Chance to impress: World Cup teams mark 99 days to go with friendlies

FRANCE

Spain’s Carles Puyol (left) and Miroslav Klose of Germany rise for a ball during their World Cup semi-final match in South Africa in June 2010. [PHOTO: COURTESY]

AFP -Today’s round of international friendly fixtures constitutes a last chance for many players to force their way into the reckoning ahead of the World Cup in Brazil in June and July.

Wedged into a busy period in the club season, 99 days before the World Cup itself begins, it is the only international date before most coaches announce their squads for the finals in May.

Teenage full-back Luke Shaw has been excellent in the Premier League for Southampton, but the friendly against Denmark at Wembley will be his one opportunity before the summer to show England manager Roy Hodgson he is ready for international football.

Shaw was called up for the first time as Hodgson named a 30-man squad for the game, although he has insisted that he has “no eyes on the World Cup” at his tender age.

England is preparing for the start of its World Cup campaign against Italy in Manaus, so it will be keeping a keen eye on the Azzurri’s friendly clash with Spain in Madrid.

The game at Atletico Madrid’s Vicente Calderon stadium is a repeat of the Euro 2012 final, which La Roja won 4-0 in Kiev, and it is also set to see Atletico’s Brazilian-born striker Diego Costa make his Spain debut.

Costa, 25, has scored 21 times in La Liga this season and Spain has had to battle with the Brazilian Confederation to get him on board.

“His is a singular case, he was born in Brazil but he became a footballer in Spain and has shown in his club that he deserves to come into the squad,” said coach Vicente del Bosque, who notably left David Villa, Fernando Torres and Juan Mata off a list that continues to evolve ahead of their World Cup defence.

Spain’s opening World Cup test will be against the team it beat in the 2010 final, the Netherlands in Salvador, and the Dutch continues its preparations with a heavyweight friendly of its own, away to France.

chances to youngsters

Dutch coach Louis van Gaal will give chances to youngsters such as Davy Klaassen of Ajax for the game and there are some new faces in the France squad too, such as Real Sociedad forward Antoine Griezmann.

“On paper, we have a top team, but the reality at the moment is a bit different,” said Loew.

Chile’s pedigree can’t be doubted, and Jorge Sampaoli’s team beat England on its last trip to Europe in November.

The South Americans are preparing to face Spain and the Netherlands in their World Cup group, as well as Australia, which takes on Ecuador at Millwall’s ground in London.

Elsewhere, Romania hosts Argentina in Bucharest, while US faces Ukraine in a match that will be held in Cyprus due to the current political tension in Kiev.

Loew also left out Mario Gomez, Mats Hummels, Marco Reus, Julian Draxler and Benedikt Hoewedes, who all only recently returned to action.

Four World Cup stadiums are still under construction, and work outside many of the venues is far from over in Brazil.

There were concerns about South Africa’s readiness four years ago as well, and Brazil’s players will be going to scene of the 2010 final at Soccer City in Johannesburg to play the previous hosts.