The World Cup Draw and Who Everton Players Will Face

The World Cup Final Draw has completed and we finally know who everyone will be playing in the group stages next year in Brazil.

After Everton sent a huge number of international players to a multiplicity of national teams during qualifying, the number of players being sent to the World Cup finals is much less. Oddly enough, three of the players that may be playing for World Cup teams are out of favor or injured players on Everton.

Group A:

Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon.

Only one player may feature in Group A and that is out of form striker Nikica Jelavic. He doesn't really have a great shot of being called up though if he keeps sitting on the bench for us.

Group B:

Spain, Netherlands, Chile, Australia

Heitinga is the only person that could be called up but this is highly unlikely since Netherlands has many options and because Heitinga hasn't played in about a decade.

Group C:

Colombia, Greece, Ivory Coast, Japan

If Kone comes back from injury and actually plays a little bit he will probably get called up since Ivory Coast does not have too many options and their strikers keep getting injured. But if there are no injuries, he has no chance with his current form.

Group D:

Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy

Bryan Oviedo seems to always get called up at the least. This may be because Costa Rica just don't have too many options. His playing time has been reduced since he has come to Everton and hasn't gotten too much first team action. But after seeing him play the last couple of matches, Costa Rica probably have to start him now.

Leon Osman, Ross Barkley, Leighton Baines, and Phil Jagielka all have shots to play with Jags and Baines even a chance to start for the England team. But this all depends on their form by the time the World Cup starts. But if Everton keep playing like they have been this season, good things should happen to this group.

Group E:

Switzerland, Honduras, France, Ecuador

No one in this group.

Group F:

Argentina, Bosnia-Herzogovina, Iran, Nigeria

No one in this group.

Group G:

Germany, Portugal, Ghana, USA

Tim Howard is solidly the starting goalkeeper for the USMNT. Sadly the US got drawn into what some people are calling the toughest group (although personally, I think Group B is tougher).

Group H:

Belgium, Algeria, Russia, Korea Republic

Currently, we have Kevin Mirallas and Romelu Lukaku who should both play significant parts in Belgium's campaign. Sadly Lukaku will most likely be done with Everton by then so it will only be Mirallas dominating the Russians, Koreans, and Algerians.

So that leaves us with the question: Does any Everton player have a chance of going all the way and winning the World Cup with their national team?

I would say its highly unlikely. The strongest nation an Everton player plays for is the Netherlands and Heitinga may not even be called up. That leaves England who we all know are the biggest group of confused choke artists when any tournament turns up. That leaves the Belgium which actually does have a very dangerous team in a relatively tame group. Although I just don't think they have the experience to go all the way. The USA, Costa Rica, Ivory Coast, and Croatia only have little chances of getting out of the group stage itself. It would be a miracle for any one of those teams to go to the quarterfinals.

So there you have it, a bit more depressing than originally thought, but it is nice too see so many Everton players that could get called up to their national team. Hopefully, an Everton player can finally win something of significance for once.