Germany
Qualified as UEFA Group C Winners.
Have previously participated in 17 World Cups: 1934, 1938, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1978 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2010
Previous best: Winners in 1954, 1974 and 1990
FIFA World ranking: 2
Germany have only failed to progress past round 1 once. In addition to winning it 3 times they have also finished 2nd four times and 3rd four times. The ultimate tournament team, they have won the European Championship 3 times and finished as runners-up 3 times. Germany is the only nation to have won both the men's and women's World Cups.
Squad:
GK: Neuer (Bayern Munich), Zieler (Hannover), Weidenfeller (Dortmund)
DF: Großkreutz (Dortmund), Ginter (Freiburg), Höwedes (Schalke), Hummels (Dortmund), Durm (Dortmund), Lahm (Bayern Munich), Mertesacker Arsenal), Boateng (Bayern Munich), Mustafi (Sampdoria)
MF: Khedira (Real Madrid), Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Özil (Arsenal), Müller (Bayern Munich), Draxler (Schalke), Kroos (Bayern Munich), Götze (Bayern Munich), Kramer (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
FW: Podolski (Arsenal), Klose (Lazio), Schürrle (Chelsea)
Portugal
Qualified by beating Sweden in a UEFA playoff.
Have previously participated in 5 World Cups: 1966, 1986, 2002, 2006 and 2010
Previous best: 3rd place in 1966
FIFA World ranking: 4
An underachieving squad of players lacking raw physicality, the Seleccao Das Quinas has the potential to lift the trophy, but there is a feeling of inevitability that they will crash out before reaching even the last-four of the tournament. No competition in the side has given players like Nani, Miguel Veloso and Raul Meireles assurance of their inclusion as there is a lack of alternatives. Portugal also boast one of the oldest squads in the tournament, with only two players under the age of 26 and many in their 30s.
Squad:
GK: Eduardo (Braga), Patricio (Sporting), Beto (Sevilla)
DF: Alves (Fenerbache), Pepe (Real Madrid), Coentrao (Real Madrid), Costa (Valencia), Neto (Zenit), Almeida (Benfica), Pereira (Valencia)
MF: Veloso (Dynamo Kiev), Carvalho (Sporting), Moutinho (Monaco), Vierinha (Wolfsburg), Silva (Braga), Meireles (Fenerbache), Nani (Man United), Varela (Porto), Amorim (Benfica)
FW: Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Almeida (Besiktas), Eder (Braga), Postiga (Lazio)
Ghana
Qualified by beating Egypt in a CAF playoff.
Have previously participated in 2 World Cups: 2006 and 2010
Previous best: Quarterfinal in 2010
FIFA World ranking: 38
As opposed to Portugal, Ghana have one of the youngest and more inexperienced squads, with Essien the only player over 30 years of age. It was only to be expected that they'd end up in the same group as Germany as that would see the brothers Boateng paired against each other.
Squad:
GK: Adams (Aduana Stars), Kwarasey (Strømsgodset), Dauda (Orlando Pirates)
DF: Inkoom (Platanias), Opare (Standard Liege), Sumaila (Mamelodi Sundowns), Mensah (Evian), Boye (Rennes), Afful (Esperance de Tunis)
MF: Essien (AC Milan), Acquah (Parma), Atsu (Chelsea, on loan to Vitesse), Agyemang-Badu (Udinese), Ayew (Marseille), Muntari (AC Milan), Adomah (Middlesbrough), Rabiu (Kuban Krasnodar), Asamoah (Juventus), Mubarak (Rubin Kazan)
FW: Gyan (Al-Ain), Boateng (Schalke), Ayew (Socheaux), Waris (Valenciennes)
USA
Qualified as CONCACAF winners.
Have previously participated in 9 World Cups: 1930, 1934, 1950, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2010
Previous best: 3rd place in 1930
FIFA World ranking: 13
Qualifying for every World Cup since 1990, The Yanks, who are led by German legend Jurgen Klinsmann, have been wrecking crew the past year, qualifying unbeaten with two games to spare. USA are also the reigning CONCACAF Gold Cup champions. However, Klinsmann has his work cut out trying to outwit the other teams in the group. Does he stand a chance? Not according to Philipp Lahm: “The experiment with Klinsmann was a failure. He didn’t care much for tactical stuff … It was up to the players to come together before a match and discuss how we were going to play.”
Squad:
GK: Howard (Everton), Guzan (Aston Villa), Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
DF: Yedlin (Seattle Sounders), Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Beasley (Puebla), Cameron (Stoke), Chandler (Nürnberg), Johnson (Hoffenheim)
MF: Bradley (Toronto FC), Diskerud (Rosenborg), Bedoya (Nantes), Jones (Besiktas), Davis (Houston Dynamo), Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Green (Bayern Munich), Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
FW: Dempsey (Seattle Sounders), Johannson (AZ), Altidore (Sunderland), Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
GROUP G SCHEDULE:
June 16: Germany vs. Portugal in Salvador; Ghana vs. USA in Natal
June 21: Germany vs. Ghana in Fortaleza
June 22: USA vs. Portugal in Manaus
June 26: USA vs. Germany in Recife; Portugal vs. Ghana in Brasilia
Qualified as UEFA Group C Winners.
