Are you ready for some futbol?!

It is leap year.

Every fourth summer, the World Cup vaults me into the air. No sporting or non-sporting event is as important or as fun as the World Cup. Bono's new ad for FIFA is spot-on – schools, shops, cities, they'll all be closed. Most of the earth will be on holiday for the next month, from kickoff today between the host Deutschlanders and the visiting Ticos, 'til the Final's final whistle on July 9 in Berlin.

The World Cup is truly a World event. It captivates 1,000 times more people than the World Series and is 100x more super than the Super Bowl. Leave it to Americans to use big names for little things.

Gooch, however, is a little name for a big man. Oguchi Onyewu, a probable starter at centreback for the United States, isn't quite Shaq or D'Brick, but he must fell like a shack made of bricks when opposing strikers collide with him.

Onyewu and his mates open the 2006 World Cup on Monday against the Czech Republic. That match will largely determine whether the Americans will make it out of the group stage or beyond. Although Brasil are again the favorites, it's a simple game where anything can happen. As the ad confirms, “One Game Changes Everything.”

This is how it is going to happen ...

Group A – Three relatively even teams (Costa Rica, Ecuador, Poland) will equal opportunities to advance. Unless the '06 Germans pull a '02 French and go scoreless in the group, they should smoothly top the table. The hosts are strong and experienced throughout their team, the lone question marks being goalkeeper Jens Lehman and coach Jurgen Klinsmann. I'll give a slight advantage to Ecuador advancing as the second-place team, although many pundits are choosing Poland and dismissing the South Americans as winners only at high altitude.

Group B – England and Sweden seem to meet in the group stage of every major tournament. In 2002 the Swedes pipped the English, who were not in form and bowed out early, as always. This time, I don't see a national side with better form than the Three Lions, who should take three points apiece from Paraguay, Trinidad & Tobago and Sweden. There is no better midfield than Beckham, Cole, Lampard and Gerrard. The rest of the side is solid, too. I like Sweden to advance over Paraguay, perhaps based on the size of the drubbing each gives the Soca Warriors.

Group C – The Group of Death again includes Argentina. The question is whether the grim reaper will once again visit Buenos Aires for a three-and-done campaign as it did in 2002. Second place in the group will be up for grabs as the Argentines and the Netherlands meet on June 21, the final Group C matchday. That's because the Cote d'Ivoire will upset one of the two and draw the other, leading to a raucous turning of the table. Most of the Elephants playin Europe, including the talented and experienced Didier Drogba, Didier Zokora, Arouna Kone, Bonaventure Kalou, Kolo Toure and Emanuel Eboue.

Group D – Though both Angola and Iran are capable of pulling the one-goal upset, this group should come down to Mexico and Portugal. Of course, Portugal – with Spain – is one of the biggest underachievers in recent football history. Should they tank their opening match against Angola, it could be an early trip back to Lisbon. Mexico is more resilient, but head-to-head Portugal can be better. I'll dock with Deco, Figo, the other Ronaldo and Portugal to top the group and Mexico in second.

Group E – The biggest enigma in the entire tournament is the Czech Republic. They could win the entire tournament. They could lose all three group games. I might as well flip a coin here. Their opening match with the United States is one I've had circled since December. The winner likely moves on and avoids Brasil in the round of 16. The loser may advance, but will have to beat perennial favorites Italy and talented Ghana to get there. The Italians are overrated and I definitely see them losing to the Americans and the Czechs. If Ghana is as good as advertised, Italy may be seeing Spaghetti-O's. I like the Czechs and the United States to advance, probably in that order.

Group F – Brasil, Brasil, Brasil. When the debate about who will win the Golden Boot centers around three players from the same team, it's a good bet the team will advance deep into the tournament. Adriano, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho do make the Beautiful Team beautiful. The battle in Group F will be for second, and I like the nothing-to-lose Australians for second place, despite the shaky Mark Schwarzer in goal. That said, Japan and Croatia have advanced before. It might even be a three-way draw for second.

Group G – France bottomed out in 2002, turning up as champions and going home without a goal. The outlook for 2006 is much more jolie for the FFF, who boast a stacked side that is as good, if not better, than any other on paper: Henry, Trezeguet, Wiltord, Makelele, Zidane, Vieira, Malouda, Thuram, Gallas, Sagnol, Abidal, Chimbonda, Barthez, Coupet. I like veteran South Korea to safely earn second place over the inexperienced Swiss and Togolese.

Group H – Saudi Arabia and the Ukraine are my picks here. Just kidding. It's Spain all the way. Iker Casillas is still one of the top goalkeepers in the world, and although he has a somewhat porous defense in front of him, he can still carry a team through the group stage. Raul, Xavi and Fabregas will be the difference in the field. I expect Ukraine may be one tournament away from being a terror, so I give the edge to the Africa-dominant Tunisians for second place.

And in the elimination rounds ...

A1/B2 – Ballack finds full form as the Germans topple Sweden
C1/D2 – Drogba, Ivory coast with Mexican fiesta as upset run continues
E1/F2 – Baros, Nedved and Koller too much for Australia in rout
G1/H2 – France dominates Tunisians, rests early for quarterfinals
B1/A2 – England down to 10 men but victorious through resilient Rooney
D1/C2 – Portugal grabs early lead, Argentina steals it back to advance
F1/E2 – Someone has to play Brasil, unfortunately it's the United States
H1/G2 – South Korea catches Spain looking forward to Brasil

QF1 – Germany wins a close one, Cinder-Elephants sent home
QF2 – In titanic clash of would-be champs, France vanquishes Czechs by a nez
QF3 – Heroic Robinson saves England in poetic win over Argentina
QF4 – Korean efforts not enough to unseat defending champions Brasil

SF1 – 1998 winners too deep for 2002 runners-up; Henry, France advance
SF2 – Owen golden for England after Brasil dances to an early lead
FINAL – French class too much for nervy English – Champions Encore!

Or I might be totally wrong, and Trinidad and Tobago could defeat Togo ...