Justifiable favorites

Spain won Euro 2008 convincingly and goes into the World Cup as a co-favorite with Brazil. Though Brazil has the pedigree and history of World Cup success, Spain has none – No doubt, that weighs in the minds of some as far as establishing who the favorites are. Therefore, what does Spain bring to the competition? Only the best squad in the tournament. Of the other teams, Switzerland’s greater depth of talent gives them the best chance to advance.

Spain – Players in the top 5 European leagues        
             
Name Position Team League OR DR TR
Gerard Pique Full Barcelona Spain +0.44 +0.55 +0.99
Xavi Mid Barcelona Spain +0.50 +0.30 +0.80
Xabi Alonso Mid Real Madrid Spain +0.56 +0.21 +0.77
Alvaro Arbeloa Full Real Madrid Spain +0.46 +0.30 +0.77
Carles Puyol Full Barcelona Spain +0.47 +0.29 +0.76
Sergio Busquets Mid Barcelona Spain +0.40 +0.32 +0.72
Andres Iniesta Mid Barcelona Spain +0.49 +0.16 +0.65
Pedro Fwd Barcelona Spain +0.19 +0.43 +0.62
Cesc Fabregas Mid Arsenal England +0.56 +0.03 +0.59
Sergio Ramos Full Real Madrid Spain +0.38 +0.15 +0.54
Jesus Navas Mid Sevilla Spain +0.19 +0.33 +0.51
Fernando Torres Fwd Liverpool England +0.36 +0.15 +0.51
David Silva Mid Valencia Spain +0.30 +0.18 +0.47
David Villa Fwd Valencia Spain +0.22 +0.22 +0.44
Victor Valdes Goal Barcelona Spain   +0.37 +0.37
Raul Albiol Full Real Madrid Spain +0.35 -0.06 +0.29
Pepe Reina Goal Liverpool England   +0.27 +0.27
Iker Casillas Goal Real Madrid Spain   +0.17 +0.17
Joan Capdevila Full Villarreal Spain +0.15 -0.02 +0.13
Juan Manuel Mata Mid Valencia Spain +0.11 -0.03 +0.07
Javi Martinez Mid Athletic Bilbao Spain +0.05 -0.02 +0.03
Carlos Marchena Full Valencia Spain +0.27 -0.28 -0.01
Fernando Llorente Fwd Athletic Bilbao Spain -0.03 -0.01 -0.04
             
Switzerland – Players in the top 5 European leagues        
             
Name Position Team League OR DR TR
Philippe Senderos* Full Everton England +0.56 +0.18 +0.74
Eren Derdiyok Fwd B. Leverkusen Germany +0.36 +0.14 +0.50
Tranquillo Barnetta Mid B. Leverkusen Germany +0.30 +0.14 +0.44
Reto Ziegler Full Sampdoria Italy +0.04 +0.23 +0.27
Pirmin Schwegler Mid Frankfurt Germany +0.14 +0.13 +0.27
Diego Benaglio Goal Wolfsburg Germany   +0.06 +0.06
Stéphane Grichting Full Auxerre France -0.11 +0.17 +0.06
Gökhan Inler Mid Udinese Italy +0.14 -0.16 -0.02
Stephan Lichtsteiner DF Lazio Italy -0.05 +0.02 -0.03
Valon Behrami Mid West Ham England -0.01 -0.18 -0.19
Marco Padalino Mid Sampdoria Italy +0.02 -0.27 -0.25
Gelson Fernandes Mid Saint-Etienne France -0.24 -0.02 -0.26
Steve von Bergen Full Hertha Berlin Germany -0.30 +0.00 -0.30
Mario Eggimann Full Hannover Germany -0.08 -0.53 -0.61
Albert Bunjaku Fwd Nuremberg Germany -0.48 -0.38 -0.86
             
             
Honduras – Players in the top 5 European leagues        
             
Name Position Team League OR DR TR
Wilson Palacios Mid Tottenham England +0.14 +0.17 +0.30
Edgar Alvarez Mid Bari Italy +0.06 +0.15 +0.20
Maynor Figueroa Full Wigan England -0.21 -0.03 -0.24
Hendry Thomas Mid Wigan England -0.34 -0.28 -0.62
David Suazo* Fwd Genoa Italy -0.14 -0.77 -0.91
             
Chile – Players in the top 5 European leagues        
             
Name Position Team League OR DR TR
Arturo Vidal Full B. Leverkusen Germany +0.14 +0.13 +0.28
Mauricio Isla Full Udinese Italy +0.28 -0.09 +0.19
Humberto Suazo* Fwd Real Zaragoza Spain -0.13 +0.21 +0.08
Alexis Sánchez Fwd Udinese Italy +0.16 -0.32 -0.15
Carlos Carmona Mid Reggina Italy -0.22 -0.07 -0.29
Fabián Orellana Fwd Xerez Spain -0.13 -0.23 -0.36

*Limited minutes – Use with caution

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