WORLD CUP PREDICTIONS

The World Cup is the greatest sporting event on the planet. Fact. It unifies the world and brings different parts of the globe together, in a festival of football. But the reason I love the World Cup some much, is that it gives us exposure to some players and teams we would not usually have a chance to see. I am going to state who I think will be the team of the tournament, and also a team of players who have the potential to become stars, and interest the Premier League's elite. And following that, my top ten betting tips for the tournament. And watch all of my picks fail in spectacular fashion!


POTENTIAL TEAM OF THE TOURNAMENT

Goalkeeper - Julio Cesar, Brazil and Inter Milan

Yes, Brazil have a great keeper. And a great defence in front of him! He seems to have few weaknesses - he is an excellent shot stopper and decision maker, and instills confidence in the rest of his defence. He will be going to South Africa in supreme confidence following an all-conquering season at Inter Milan, and victory in the World Cup will mean he could probably retire afterwards!

Right-back - Maicon, Brazil and Inter Milan.

Brazil are also lucky that they possess the two best right-backs in the world. The brilliance of Maicon will mean Dani Alves will have to convert to an unfamiliar midfield role or settle for a place on the bench. He is almost a winger such are his attacking instincts, but his pace and agility means he rarely gets caught out of position going the other way. He makes the odd mistake (witness the Barcelona goal in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final) but these lapses in concentration are few and far between. Brazil are lucky they have two natural successors to the great Cafu.

Centre-back - Lucio, Brazil and Inter Milan.

Continuing the Brazil and Inter Milan, this just shows the exemplary season the Italian treble winners have had. And this continuity will be crucial for Brazil this summer. Lucio has always been a gifted defender, strong and quick and with a unique ability to carry the ball out of defence and start attacks. However, since moving to Inter Milan he has developed a mean streak, and has an imperious air about him. He is now Brazil's captain, and his new mature nature make him a mean prospect for opposition attackers.

Centre-back - Gerard Pique, Barcelona and Spain.

Sir Alex Ferguson doesn't make many mistakes. But in hindsight, the last two years will make him think maybe he was a bit hasty in shipping Pique back to Barcelona for a mere £5 million. In light of Rio Ferdinand's injury problems in the past two years, Pique seems beeter back-up than Johnny Evans and Wes Brown, especially as he has since been transformed into one of the best defenders in the world. A regular with Barcelona and Spain, he will be the only one of the likely starting 11 who wasn't present at the Euro 2008 win, such is the impact he has made. He is another who is mature beyond his years, and always looks to stick to the Barcelona ethos - that is, too play the ball out of defence. He is also excellent on the ball, and his goal (albeit in vain) in the Champions League semi-final second leg was truly sensational, especially for a defender. He could transform himself into the best defender in the world this summer.

Left-back - Ashley Cole, England and Chelsea.

One of the best full-backs in the world, he will look to put a difficult season off the pitch behind him in South Africa this summer. Quick, skillful and a great crosser, his contribution to the attack from defence is crucial to England performing well. Even with all his personal problems, they don't seem to have affected his football when he has played. His personal duels with Cristiano Ronaldo in previous international tournaments, where he was arguably the winner in both, show he is adept at performing on the biggest occasion of all. His experience will be crucial, especially with the loss of Rio Ferdinand to England's defence.

Right-midfield - Arjen Robben, Holland and Bayern Munich.

Robben probably plays best on the right, using his pace and close control to cut in from the right and shoot or cross with his ferocious left foot. He is a slight doubt for the World Cup having picked up an ankle injury, but should he make it, he will be going into the tournament in supreme form following an outstanding season at Bayern. He scored some superb goals - most notably away goal winners at Fiorentina and Manchester United, and he enjoyed his most productive season in terms of goals. His injury problems seem to be behind him, and he will play a key role in this attacking Dutch side.

Centre-midfield - Andres Iniesta, Spain and Barcelona.

Often underrated playing alongside the more heralded Xavi, when a player of the calibre of Wayne Rooney described him 'as one of the best players in the world', then maybe we should sit up and take notice. He is tiny for a footballer, but he is excellent at picking up space between the defence and the attack, and he very rarely wastes a pass. Those are collectors items. Alongside Xavi and Xabi Alonso, Spain's opponents are going to have to do a lot of chasing in South Africa!

Centre-midfield - Wesley Sneijder, Holland and Inter Milan.

A no-brainer - Sneijder has been the outstanding player in European football this last club season, and was the best player in a brilliant Inter Milan team. He has a brilliant range of passing and knack of scoring important goals. Don't give him space in and around the penalty area. The workhorse Mark van Bommel will enable him to concentrate all his efforts to the attack, and if he's on form, expect Holland to perform well. It is hard to know why Real Madrid ever let him go.

