World Cup Groups & their Teams' FIFA Rankings
Please Note: the Ranking, below, reflects the data available at the moment the Groups were drawn, in Leipzig, Germany (the World Ranking list is dated Nov.05, 2005, on the FIFA site). Subsequent updates for the FIFA World Ranking are available here. It should be remarked, however, that these updates contain only minor alterations, as compared to the Ranking used in this Section.
As observed on the Head Page for this Section, right below the list of Nations, the dominating change has emerged from the Rank order involving Mexico, Spain and France's placement, the United States joining these three countries, in February, 2005.
• In February, 2005, Australia's and Ghana's order appeared inverted, albeit both sharing 48th. place. Will they now endulge in the same type of up⁄down dance that Mexico, Spain and France have been upstaging?...
• Angola had dropped a couple of places, but managed to recover and climb three places by February, 2005, actually starting to threaten Togo, which dropped three places and is a mere point ahead.
• Côte d'Ivoire and Tunisia have been responsible for the February highlights, the former climbing ten places, whereas the latter, five places.
• For a bit more detail regarding the above, see here.
Group C has been called "the Group of death." Independently of the fact that it is indeed a very strong group, the other two Tables in this eBook Section (see links above) reveal alternative views of which might be the most competitive or difficult group(s), in the 2006 World Cup.
In truth, one can only find this out once the World Cup has started. After all, who can forget the disappointing performances of both France and Argentina in the 2002 World Cup, favorites as they were to clinch the Title, before the ball effectively started rolling in Korea Rep.⁄Japan? By the same token, who would have dared imagine, beforehand, the surprisingly strong campaigns of both the Korea Republic and Japan (the former eliminating none else than three-time World Champion Italy!), let alone Korea Republic ending up fourth in the World cup, as they did?! Ironically, at that time Brazil was not a favorite (as they were in the previous World Cup, in France, Brazil however playing a disappointing final match against the home Squad), but though not a favorite, Brazil clinched their fifth World Cup, in Korea Rep.⁄Japan. So, perhaps we should say (with a pinch of humor, of course) that it is better not to be a favorite, for the most feared Squads seem not to have lived much up to their prestige... (See remarks on favorite squads on the Trivia & Curiosities page.)
Independently of what one may recall or argue for or against, surprises do occur, in World Cups, don't they?!... Ardent soccer fans can enumerate a good number of unexpected outcomes. There is a question of momentum, in addition to a considerable number of other variables, which can significantly affect a Squad's performance for the better or for the worse (See the Magic of complexity page, for related remarks.).
Moreover, soccer being a Team sport, it also sails on the "magic" of the balance and cohesion that a Squad's players can attain, physically, emotionally and technically, at a given moment. Strategy must not be overlooked, either.
(Incidentally, I have a hunch that Group F could turn out quite interesting, in this aspect. First of all, the Dutch Guus Hiddink, who took Korea Republic to fourth place, in the last World Cup, is now coaching the Australian Team! The Australians should not be underestimated, as they eliminated Uruguay, in the qualifying play-off! Uruguay has not only been World Cup Champion twice, but traditionally puts up quite hard challenges both to Brazil and to Argentina, in the South American soccer scenario. This is the Squad that Hiddink's new boys – now Australian – managed to eliminate, in order to join Brazil, Japan, and Croatia, in Group F! Now, Hiddink is in good company, so to speak, as the coaches of the other three Squads in the Group by no means lag behind on the strategic lane – at least, in principle...So, there could be something interesting to watch, in that Group, beyond the actual matches. Of course we may also be again surprised and end up watching a phenomenal "strategic battle" where we least expect!... Well, let us allow time to tell the story.).
Anyway, it does not hurt to take a couple of fresh glances at the different groups, in this Section, and more especially at the so-called "Group of death," in face of the other World Cup Groups. Certainly, this is something which the other two tables in this Section can offer. For, as with all else in life, the opinions we make largely depend on the reference points from which we choose to view whatever the matter at stake.
The Table right below is completely neutral, in the sense that it merely reproduces FIFA's Rankings. What is original, nonetheless keeping absolute neutrality, just as well, is that Squads have been grouped according to their 2006 World Cup Groups. Furthermore, the FIFA Ranking Points obtained by all Squads in every Group have been added, and a virtual "Group average Points" has been calculated for each Group.
It should be stressed that all the information in this Section is factual. It is all really mere data (from FIFA). The fresh views can emerge from the way the information is organized. That's what allows some original patterns to emerge.
Obviously, only in a linear environment (which is certainly not the case for Soccer!) may a mere addition of the parts manage to reveal whichever whole they comprise, altogether. However, it is interesting to muse over what emerges from the other two Tables in this Section.
Check the table below, and then click on the other two links, above, and you may be in for a bit of a surprise, regarding the so-called "Group of death" (Group C), amid the World Cup Squads' scenario and their FIFA Rankings. 
| 2006 World Cup Group |
Nov.05, 2005 Rank |
Team |
Points |
Overall&Average Group Points |
 |
 |
|
|
|
| A |
16 |
Germany |
 710 |
Sum: 2755 |
| |
21 |
Costa Rica |
699 |
average: |
| |
23 |
Poland |
696 |
 688.75 |
| |
37 |
Ecuador |
650 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| B |
9 |
England |
757 |
Sum: 2767 |
| |
14 |
Sweden |
731 |
average: |
| |
30 |
Paraguay |
672 |
691.75 |
| |
51 |
Trinidad and Tobago |
607 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| C |
3 |
Netherlands |
791 |
Sum: 2803 |
| |
4 |
Argentina |
774 |
average: |
| |
41 |
Côte d'Ivoire |
626 |
700.75 |
| |
47 |
Serbia and Montenegro |
612 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| D |
7 |
Mexico |
768 |
Sum: 2794 |
| |
10 |
Portugal |
754 |
average: |
| |
19 |
Iran |
702 |
698.5 |
| |
62 |
Angola |
570 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| E |
2 |
Czech Republic |
796 |
Sum: 2911 |
| |
8 |
USA |
766 |
average: |
| |
12 |
Italy |
741 |
727.75 |
| |
50 |
Ghana |
608 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| F |
1 |
Brazil |
841 |
Sum: 2865 |
| |
15 |
Japan |
713 |
average: |
| |
20 |
Croatia |
701 |
716.25 |
| |
49 |
Australia |
610 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| G |
5 |
France |
772 |
Sum: 2690 |
| |
29 |
Korea Republic |
682 |
average: |
| |
36 |
Switzerland |
654 |
672.5 |
| |
56 |
Togo |
582 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| H |
6 |
Spain |
771 |
Sum: 2750 |
| |
28 |
Tunisia |
683 |
average: |
| |
32 |
Saudi Arabia |
669 |
687.5 |
| |
40 |
Ukraine |
627 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
2006 
World Cup
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