Outside the top four__ Spain, Germany, Brazil, Argentina__ there are some teams who can upstage any of the top favorite and even go all the way to win FIFA World Cup 2014. Uruguay, France, Portugal, the Netherlands, Italy, England, Chile fall under this category. Uruguay, France, England and Italy won world cup title in the past. The Netherlands and Portugal despite having wonderful gifted players could not win the cup even once. In some installments we will analyze the possibilities of these fringe teams. 

Uruguay: the dark horse

We must not judge the two times world champions Uruguay managing to scrap through in the world cup finals playing the intercontinental play offs against Jordan. We should judge Uruguay on the basis of their sheer football talents and because of its past proven track records of playing well in South American soil. Uruguay also finished 4th in the last world cup in South Africa. Host Brazil is one of the top favorites this time but some star Brazilian footballers of the past are already concerned of the prospect of the home team if they have to encounter Uruguay at any stage of the tournament. They will rather feel more comfortable to play another fancied team Argentina. This possibly underscores how formidable Uruguayans can be in World Cup 2014. Uruguay reminds Brazilians of dashing the dreams at Maracana in 1950.

To start with Uruguay is in the group of death having past champions Italy and England along with a difficult team Costa Rica. Uruguay is expected to advance from this group. They have more attacking flairs and depth of talents than Italy and England. There is a genuine possibility of Uruguay meeting Brazil in the group of 16 knock out stage if they cannot finish on top of the group.

The main player of the team Luis Suarez playing Liverpool along with Christiano Ronaldo are considered the most outstanding footballer in the world on the basis of his recent performance .At times he can be impossible to resist, scoring almost at will from almost all manner of positions and angles. Technically excellent and full of running, this deadly striker is a threat from long range, in the box and in the air. The other players of Uruguay expected to flourish in Brazil are Edinson Cavani (Paris St Germain), Fernando Muslera ((Galatasaray), Diego Forlan (Cerezo Osaka) and Maximiliano Pereira (Benfica),

Uruguay coach Óscar Tabárez has named provisional 25-man squad for the World Cup finals: 

Goalkeepers: Fernando Muslera (Galatasaray), Martin Silva (Vasco da Gama), Rodrigo Munoz (Libertad) 

Defenders: Maximiliano Pereira (Benfica), Diego Lugano (West Bromwich Albion), Diego Godin, Jose Maria Gimenez (both Atletico Madrid), Sebastian Coates (Nacional), Martin Caceres (Juventus), Jorge Fucile (Porto) 

Midfielders: Alejandro Silva (Lanus), Alvaro Gonzalez (Lazio), Alvaro Pereira (Sao Paulo), Walter Gargano (Parma), Egidio Arevalo Rios (Morelia), Diego Perez (Bologna), Sebastian Eguren (Palmeiras), Cristian Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid), Gaston Ramirez (Southampton), Nicolas Lodeiro (Botafogo) 

Forwards: Luis Suarez (Liverpool), Edinson Cavani (Paris St Germain), Abel Hernandez (Palermo), Diego Forlan (Cerezo Osaka), Christian Stuani (Espanyol)

Liverpool defender Coates was sidelined for almost eight months after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury on international duty last August, but has been on the comeback trail at former club Nacional, whom he joined on loan from the Reds in January

There are three other Premier League players in the squad with Liverpool star Luis Suarez, West Brom defender Diego Lugano and Southampton midfielder Gaston Ramirez included, along with 34-year-old Cerezo Osaka forward Diego Forlan and Paris St Germain's Edinson Cavani in a powerful-looking attack.

Defensive duo Jose Maria Gimenez and Jorge Fucile have also been called up, despite not playing regularly for Atletico Madrid and Porto respectively, but there was no place for veteran Penarol goalkeeper Juan Castillo.

If Uruguay does not have to play Brazil early in the knock out round there is every possibility of going to semifinals and even beyond. The two fearsome strikers Suarez and Cavani are going to be a daunting prospect for any opponent to face. Goalkeeper Fernando Muslera can be sensational between the sticks. In matches decided on penalties Muslera will be as impregnable as Gianluigi Buffon of Italy.

Uruguay will be the dark horse of World Cup 2014.

BDST: 0912 HRS, MAY 18, 2014