World Cup Favorites 2014: Breaking Down Top Squads for FIFA Tournament

The leading favorites to win the FIFA 2014 World Cup are headlined by host nation Brazil. South American rival Argentina are just behind, according to Oddschecker.com.

The same site lists current holders Spain as fourth favorites, with Germany just ahead.

Here's a breakdown of this fancied quartet of top squads ahead of the big tournament.

Spain

Spain World Cup Squad

Position	Player	Club
GK	Iker Casillas	Real Madrid
GK	Pepe Reina	Napoli
GK	David De Gea	Manchester United
DF	Cesar Azpilicueta	Chelsea
DF	Gerard Pique	Barcelona
DF	Sergio Ramos	Real Madrid
DF	Jordi Alba	Barcelona
DF	Alberto Moreno	Sevilla
DF	Javi Martinez	Bayern Munich
DF	Raul Albiol	Napoli
DF	Juanfran	Atletico Madrid
DF	Daniel Carvajal	Real Madrid
MF	Sergio Busquets	Barcelona
MF	Xabi Alonso	Real Madrid
MF	Koke	Atletico Madrid
MF	Ander Iturraspe	Athletic Bilbao
MF	Xavi	Barcelona
MF	Thiago Alcantara	Bayern Munich
MF	Pedro	Barcelona
MF	Jesus Navas	Manchester City
MF	David Silva	Manchester City
MF	Cesc Fabregas	Barcelona
MF	Juan Mata	Manchester United
MF	Santi Cazorla	Arsenal
MF	Andres Iniesta	Barcelona
ATT	Diego Costa	Atletico Madrid
ATT	David Villa	Atletico Madrid
ATT	Fernando Torres	Chelsea
ATT	Alvaro Negredo	Manchester City
ATT	Fernando Llorente	Juventus

Roster info courtesy of The Telegraph

Spain's preparations could be derailed by the recent hamstring injury suffered by assimilated Atletico Madrid star Diego Costa. The free-scoring ace would solve Spain's most obvious weakness, notably striker.

David Ramos/Getty Images

If Costa misses out, the Spaniards will have to pin their hopes on misfiring English Premier League quartet Fernando Torres, Roberto Soldado, Alvaro Negredo and Michu.

Perhaps manager Vicente del Bosque will trust veteran David Villa one more time. At least del Bosque can continue picking from the tournament's deepest pool of midfield talent.

It will be interesting to see what decision del Bosque makes over ageing FC Barcelona pair Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez in midfield. They have been mainstays in their country's recent dominance on the international stage, but both have stumbled through indifferent seasons in La Liga.

It may be time to let players like Manchester City creative ace David Silva and Atletico Madrid's Koke have their day. However, del Bosque will have to do without young Bayern Munich schemer Thiago Alcantara, who has been ruled out of the tournament after suffering a knee-ligament injury.

The team is strong defensively with full-backs like Juanfran and Cesar Azpilicueta joining centre-backs Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique.

In all honesty, it's surprising this squad is not generating a little more trophy-winning buzz.

Germany

Germany World Cup Roster

Position	Player	Club
GK	Manuel Neuer	Bayern Munich
GK	Roman Weidenfeller	Dortmund
GK	Ron-Robert Zieler	Hannover
DEF	Erik Durm	Dortmund
DEF	Jerome Boateng	Bayern Munich
DEF	Kevin Grosskreutz	Dortmund
DEF	Benedikt Howedes	Schalke
DEF	Mats Hummels	Dortmund
DEF	Marcell Jansen	Hamburg
DEF	Philipp Lahm	Bayern Munich
DEF	Per Mertesacker	Arsenal
DEF	Shkodran Mustafi	Sampdoria
DEF	Marcel Schmelzer	Dortmund
MID	Lars Bender	Bayer Leverkusen
MID	Julian Draxler	Schalke
MID	Mario Goetze	Bayern Munich
MID	Leon Goretzka	Schalke
MID	Andre Hahn	Augsburg
MID	Sami Khedira	Real Madrid
MID	Toni Kroos	Bayern Munich
MID	Max Meyer	Schalke
MID	Matthias Ginter	Freiburg
MID	Bastian Schweinsteiger	Bayern Munich
MID	Mesut Ozil	Arsenal
ATT	Thomas Muller	Bayern Munich
ATT	Lukas Podolski	Arsenal
ATT	Marco Reus	Dortmund
ATT	Andre Schurrle	Chelsea
ATT	Kevin Volland	Hoffenheim
ATT	Miroslav Klose	Lazio

Roster info courtesy of The Telegraph

The nation Spain bested at the semi-final stage in 2010 enters this tournament with a few question marks. The obvious one is in attack where ageing Miroslav Klose and inexperienced Kevin Volland are the only natural centre-forwards.

The German defence could also be stronger, particularly in the middle. Borussia Dortmund linchpin Mats Hummels and Arsenal ace Per Mertesacker make a savvy but slow pairing.

At least the full-back position is strong, thanks to Bayern Munich stalwart Philipp Lahm. He won't have to endure Bayern boss Josep Guardiola trying to make him a central midifielder.

