Encomium
GOALKEEPER
Thibaut Courtois: At just 22, Belgian goalkeeper is rated the best presently in the world. The Belgian goalkeeper, who currently plies his trade with Atletico Madrid on loan from Chelsea of England, not only helped his country qualify for the World Cup, he also helped Atletico Madrid qualify for the final of the UEFA Champions League and the same club is on the verge of winning the Spanish title.
DEFENDER
Dani Alves: He is a Brazilian who plays for Barcelona in Spain. He is an offensive right full back. His ability to overlap and supply strikers with the ball made him the best in that position. He is in the squad to represent Brazil at the World Cup.
DEFENDER
Philipp Lahm: The player operates from the full left back for his country, Germany and club, Bayern Munchen. He is currently the best in that position and has been listed among the German squad to the World Cup in Brazil.
DEFENDER
Sergio Ramos: He is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Real Madrid. Mainly a central defender, he can also operate as a right back. He has been listed among Spain’s squad to the World Cup.
DEFENDER
Thiago Silva: The player is a Brazilian. In fact, he is the captain of the Brazil squad to the World Cup. He currently plays for Paris Saint Germain in France, where he is also the captain. Thiago is a central defender whose partnership with Ramos will be awesome.
MIDFIELDER
Andres Iniesta: He scored the only goal that helped his country, Spain win the World Cup in South Africa 2010. A creative central midfielder, whose killer passes can wreck any defence line. The Barcelona play maker is the best in his position and will be in Brazil come June 2014.
MIDFIELDER
Cristiano Ronaldo: Currently the best player in the world. He is on the verge of winning the UEFA Champions League with his club, Real Madrid. He will also lead his country, Portugal to the World Cup in Brazil come June 2014. CR7, as he is fondly called, operates from the right flank. He is gifted with enormous dribbling skills and can convert any little chance on the field of play.
MIDFIELDER
Xavi Hernandez: The millionaire plays in the midfield for his country, Spain and club, Barcelona. One of the world’s gifted passers of the ball, he will be in Brazil for the World Cup.
STRIKER
Lionel Messi: The four-time world best footballer will captain Argentina to the World Cup in Brazil. His season as a Barcelona player didn’t end well but his focus now is on the World Cup where he would be expected to re-enact his magical feat.
STRIKER
Luis Suarez: The Uruguayan and Liverpool player is the highest goal scorer in the just concluded English Premier League 2013/2014 Season. Ghanaians will never forget this striker, who denied them the opportunity of advancing to the semi-final of the World Cup in South Africa 2010 by handing a goal bound ball in the box 18. He was red carded and a penalty awarded to Ghana but the taker, Asamoah Gyan frittered away the chance and they crashed out of the World Cup.
STRIKER
Franck Ribery: He is in the squad to represent France at the World Cup. A natural left footer, he is doing well for his club, Bayern Munchen in Germany.
HOW MUCH BRAZIL IS SPENDING ON THE WORLD CUP
The 2014 World Cup in Brazil has been projected to gulp $13.6 billion. The government will spend $900 million on security while infrastructure improvement like hotels, airports and roads is expected to cost more than $8 billion.
The remaining money will go into other projects and miscellaneous expenses.
However, the government expects the World Cup will add $70 billion to $110 billion to Brazil’s economy. Some of the income will come from tourism, hotel bookings, ticket sales and others.
MOST EXPENSIVE WORLD CUP EVER
The cost of staging every World Cup from inception increases every four years. The money spent by Germany in hosting the 2006 edition is a child’s play to what South Africa spent in 2010.
South Africa spent $6 billion on the World Cup while that of the 2014 edition has been estimated to cost $13.6 billion.
Russia will host the next World Cup in 2018 and it has been touted to cost more. The Russian government has already budgeted $20 billion. It is believed the games would gather a third of the world’s population in stadiums and arenas. Around two billion people will watch the games in 11 Russian cities. About $457.9 million has been budgeted to go into stadium reconstruction, $909.9 million will go into security and railway construction is expected to gulp a lot of money.
PROTESTS STILL ROCKING PREPARATION
Protest against the hosting of the World Cup by Brazil is still major headlines in that country. Brazilians are discontent that the country is spending billions of dollars on the World Cup while poverty ravages. The cost estimates for the reconstruction of the stadium is said to have triggered the protests. The people believe the money is too much compared to what South Africa and Germany spent in 2010 and 2006 respectively. The belief is that most of the stadia will not be put to use after the mundial. This is because some are located in towns where there is little demand for massive events.
Another thing causing uproar in Brazil is the increasing number of death recorded at soccer stadia. As at last week, eight people died while constructing the stadiums.
New baby for OSAZE ODEMWINGIE
Super Eagles striker, Osaze Odemwingie will be going to the World Cup as a proud father of two children. His wife delivered a baby boy on May 15, 2014. The couple’s first son arrived in January 2013, months after their wedding in May 2012. The new baby has been named Theo and the footballer has joked his son, Noah will play for Stoke City when he is 20.
– FOLUSO SAMUEL