Left-midfield - Lionel Messi, Argentina and Barcelona.

There's not really much which can be said about the great Mr Messi. He can play anywhere across the forward line, is a great crator of goals, but more importantly, he now scores goals galore. And he is a scorer of great goals. He scored an outrageous 47 goals, with 14 assists, last season. However, there are minute weaknesses. He was almost anonymous in the Champions League semi-final defeat to Inter Milan, and he has often disappointed while wearing the national team colours. Leading Argentina to a World Cup win, in the same way his manager, Diego Maradona did 24 years ago, would make Messi, at the age of almost 23, one of the greatest players of all time.

Striker - Fernando Torres, Spain and Liverpool.

And to think, some questioned whether he was worth the £26 million Liverpool paid for him three years ago. He has since established himself as the best out-and-out striker in the world, and had earned a reputation of scoring in big games - Champions League quarter and semi finals, and regularly against Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Everton. As quick as they come and deceptively strong, he scores all types of goals and will punish mistakes ruthlessly. If he can regain his fitness, Spain will be the stronger for it, even with their supreme strength in depth.

Striker - Diego Milito, Argentina and Inter Milan.

Yet another who was outstanding for Inter Milan last season. Milito is the archetypal 'Johnny come lately,' making the most of his talent when he was given his chance at a big club. He served his apprenticeship at Genoa (twice) and Real Zaragoza, and now he is reaping the benefits. It was something of a surprise when Milito was signed by Mourinho last summer for a fee of 25 million Euros, having just turned 30. 30 goals and a treble later, no-one is questioning the move. He is an outstanding finisher, but there is more to his game that that. He has more pace than his build would suggest, and his movement is excellent. Witness his second goal in the Champions League final for a display of his skill. It is perhaps a surprise the Inter team was built around him rather than fellow summer arrival Samuel Eto'o, but such is his ability.He is not guaranteed a starting place in this amazing Argentine attack, which includes Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez, Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero. But if he is given an opportunity to impress, expect him to do just that.


TEAM WHO COULD BECOME STARS

Goalkeeper - Hugo Lloris, France and Lyon.

A player with a seemingly glittering career ahead of him, Lloris has already been linked to some of the biggest clubs in Europe. Don't be mistaken by Lyon's run to the Champions League semi-final - this team is not the one which won seven titles in a row with brilliant players like Juninho and Edmilson. Part of the reason for this success was Lloris, who is mature beyond his years and will need to be on top form for France to do well this summer. An excellent shot stopper and decision maker, he broke into the national team at the start of the World Cup qualifiers, and without his brilliant performance over two legs against the Republic of Ireland in the play-offs, the controversial Thierry Henry handball would have been irrelevant.

Right-back - Gregory van der Wiel, Holland and Ajax.

Another with a seemingly glittering future ahead of him, he won the Dutch Young Player of the Year award this year, and team-mate Johnny Heitinga has labelled him the natural successor to Michael Reizeger at right-back. He is now a regular in the Ajax team and broke into the Dutch team last year, and will be going to South Africa as first choice. Very much in the Michael Reizeger role, he gets forward well, provides assists as well as chipping in with the odd goal. Expect him to move to a bigger league should he impress.

Centre-back - Simon Kjaer, Denmark and Palermo.

Outrageously talented for one so young, he has only just turned 21 but he has been a regular at Palermo in Serie A for two seasons. Denmark's comfortable qualification ahead of Portugal and Sweden was a strong defence, where Kjaer formed an effective trio with partner Daniel Agger and keeper Thomas Sorensen, and this will be key in South Africa again. And this might lead to a big money move.

Centre-back - Oguchi Onyewu - United States of America and AC Milan.

A gifted centre-back, it's hard to believe he is 28. After an injury ravaged season following a big move to AC Milan, he has graciously agreed to play the final year of his contract for free if he stays that long. That says a lot about his character, but he is also a talented player - strong, good in the air, and quick on the ground, if he can maintain his match fitness he will be crucial for the Amercian's maintaining their solid defensive record. He impressed during a loan spell at Newcastle United, and looks the ideal Premier League defender. And he would not be short of American colleagues in England.

Left-back - Alexsander Koralev, Serbia and Lazio.

He is a left-back very much in the Ashley Cole mould, he gets forward so much he almost plays as a left-winger. He has a powerful shot and an excellent cross, and his forays down the left will be crucial for a solid if unspectacular Serbia. He is also extremely quick and has been likened to Roberto Carlos. Koralev plays for a Lazio who have seen better days - they finished 12th last season and he was one of their few star performers, so the Serb may fancy a change of scenery.

