It's World Cup time. The pundits have given their views on who will make it all the way to the Maracana on July 13. Now it's your chance to sit in the very same chair and try to win a $2,000 prize.
Eight groups, 32 teams -- two to emerge from each group. And then we get into the round of 16 and round of eight. Here are some educated guesses, with a healthy dose of pin-sticking. Make sure to enter our bracket game, in which you can create your own league and take on your friends and colleagues.
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First up is the group stage. Very rarely will we see the top two nations emerging from each group -- let's not forget Italy finishing bottom of their group in 2010, a pool that also included New Zealand, Paraguay and Slovakia. Who would have predicted that?
Group A
Only a fool would bet against Brazil topping this group on their own soil. And I'm no fool. But what of second? Croatia and Mexico both stumbled to qualification, while in Vincent Aboubakar and Samuel Eto'o, Cameroon have the striking talent to make it out in second. So I'm going for the African nation.
Group B
Now this is tough, if you pretend Australia aren't in the group. You've got Spain as reigning champions, Chile as a dark horse to go far and Netherlands as a traditional powerhouse and runner-up in 2010. I decided to be boring and tip Spain to top the group, with Chile to take second with their stellar talents Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal. Looks like a decider between Chile and Netherlands in Sao Paulo on June 23.
Group C
One of the tougher groups to call, especially with Colombia shorn of the striking talents of Radamel Falcao. Greece's best hope of getting out of the group stage could be to bore the opposition to death, going by how many goals they generally score and concede. Iran are the only Asian nation ever to previously play in a South American finals, having failed to win a game and finishing bottom of their group in Argentina 1978. Asian football has moved on a lot since then, though, and in this group, continental champions Japan might well sneak into second behind an Ivory Coast side that cruised to the finals.
Group D
No matter what, your heart has to rule your head. So England will qualify from this group -- forget the evidence. In truth, there is probably little to choose between England and Italy, and it could even be that the games between them and Uruguay are all drawn -- meaning Costa Rica hold all the aces. Uruguay are another nation who struggled to qualify but came off the rails to coast in, and they might top the group ahead of England. Probably kidding myself, but you have to back your own country, don't you?
Group E
The group with the seeded nation everyone wanted to avoid: Switzerland. Ottmar Hitzfeld had his team on a roll in qualifying, with their accuracy in front of goal proving crucial. They clock into Brazil as the most likely of the seeds to fail to progress, but I've opted for them to top the group. Surprised? Josip Drmic, Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka could be a few of the lesser lights to shine. Ecuador and Honduras look weak, going by their warm-ups against England, so Franck Ribery-less France should slot in second -- I'm giving the 8-0 win over Jamaica the weight it deserves (not much).
Group F
Argentina should really be able to win this group at a canter and have their feet up and reserves out for their final group game against Nigeria. So who will slot in right behind them? It's a very tough call. Bosnia-Herzegovina have some fine attacking talent but zero experience at international tournaments; Nigeria no longer have the star names of the past, while Iran look to be one of the weaker sides in Brazil. I decided to go with Bosnia -- though the technical reasons for this will probably prove to be flawed (pin-sticker).
Group G
This is the toughest group of them all, but I just can't see beyond Germany to win the group and Portugal as runners-up. Our American readers will be aghast, but Jurgen Klinsmann's squad appears to lack experience and, I'm afraid to say, look a good bet to prop up the group. Ghana could cause an upset, though, and, as they meet Portugal in Brasilia in the final round of group games, it could be that fixture that decides the second spot.
Group H
Belgium have been tipped by so many to go far this summer, perhaps even emulating their achievements of 1986, when they reached the semifinals before losing to Argentina. They certainly have the stellar names -- I won't bother repeating them -- and have been given a favourable draw. I've got to back them to top the group, and a few days ago I'd have tipped South Korea to take second. But their thrashing at the hands of Ghana on Monday has led me to elevate Russia into second.
ROUND OF 16
Fixtures: Brazil versus Chile, Spain versus Cameroon, Ivory Coast versus England, Uruguay versus Japan, Switzerland versus Bosnia-Herzegovina, Argentina versus France, Germany versus Russia, Belgium versus Portugal
Brazil-Chile has the hallmarks of a great game in Belo Horizonte, a game that could actually see the hosts shocked, but I've stuck with home advantage. Spain will cruise past Cameroon. England, glorious England, will have too much for Ivory Coast, and Uruguay should also ease past Japan into the final eight.
Switzerland-Bosnia looks a very tight one to call. I'm just going to go with Bosnia on penalties to send the debutants through. Argentina against France might well prove a World Cup classic, but again, I opted for South American advantage to count. Germany will face Russia in Porto Alegre, Fabio Capello coming up against the same opponents that thrashed his England four years ago -- and there could be a repeat. Belgium-Portugal is another very evenly contested match; the thought process here has come down purely to the Cristiano Ronaldo factor.
QUARTERFINALS
Fixtures: Brazil versus England, Spain versus Uruguay, Bosnia-Herzegovina versus Germany, Argentina versus Portugal.
We're well and truly into the business end now. No more gimmies. This is where the big guns come into their own -- and where England are knocked out. The head has to finally rule the heart at some point, and this is that time. Uruguay are going to cause a sensation with a fully fit Luis Suarez sending Spain spinning home early. Germany will have little trouble making the semis against Bosnia -- and they will be the final non-South American team left in it as Argentina oust Portugal in the epic battle of Ronaldo versus Lionel Messi.
SEMIFINALS
Fixtures: Brazil versus Germany, Uruguay versus Argentina
Disaster! Brazil fail to make the final after losing to Germany in Belo Horizonte! The hopes and dreams of the Brazilian people, who had all been won over by the party spirit the World Cup creates, are left distraught by a last-minute Miroslav Klose winner! And they will meet Argentina in the final, who prove too strong for Uruguay in Sao Paulo.
FINAL
Fixture: Germany versus Argentina
Germany's promising generation of players pull it off, becoming the first European nation to lift the World Cup in South America. Mario Goetze scored early, with another Klose goal after the break leaving Argentina no way back into the game.