Andy Cole
June 30th, 2010
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By Andy Cole
30 June 2010
So now we know the World Cup quarter-final line-up, and two teams have really stood apart for me so far: Argentina and Brazil, in that order.
Coming into the tournament there were so many questions and doubts about Diego Maradona's team and about him, temperamentally. They didn't qualify without struggling and we're all familiar with Maradona's off-field problems down the years.
I still had them down as my dark horses because their side is so full of goals.
And now they've been in Africa a few weeks and started to prove it, I'm more confident than ever they'll go...
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June 17th, 2010
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By Andy Cole
17 June 2010
Every team has now played at least one match at the World Cup and only one nation has really impressed me: Germany. It’s not just the goals they scored against Australia - and we’re all drawn to goals - but the way they went about their business in an opening week dominated by negativity.
Most of the big countries - the pre-tournament favourites including Brazil, Argentina and Italy - as well as the smaller countries of whom we expected a lot, like Portugal and Ivory Coast, appear to have adopted a “safety first” mentality. Not losing the...
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June 11th, 2010
By Andy Cole
in Johannesburg
11 June 2010
The World Cup is probably going to be won by Brazil, with Spain and Argentina absolutely capable of lifting the trophy too. I expect the final to feature Brazil and one of the others. I think England, with a fair wind, could get as far as the semis before losing to Brazil.
I am fortunate enough to be in South Africa, doing some work for charity, catching a couple of England games, at least, and working in my role as an ambassador for England's 2018 World Cup bid.
I flew in yesterday and spent part of the...
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