Speaking of midfield, the Germans are possibly as strong as the Spanish in this area. Munich playmakers like Toni Kroos and Bastian Schweinsteiger are sure to dominate the ball in Brazil.

So will Arsenal's mercurial schemer Mesut Ozil. He will be the key part of a supply line required to set fleet-footed forwards like Marco Reus and Thomas Muller free.

Argentina

Argentina 2014 World Cup Roster

Position	Player	Club
GK	Sergio Romero	AS Monaco
GK	Mariano Andujar	Catania
GK	Agustin Orion	Boca Juniors
DF	Ezequiel Garay	Benfica
DF	Federico Fernandez	Napoli
DF	Pablo Zabaleta	Manchester City
DF	Marcos Rojo	Sporting Lisbon
DF	Jose Maria Basanta	Monterrey
DF	Hugo Campagnaro	Inter Milan
DF	Nicolas Otamendi	Atletico Mineiro
DF	Martín Demichelis	Manchester City
DF	Gabriel Mercado	River Plate
DF	Lisandro Lopez	Getafe
MF	Fernando Gago	Boca Juniors
MF	Lucas Biglia	Lazio
MF	Javier Mascherano	FC Barcelona
MF	Ever Banega	Newell's Old Boys
MF	Angel Di Maria	Real Madrid
MF	Maximiliano Rodriguez	Newell's Old Boys
MF	Ricardo Alvarez	Inter Milan
MF	Augusto Fernandez	Celta Vigo
MF	Enzo Perez	Benfica
MF	Jose Sosa	Atletico Madrid
FW	Fabian Rinaudo	Catania
FW	Sergio Aguero	Manchester City
FW	Lionel Messi	FC Barcelona
FW	Gonzalo Higuain	Napoli
FW	Ezequiel Lavezzi	PSG
FW	Rodrigo Palacio	Inter Milan
FW	Di Santo

Roster info courtesy of The Telegraph

The hopes of Argentina will be pinned on the health and mood of the most enviable attacking talent in the competition. That means Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero must stay healthy, after a season blighted by a consistent run of ailments.

It will also mean prolific FC Barcelona trickster Lionel Messi must rediscover his swagger. Messi has gone missing in a number of big games for Barca this season, notably during UEFA Champions League and La Liga clashes with Atletico Madrid.

In fact, the Catalan club's fans have even reportedly jeered their superstar, according to Marca, reported by the Spanish newspaper's English website.

Messi has yet to truly dazzle at a World Cup, or even come close. But Argentina may not need him to, considering they can also call on Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain and Paris Saint-Germain forward Ezequiel Lavezzi.

Whoever plays up front will rely on supply from current Real Madrid assist king Angel di Maria. The converted winger has played 22 assists since moving into a more central position, per WhoScored.com.

If their stars actually manage to combine effectively and consistently, Argentina will be a major threat.

Brazil

Brazil World Cup Roster

Position	Player	Club
GK	Julio Cesar	Toronto FC (On Loan from QPR)
GK	Jefferson	Botafogo
GK	Victor	Atlético Mineiro
DEF	Dante	Bayern Munich
DEF	David Luiz	Chelsea
DEF	Thiago Silva	Paris St. Germain
DEF	Henrique	Napoli
DEF	Dani Alves	Barcelona
DEF	Maicon	Roma
DEF	Marcelo	Real Madrid
DEF	Maxwell	Paris St. Germain
MID	Fernandinho	Manchester City
MID	Hernanes	Inter Milan
MID	Luiz Gustavo	VfL Wolfsburg
MID	Oscar	Chelsea
MID	Paulinho	Tottenham Hotspur
MID	Ramires	Chelsea
MID	Willian	Chelsea
MID	Bernard	Shakhtar Donetsk
FW	Fred	Fluminense
FW	Hulk	Zenit St. Petersburg
FW	Jo	Atlético Mineiro
FW	Neymar	Barcelona

Roster info courtesy of The Telegraph

The curious thing about the 2014 Brazilian squad is how un-Brazilian-like it seems: There is an absence of the usual flair and attacking verve.

Instead, manager Luiz Felipe Scolari has opted for greater physicality. This is most obvious in midfield, where EPL bruisers Fernandinho and Paulinho patrol the middle.

Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

There is also room for VfL Wolfsburg enforcer Luiz Gustavo and Chelsea's tough runner Ramires. The makeup of this midfield isn't really that big of a surprise.

After all, when Scolari won this tournament with Brazil in 2002, functional types like Gilberto Silva and Kleberson were as important as maestros like Rivaldo and Ronaldinho.

The theme of power over guile is just as obvious up front. Scolari has opted for tall target-men like Zenit St Petersburg powerhouse Hulk and Fluminense centre-forward and ex-Lyon man Fred.

Scolari will expect them to act as foils for fleet-footed roving forwards like Neymar. He will be under increased pressure to deliver, after failing to live up to his inflated reputation during his first season with FC Barcelona.

As hard as it is to fathom why Spain are so overlooked, it's equally difficult to guess why Brazil are such clear favorites. Home advantage won't mask the holes in this squad, namely its lack of elite strikers and ageing defence.