilmots’ men have two wins, and have qualified with a game to spare, but they haven’t left too much of an impression on me so far. There has been a lack of fluency to their play, and the style of football which many expected hasn’t seen them dominate their opponents. A more direct approach was needed to get them back on terms against Algeria, but their speed on the break is definitely a huge asset and has been used to good effect eventually.
The two late winners have come from moments of brilliance and a cutting edge, and with Kompany captaining, I have no doubt that this side won’t give up on a game until the final whistle blows.
Chile are next up, and have been well fancied as a side who could lift the trophy, despite landing in a tough group. Some bravely predicted the demise of Spain, some thought that The Netherlands would implode like in years gone by – either way, many tipped the South Americans to advance. And they have, also with one game remaining.
Chile gained a reputation for their hugely entertaining style of play under Marcelo Bielsa, which was unfortunately halted by Brazil in the 2nd round back in 2010. This time under Jorge Sampaoli they are looking even better, and their performance against Spain highlighted that.
They were quick, aggressive, and put on another fine defensive display despite it not looking the strongest on paper. Throw in the old stat about it having to be a South American side winning it, and it’s hard to argue against them so far. However, after the defeat to the Netherlands, they now find themselves in exactly the same position as 2010. Can they go one better this time around against the hosts?
Finally, my dark horses – Colombia. They finished just two points behind Argentina in the South American qualifying campaign, and despite the unfortunate absence of Falcao, this side still looks remarkably strong. It’s hard to make a case for them just on the basis of qualifying from Group C. They have made it look easy, and should seal the top spot when they face Japan next.
It’s hard to see them failing to progress past the runners-up of an underwhelming Group D, especially if James Rodriguez continues to dazzle like he has during the opening stages of the tournament. A quarter-final spot will make history for Colombian football, but they will not want to stop there.
So can a dark horse upset the odds and actually go all the way this time? This bunch certainly believe so.
