Here's a quick Group A preview, I'm hoping to have the others done by WC time. (As a side note, some of the Mexican players are borderline cases on whether they're white or mestizo, so I put them the best I could.)
Group A
Brazil: I’ll start off with the hosts for this brief breakdown. Brazil are always the media’s favorite team, and they are again this year without a doubt. The Selecao are among the favorites to play for the whole shebang. However, there will be massive pressure on Brazil as they try to win the World Cup on home soil. Brazil will likely only have three white starters: Goalkeeper Julio Cesar, CB David Luiz, and attacking midfielder Oscar.
Breakdown: 7 whites, 8 Mestizos, 8 blacks
Croatia: After looking shaky in qualifying, they managed to beat Iceland in a playoff under new manager Niko Kovac. Croatia should join Brazil in the knockout stages; they certainly have the talent with players like Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic, and Mario Mandzukic. Croatia should have an all-white starting 11. The only exception would be in the first match against Brazil, where Mandzukic is suspended. I’m assuming that Brazilian-born Eduardo is a candidate to start for Croatia up top. They also have black Brazilian Sammir on the bench for some inexplicable reason. Even with these two, it’s obvious who to root for in Group A… go Croatia!!
Breakdown: 21 whites, 1 mestizo, 1 black
Mexico: The team is mostly mestizo, with a few white players and one black player. They really struggled in the qualifying juggernaut that is CONCACAFF, but they managed to look good against a hapless New Zealand squad in the playoff. They should have a couple of white starters come their first game against Cameroon.
Breakdown: 8 whites, 13 mestizos, 1 black
Cameroon: This all-black team hasn’t looked the best, and is poised for yet another Group Stage exit.
Breakdown: 23 blacks
Group B
Spain: The defending World and European Champions are once again among the favorites to win it all in Brazil. They have an all-white team, with the exception of half-Chinese David Silva (who DWFs will perceive as white), and mestizo Diego Costa who, of course, is Brazilian. He looks mostly white in a lot of pictures, but clearly mestizo in others. He’s having fitness issues, so he may not start for La Roja. Spain will be relying on the same core of players that have won them their last three major tournaments, namely players like Xavi, Casillas, Pique, Xabi Alonso, Fabregas, etc, and they should be one of our top teams to root for.
Breakdown: 22 whites*, 1 mestizo. *Counting David Silva
The
Netherlands: Due to injuries to two of their key white players in Kevin Strootman and Rafael Vander Vaart, the Dutch won’t be as white as they could’ve been. Their two replacements are some of their younger “exciting” (ie, black) players. It still looks like the Dutch will be starting 8 white players though, but the subs will probably be black for the most part. Judging that most of their younger players are black, this might be the one of the last times we can actually cheer for the Netherlands. Their best players are still white, however. Stars like Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben, and Robin Van Persie will carry Holland.
Breakdown: 14 whites, 9 blacks
Chile: This team is mostly mestizo as well, but they do have a few white players. I don’t know too much about Chile, but they are a pretty good team, and could easily qualify for the knockout stage at the expense of Holland.
Breakdown: 10 whites, 13 mestizos (As with Mexico, some were borderline cases)
Australia: They’ve gone backwards since 2006, as Rebajlo as mentioned on here countless times. Many of their established veterans, like Luke Wilkshire, Brett Holman, and Mark Schwarzer are not with the team this year. With the tough group they’re in, just getting a point will be an accomplishment for the Socceroos. I hope Australia out performs expectations and can get some points in their group. They should have 10 white starters (Tim Cahill is half Samoan).
Breakdown: 21 whites, 1 half-Samoan, and 1 half-Indonesian
Group C
Colombia: Colombia doesn’t have many white players at all, and lost their best player in Radamel Falcao, so it will be interesting to see how Colombia does. They could have two white starters in GK David Ospina, CB Mario Yepes (part French) and RB Santiago Arias, but these are their only
three white players on the entire team that will see game time (the only other white player is back up GK Faryd Mondragon.)
Breakdown: 4 whites, 10 mestizos, 9 blacks
Greece: As Frederic mentioned, Greece is the only white team in this group; they could potentially have one non-white starter: fullback Jose Holebas. Greece will again rely on their stout defense in order to get out of the Group Stage. They’ll have their leader, the ageless, Georgios, and a number of other key players such as Samaras, Salpingidis, etc. Go Greece!! I hope they manage to win the group.
Breakdown: 22 whites, 1 mestizo
Ivory Coast: I really don’t think I need a breakdown of these guys, but they are the best African nation in the World Cup, with the Toures and the aging Drogba. I think they can make it out of this group; there doesn’t appear to be a dominant team here.
Breakdown: 23 blacks
Japan: Japan is usually a very consistent team in the World Cup, and I think they can also make it out of the Group Stage this year. They have some good players as well like Endo, Honda, etc. They could’ve had one white player on the team in Mike Havenaar, but he didn’t get selected.
Breakdown: 23 Japanese players
