With South American nations expected to lead the challenge for global glory this summer, Chile could be among those to slip under the radar and mount a real charge. The potential is clearly there, but will they deliver on it? Chris Burton looks at how they shape up.
Monday 9 June 2014 10:12, UK
Finishing third in the South American qualifying section shows what Chile are capable of. They ended their campaign just four points behind Argentina, three ahead of Uruguay and now sit 14th in the FIFA rankings – above star-studded nations such as the Netherlands, France and Ivory Coast.
Chile boast superstars of their own, though, and have quickly emerged as a force to be reckoned with on the global stage. The vast majority of their squad now ply their club trade in Europe, with the likes of Juventus, Fiorentina, FC Twente, Valencia and Barcelona buying into their potential and offering the grandest of domestic stages on which to perform.
They unquestionably lean heavily on the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Arturo Vidal and Eduardo Vargas, but if they can keep key men fit and firing then they are a match for anybody on their day – just ask England, who suffered a 2-0 defeat at Wembley Stadium in a friendly fixture back in November 2013.
Chile’s Group B fixtures
1. Friday June 13: Chile vs Australia – Cuiaba (23.00)
2. Wednesday June 18: Spain vs Chile – Rio de Janeiro (20.00)
3. Monday June 23: Netherlands vs Chile – Sao Paulo (17.00)
Coach: Jorge Sampaoli
Chile have placed their faith in the hands of an Argentine, with Sampaoli’s success at club level with the likes of Deportivo O’Higgins and Universidad de Chile – which saw him land league titles and a Copa Sudamericana crown - earning him a shot at the top job. He has been in his current post since December 2012 and suffered just one defeat in the seven qualifying fixtures he oversaw en route to Brazil. He has reverted Chile back to the high-tempo, high-pressing game which has served them well in the past and has made them a slick outfit who are pleasing on the eye and hard in the tackle.
Star man: Alexis Sanchez
Were he to play his club football for any other side than Barcelona, Sanchez would be among the first names on the team sheet. As it is, he faces fierce competition for starting berths at the Nou Camp and often has to resign himself to the fact that squad rotation is the only way in which an enviable collection of attacking talent is going to get game time. While he may not always make Barca’s starting XI, he is a key man in Catalunya and made more appearances and scored more goals in the 2013/14 campaign than he has in any other to date. Those efforts have drawn admiring glances from afar and transfer talk will intensify if Sanchez – who netted both goals as Chile stunned England at Wembley – shines in the World Cup’s global shop window.
Tournament best: Third place 1962
Squad
Goalkeepers: Claudio Bravo (Real Sociedad), Johnny Herrera (Universidad de Chile), Cristopher Toselli (Universidad Catolica)
Defenders: Gary Medel (Cardiff City), Gonzalo Jara (Nottingham Forest), Jose Rojas (Universidad de Chile), Eugenio Mena (Santos), Mauricio Isla (Juventus)
Midfielders: Jorge Valdivia (Palmeiras), Felipe Gutierrez (Twente), Jose Pedro Fuenzalida (Colo Colo), Francisco Silva (Osasuna), Arturo Vidal (Juventus), Charles Aranguiz (Internacional), Marcelo Diaz (Basel), Carlos Carmona (Atalanta), Miiko Albornoz (Malmo)
Forwards: Alexis Sanchez (Barcelona), Esteban Paredes (Colo Colo), Eduardo Vargas (Valencia), Jean Beausejour (Wigan Athletic), Mauricio Pinilla (Cagliari), Fabian Orellana (Celta)
British based players: Gonzalo Jara (Nottingham Forest), Gary Medel (Cardiff City) and Jean Beausejour (Wigan Athletic).
Chile are in a tough group alongside Spain and Holland but still even money to qualify for the second round after impressing in the build up to what will be their ninth appearance in the World Cup. La Roja remained unbeaten in their last six qualifying games and are certain to attract plenty of backers at 50/1 to win the trophy.
Chile reached the semi-finals in 1962 and can be backed at 16/1 to equal that in Brazil. Barcelona's Alexis Sanchez is regarded as their biggest threat and is 66/1 in the top scorer market.
