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World Cup Face Off: Valencia versus Evra

World Cup Face Off: Valencia versus Evra

World Cup Face Off: Valencia versus Evra

We look at the World Cup prospects for some Premier League teammates who will be on opposite teams during Brazil 2014. Who will finish on top?

Who are the players?

Antonio Valencia has won over 60 caps for Ecuador and has scored 8 goals for his country from his position on the right wing. He has played for Villareal in Spain and Wigan Athletic in the Premier League. Since 2009, he has played for Manchester United and has won 2 Premier League titles. 

Patrice Evra has won more than 50 caps for France and was his country's captain during the 2010 World Cup, in South Africa. He used to be a midfielder, but is now one of the world's top left-backs. He has played for Nice and Monaco in his home country, but since 2006 has played for the 'Red Devils'. Evra has won 5 Premier League titles and 1 Champions League with Manchester United. 

How important are the players to their national teams?

Antonio Valencia is the star and captain of this Ecuador team. Valencia was made captain after the tragic death of his Ecuador teammate 'Chucho' Benitez. Ecuador's coach, Reinaldo Rueda, said, "My new captain is Luis Antonio Valencia because Valencia was like Benitez' twin brother. They were very, very close so it was a way to get the group to come together and remember Benitez." Ecuador fans will be hoping that Valencia's direct running and accurate crossing will help Ecuador score goals and help the team and fans remember Benitez.

Patrice Evra is first choice left-back for France and will be in direct competition with Valencia. The Ecuadorian will be trying to get past him on that side of the pitch. Evra is an attacking defender, who likes to get to the byline and get lots of crosses into the box. The French fans will look to Evra's experience of big games and leadership qualities to get 'Les Bleus' into the next round. 

Do they have any weaknesses?

Both Valencia and Evra are world class players, so there are very few weaknesses. But Evra will be 33 at the World Cup and he is not as quick as he used to be. He likes to get forward a lot, which could leave France exposed in defence. Valencia, as a forward player, maybe doesn't score as many goals as he should, he has 8 in over 60 for Ecuador and 13 in more than 120 for Man Utd.

What is our prediction?

There is no clear favourite in this match. The seeded team in the group is Switzerland (the other team in the group is Honduras), so this match could decide which team qualifies for the last 16. Ecuador have the advantage of playing in South America, but France have some fantastic players including Karim Benzema, Frank Ribery and Oliver Giroud. 

We predict that Patrice Evra will help France to a 2-1 win, but both France and Ecuador will qualify from this World Cup group. 

When and where is the match?

The match is on June 25th at 2100 GMT in the 75,117 capacity Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

Read another World Cup Face Off article - Edin Džeko (Bosnia) versus Sergio Agüero (Argentina).

Evra and Valencia celebrate a Man Utd goal

Check your understanding

The following activity will help you understand more about the article. 

Did you learn anything new about Manchester Utd's Patrice Evra and Antonio Valencia?

Quiz: Check your understanding
 
 
 
 
Valencia is captain of Ecuador at the World Cup

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Make a Prediction

Will it be Evra's France or Valencia's Ecuador that win?
 
What is your prediction for this World Cup match?
 
Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
Evra is one of France's most experienced players at the World Cup

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Komentar

hsn's picture
hsn
18/01/2023
TR
5560
points

Sentences

Youth's career prospects are always destroyed by the dinosaurs of the organization who "know how to do accurate way of work ".

This team hadn't been chosen as a seeded but they won trophy of tournament.


hsn's picture
hsn
18/01/2023 17:16
Turkey
Tottenham Hotspur
5560

Sentences

Youth's career prospects are always destroyed by the dinosaurs of the organization who "know how to do accurate way of work ".

This team hadn't been chosen as a seeded but they won trophy of tournament.

Gabriel Amaral's picture
Gabriel Amaral
01/06/2021
BR
1512
points

I've just saw the match higlights and caught surprisingly by Valencia has been sent off.


Gabriel Amaral's picture
Gabriel Amaral
01/06/2021 22:43
Brazil
Arsenal
1512

I've just saw the match higlights and caught surprisingly by Valencia has been sent off.

mobeckham's picture
mobeckham
19/06/2020
TR
6539
points

I love both players because they were legends at Old Trafford.


mobeckham's picture
mobeckham
19/06/2020 17:29
Turkey
Manchester United
6539

I love both players because they were legends at Old Trafford.

kwesimanifest's picture
kwesimanifest
18/06/2016
GH
4779
points

Ecuador are a force to reckon with and I believe France wouldn't have it easy


kwesimanifest's picture
kwesimanifest
18/06/2016 23:12
Ghana
Manchester United
4779

Ecuador are a force to reckon with and I believe France wouldn't have it easy

kwesimanifest's picture
kwesimanifest
18/06/2016
GH
4779
points

Evra's defensive prowess is undoubtable


kwesimanifest's picture
kwesimanifest
18/06/2016 23:11
Ghana
Manchester United
4779

Evra's defensive prowess is undoubtable

kwesimanifest's picture
kwesimanifest
18/06/2016
GH
4779
points

Valencia is a great winger who can man the flanks


kwesimanifest's picture
kwesimanifest
18/06/2016 23:09
Ghana
Manchester United
4779

Valencia is a great winger who can man the flanks

kwesimanifest's picture
kwesimanifest
18/06/2016
GH
4779
points

Great players


kwesimanifest's picture
kwesimanifest
18/06/2016 23:07
Ghana
Manchester United
4779

Great players

HakanUslu1881's picture
HakanUslu1881
20/03/2016
TR
1761
points

I think France will win.


