World Cup 2014: Your guide to Group B with holders Spain in repeat of 2010 final with Holland as Chile and Australia face tough test
The fixtures:
June 13 - Spain v Holland - 21.00 - Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador
June 13 - Chile v Australia - 23.00 - Arena Pantanal, Cuiaba
June 18 - Spain v Chile - 20.00 - Estadio do Maracana, Rio De Janeiro (*moved from original 23.00 kick off)
June 18 - Australia v Holland - 17.00 - Estadio Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre
June 23 - Australia v Spain - 17.00 - Arena da Baixada, Curitiba
June 23 - Holland v Chile - 17.00 - Arena Corinthians, Sao Paulo
(all times in BST)
Click here for Mail Online's venue guide for Brazil
The teams:
Spain
Population: 47.27 million
National dish: Paella
National anthem: The Marcha Real
Best World Cup finish: Winners 2010.
Premier League pedigree: Nacho Monreal, Santi Cazorla (Arsenal), Fernando Torres, Juan Mata, Cesar Azpilicueata (Chelsea), Jesus Navas Alvaro Negredo, David Silva, Javi Garcia(Man City), David De Gea (Man Utd), Roberto Soldado (Spurs), Michu (Swansea
Pass master: The relentless tiki-taka style of Spanish players like Andres Iniesta makes them a joy to watch
Breathtaking: Xavi will link up with club team-mate Iniesta to produce one of the most formidable midfields
MAGIC MOMENT
Andres Iniesta’s extra time winning goal in the South Africa 2010 final ended years of underachievement by Spain – and meant the beautiful game triumphed over Holland’s attempts to kick them off the park.
Meet the coach: Vicente del Bosque. The 62-year-old genius who found a way to end the traditional feuds between players from Barcelona and Real Madrid and get all the talents pulling in the same direction. Only man to win three major tournaments in a row.
Meet the captain: Iker Casillas. Now has an incredible 152 caps but still aged only 32 so could go on to get 200. Real Madrid’s goalkeeper has been his country’s first choice for nearly 14 years.
Star man: Andres Iniesta. Pass, pass, and pass again. Barcelona’s midfield man will torment any side making them chase all day for possession – and then chase some more.
Watch out for: Cristian Tello. Latest forward off the Barcelona youth production line, the 22-year-old could get his chance if Fernando Torres keeps struggling for form.
Starlet: Keep an eye on Christian Tello, who may be one of Spain's unsung heroes
Familiar sight: Real Madrid icon Iker Casillas will be between the sticks for Spain yet again in Brazil
Vital statistic Spain averaged the highest possession figure of any European nation in qualifying (74.3%) and also had the highest passes per game average (849 per game).
Coral odds to win: 7/1
Draw danger rating: 5/5
Talking tactics: Just keep the ball. Del Bosque’s great achievement has been to get the rest of the team to buy into the Barcelona way of Tiki-taka.
Most likely to: Be top of all the Opta stats for number of completed passes.
Holland
Population: 16.7 million
National dish: Stampot – vegetables and meat, usually sausage, cooked in one pan
National anthem: Het Wilhelmus
Best World Cup finish: Runners up 1974, 1978 and 2010.
Hitman: Manchester United's star striker Robin van Persie leads his Holland side from the front
View from the touchline: Holland coach Louis van Gaal gives instructions to his players
MAGIC MOMENT
Forget any goals, matches, wins or defeats, it has to be the Cruyff turn, unveiled for the first time in a 1974 match with Sweden. Pure genius by one of the game’s greats.
Premier League pedigree: Tim Krul (Newcastle), Maarten Stekelenburg (Fulham) Michel Vorm, (Swansea), Ron Vlaar (Asston Villa), Leroy Fer, Ricky Van Wolfswinkel (Norwich), Marco Van Ginkel (Chelsea), Robin Van Persie (Man Utd).
Meet the coach: Louis Van Gaal. Great disciple of the Dutch traditions of Total Football, at 62 he’s in his second spell as Dutch managerwith a 28-year coaching career at clubs like Ajax and Barcelona behind him.
Meet the captain: Robin van Persie. Time for Manchester United’s Premier League golden boot winner to hit the heights on the world stage with a side who have been brilliant in qualifying.
Star man: Arjen Robben. Bayern Munich winger has won League titles in England, Spain and Germany with a Champions League and World Cup runner-up medal thrown in. Great turn of pace and accurate crossing.
