The highly contested World Cup 2014 in Brazil will soon come to an end but it’s still hard to predict who might emerge as world champion at the end.

Eight teams Holland, Germany, Brazil, Colombia, France, Costa Rica, Argentina and Belgium qualified for the last eight. 

All these teams emerged top of their group competition, and therefore qualified for last eight by no surprise.

Reigning champions Spain was eliminated after the group stage competition as the Spanish finished behind Holland and Chile. 

Based on previous performance statistics from world cup winners, it has become lethargic for champions to progress in this tournament. Italians won the tournament in 2006 world cup hosted by Germany but were eliminated after 2010 world preliminary or group stage round.

Both Holland, Germany have shown hunger and anger to win this tournament based on their previous world cup performances.

The two European football super-powers have come so close to win the tournament during previous editions.

The Dutch were eliminated at the final game of the 2010 World Cup following controversial display from star-man Arjen Robben who has already defied odds since then. In 2010, the Germans were eliminated at the semi-final stage by eventual winners Spain.

Robben recovered well from 2010 World Cup disappointment and has been a key force at Bayern Munich where he has won the champions league.

There is no doubt Arjen Robben is the current leader of the successful Dutch national team that has been brilliant since the tournament started last month.  

He is one of the best players in this tournament, he has scored crucial goals for his team and set-up very good assists for others to score. He was very inspirational against a skillful, physically fit Mexico side and more is yet to come from him.

Dutch national team Coach Louis Van Gaal has setup a team that can compete with the best on this planet and are tipped to reach the final game of this competition. 

They have a blend of youngsters in the likes of Daley Blind of Ajax Amsterdam football club and Bruno Martins Indi of Feyernood football club who coordinate very well with other senior members of the first eleven. 

The Dutch have produced remarkable comebacks in this tournament to progress up to the quarter-final stage. They fell behind Spain, Australia and Mexico but still emerged winners of all these games.

Perhaps this is where the Dutch need to be careful as there might emerge stubborn teams to resist their tempted come-backs in the game. This can automatically eliminate them.

Good coordination and physical fitness of players is the key to success for the Dutch team. 

They do not have a weak defense but tend to become transparent against opponents especially during early periods of the game that makes them concede early goals as seen in their matches against Spain and Australia.

The winner between Holland and Costa Rica will face the eventual winner of the game that will draw Argentina against Belgium.

Germany is also another side capable to win the tournament though they have not yet shown their fullest potential but remain tactically intact.

The winner between Germany and France will meet the eventual winners of hosts Brazil against Colombia. 

The French also have a good team but absence of Frack Ribery was very detrimental where as Germany lost versatile playmaker Marko Reus of Borrussia Dortmund.

The South American sides Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina seem to have better players on paper but Europeans have been tactically superior especially during latest world cup editions.

Since 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea that was won by Brazil after they beat Germany 2-0 in the final game, teams from South America have not been impressive. 

Argentina was expected to emerge among the best teams in 2010 World Cup but was walloped by Germany 4-1 at the quarter-final stage of the competition.

Brazil is one of the most multi-talented teams in this tournament but teams have not found difficulty to disrupt their game rhythm as seen in their encounters against Chile and Mexico.