World Cup Group D England Uruguay Italy Costa Rica

14 June 2014
Uruguay v Costa Rica, Estadio Castelao, Fortaleza, 20:00 (ITV)

14 June 2014
England v Italy, Arena Amazonia, Manaus, 23:00 (BBC)

19 June 2014
Uruguay v England , Arena de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, 20:00 (ITV)

20 June 2014
Italy v Costa Rica, Arena Pernambuco, Recife, 17:00 (BBC)

24 June 2014
Italy v Uruguay, Arena das Dunas, Natal, 17:00 (ITV)

24 June 2014
Costa Rica v England, Estadio Mineirao, Belo Horizonte, 17:00 (ITV)


Uruguay
Goalkeepers : Fernando Muslera (Galatasaray), Martin Silva (Vasco da Gama), Rodrigo Munoz (Libertad).
Defenders: Maximiliano Pereira (Benfica), Diego Lugano (West Bromwich Albion), Diego Godin, Jose Maria Gimenez (both Atletico Madrid), Sebastian Coates (Liverpool), Martin Caceres (Juventus), Jorge Fucile (Porto).
Midfielders: Alejandro Silva (Lanus), Alvaro Gonzalez (Lazio), Alvaro Pereira (Sao Paulo), Walter Gargano (Parma), Egidio Arevalo Rios (Morelia), Diego Perez (Bologna), Sebastian Eguren (Palmeiras), Cristian Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid), Gaston Ramirez (Southampton), Nicolas Lodeiro (Botafogo).
Forwards: Luis Suarez (Liverpool), Edinson Cavani (Paris St Germain), Abel Hernandez (Palermo), Diego Forlan (Cerezo Osaka), Christian Stuani (Espanyol).



England
Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Man City), Ben Foster (WBA), Fraser Forster (Celtic).
Defenders: Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Phil Jones (Man United), Chris Smalling (Man United), Leighton Baines (Everton), Luke Shaw (Southampton).
Midfielders: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), James Milner (Man City), Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), Adam Lallana (Southampton), Ross Barkley (Everton).
Forwards: Wayne Rooney (Man United), Danny Welbeck (Man United), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Rickie Lambert (Southampton).


Italy Provisional
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Mattia Perin (Genoa), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint Germain),
Defenders: Ignazio Abate (Milan), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Matteo Darmian (Torino), Mattia De Sciglio (Milan), Christian Maggio (Napoli), Gabriel Paletta (Parma), Manuel Pasqual (Fiorentina), Andrea Ranocchia (Inter);
Midfielders: Alberto Aquilani (Fiorentina), Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (Milan), Thiago Motta (Paris Saint Germain), Marco Parolo (Parma), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus), Romulo (Verona), Marco Verratti (Paris Saint Germain);
Forwards: Mario Balotelli (Milan), Antonio Cassano (Parma), Alessio Cerci (Torino), Mattia Destro (Roma), Ciro Immobile (Torino), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Giuseppe Rossi (Fiorentina).



Costa Rica Provisional
Goalkeepers: Keylor Navas (Levante), Patrick Pemberton (Alajuelense) Daniel Cambronero (Herediano), Esteban Alvarado (AZ Alkmaar).
Defenders: Johnny Acosta (Alajuelense), Giancarlo Gonzalez (Columbus Crew), Michael Umana (Saprissa), Oscar Duarte (Bruges), Waylon Francis (Columbus Crew), Heiner Mora (Saprissa), Junior Diaz (Mainz 05), Christian Gamboa (Rosenborg), Roy Miller (New York Red Bulls), Kendall Waston (Saprissa).
Midfielders: Celso Borges (AIK), Christian Bolanos (Copenhagen), Esteban Granados (Herediano), Michael Barrantes (Aalesund), Yeltsin Tejeda (Saprissa), Diego Calvo (Valerenga), Jose Miguel Cubero (Herediano) Carlos Hernandez (Wellington Phoenix), Ariel Rodriguez (Alajuelense), Hansell Arauz (Saprissa).
Forwards: Alvaro Saborio (Real Salt Lake), Bryan Ruiz (PSV Eindhoven, on loan from Fulham), Joel Campbell (Olympiakos, on loan from Arsenal), Randall Brenes (Cartagines), Marco Urena (FC Kuban Krasnodar), Jairo Arrieta (Columbus Crew)

A fascinating group for many reasons, are Uruguay the team who were semi finalists four years ago or are tehy team who tinkered and toiled in qualifying. How good are Italy? They surprised many by getting to a Euro finals 2 years ago, tactically out doing Spain in the groups and Mario being his best in outdoing the Germans along the way and will Uncle Woy be conservative or will he throw in the youth and put it up 'em.
I am going to make the bold assumption that England and Italy will draw as both teams will be petrified of defeat and that Uruguay will defeat Italy in a cynical game and that England will get through by virtue of drawing with Uruguay. The one team I have failed to mention, Costa Rica, are also capable of ruining somebody's Summer. They seem to be well organised and have a great keeper, so I wouldn't be surprised if they changed the complexion of the group, for now though I am going Uruguay from England.

I think England as 33/1 outsiders could surprise a few people. I'm going to have an each way bet on them. Sturbridge Gerrand and Sterling have been quality this season and I can see Rooney enjoying playing with them. Weak link is obviously defence but it's no worse than Uruguay's. Should be a good group and for once, I actually wouldn't mind seeing England do well.

Kerrzy wrote: Max Power wrote: I think England as 33/1 outsiders could surprise a few people. I'm going to have an each way bet on them. Sturbridge Gerrand and Sterling have been quality this season and I can see Rooney enjoying playing with them. Weak link is obviously defence but it's no worse than Uruguay's. Should be a good group and for once, I actually wouldn't mind seeing England do well. I do hope you are right. Hopefully we do have a team from the British Isles to roar home. But like the majority of your football input, your contribution is awful. They shouldnt be backed at 3330/1

Roll on May

I'll have the winners covered in having Spain and Germany well backed anyway. Need a small bet on an outsider for the craic, will have England and Chile.

Edited by Max Power - 17 May 2014 at 2:51am

Even though I don't think they will go through Costa Rica will be dangerous team for England to play in last game would say they'd be better able for the heat in Belo Horizonte then English will.

Can see England crashing out with P3 L3

I will wait to give an opinion on England when I see the team he picks.
He's on a hiding to nothing regardless with their unrealistic hopes. Get through the group, they'll be talking about winning it.
If he picks the best 11 they'll get out of the group at the expense of Uruguay.

The English media in the main have not been bad at all. The same can be said about their fans...if anything they are pessimistic to a man. I think they have finally realised they are not all cracked up to be.

Hodgson's a 4-4-1-1 guy aint he?

Think England will surprise a lot of people. The opening game with Italy has a draw written all over it IMO which will suit both teams.

Uruguay have serous firepower but defensively are average at best. Coates and Lugano in particular would hardly inspire confidence.

England and Italy to qualify for me.