Jose Mourinho Tips Super Eagles And Elephants Of Ivory Coast For World Cup Last 16

Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho, has tipped Nigeria and Ivory Coast as the African countries to reach the second round of the 2014 Fifa World Cup in Brazil. The African champions, Nigeria, are in Group D of the Mundial alongside Argentina, Iran and Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Portuguese coach expects the Super Eagles to finish in second position behind the South Americans.

He opted to pick Nigeria to qualify behind Argentina and ahead of Bosnia and Iran based on the fact that they have a Chelsea player in John Obi Mikel.

"I'll do the same I did in Group A. I'll have to say Argentina has to be the group winner. What makes me decide in favour of Nigeria is the fact that I have one player there (John Obi Mikel). I'll pick Nigeria as the runner-up," Mourinho said on Yahoo's Dirty Tackle.


In Group C which has Ivory Coast, Greece, Japan and Colombia, Mourinho went for Greece and Ivory Coast to reach the knockout stage.

He explained his choice of the Ivorians, ahead of Japan and Colombia, is based on his friendship with their players especially Didier Drogba, who played for him between 2004 and 2007 at Chelsea.

"Again I go with my friends and I'll like Greece and Ivory Coast to do it but I have to say that Colombia is a good team," the former FC Porto manager predicted.

However, the three other African nations, Cameroon, Ghana and Algeria, did not get a mention to scale the group stage in Mourinho's prediction.

Mourinho also tipped hosts Brazil, Netherlands, England, France, Germany, Belgium, Mexico, Italy, Switzerland, Russia, Portugal and defending champions, Spain to reach the last 16.

However, should Mourinho's prediction come to pass, it will pitch Nigeria and Ivory Coast with difficult opponents in two former World Cup winners, France and England respectively.