HCM CITY (VNS) — Phan Thanh Hung, a Vietnamese top coach, has made some predictions about the FIFA World Cup 2014, the most anticipated global football event that is held every four years.

This is the second time Brazil have staged a World Cup. The first one went back to 1950. The tournament, which will kick off on June 12, has brought together the best players from 32 best football teams representing 32 countries.

One month after the kick-off day, the champion will be determined in the final match scheduled to take place on July 13 at the Estadio de Maracana in Rio de Janeiro.

The individual awards for the most valuable players of the tournament, the best scorer and the best goalkeeper will be made known.

Viet Nam News talked with Hung to find out which teams and players would eventually win these accolades.

Ha Noi T&T's coach said that he felt excited before the tournament because it is the world's top-flight football showdown.

"I am eager for the competition to kick off because this is the finest and biggest stage of world football, bringing together the best players and best teams from all over the world," Hung said.

Hung is one of only three local coaches to have won two V-League titles with a club. The two others are coach Le Huynh Duc with SHB Da Nang and veteran coach Le Thuy Hai with Becamex Binh Duong.

Hung said that at the moment it was hard to say which teams will be likely to win the World Cup this year because the tournament has yet to take place. But from what happened in the past football season, he singled out Spain, Germany, Argentina and Italy as potential winners.

"Because I have not been busy with my team and have not seen how teams play, it's difficult to say which teams are the favourites to win," the 54-year-old Da Nang native said, adding that the contenders would gradually emerge during the group stage.

"Given that the gap among teams has become smaller and smaller, the tournament promises tight and more even matches. However, I think the race for the coveted trophy remains a battle between the football powerhouses from Europe and South America."

"The individual awards will also go to the players from the two regions," he added.

The World Cup will kick off on June 12 with the only match between the hosts Brazil and Croatia in the opening match of Group A at the Arena Sao Paulo in Sao Paulo.

Four years ago, Spain won the World Cup for the first time after beating Netherlands 1-0 in the final, after the one and only goal, scored by Andre Iniesta, was recorded in extra time.

Uruguayan striker Diego Forlan was voted as the best player, Germany's striker Thomas Muller received the best young player, and the best goalkeeper award belonged to Spanish keeper Iker Casillas.

The top score awards were shared by four players, Diego Forlan, Thomas Muller, Wesley Sneijder and David Villa, who each had five goals. — VNS