#16-Switzerland

#16-Switzerland
Nickname-La Nati
UEFA
FIFA Ranking-#8
Group E (France, Switzerland, Ecuador, Honduras)
Projected Results...
Tie to France
Tie to Ecuador
Win to Honduras
Manager-Ottmar Hitzfeld
Qualified through first place in UEFA Qualifying Group E
10th World Cup Appearance (1934, 1938, 1950, 1954, 1962, 1966, 1994, 2006, 2010)

This team is overrated in my opinion, as I don't think anyone truly believes that they are the 8th best team in the world as their FIFA ranking indicates.  They benefitted from a pretty easy qualification group, and I think they have a few good players, but there's nothing too sexy here.  This team gets lucky again, being slotted into a group with Ecuador and Honduras, who aren't very good.  France is good, so I expect a tie there, but I don't expect Switzerland to blow either of the other two teams away.  Most teams I'm sure during the World Cup draw were hoping to draw Switzerland as the first seed in their group, as Switzerland was in pot 1 along with Brazil, Germany, Argentina, etc. They're inexperienced at forward, which is their biggest problem. They won't win the tournament, and they probably will be eliminated in the first knockout match, but let's take a look at their three best players.

Xherdan Shaqiri-Best player in the squad in my opinion, playing for Bayern Munich, the best club in the world at the moment. Dangerous midfielder, can score, pass, defend, etc. 31 appearances and 8 goals, only aged 22. Look out for him.

Gohkan Inler-Also a good midfielder, who plays for Napoli in Italy. The captain of the squad, needs to sync up well with Shaqiri order for this team to do anything. 71 appearances, 6 goals, aged 29.

Stephan Lichtsteiner-Also plays in Italy for Juventus, most experienced defender. Aged 30, I think he will be relied upon quite a bit. 61 appearances, 4 goals.

Second place in the group. They're not that good. Out in the round of 16.