Group thoughts ..

South Africans , Mexicans , Uruguayans , Frenchies .. You guys happy/disappointed/content with the draw ?

From a french point of view it could've ended up alot worse , so I guess I'm happy . But in saying that I fully expect this group to be challenge , especially depending on which France shows up . ( We are notorious for slow starts in tournaments )

For me ,
South Africa vs. Mexico

I don't like playing the first game against the host , but such is life.
The first game is imensly important it can make and unify a team or it can fracture them. I am convinced we can win this group and avoid Argentina this time , but playing against Argentina is also a good proposition .

France vs Mexico will be an intresting game. I hope Henry will have his hands tied . just kidding ........

Uruguay vs Mexico neither team will finish with 11 . We usually play to our oponents level and we will be hacking at their leggs before the end of the 1st half .

You'll find Henry offsides half the time.

Doable for South Africa. Last game they played with Mexico the Africans won (at the Gold Cup) and won convincingly. South Africa was already going downhill by then and the team is more or less the same.

Given the additional local benefits I wouldn't count RSA out yet. But if they lose the opener they are gone.

i think france will go first and uruguay second.

for sure were going to the next round

The high altitude won't work against us

the 90,000 crowd won't either

we also have a lot of WC veterans

Convincingly? They won by a goal against a depleted Mexican team that let most of their starters rest because of their Confederations Cup a month earlier. The truth is that Mexico is part of only a handful of teams that have made it out of the group stage during the last 4 world cups (against much harder groups) and I think they are favored to qualify from this one. The host has always made it out of group play but the host has never been this bad and the host's group has never been this good. The last time Mexico face Uruguay, Mexico beat them 3-1 at Copa America 2007. On top of that, Uruguay was having trouble against a Costa Rican team that Mexico scored 5 goals in two matches against. While Mexico started the qualification process in horrible form, in the last 6 months, they have been the best team in Concacaf and this momentum is what matters.

Mexico and France are the favorites to advance, but you never know what will happen, its all part of the game.

good luck with that

The horns won't either. We're used to those as well.

I'm worried about the refs favoring the hosts.

If you take that out of the equation. It's pretty easy to say that it would normally be France and Mexico to advance from a group like this.

This group is easily the most difficult of the bunch. All other groups have 2 teams that are better than the other 2. In this group, France is the biggest with Mexico and Uruguay trailing historywise and South Africa being the host. Theres just too many factors. Of course football tends to be spontenous in respect to outcomes. So I guess its more mental than physical.

Good luck to my home country... Mexico!!!!!

France and Mexico advance.

Mexico beats the Argies in the RO16

Uruguay and Mexico. France is DONE. They won't get a single borderline call to go their way, especially against the hosts.
If Mexico doesn't go on, it will be because of the first game and the hosts will go instead.
Uruguay is going to the quarter finals so get used to it.

South Africans , Mexicans , Uruguayans - BEWARE. Henry likes to get up beside the posts, control the ball with his forearm and palm it for a simple knock in. He should have his hands cable tied before all games.

I'm impressed that FIFA actually drew this group. When you include the fact that SA is the host and will get calls, this group is solid from top to bottom. I'm interested in this group mainly because I have a ticket to Mexico vs Uruguay, but I will also be watching to see how the refs handle France.

the french wont get out of group stage

its 2002 all over again

I think this will be the most interesting group.

All teams (except Uruguay) should make it pass the group.
1. France will be expected to go on
2. Mexico always seem to find a way to go on
3. The hosts always go on

I have no Idea what will happen. I would hope that SA manage to get the opening day win, thus putting pressure on Mexico to get a win against France (which they are capable of), and France slipping up against either SA or Uruguay thus letting Mexico and SA go on....

Its a good group. I like that France is there mostly because if you can't beat quality teams then you can't win the cup. Lets see what these teams are made of, and I hope Mexico does well

In 2002, both Uruguay and France shared a group with Senegal and Denmark which strikes a funny resemblance with this 2010 group.

Just to refresh your memory, both Denmark(7pts) and Senegal(5pts) left Uruguay(2pts) and France(1pts) behind back then.

I agree with several people who say this is the most unpredictable group.

One thing is for sure though, no team will be anyone elses pushover.

South Africa, all I know is they're below most of their African counterparts and they didn't impress much at the Confederations Cup, they had several errors at defense from what I remember as well. I also recall them not having McCarthey, will he be at the World Cup? Mexico, Uruguay & France should only worry about themselves and their own mental stability while playing against the home team, if they succeed in winning with the mind, they'll probably beat South Africa easily.

Mexico has come out of every group stage in the last 4 World Cups, and they've played solid football in these past WC's against teams like Italy (2 times), Netherlands, Germany and Argentina amongst others. A team who's just barely been brought back to life thanks to Aguirre, a team who's results have depended mostly of two of their major stars: Dos Santos and Blanco.

Uruguay has an awesome team but they don't really show the results you'd expect. They're pretty dirty and like to leave their soul on the field. Like Mexico in these past qualifiers, they were quite irregular. You never know... but beware their biggest difference maker, Forlan.

France with Domenech is not the real France. A lot of people DO NOT want to see them in the next round and Henry will either want to redeem himself or piz his pants. If France picks up their level though, beware. Anelka has impressed as of late and Gourcouff is key as well.

Mexico did not get a legit handball call/PK against the US in 02. France qualified with the illegal help of Henry's hand. If the soccer gods believe in karma, Mexico will score an illegitimate goal to defeat France and balance the scales of justice. How sweet would that be?

I think this is the most interesting and complicated group, not necessarily the hardest.

What planet are you from? I doubt you even watched that game because it was a long fkn time ago and Mexico sucked the whole time (no rafa, no cuauh, no torrado, no ramoncito = epic fail).

It was 3 gold cups in the past and there was nothing convincing about s. africa's win (zombie 2-1 loss). The squads for both teams are going to be radically different because it will be 5 years from the start of the world cup 2010.

The 2005 gold cup was not taken seriously by anyone because it was meaningless (after the 2005 confederations cup and the 2007 Gold cup was used as the qualifiying tourney for the 2009 confederations cup not the 2005 version).

South Africa has homefield advantage and thats it, they will be hard pressed to even win one game. Its possible they make the 2nd round but its highly unlikely.

yea France are slow starters but they will find their form maybe after first match, they have too many world class players on the field and on the bench. Too much talent for any of these teams can handle.

Mexico is getting back to their stride, but not so consistent, easily beatable side.
Uruguay barely qualified, I dont know why John Harkes picked them to go to semi finals but they probably fall off on group stage.
SA has a very good chance, home advantage is huge in world cup, I feel like with Parreira + 6months + massive home advantage will carry them through this round.

France beats teams comfortably to go through
SA wil take 2nd

The win was convincing. SA was two goals up and the Mexico goal was a consolation goal. For the most time SA looked more likely to score a third.