K minus 4 days - Four Teams That Can Win

Argentina in 2014 is one of the most settled World Cup teams since that fateful World Cup in 1986, where a diminutive talisman called Diego Maradona managed to gain notoriety and footballing equivalent of immortality in a matter of minutes, while guiding their good enough team to one of the best World Cup Championships, almost "singlehandedly"

Even after leaving out "the people's player" Carlos Tevez, the Argentine attack looks sharper than ever with an amazing forward lineup of Higuain, Aguero, Lavezzi, Palacios and a extraordinary man who's just finding his feet in the national setup, Lionel Messi. The are supported by an efficient group which includes Di Maria, Rodriguez, Mascherano backed up by Zabaleta and Romero

This World Cup, Argentina are not just trying to live up to their name but are a team to beat. And playing in the neighborhood would definitely boost their chances much further. Don't be surprised if they are fighting for the title on July 13th at Rio de Janeiro

One of the most consistent teams at the world stage is one of the most disciplined and powerful as well. Ever since they won that ill tempered final in 1990 final against Argentina, avenging the defeat of four years earlier, Germany played a final, two semifinals and two more quarters. In fact, in their 17 appearances at the finals, they failed to reach quarter finals just twice, the last time in 1978 in Argentina

The physicality, the strength, the defending ability, the attacking calibre and the ever emerging talent had been factors to German consistency at the world stage but their inability to get to and surpass the final is fast becoming the story of a legend itself. But the current team has been blending together beautifully owing much to the strong performances of Bundesliga teams

Manuel Neuer to Philipp Lahm, Sami Khedira to Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mesut Ozil to Thomas Muller and then Mertesacker, Kroos, Schuerrle, Klose the German team looks strongest of them all on paper but their performance on the pitch especially in the crucial knockout stages could well define this tourney

Spanish top tier league La Liga is one of the best followed leagues in the world with highly competitive display from the top teams Barcelona, Real Madrid and most recently Atletico. They attract the best talent from the world while retaining the crux of the domestic talent. No wonder Spain has achieved a level of consistency at the top level that it almost feels boring to watch them. Their football follows a predictable path of seamless passing, possession and precision finishing

Spain has been winning everything in the last six years, back-to-back Euro championships sandwiched with a flawless World Cup display and are currently on an enviable run. Everyone in the Spanish national team are supremely talented and knows their role perfectly. The tiki-taka style of play is so efficient that their opponents have no clue what hit them before they start breaking down against some of the beautifully executed maneuvers on display

Although Torres lost his mojo mostly and Villa failed to come back to his venomous touch after injury, players like Casillas, Ramos, Pique, Iniesta, Xavi, Silva, Alonso, new comer Costa et al could make the first squad in almost every club or national football teams all over the world. But, yes there's a but, the Spanish team, like their erstwhile deadly strikers, have been ever so slightly showing signs of being past their prime, like when they lost the Confederations Cup finals and there's the fact that no European team ha won a World Cup in South America. But like they did in Africa, they could be the first, if they can get past the continental giants

You now Brazil has been waiting for this opportunity, ever since the Maracenazo in 1950, ever since they failed to win it back since Ronaldo's World Cup while remaining relatively consistent in other major tourneys, ever since Ronaldinho, Kaka, Robinho et al failed to live up to their expectations but Neymar appeared as the next big thing on that list

Nobody knows how Brazil play, not unless you face them, there's a degree of uncertainty when playing against them while the Brazilians seem to know exactly what they are doing. Nobody especially knows how the current team would fare although they have seen them win the Confederations Cup, but that's just one tournament. They have a revamped side of awesome players like Thiago Silva, Hulk, Oscar, Fred in addition to Neymar

Brazil also chose to get back into the groove with winning the last major tourney before the World Cup, the Confed Cup, against the defending world champs Spain, a team everyone are striving to beat in the recent past. This can well be the Brazilian World Cup in name and in deed to add to their already bulging five championships. They are odds on favorites to reach the World Cup final

• Belgium, an underdog of the tournament for their all round, talented, fearless squad
• Italy, for always managing to be there at the top for so long so consistently
• France, a very balanced squad
• Netherlands, for their resilience and talent on display
• Uruguay, for their second coming and Luis Suarez
• Portugal, for Cristiano Ronaldo