International Football: The End of Year Report

ENGLAND: A

Scarcely can a team ever have had such a marked improvement over the course of twelve months.  A year ago today Mladen Petric ended their Euro 2008 involvement before it had even began with the winning goal in Croatia’s 3-2 win at Wembley, but today England are in a commanding position in their World Cup qualification group, playing excellent football and have a series of five consecutive morale-boosting away wins under their belt.  Michael Owen and David Beckham’s international stars are fading quickly while England suddenly seem to have a plethora of quality in reserve as demonstrated in Berlin on Wednesday night.

Star Player: Wayne Rooney
Doing Well: Frank Lampard, Emile Heskey, Steven Gerrard, Gareth Barry
Hope For The Future: Theo Walcott, Gabriel Agbonlahor

Must Do Better: Darren Bent, Scott Carson
Managerial Status: Solid as a rock

SPAIN: A+

The European Champions and deservedly so.  Under Luis Aragonés, Spain finally shook off their reputation for choking at the major tournaments and won Euro 2008 playing entertaining, attacking football.  Raúl may have been cast aside but in David Villa and Fernando Torres they have probably the most deadly strike partnership in the world game while Andrés Iniesta and Xavi have finally proved themselves world class on the international stage.  Under Vicente del Bosque they are the only team other than England with four wins from four matches in the European World Cup qualifiers.

Star Player: Marcos Senna

Doing Well: Fernando Torres, David Villa, Xavi, Andrés Iniesta, Joan Capdevila

Hope For The Future: Bojan Krkic, Diego Capel, Santi Cazorla, Fernando Llorente

Managerial Status: Solid as a rock

BRAZIL: B-

It is inconceivable that they won’t qualify automatically for the World Cup and they beat Portugal 6-2 in Brasilia on Wednesday night but Dunga is an unpopular manager, seen as the architect of a dull style of football which has brought goalless draws in their last three home World Cup qualifiers against Argentina, Bolivia and Colombia.  On the upside, they still have Kaká, one of the world’s finest players, Luís Fabiano is scoring goals for fun and Ronaldinho seems to be enjoying a revival at Milan.

Star Player: Luís Fabiano

Doing Well: Kaká, Júlio César, Robinho

Hope For The Future: Hernanes, Henrique, Marcelo, Alexandre Pato

Must Do Better: Adriano, Ronaldinho

Managerial Status: Shaky

ARGENTINA: C

They should be the best team in the world but are nowhere near that status.  Their physical weakness is increasingly dragging results downwards and, like Brazil, have just four wins from their ten qualifying matches so far.  A change of manager sees the national icon Diego Maradona take over from Alfio Basile but that is a huge gamble given Maradona’s temperament and recent health problems.  In Lionel Messi they have the world’s best player of the last twenty years and potentially the greatest of all time but the team continue to fail to get the best out of him.  The rôle of playmaker Juan Román Riquelme remains a key, unresolved issue.

Star Player: Lionel Messi

Doing Well: Sergio Agüero, Esteban Cambiasso, Javier Mascherano

Hope For The Future: Ángel di Maria, Ezequiel Lavezzi, Ever Banega

Must Do Better: Carlos Tévez, Gabriel Heinze, Juan Román Riquelme

Managerial Status: Stand well back, it’s gonna blow

GERMANY: B

Joachim Löw has fallen out of Löw with some key players; Torsten Frings is nowhere to be seen and striker Kevin Kurányi will not play again during the current manager’s reign.  A strong start to the World Cup campaign only slightly disrupted by a chaotic 3-3 draw in Finland but wins over Russia and Wales put them in a strong position.  They lack the commanding defense of old; Metzelder, Mertesacker and Friedrich simply aren’t good enough to win a World Cup and they have no obvious first-choice goalkeeper, although in Philipp Lahm they have one of the best attacking wing-backs in the world.  Michael Ballack remains their key player but in Lukas Podolski and Bastian Schweinsteiger they have creative quality around him.

Star Player: Lukas Podolski

Doing Well: Michael Ballack, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Philipp Lahm

Hope For The Future: Marko Marin, Serdar Tasci, Mesut Özil

Must Do Better: Per Mertesacker, Simon Rolfes, Mario Gómez

Managerial Status: Will pull through

ITALY: B-

The world champions disappointed in Euro 2008 although they had a tough draw.  Marcello Lippi is back in charge after standing down following the World Cup triumph and has got Italy winning again, although not always comfortably.  Their awkward trips to Bulgaria and Cyprus brought four points while Roma midfielder Alberto Aquilani’s brace got them a home win over Montenegro.  Serie A will always provide international players aplenty but choosing the best first XI is no mean feat.  As ever, the Italian side has a high average age; it takes time for quality to break into the first team.

Star Player: Daniele De Rossi

Doing Well: Alberto Aquilani, Antonio Di Natale

Hope For The Future: Sebastian Giovinco, Simone Pepe, Giuseppe Rossi

Must Do Better: Antonio Cassano, Vincenzo Iaquinta

Managerial Status: Untouchable

FRANCE: D-

Hopeless at Euro 2008, little better in World Cup qualifying, France have immense talent but simply do not perform as a team; in that respect, they are the new England.  Henry is finding some form at Barcelona at last while Franck Ribéry has been a big miss following his injury against Italy in Euro 2008 and Yoann Gourcuff is getting regular football on loan at Bordeaux from Milan.  His spectacular equalizer saved a point in Romania which could be vital come the final qualifying table but a 3-1 defeat in Austria was shameful.  Drew 0-0 against Uruguay in Paris on Wednesday night; the calls for Raymond Domenech’s dismissal are getting louder.

Star Player: Yoann Gourcuff

Doing Well: Nicolas Anelka, Thierry Henry, Frank Ribéry

Hope For The Future: Karim Benzema, Samir Nasri, Gaël Clichy

Must Do Better: Florent Malouda, Karim Benzema, Jean-Alain Boumsong, William Gallas

Managerial Status: Damoclean