The 2014 FIFA World Cup takes place from June 12 to July 13, kicking off a tournament that will see nations go head-to-head for one of the most coveted trophies in sports.
Alas, Canada hasn't made the cut (its sole appearance at the World Cup was in 1986), but thanks to ancestral loyalty (or affinities for certain nations), people across the country will be watching closely as the world's best soccer players tackle, pass and score their way to victory.
Here are the best teams heading into the tournament, according to FIFA's world rankings.
1) Spain
The 2010 World Cup champions took the title on a single goal in injury time, and the sheer depth on this squad suggests they could take it again. La Furia Roja is fielding a roster with many familiar faces from the last tournament, with the added force of scorer Diego Costa, who opted to play for Spain over his native Brazil. There are, however, questions around some of coach Vicente del Bosque's selections. Though Fernando Torres won the Golden Boot for most goals scored at Euro 2012 (he was tied with five other players), he scored fewer goals with Chelsea this year than snubbed players Alvaro Negredo and Fernando Llorente did with their respective teams, yet he made the squad anyway. The coach is perhaps counting on his ability to deliver in tournaments over league play. Spain may be known for its offense, but at Euro 2012, they also showed they can throw opponents for a loop with a cautious defensive game. With the offensive talent they have for the World Cup, one hopes we'll see some spectacular scoring. We can expect players such as Andrés Iniesta (pictured), David Silva and Sergio Ramos to make an impact.
2) Germany
While coach Joachim Löw pegs host Brazil as the favourite to win, many others around the world may look to the Germans as the most likely victors. The team reached the final of Euro 2008 and was seen as a favourite at Euro 2012 before being knocked out of the tournament by Italy. But they come into the World Cup having won nine out of 10 matches in their qualifying campaign, so perhaps momentum is on their side. To emerge as victors, Die Mannschaft will have to overcome a rash of injuries to key players including defender Philipp Lahm, midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger and starting goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, Fox Sports said. They also face a tough group stage with Portugal, Ghana and the U.S.A. as their opponents. Expect to see names such as Mesut Özil (pictured), Thomas Müller and Marco Reus feature prominently in games.
3) Portugal
When it came down to a game to decide whether Swede superstar Zlatan Ibrahimović or Portuguese national Cristiano Ronaldo (pictured) would go to Brazil, fortune favoured the latter, whose team sits third in FIFA's latest rankings. The team put up a laudable effort at Euro 2012, just missing out on the final when it lost to Spain on penalty kicks (Ronaldo, who opted to go last, didn't have a chance to take a shot). That could serve as motivation for a team that faces a tough spot early on with Germany to play in the group stage. Ronaldo can count on great playmaking support from AS Monaco's Joao Moutinho, Sports Illustrated reported, and on veteran defender Pepe to play his usual aggressive style on the back end.
4) Brazil
Talk about a team carrying the weight of the world on its shoulders. To ensure success at home, they've turned to Luiz Felipe Scolari, who coached the Seleção to their last World Cup victory in 2002. His squad includes stars such as defender Thiago Silva, midfielder Ramires and forward Neymar (pictured), while previous stalwarts such as Kaká, Robinho and Ronaldinho have been left off the roster. The team is flush with talent, but there are questions about the central striker role after Diego Costa opted to play for Spain; however, the Spaniards themselves didn't play an obvious scorer in their winning campaign at Euro 2012, so that's hardly a harbinger of defeat. Brazil bested Spain at last year's Confederations Cup on goals from Fred and Neymar, so perhaps they're safe up the middle.
5) Colombia
Colombia has been dealt a huge blow with the news that star striker Radamel Falcao (pictured) will not play at the World Cup after suffering a knee injury in January. Prognostications are grim without him, but not everyone is feeling pessimistic. Calgary Sun reporter Daniel Austin wrote earlier this month that Colombia has a wealth of forward options, including Jackson Martinez, Carlos Bacca and Adrian Ramos.
Like this article? Follow our Facebook pageOr follow us on TwitterFollow @HuffPostCanada
