What the hell is the connection between Meryl Streep and Didier Drogba? Well, it’s the World Cup opening in just a few days, and we at Jinni decided to analyze the odds of the major teams through the lens of movies. We described each team with a gene (semantic tag) from our Movie Genome and a movie that captures their best outcome. May the team with the best storyline win…

Spain’s Movie: Best of the Best

Spain’s Gene: Stylized
Spain arrives at this world cup as favorites. They play with a lot of style, they are the European champions and they have a very skillful team. There are only two potential problems that might prevent the Spaniards from winning: First, key players like Fabregas, Iniesta and Torres are not 100% fit. Second, Brazil.

In Best of the Best we saw that a team is not a team if they don’t care about each other. If Xavi and Villia care enough about each other, it will be very difficult to stop Spain.

Brazil’s Movie: Elite Squad

Brazil’s Gene: Talented
Even without Ronaldinho, Adriano, Roberto Carlos and Ronaldo, Brazil still has an elite team with plenty of talent.

Like the movie Elite Squad, Brazil will be brutal, with tough players like Lucio, Melo, Maicon and Luis Fabiano. The team will probably reach the final and face Spain there.

England’s Movie: Wayne’s World

England’s Gene: Ambitious
After 44 years, England are hungry for a title. A lot will depend on England’s star striker Wayne Rooney – a good tournament from him and everything is possible for England. Rio Ferdinand’s absence might make it harder for them.

If Wayne’s (Rooney) collaboration with Gareth (Barry) is as good as the collaboration between Wayne (Mike Myers) and Garth (Dana Carvey) in Wayne’s World, this could be England’s first world cup win since 1966.

Argentina’s Movie: Maradona By Kusturica

Argentina’s Gene: Prodigy
The movie depended on the chemistry between two geniuses (Diego Maradona and Emir Kusturica). In this world cup, Argentina is also dependent on the chemistry between two geniuses: Maradona and Lionel Messi.

If Messi brings his amazing ability from F.C Barcelona to the national side, Argentina will definitely be one of the favorites to win this tournament.

Italy’s Movie: The Italian Job

Italy’s Gene: Worn Out
Italy’s job of defending their world cup title seems impossible. Lippi the coach is still there, but with the aging Buffon, Cannavaro and Gattuso, the Italians seem a bit worn out. No Totti and an injured Pirlo make the Italians highly unlikely to win.

If a miracle occurs and Italy achieves a level of quality similar to the original Italian Job (from 1969, with Michael Caine), they still might do great things this summer.

France’s Movie: The Dreamers

France’s Gene: Dreams

All the French can allow themselves to do this world cup is dream about winning, because they are just not good enough to actually do so. With no Henry (suspended following that famous handball against Ireland), they might not even qualify from first place in the group stage. That being said, Ribery and Malouda can still cause trouble for any rival team.

If France’s games are as dull as they were in the preparation games, we can always dream about Isabelle (Eva Green) from The Dreamers.

Germany’s Movie: The Good German

Germany’s Gene: Attack
The Germans are a good team, but they are not great. Klose, the best German in the last two world cups, is already 31 and doesn’t play regularly for Bayern. With the aging Klose and without the injured Ballack, the Germans might not pass the quarter finals, where they are expected to meet Argentina.

Although traditionally they are considered a defensive side, this World Cup the Germans are expected to play positive attacking soccer.

Portugal’s Movie: Lisbon Story

Portugal’s Gene: One Man Army
With Portugal, it’s all about Cristiano Ronaldo, who started his career at Sporting Lisbon and now is the star of Real Madrid. Will he be enough? Probably not. Portugal is facing a difficult group with Brazil and the Ivory Coast, and even if they manage to qualify from second place, they will probably be relegated in the last 16 phase when they encounter Spain.

Holland’s Movie: A Clockwork Orange

Holland’s Gene: Exciting
If Holland wants to win, everything has to run like clockwork: Robben should continue his fantastic form of the season (at the moment, it is still not clear whether he will be able to play), Van Persie should be healthy and scoring, and Van Bommel and Van Der Vart should lead the midfield.

Holland are not favorites to win this World Cup, but they are expected to play the most attractive and exciting soccer along with Spain. Holland’s only chance of winning might come if Van Persie undergoes controversial treatment (The Ludovico scorer technique?) that makes it impossible for him to miss goals.

Ivory Coast’s Movie: Out of Africa

Ivory Coast’s Gene: Against the Odds
Before every World Cup the same question rises: Will this be the first World Cup in which a team from Africa will be the champions? As in former world cups, the answer here is, probably not. But if there is a team capable of doing so, it’s the Ivory Coast. With Sven Goran Eriksson as coach and a talented group of players (even without the injured Drogba, who is still doubtful for this world cup), they just might surprise. Luck was not on their side and they will begin the tournament with two super-difficult games: Brazil and Portugal.

If the relationship between Sven Goran Eriksson and the players is a love story on the scale of the love story between Robert Redford and Meryl Streep in Out of Africa, we just might get a big surprise this tournament.

And if you, like me, are unfortunately unable to attend the games in person, check out Mashable’s compendium of ways to watch the World Cup.

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