HakanUslu1881's picture
HakanUslu1881
20/03/2016 18:41
Turkey
Leicester City
1761

I think France will win.

assemjuve's picture
assemjuve
29/02/2016
PS
3705
points

It was fair.


assemjuve's picture
assemjuve
29/02/2016 17:32
Palestinian Territory
Liverpool
3705

It was fair.

aragorn1986's picture
aragorn1986
27/11/2015
ME
3557
points

I only know that Ecuador is a team with most constant performances in the S.American competiton. A team that is hard to beat away, harder than some teams with big names.


aragorn1986's picture
aragorn1986
27/11/2015 19:52
Montenegro
Arsenal
3557

I only know that Ecuador is a team with most constant performances in the S.American competiton. A team that is hard to beat away, harder than some teams with big names.

almirpereira's picture
almirpereira
26/10/2015
BR
1339
points

Very well.


almirpereira's picture
almirpereira
26/10/2015 20:17
Brazil
Chelsea
1339

Very well.

Togrulxan
15/05/2014
0
points

Hi,guys!
Valencia's Ecuador will be the winner, I suppose.But the game is promising to be really difficult.


Togrulxan
15/05/2014 19:54


0

Hi,guys!
Valencia's Ecuador will be the winner, I suppose.But the game is promising to be really difficult.

Turalchik
15/05/2014
0
points

Hi,evrybody.I'm Tural, from Azerbaijan.
I'm also looking forward to the World Cup.I think Evra's France will probably win.
My prediction about the World Cup is German team.


Turalchik
15/05/2014 19:33


0

Hi,evrybody.I'm Tural, from Azerbaijan.
I'm also looking forward to the World Cup.I think Evra's France will probably win.
My prediction about the World Cup is German team.

ahmed only
08/05/2014
0
points

Hello this is my first vist to this section of the british council website


ahmed only
08/05/2014 18:15


0

Hello this is my first vist to this section of the british council website

Rich
09/05/2014
0
points

Hi Ahmed

Welcome to Premier Skills English. I hope you enjoy the site and find the football texts and vocabulary activities fun, interesting and useful.
Best wishes

Rich - The Premier Skills English Team


Rich
09/05/2014 00:14


0

Hi Ahmed

Welcome to Premier Skills English. I hope you enjoy the site and find the football texts and vocabulary activities fun, interesting and useful.
Best wishes

Rich - The Premier Skills English Team

raulito
04/05/2014
0
points

well,for most of us or to the world france is likely to win just because of the fact that they have already won a world cup and the history says that they always get in the last stages of those tournaments,but football is football,11 against eleven in the pitch and everything could happen,u know,football is unpredictable.Now,of course as a south american guy I want ecuador to win,I'm peruvian and they are our neighboor(we limit each other XD).I guess they'll draw after full time.


raulito
04/05/2014 02:35


0

well,for most of us or to the world france is likely to win just because of the fact that they have already won a world cup and the history says that they always get in the last stages of those tournaments,but football is football,11 against eleven in the pitch and everything could happen,u know,football is unpredictable.Now,of course as a south american guy I want ecuador to win,I'm peruvian and they are our neighboor(we limit each other XD).I guess they'll draw after full time.

Rich
04/05/2014
0
points

Hi raulito

Thanks for your comments. You've predicted a draw for this match. In the previous comments there is one prediction for France and the other for Ecuador. I don't think this is an easy game to predict !!

Enjoy your football!

Rich - The Premier Skills English Team


Rich
04/05/2014 20:05


0

Hi raulito

Thanks for your comments. You've predicted a draw for this match. In the previous comments there is one prediction for France and the other for Ecuador. I don't think this is an easy game to predict !!

Enjoy your football!

Rich - The Premier Skills English Team

rocha
24/04/2014
0
points

France team is worldchampion and your footbal is better than equador team, but we can have a suprise or be equador can win the france team, I think so.


rocha
24/04/2014 05:44


0

France team is worldchampion and your footbal is better than equador team, but we can have a suprise or be equador can win the france team, I think so.

Hiroshi
23/04/2014
0
points

I think France will win against Ecuador. Because France has many world-class players. Especially, Frank Ribery is one of the best players around the world. He will lead his team to win.


Hiroshi
23/04/2014 16:28


0

I think France will win against Ecuador. Because France has many world-class players. Especially, Frank Ribery is one of the best players around the world. He will lead his team to win.

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Goals

In this article, you will:

• Practise reading

• Learn about Patrice Evra and Antonio Valencia