Have previously participated in 17 World Cups: 1934, 1938, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1978 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2010
Previous best: Winners in 1954, 1974 and 1990
FIFA World ranking: 2
Germany have only failed to progress past round 1 once. In addition to winning it 3 times they have also finished 2nd four times and 3rd four times. The ultimate tournament team, they have won the European Championship 3 times and finished as runners-up 3 times. Germany is the only nation to have won both the men's and women's World Cups.
Squad:
GK: Neuer (Bayern Munich), Zieler (Hannover), Weidenfeller (Dortmund)
DF: Großkreutz (Dortmund), Ginter (Freiburg), Höwedes (Schalke), Hummels (Dortmund), Durm (Dortmund), Lahm (Bayern Munich), Mertesacker Arsenal), Boateng (Bayern Munich), Mustafi (Sampdoria)
MF: Khedira (Real Madrid), Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Özil (Arsenal), Müller (Bayern Munich), Draxler (Schalke), Kroos (Bayern Munich), Götze (Bayern Munich), Kramer (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
FW: Podolski (Arsenal), Klose (Lazio), Schürrle (Chelsea)
Portugal
Qualified by beating Sweden in a UEFA playoff.
Have previously participated in 5 World Cups: 1966, 1986, 2002, 2006 and 2010
Previous best: 3rd place in 1966
FIFA World ranking: 4
An underachieving squad of players lacking raw physicality, the Seleccao Das Quinas has the potential to lift the trophy, but there is a feeling of inevitability that they will crash out before reaching even the last-four of the tournament. No competition in the side has given players like Nani, Miguel Veloso and Raul Meireles assurance of their inclusion as there is a lack of alternatives. Portugal also boast one of the oldest squads in the tournament, with only two players under the age of 26 and many in their 30s.
Squad:
GK: Eduardo (Braga), Patricio (Sporting), Beto (Sevilla)
DF: Alves (Fenerbache), Pepe (Real Madrid), Coentrao (Real Madrid), Costa (Valencia), Neto (Zenit), Almeida (Benfica), Pereira (Valencia)
MF: Veloso (Dynamo Kiev), Carvalho (Sporting), Moutinho (Monaco), Vierinha (Wolfsburg), Silva (Braga), Meireles (Fenerbache), Nani (Man United), Varela (Porto), Amorim (Benfica)
FW: Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Almeida (Besiktas), Eder (Braga), Postiga (Lazio)
Ghana
Qualified by beating Egypt in a CAF playoff.
Have previously participated in 2 World Cups: 2006 and 2010
Previous best: Quarterfinal in 2010
FIFA World ranking: 38
As opposed to Portugal, Ghana have one of the youngest and more inexperienced squads, with Essien the only player over 30 years of age. It was only to be expected that they'd end up in the same group as Germany as that would see the brothers Boateng paired against each other.
Squad:
GK: Adams (Aduana Stars), Kwarasey (Strømsgodset), Dauda (Orlando Pirates)
DF: Inkoom (Platanias), Opare (Standard Liege), Sumaila (Mamelodi Sundowns), Mensah (Evian), Boye (Rennes), Afful (Esperance de Tunis)
MF: Essien (AC Milan), Acquah (Parma), Atsu (Chelsea, on loan to Vitesse), Agyemang-Badu (Udinese), Ayew (Marseille), Muntari (AC Milan), Adomah (Middlesbrough), Rabiu (Kuban Krasnodar), Asamoah (Juventus), Mubarak (Rubin Kazan)
FW: Gyan (Al-Ain), Boateng (Schalke), Ayew (Socheaux), Waris (Valenciennes)
USA
Qualified as CONCACAF winners.
Have previously participated in 9 World Cups: 1930, 1934, 1950, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2010
Previous best: 3rd place in 1930
FIFA World ranking: 13
Qualifying for every World Cup since 1990, The Yanks, who are led by German legend Jurgen Klinsmann, have been wrecking crew the past year, qualifying unbeaten with two games to spare. USA are also the reigning CONCACAF Gold Cup champions. However, Klinsmann has his work cut out trying to outwit the other teams in the group. Does he stand a chance? Not according to Philipp Lahm: “The experiment with Klinsmann was a failure. He didn’t care much for tactical stuff … It was up to the players to come together before a match and discuss how we were going to play.”
Squad:
GK: Howard (Everton), Guzan (Aston Villa), Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
DF: Yedlin (Seattle Sounders), Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Beasley (Puebla), Cameron (Stoke), Chandler (Nürnberg), Johnson (Hoffenheim)
MF: Bradley (Toronto FC), Diskerud (Rosenborg), Bedoya (Nantes), Jones (Besiktas), Davis (Houston Dynamo), Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Green (Bayern Munich), Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
FW: Dempsey (Seattle Sounders), Johannson (AZ), Altidore (Sunderland), Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
GROUP G SCHEDULE:
June 16: Germany vs. Portugal in Salvador; Ghana vs. USA in Natal
June 21: Germany vs. Ghana in Fortaleza
June 22: USA vs. Portugal in Manaus
June 26: USA vs. Germany in Recife; Portugal vs. Ghana in Brasilia