Curler: Holland always pose a threat with attacking quality like Bayern Munich's Arjen Robben (centre)
Still got it: Holland will be aided by the talents of Wesley Sneijder (left), flying past Konstantin Vassiljev
Vital statistic Netherlands qualified for the 2014 World Cup with ease, having won nine points (28) more than the next best side (Romania – 19) in Group D.
Coral odds to win: 28/1
Draw danger rating: 4/5
Watch out for: Stefan de Vrij. Captain of Feyenoord at the tender age of 21, the 6ft 2ins centre half is cool on the ball as well as a powerful defender
Talking tactics: Free flowing midfield, with players who rotate positions and Robben likely to pop up to torment defenders on either right or left wing. Easy on the eye.
Most likely to: Have wives, girlfriends and children in their camp for a month long party.
Chile
Population: 17.46 million
National dish: Curanto – a stew of seafood, meat and vegetables
National anthem: Himno Nacional de Chile
Best World Cup finish: Third place 1962
Premier League pedigree: Gary Medel (Cardiff)
Star turn: Barcelona winger Alexis Sanchez (left), taking on Brazil's Luis Gustavo, is Chile's talisman
MAGIC MOMENT
Two years after an earthquake devastated the country, Chile hosted the tournament in 1962. Legend has it they ate Swiss cheese before beating Switzerland, spaghetti before beating Italy, and drank vodka before knocking USSR out of the quarter-final.
Meet the coach: Jorge Sampaoli. Argentine who quit playing through injury at 19. Started his coaching career with an amateur club.
Worked his way up, winning the Copa Sudamericana with Universidad de Chile before taking his current job in 2012.
Meet the captain: Claudio Bravo. Agile Real Sociedad goalkeeper, 30, has been his country’s undisputed number one for nearly ten years, and worn the armband since 2007.
Star man: Alexis Sanchez: Barcelona paid £23million to sign the 5ft 7ins winger from Udinese in Italy – can play on either wing or as a central striker. Some 22 goals in 64 games for his country so far.
Feisty: Cardiff's Chilean hardman Gary Medel (left) battles for the ball with Brazil striker Jo
Watch out for: Gary Medel. Known as the ‘Pitbull’ in Seville where he got five red cards and 33 yellows in three seasons, he’s been tamed since moving to Cardiff and is now the man who makes the Chile midfield tick.
Vital statistic Chile were awarded four red cards; the most by any team during the CONMEBOL qualifying phase.
Coral odds to win: 50/1
Draw danger rating: 4/5
Talking tactics: Sampaoli goes for a brave ‘basketball’ style of football – we attack you, you attack us. Scored the second most goals in South American qualifying, but conceded most too.
Most likely to: Be involved in a 5-4 thriller.
Australia
Population: 22.68 million
National dish: Anything – just throw it on the barbecue
National anthem: Advance Australia Fair
Best World Cup finish: Round of 16, 2006
Premier League pedigree: Mile Jedinak (Crystal Palace)
Helping hand: Former Blackburn and West Ham star Lucas Neill (right) will skipper the Socceroos in Brazil
Making his point: Veteran Tim Cahill is still Australia's star man and the biggest goal threat
MAGIC MOMENT
Tim Cahill’s two goals against Japan got the campaign off to a rousing start in Germany.
Meet the coach: Angelos Postecoglou. Born in Greece, he was five when his family moved to Melbourne. Now 48, he is Australia’s most successful domestic coach and replaced German Holger Osieck last month.
Meet the captain: Lucas Neill. Former Blackburn, West Ham and Everton defender is now 35 and playing in Japan as he aims for a World Cup swansong to his career
Star man: Tim Cahill. A sign that domestic players from Oz are not developing that at 33 the former Everton man remains the most likely to get a goal.
On the road: Angelos Postecoglou is new to the role of Australia manager as they prepare for Brazil
Vital statistic The Socceroos won just three of their eight fourth round matches; fewer than the other three CAF qualifiers for the 2014 WC finals – Japan (5), Iran (5), South Korea (4).
Coral odds to win: 500/1
Draw danger rating: 2/5
Watch out for: Mathew Leckie: Robust, busy striker who is 22 and has been making a name for himself in Germany with Frankfurt.
Talking tactics: Postecoglou is new in the job so his plans are unknown, but his club success has mostly been based on quick counter attacking and the use of wingers.
Most likely to: Hit the Copacabana beach and go surfing.
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