Chile

It has been 12 years since Chile were last at a World Cup with their world famous striking partnership of Marcelo Salas and Ivan Zamorano but now it’s a new breed of Chilean footballers that are going to South Africa.

Still blessed with superb technique and goal scoring instinct the Chilean’s are now more robust and capable of stopping goals.

Young starlets like Alexis Sanchez and Matias Fernandez alongside the more experienced players like Claudio Maldonado will be looking to show what they can do under the commanding tactical genius that is coach Marcelo Bielsa and they will be looking to fire Chile back into the spotlight in South Africa.

Star Man – Humberto Suazo

Humberto Suazo had never played outside of South and Central America until he joined Real Zaragoza on loan in January so many will not have heard of the Chilean’s goal scoring exploits but his record speaks for itself, nearly a goal a game at the highest level of football shows the quality that he possesses.

In 2006, Suazo was named as the world’s top goalscorer by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics while he was at Audax Italiano. Now playing his football for Monterrey in Mexico and for Chile he became the top goal scorer in South American qualifying for South Africa.

Surrounded by young inexperienced players he has led his country to the World Cup and for that he can very proud.

Coach – Marcelo Bielsa

In a post qualifying survey, Marcelo Bielsa, the Argentinian coach nicknamed the madman, was named by his contemporaries in the CONMEBOL countries as the best coach.

Along with this, several of his players were named either best player or best young player in qualifying.

Bielsa, a renowned tactician, has been fast tracking younger players into his squad to help the country progress and performances of youngsters like Medel, Sanchez and Fernandez has seen Chile become a force in South America, their 1-0 victory over Argentina is the perfect example of how far the side have come underneath him.

One to Watch – Alexis Sanchez

The wonder boy is looking to make an impact in South Africa and the other group h teams will have to watch him carefully.

The 20 year-old Udinese attacker nicknamed ‘El Niño Maravilla’ (The Wonderboy) will be trying to weave his way through the defenders in front of him like he has been doing since the tender age of 17.

Coach Marcelo Bielsa’s youth policy has undoubtedly helped Sanchez develop and he will be looking to pay his coach back with perfomances on the big stage against other the other hispanic nations in their group and Switzerland the nation he scored his first international goal against.

Odds to win - 50/1

GROUP STAGE FIXTURES