Chile enjoyed a fine qualifying campaign and have a wily coach at the helm in Marcelo Bielsa, but can they join Spain in advancing from Group H?
Their first World Cup in twelve years, it was perhaps a shock that Chile successfully navigated the notoriously difficult South American CONMEBOL zone of qualification. That they did so in second place, just a point below Brazil is extraordinary. With 32 goals in 18 qualifying appearances, this summer looks set for future Chilean superstars to be christened on the world stage more than a decade after Marcelo Salas and Ivan Zamorano had done the same.
Under the tutelage of Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa, Chile are a pacy, dangerous force to be reckoned with. With one defeat in their last seven pre-tournament friendlies, they are a side brimming with confidence and favourites to push Spain in the hopes of topping Group H.
Star Player: Humberto Suazo
With ten goals during qualifying, Humberto Suazo bested much-fancied Brazilian striker Luis Fabiano for the honour of top goal scorer in the South American qualifying zone. Currently plying his trade for Real Zaragoza on a loan deal from Mexican side Monterray, the baby-faced (literally, the man looks like a giant baby) striker hit the net on six occasions in 17 games for the Spanish side. With his future up in the air for now, another successful campaign could raise the forward’s profile towards a permanent move to European shores.
Manager: Marcelo Bielsa
After Argentina’s disastrous World Cup 2002 group exit, their coach Marcelo Bielsa narrowly held onto his job, re-affirming his reputation later with a gold medal at the 2004 Olympic Games. Three years later Bielsa took the reins at Chile and later stunned detractors with a surprising 1-0 victory at a crucial point in his home nation’s then-precarious qualification route. Nicknamed “El Loco†or “The Madmanâ€, apparently the coach spends much of his time in a gardener’s shack next to his side’s training pitch, endlessly assessing tactics from a collection of video-taped performances, believed to total over 3,000. If Bielsa can repeat his successful qualifying campaign tactics on the world’s biggest stage in South Africa (as he failed to do so in 2002), perhaps “El Loco†can shrug off his infamous nickname after all.
Prediction: Second round exit
Chile’s last World Cup adventure in 1998 ended with a second round defeat to Brazil at the Parc des Princes in Paris. Sadly their 2010 campaign may end in startlingly similar circumstances. Chile do have the firepower to escape from Group H, though defeating Spain may be beyond their reach. If, as expected, Brazil top Group G it would appear to be too tough a task for a second-placed Chileans, after the Brazilians have already defeated them twice by two- and three-goal margins in qualification.
Odds: 66/1
Irishness rating: 5/10
The hype may have passed you by but there will be another upcoming World Cup in the next few months – the Women’s Hockey World Cup 2010, held in you guessed it, well okay you didn’t – Argentina. However, each qualifier for the tournament had to first make it through one of three qualification tournaments held in USA, Russia and Chile. Ireland ended up losing a dismal three out of their four matches in Chile and sadly missed out on qualification. Their sole victory however? A 3-0 trashing of the Chilean hosts themselves – good work ladies. What this has to do with us, we’re struggling.
If they were a car they’d be…
Williams-Cosworth Formula 1 – Far from the best car on the grid but anything they do well, they do going forwards.
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