年世界盃前瞻 世界盃將再次留在南美

2014 sees the World Cup returning to South America for the first time since 1978, when a Mario Kempes inspired Argentina saw off the Netherlands, keeping up the record that only South American teams have ever won the tournament when it's been held there. So will 2014 be any different ? Will any of the big European nations, including the holders Spain, be able to do what no other team has managed in the past ? Or does any other continent have the strength to see off the challenge from a strong South American group ?

2014年，世界盃在1978年以後又重新回到南美的懷抱，當時，馬里奧·肯佩斯（Mario Kempes）帶領阿根廷隊戰勝了荷蘭隊，保持着南美球隊在南美洲大陸上舉行的世界盃中贏得冠軍的記錄。那麼，2014年會有所不同嗎？包括衛冕冠軍西班牙隊在內的歐洲諸強能夠實現那些在過去的比賽中的歐洲球隊未能做到的嗎？抑或，有其他任何大陸能夠有實力挑戰強大的南美球隊嗎？

We'll start our review with the South American nations, and who else could we begin with, but the hosts Brazil. Rewind 18 months and they looked like they'd be struggling, but the appointment of 'Big Phil' Scolari has been inspired, and he's brought a belief to the team that was previously missing. Last years 3:0 demolition of Spain in the Confederations Cup final shocked many experts, and all of a sudden the Brazilians have expectations on them. Whilst you can't argue with that scoreline, we still wonder if Brazil have the firepower to win such a long tournament. Neymar is expected to conjure up the magic, but they're relying on Fred to come up with the goals. No disrepect to Fred, but the last two Brazilian teams to win the World Cup, in 2002 and 1994, could count on the likes of Ronaldo and Romario to lead the front line, two genuine legends of the game.

首先，我們來回顧一下這些南美國家吧。東道主巴西隊肯定是第一個要提到的。時間倒流18個月，巴西在這段時間一直在努力，但是對人稱“大菲爾”（Big Phil）的斯科拉里（Scolari）的任命起到了作用。他讓球隊重新拾回失去的信念。在2013年聯合會杯決賽中，3:0大勝西班牙的戰果讓諸多專業人士震驚，也在突然之間，巴西讓人們對他們寄予了厚望。雖然你無法駁斥這樣的比分，但是我們依舊想知道巴西是否有實力贏得此次世界盃。人們預計，內馬爾（Neymar）也將放出“魔法”大招，但是他們還是想依靠弗雷德來進球。這不是對弗雷德無禮，不過，在1994以及2002年，巴西之所以能夠贏得世界盃還是依靠於羅納爾多和羅馬裏奧領銜前線的成功，而這兩位也被譽爲世界盃的傳奇人物。

Argentina, the host nation's big rivals, are in with a great chance too. Any team featuring Lionel Messi is going to be in with a shout, but when you add to that the likes of Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain and Ezequiel Lavezzi, then it's a team with one of the best sets of attacking options in the tournament. Likewise, Uruguay's attacking trio of Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani and Diegoi Forlan is about as potent as it can get, and is capable of scoring goals against any team in the world, although whethere the rest of their team is strong enough is open to debate.

東道主的對手阿根廷隊在此次世界盃中也有很大的機會。一支以梅西爲主的隊伍都會在最後大放異彩，但是當你在隊伍中增添類似塞爾吉奧·阿奎羅（Sergio Aguero）、岡薩羅·伊瓜因（Gonzalo Higuan）和埃澤奎爾·拉維奇（Ezequiel Lavezzi）這樣的隊員的話，那麼它將是這屆世界盃上最具有進攻打法的球隊了。同理，烏拉圭的進攻三人組——路易斯·蘇亞雷斯（Luis Suarez）、埃丁森·卡瓦尼（Edinson Cavani）以及迪亞戈·弗蘭(Diegol Forlan)同樣擁有同等的實力，能對世界上任何一支球隊比賽時進球，不過，他們所在隊伍中其他人的實力是否足夠強還讓人存疑。

Chile were one of the most exciting teams at the 2010 World Cup and recentky gave England the run around at Wembley, whilst if Colombia can get Radamel Falcao fit then they could cause an upset or two. So of all the South American teams, only Ecuador look like they might struggle to get out of the group stages, with all the others more than capable of reaching the latter stages.

在2010年世界盃中，智利當屬最振奮人心的一支隊伍，並在最近的溫布利比賽中讓英格蘭隊在賽場上四處兜轉，不過，如果哥倫比亞隊能夠融合射手拉達梅爾·法爾考（Radamel Falcao），那麼這支隊可能會讓一兩支隊伍神傷了。因此，在所有的南美洲球隊中，似乎只有厄瓜多爾難以走出小組賽，而其餘的所有國家都有能力奮戰到後面的階段。

So with such a strong South American contingent, where will the main challenge come from ? Well, the big guns from Europe is the obvious answer. And where else could you look for a team of Champions than Spain. Having won the last World Cup, sandwiched between two European Championship triumphs, this is a team that not only knows how to play fantastic football, but that knows how to win. So whilst Messi and Ronaldo get all the annual plaudits and player of the year titles, the likes of Xavi and Iniesta go about winning all the major trophies. So will they be as string this year ? Well, worryingly for the rest of the world, yes. Not only are most of the old guard still there but talented youngsters such as Koke and Thiago Alcantara have joined the ranks. Not only that, but they've managed to grab a prolific striker, Diego Costa, from under the noses of the host nation, with the Atletico Madrid forward opting to play for Spain, rather than the nation of his birth.

因此，有如此強大的南美洲隊伍坐鎮，主要的挑戰力量將來自何方呢？嗯，來自歐洲的強勢力量恐怕便是最顯而易見的答案了，你還能去哪裏尋找一個比西班牙更有冠軍相的球隊呢？作爲一支衛冕冠軍，並坐擁兩屆歐錦賽的冠軍頭號，這是一支不僅知道如何出色發揮，同時知曉如何贏得比賽的隊伍。因此，雖然梅西和羅納爾多曾獲得所有年度最佳球員的頭銜，但是哈維（Xavi）和伊涅斯塔(Iniesta)卻將所有主要冠軍據爲己有。那麼，他們在2014年將延續冠軍生涯麼？對於這個困擾世界上其他國家的問題，答案是肯定的。不僅大多數老將依然堅守崗位，許多包括科克（Koke ）和蒂亞戈·阿爾坎塔拉(Thiago Alcantara)等有才華的年輕球員也加入了。不僅僅如此，他們還從東道主的眼皮下挖走了一個才華橫溢的射手蒂亞戈·科斯塔（Diego Costa）收入囊中，因爲這位馬德里競技（Atletico Madrid）的前鋒選擇爲西班牙效力，而非自己出生國家踢球。

Of the other teams, Germany have a fantastic team, with some great options all over the pitch. The Italians can never be discounted at tournaments, whilst Portugal, with Ronaldo in the team will be dangerous, and Belgium, with such an array of talent will be amongst everyone's list of dark horses.

對於其他隊伍而言，在球場上擁有良好判斷力的德國也是一直非常出色的隊伍。意大利也是世界盃上無法忽視的隊伍，而擁有羅納爾多的葡萄牙隊將會是一直極具危險性的隊伍。擁有衆多的大將的比利時隊也將成爲人們口中津津樂道的黑馬隊伍。

And England ? Well, maybe the best thing to say is that this time, for once, no-one is really expecting anything, and just even getting out of the group is going to be a bonus.

至於英格蘭嘛？或許最好的事情應該便是在此次比賽中無人會期待有任何事情的發生，而對於英格蘭而言，不從小組賽中淘汰掉便是一個褒獎了吧。