2010 FIFA World Cup Preview: Group A

The upcoming football World Cup Group A pool seems pretty straightforward. France will cheat their way to top spot. Mexico, well rested after their halftime siestas, will do enough to take second.

Uruguay will drone on and on about how being in the second round is their God given right, and then forget to actually win games to accomplish it.

Group A includes:

SOUTH AFRICA: Qualified by being the host.

FRANCE: Qualified by cheating the Republic of Ireland out of their spot.

URUGUAY: Qualified because they didn’t have to play Australia this time.

MEXICO: Qualified because Group A needed a fourth team.

South Africa will become the first host country to not make the second round— sad but true.

The annoying thing about France’s football is not the cheating. They also have the whining, and can complain with the best of them. France won a World Cup based on it and almost won the last one with a Zidane head butting meltdown in the final.

Mexico were able to sleep their way through a few games and still manage to finish second in their qualifying group. Unfortunately during their away leg in the USA, they “lost” a few players. Hopefully they can replace them.

Uruguay is a former World Cup powerhouse which still has delusions of grandeur. For the 32nd time running they had to go through a playoff to qualify, this time against Costa Rica.

This is a team that believes they are owed something but have forgotten their receipt. Once again they will leave empty handed.

South Africa, well, at least they have some brand new pretty looking stadiums.

My prediction for Group A standings:

1. France
 2. Mexico
 3. Uruguay
 4. South Africa