World Cup 2014: Examining How Well Tuesday's UEFA Qualifiers Will Do in Brazil

Portugal, France, Croatia and Greece earned a spot in the 2014 World Cup with aggregate wins in their UEFA playoffs. Now that they're locked in, it's a good time to examine how they might fare.

Although the World Cup is still months away, you can look at each team and have at least an initial idea of how they might perform. Most managers have got something close to their best lineups, and it's not as if they can go and make a big transfer to improve the side. They can only work with what they've got.

Then again, who could've predicted the Netherlands' collapse at the 2012 European Championship after their runner-up finish at the 2010 World Cup and peerless qualification?

Sometimes, crazy stuff happens. For the most part, though, it's business as usual, and the same top teams end up meeting in the later stages of the tournament.

So let's go ahead and take a look at the fortunes for the four European teams that advanced to the World Cup on Tuesday night.

Portugal

Although Cristiano Ronaldo can carry Portugal against a team like Sweden, can he do it against Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Italy, etc? That is the biggest question regarding Portugal's chances at the World Cup.

Sure there could be some improvement between now and next summer, but it's unlikely the side that you see in Brazil will be wildly different from the side fans have seen the last three or four years. So much of the country's fortunes hinge on the performance of Ronaldo.

He's one of the best players in the world, but against tough, organized defenses, you need more than that.

For now, this looks like a very good side that are not quite at the level it takes to win the World Cup. Unless they get another "Group of Death," Portugal would appear a lock to make it to the knockout rounds.

However, when they meet another world power, they could be in trouble.

Prediction: Quarterfinals

France

Since 2010, nobody has done less with more than France. On paper, they should be one of the best teams in the world. But between backbiting in the dressing room and the managerial merry-go-round, they've wallowed in mediocrity.

Perhaps France is turning a corner under Didier Deschamps. The fight they showed to overturn Ukraine's 2-0 aggregate lead on Tuesday night was the kind of fight lacking under Raymond Domenech and Laurent Blanc.

That's what makes looking ahead so tricky with France. Is this another false dawn?

By next summer, the team should have continued the progress they are making with Deschamps at the helm. France will live up to the hype.

Prediction: Semifinals

Croatia

In 1998, Croatia finished third at the World Cup. Since then, they've seen a downturn in their fortunes—exits in the group stage in 2002 and 2006 and then a failure to qualify in 2010.

Niko Kovac did a great job of stepping in at a crucial time and leading Croatia past Iceland. In addition, his team didn't panic after Mario Mandzukic's red card.

Just how much further he can take Croatia, though, is debatable.

Croatia have a lot of talent relative to the size of their country. Mandzukic, Darijo Srna, Luka Modric, Dejan Lovren and Ivan Perisic are all quality players and could get in many top sides.

When it comes to depth, Croatia are a bit lacking. They simply don't have the kind of talent from top to bottom that other, better European countries can boast. That group of star players can get it done against solid opposition, but Spain, Italy, Brazil, Argentina and the like would all present almost impossible tests.

Croatia's chances are also hurt if they can only get a second-place finish in the group. They need to avoid having that tough match right off the bat.

Prediction: Round of 16

Greece

There's no secret as to how Greece will be lining up at the World Cup. They'll put a lot of men behind the ball and defend, defend, defend. It's a strategy that has yielded plenty of success through the years, most notably the 2004 European Championship.

For the most part, though, it's made Greece too one-dimensional.

Once they fall behind, especially against better sides, it's over. They don't have a wealth of attacking talent, and when forced to chase a game, they lose that defensive solidarity.

2014 will likely be a repeat of 2010. Greece are a good side, but they're not good enough to make it to the knockout stages.

Prediction: Group Stage exit