World Cup squad selected - Group C & D

SoundersFC.com has selected their squad of 32 World Cup bloggers to represent the 32 nations in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Learn about each blogger with their winning entry to the question: Why will your country win?

Groups: A & B | C & D | E & F | G & H

GROUP C

Omar Kader
Username: Ocnar
Algeria
Algeria will win the World Cup because they are being hugely underestimated by their fellow teams in Group C.Well,that and it is time to show that players such as Karim Benzema made the wrong decision to turn down his Algerian call up in 2006.What is that Karim?You want to play for France?Ok go for it,Oh snap you are not even on the squad!! The Desert Foxes will not be stopped this year.We have a fantastic squad with more European based club players than any other Algerian team in history including Karim Ziani,Karim Matmour,Nadir Belhadj,Antar Yahia,Madjid Bougherra ,and Abdelkader Ghezzal.We have the experience and motivation to see it through to the end, and we will, as World Cup Champions(And most importantly,our kits are sweet). Vive Les Fennecs!!

James Smith
Username: s_f_j
England
Choose Frank Lampard with a deflected 25 yarder, Choose Wayne Rooney's Shrek like face running to the corner flag, choose 30'000 white shirted England fans screaming for God and St George! Choose 44 years of pain and suffering, Choose losing to Ze Germans on penalties in semi finals, Choose Sir Alf and Sir Bobby god rest their immortal souls! Choose John Terry being in South Africa and not your girlfriends bed, choose Ashley Cole's mobile phone restriction limit, Choose Fabio Capellos momma's spicy meatballs! Choose a crowded pub with beer splashing all over your brand new replica shirt, Choose hugging a complete stranger, choose drunkenly dancing in the streets in broad daylights! Choose England, Choose me, Choose Rio Ferdinands duck-like face lifting the World cup in Jo'Burg.

Colin Shively
Username: Colinho
Slovenia
Why will Slovenia win the World Cup? Our past has painted a picture, unfortunately that picture is not yet complete. We may be small, but when we come face to face with the giants, we knock them down like David and Goliath. You don't have to dig deep: we were the only team to defeat Italy in 2006. Not to mention the take down of Russia to make it to this tournament. When it comes to the big stage, we produce. Milivoje Novakovic is the threat up top, pounding in goals as if it comes naturally to him. Captain Robert Koren perfects his trade in England, and has all the experience to keep this team focused on the goal. Honestly, it's our defense that sets us apart. We allowed just four goals in 10 games during qualifying. Who says smaller is weaker? You don't see us complaining. Anything is possible.

David Martin
Username: dvmartin
United States of America
I remember the Confederations Cup Finals. It was a hot Minnesota afternoon, the only place where "mosquitoey" is a word used more often than "soccer." My skin was melted onto our leather couch, and I was forcing my wife to watch with me. She was routing for Brazil, both for the beautiful brown bodies and because she hates me. The United States qualified in the only way the United States knows how: divine intervention. Yes, as a soccer fan in Minnesota, a man gets lonely. But no other sport offers the type of community, the sense of a nation without boundaries, as that commeraderie shared between soccer fans, as if you shared a secret no one else could penetrate. On a hot day in Minnesota, a lonely soccer fan saw the United States compete at the highest level. We are ready. This is our game.

GROUP D

Gabe Holmes
Username: SuperSounderSupporter
Australia
I remember as if it was yesterday, seven Americans enter into a vast bar and patio packed to the gills with Germans. No it wasn't WC 06, although I was there, it was the Lowenbrau at "The Rocks" in Sydney. That is where we cheered on the US vs Germany in the quarterfinals of the 2002 WC. Sydney was also the place where I found the passion for the "World's Game" going to different bars designated to specific national teams, and cheering and jeering with other expatriates (not to be confused with ex-patriots). To continue in this tradition, I will watch the Socceroos at the Kangaroo & Kiwi. My blog will be mostly experiential, with some match analysis. However, most of that analysis/opinion will most likely come from Australian expatriates that I will be enjoying a beer and a sausage with.

Tarun Treon
Username: Tarun Treon
Germany
Never the favorites, never the dark horse but always consistent performers. Someone once said "Football is a game in which 22 men chase around a ball for 90 odd minutes. But in the end, Germany almost always wins. The only team in which players give more to their country than their clubs, A team thats as efficient as anything else made in Germany. We have suffered injuries but unlike the other teams that may buckle under the pressure of losing their star player and captain, i am positive that 'Der Maanschaft' will look at this as an opportunity to do better, to go further, to exceed even their own dreams. I will be there in South Africa, cheering their every goal, studying their every move, urging when things arent going right and in the end holding my head high with pride when we become champions. DEUTSCHLAND!!!!!

Stephen Ishmael
Ghana
I will provide a unique up close and personal look at the Black Stars. Being in South Africa for the duration of the World Cup, I will be able to provide an in depth perspective of one of the most talented African sides in the tournament. From the games to the local atmosphere, nothing will get passed me. With the recent form of the youth national team, the older statesmen are eager to show that they too can compete on the world stage. Even without the face of Ghanain futbol, Essien, the black stars are prime for a performance that will show the other continents that they too are worthy to take the main stage. Since the news of the injury the country of Ghana has hit their knees in nation wide prayers to the soccer gods, and everyone knows that the soccer gods love a good underdog story. Cheers!

Alex Porter
Username: alexporter
Serbia
Last weekend Serbia fans rioted because they were losing to New Zealand. In a friendly. To follow Serbia is to be passionate about winning, because second isn't an option. It's this attitude which will see fearsome captain Dejan Stankovic kissing the Jules Rimet trophy this July. We're the team that did our best to knock France out in qualifying before Ireland and several blind officials undid all our good work. We're the ones no one knew anything about until recently, yet now everyone is jumping on our bandwagon. You probably still can't point to us on a map. We're the ones with Nikola Zigic leading the line, Stankovic marshalling from midfield and Nemanja Vidic ready to pulverize from defence. Not for nothing do fans sing about him "murderin' ya". And when they do lift that famous trophy come July 11, I'll be screaming "I was there before we were good!"