Right-midfield - Marek Hamsik, Slovakia and Napoli.

Not strictly a right midfielder, but I thought it was necessary to find a place for Hamsik, who is prodigiously talent and will go on to great things. This Slovakia side is solid in defence and works hard, but Hamsik is the star turn. Considered one of the best players to appear for Napoli since a certain Diego Maradona, the team is built around him. Which is not surprising considering he scores and creates, and has the ability to create something out of nothing. Expect him to relish the chance of performing on the biggest stage of all.

Centre-midfield - Michael Bradley, USA and Borussia Monchengladbach.

There can be no question that the national team's manager's son Bradley is in the team on anything but merit. A classic box-to-box midfielder player with an eye for goal, he seems like he would be the perfect addition for a middle to top of the table Premier League club. He has fitted seamlessly into the Bundesliga despite problems with his manager at Borussia, but this just shows how competitive his character is. His ambitions will not be met at his current club.

Centre-midfield - Mesut Ozil, Germany and Werder Bremen.

The football world should beware. There might be no Michael Ballack, with the German captain being ruled out through injury. But there is a reason to be optimistic. As well as grit and hard-work, which were key in reaching the finals of the 2002 World Cup, and Euro 2008, and the semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup, they now have an excellent flair player. Mesut Ozil is mature beyond his 21 years, An excellent passer - he rivals Xavi in this respect - he has now developed an eye for goal. He has easily taken on the playmaker role vacated by the popular Diego when he departed for Juventus, he is supremely confident and the challenge of taking over Ballack's role will not phase him.

Left-midfield - Alexis Sanchez, Chile and Udinese.

An important component in an attacking team - they were the top scorers in qualifying - he has been nicknamed 'Wonder Boy', and with good reason. He is versatile, as he is able to play on the wing, as an attacking midfielder and as a forward, his creativity and eye for goal will be crucial to Chilean hopes of success. He was the outstanding player in a good Udinese side least season. Expect a big move in the summer should he impress - as Marcelo Salas, one of the greatest Chilean internationals of all time, got after his excellent World Cup in 1998.

Striker - Luis Suarez, Uruguay and Ajax.

It is hard to know what to make of a player who scores bags of goals in the Dutch league. Will they be the next Ruud van Nistlerooy, Dirk Kuyt, or Mateja Kezman. Judging by what has been seen of Suarez in the last three seasons, it would definitely seem like he has more of the former about him. Those three seasons have seen him score 76 league goals in 97 games, an extraordinary strike rate for a player who generally plays as a second striker. This is also the role he performs for Uruguay, and he has formed a devestating partnership with Diego Forlan. He has already been linked with a move to the Premier League, with the likes of Aston Villa, and if he fulfills his talent, he might even eclipse what Forlan has achieved in La Liga.

Striker - Humberto Suazo, Chile and Monterrey.

A relatively late bloomer (he has just turned 29) he will be looking to use the world stage to enhance his flourishing reputation. He was the top scorer in any qualifying region for the 2010 World Cup with ten goals, and impressed sporadically during a loan spell at Real Zaragoza last season. His strengths are his pace and aerial ability. He is the figurehead of this attacking Chile team, and being flanked by players of the ability of Alexis Sanchez and Mark Gonzalez will mean he gets plenty of chances to impress in a weak group (barring Spain.)


TOP TEN WORLD CUP BETS

Now for all of you out there who like a flutter. Here are my ten tips to try and win some money. All the odds are courtesy of Ladbrooks unless otherwise stated.

1) TOP GOALSCORER - ROBIN VAN PERSIE - HOLLAND AND ARSENAL, 12/1.

After an injury hit season for Arsenal, van Persie will be raring to go in South Africa. With four goals in Holland's three World Cup warm-up games so far, he is in supreme form, and the month he returned for at the end of the season seems to have done him the power of good. This Holland team, are potential winners, and with two of the best players of last season in Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben supporting, not to mention Rafael van der Vaart, expect him to get plenty of chances at the head of the attack.

2) ENGLAND TO FINISH SECOND IN THE GROUP - 10/3.

This is a decent bet for a number of reasons. England are traditionally slow starters in international tournaments - the three lions have only won their opening match three times in tournaments they have qualified for since 1970; there are question marks over many of the key players for various reasons - Wayne Rooney (fitness and form), John Terry and Steven Gerrard (form) and Ashley Cole (fitness) to name just a few, and the squad has obviously been shorn of the captain Rio Ferdinand; and Fabio Capello and his men should underestimate USA at their peril - runners-up in the last Confederations Cup, the only country to beat Spain in an international match since November 2006 and with a number of quality players, many British based, they are potential dark horses. Don't be surprised to see an upset in Rustenberg on Saturday.

