Host nation Brazil will kick off next summer’s World Cup finals with their opening Group A match against
Croatia in Sao Paulo on Thursday, June 12.
The favourites will be expected to finish top after they were also drawn against Mexico and Cameroon.
Holders Spain and 2010 runners-up the Netherlands were drawn together in the tough-looking Group B,
which also includes Chile and Australia.
Holland coach Louis van Gaal said: “We have to play the world champion, we have to play Australia who we have never beaten and Chile was 3-0 up recently against Colombia before it ended 3-3, so that is not a weak team.”
Germany will come up against former striker and coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who is in charge of Group G rivals USA, while Portugal and Ghana complete a tricky quartet.
“I kind of had in my stomach that we were going to get Germany,” said Klinsmann, who played in the 1990 World Cup winning team.
“Obviously it’s one of the most difficult groups in the whole draw, having Portugal with Cristiano Ronaldo and then Ghana, who has a history with the United
States. It couldn’t get any more difficult or any bigger.”
Posted By Kevin Jasper (@KevinJasper3)
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