2010 FIFA World Cup Seeding and Group Stage
2010 FIFA WORLD CUP
Part 1
After decades, the World Cup was coming home to the motherland of football...England. The vote to allow England to host the World Cup in 2010 seemed like a sensible choice in the new voting pattern [1] due to the country already having a large football infrastructure in place that for the most part required very little work done with only one or two new stadiums built at most with the rest needing only minor adjustments or expansion.Part 1
In the end, the costs overall came under far less than what was spent in South Africa and it was clear that FIFA had learnt it's lesson of not hosting the World Cup in so-called non-football countries...that is minus everything else that was wrong at FIFA but all that's another story [2]. Interestingly enough before England put out it's bid out to host the World Cup, there was at one point a serious consideration to have Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland jointly host it to help reduce costs [3] but this plan fell apart with England going on to host it solo though nonetheless the fact that England were hosting would see the rest of the Home Nations as well as the Republic of Ireland be motivated to qualify [4] which would give a very British taste at this World Cup.
While for some of the teams from the British Isles were making a long awaited return to the World Cup, there would be a number of familiar teams that were also making a comeback such as North Korea and Chile, both of whom coincidently had played at the 1966 World Cup when England last hosted the tournament then. However history aside on June 11th, the opening match with England and Japan would take place to begin the 2010 World Cup...
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As hosts and with what looked like an easy group, England were red hot favourites to win the group and though that would be the case, they didn't exactly set the world on fire. An uninspired 1-0 victory over Japan in the open group game happened before a poor 1-1 draw with Australia followed with a certain English goalkeeping error being the most well documented event from that game which was remembered for all the wrong reasons [5].
England would end the group stage with a 2-0 victory over British rivals Northern Ireland in which the latter finished rock bottom with zero points and putting an end to their journey. Winning the second place spot would be Australia who felt that they had a good chance as anyway to try and make a good show at this World Cup with perhaps the best game so far was a thrilling 3-2 victory over Japan.

England vs Japan in the Opening Match at Wembley Stadium
Final results of Group A at the 2010 World Cup
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As this was going on, Chile surprised many by winning the group while Ivory Coast also did well to qualify via second place and there was suddenly unlikely hope for both teams to see how far they could go but time would tell to see if either did well. For North Korea however, they finished bottom with no points and were a far contrast to the amazing 1966 North Korean team who came so close to reaching the last four [7].

One embarrassed French team after a 2-0 loss to Chile
Final results of Group B of the 2010 World Cup
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Speaking of Italy, despite being one of the favourites as normal they would fail to get out out of the group [9] though being such a tough group that was not quite a surprise though nonetheless it raised a few eyebrows. Perhaps the team that made many think were the one to go all the way was Spain who would win all their group games with Mexico joining them in the next round [10].

Italy vs New Zealand in the second match of the group
Final Group C results of the 2010 World Cup
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In the end and thanks to a home advantage, Scotland would qualify in second place though they nearly didn't make it when in their final group game with Honduras they blew a 1-0 lead to see the Central American side shock them to lead 2-1 and a huge upset was on the cards. However Scotland would strike back to win 3-2 though both goals came from penalty kicks and their performance left a lot to be desired [11].

Despite criticism, the impossible dream for Scotland to try and win the World Cup, or at least get to the final, on their arch rival's soil was on and like many in what was looking to be a strange World Cup, who knew what might follow next for the Scots?
Final results of Group D of the 2010 World Cup
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Also in the group was Algeria who despite having a win didn't do enough to help them progress further though in all fairness giving the level of each of the teams, it was all a group that could've gone either way though despite finishing in second place, many eyes were on the Dutch for some felt that with the squad of players they had in the team that many felt they had a good chance to go all the way.

Uruguay players celebrate a victory over Algeria which saw them go through
Final results of Group E of the 2010 World Cup
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More so was with South Korea who despite starting off so well with a win over Cameroon would suffer a defeat to a red faced Germany and a draw with Paraguay. Nonetheless by scoring more goals than the rest they would sneak through to the second round though one had to spare a thought for Paraguay and Cameroon for feeling that with just a little bit more luck...

South Korean players after scoring against Cameroon
Final results of Group F of the 2010 World Cup
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The winners of this group would be the United States [12] who after their opening match victory over the Republic of Ireland never looked back and many across the United States were now starting to wonder if maybe they could be the unlikely dark horses of the tournament? For the Irish, they were just happy to be in the second round and to be doing better in bragging rights over their Northern friends [13]...

American players after their winning goal over Nigeria
Final results of Group G of the 2010 World Cup
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While Argentina would win the group, it had been all touch and go for them with some doubting if they had what it took to go all the way and that this wasn't like the Argentine teams of old that was for sure. The second place team would Ghana would by some accounts were thought of as the best African side at the World Cup though that was a fact that was debateable.

All love and joy for Argentina
Final results of Group H of the 2010 World Cup
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- [1] The new voting pattern here is pretty much like how OTL voting system for the 2026 World Cup.
- [2] What else is new with FIFA, huh?
- [3] Pretty much the plan for OTL proposed 2030 WC bid at the time of writing...
- [4] As something you'd expect to happen with it being in England, plus Ireland doesn't get screwed over in their play off here.
- [5] Yes, Greenfingers strike again like with the USA in OTL!
- [6] Yes, pretty much the French farce we had in OTL 2010 happens all the same here, still one of the funniest moments of the World Cup mainly out of karma for the poor Irish!
- [7] Both as with OTL and TTL.
- [8] As in OTL.
- [9] As with OTL too.
- [10] Somewhat better for Spain here as there is no loss to the Swiss here.
- [11] It's Scotland, is pretty much the same as OTL when it comes to them trying to throw away a game!
- [12] Like with OTL.
- [13] As you would expect...
- [14] Look back earlier ITTL to check that one out.
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England vs Ivory Coast
Spain vs Scotland
Uruguay vs South Korea
United States vs Ghana
Chile vs Australia
Brazil vs Mexico
Germany vs Netherlands
Argentina vs Republic of Ireland
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So who do you think will win and why do you think that? Until then, take care and see you all soon!