3) AFRICAN TEAM TO PROGRESS THE FURTHEST - NIGERIA, 5/1.

A decent bet this one, considering Nigeria are ranked as the fourth out of the six teams to go furthest. They will fancy their chances of progressing past the group stages ahead of Greece and South Korea, and from there, they would be paired with a team from what looks like a weak Group A. If the likes of Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Obafemi Martins can form an effective partnership, then a place in the quarter-finals is not unrealistic. Ivory Coast and Ghana, possibly the two strongest African countries, have what look like strong groups, and Cameroon may find Denmark and Holland as too difficult an obstacle to overcome.

4) PORTUGAL TO BE KNOCKED OUT IN THE GROUP PHASES - 13/8.

Portugal are my tip to be the big gun which fails to fire. There could be nasty flashbacks to the disastrous 2002 World Cup, where a talented but ageing squad was knocked out of a group containing South Korea, USA and Poland. Notice any similarities? And this team does not have players of the ability of Luis Figo and Rui Costa. Yes, they do have one of the best players in the world in Cristiano Ronaldo. But he hasn't scored for Portugal since Euro 2008, showing what huge pressure there is on his shoulders. They struggled through qualifying, and it's fair to say Carlos Queiroz doesn't have the same popularity as his predecessor 'Big Phil' Scolari. The opening match against the Ivory Coast will be crucial, and with the dearth of striking options (the naturalised Brazilian Liedson is the only out-and-out striker in the squad) this could be a struggle for the Portuguese.

5) PLAYER TO COMMIT THE MOST FOULS - JAVIER MASCHERANO, ARGENTINA AND LIVERPOOL, 6/1 (PADDY POWER).

Argentina should go far in this World Cup, and that will be partly down to their captain and defensive midfield shield Javier Mascherano. He is one of the best in his position in the world, and is adept at breaking up the play. But not always fairly. He is also adept at picking up yellow cards, and will foul his opponent if it is for the benefit of the team. He can also talk his way into the referee's notebook, so expect to see him troubling the referee's more than he does the scoresheet.

6) PLAYER TO HAVE THE MOST ASSISTS - XAVI, SPAIN AND BARCELONA, 8/1 (PADDY POWER).

Spain are another team who should do well at this World Cup, and their team is built around a very strong midfield of Andres Inista, David Silva, Xabi Alonso and Xavi. The latter is probably the best passer of the ball in the world. It is a collector's item to see him misplace a pass, and his vision is excellent. With two strikers possessing the movement of Fernando Torres and David Villa, there should be plenty of opportunities for Xavi to show off his range of passing.

7) CRISTIANO RONALDO TO TAKE HIS TOP OFF WHEN CELEBRATING A GOAL, 7/1 (PADDY POWER).

As it's been so long since Ronaldo has scored an international goal, he's probably quite keen to whip his shirt off and show off a body he's clearly quite proud of in front of the watching world. As one of Portugal's group opponents are massive underdogs North Korea, this is a distinct possibility.

8)GOLDEN BALL WINNER - FERNANDO TORRES, SPAIN AND LIVERPOOL, 20/1 (WILLIAM HILL).

After an injury hit season for Liverpool, Torres will be keen to impress in South Africa and add to his European Championship final medal, where he scored the winner in the final. Spain will definitely play to his strengths, and he was a regular goalscorer when fit last season. If he can stay fit and Spain go far, he would be a decent bet to be named player of the tournament.

9)PLAYER TO SCORE A HAT-TRICK - LUIS FABIANO, BRAZIL AND SEVILLA, 9/2 (CORAL).

As the focal point in an attacking Brazil side, there is a distinct possibility this feat could be achieved rather early by Fabiano, as Brazil open up against North Korea in eight days. With a fabulous international record of 25 goals in 36 caps, and 21 goals in all competitions for Sevilla last season, Fabiano is in fine form. If a big score is racked up against the minnows, expect him to be among the goals.

10) WORLD CUP WINNERS - HOLLAND, 10/1.

A decent outside bet, and the only potential first time winners other than Spain. Following a 100% record in qualifying, they have also impressed in their warm-up games, and possess a wealth of attacking talent. If the likes of Robin van Persie, Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder can stay fit, then most teams are going to struggle to cope with their attacking firepower. When you factor in promising youngsters coming through such as Gregory van der Wiel and Eljero Elia coming through then this looks a strong squad. The only question marks are in defence, where Holland are not especially strong, and a lack of consistency. This was again displayed in Euro 2008, when they thrashed World Cup finalists France and Italy in the group phase before surprisingly crashing out to Russia in the quarter-finals. But they've surely got to get over that some time and lose their tag of perennial underachievers.