Winfried Schaefer, head coach-Reggae Boyz:

First, I’m happy that the World Cup is in Brazil, the football paradise, and I think the teams from South America have an advantage. I think four teams — Brazil, Argentina, Spain and Germany — are favourites, and a little bit behind is Italy. Italy are very clever; they start slowly then gradually build towards the end of the tournament. Maybe with experienced players they can go to the final. I hope for the football, there are no protests on the streets or gangs make problems because many people give money to prompt these protests. This is not fair to football and the players who worked four years for this World Cup. For me it is clear the player Neymar from Brazil, I think can make very, very good World Cup. Now that he has gone to Europe he’s more experienced, gained more power and this, I think, is good and makes Brazil favourites. At home everybody hopes this team makes the final. If this team goes out before, then my God, I hope at that time I’m not in Brazil. Spain last year were in the Confederation Cup final and now everybody can play, there are no major injuries. They play one-, two-touch football and don’t lose enough fitness in the matches. In Spain it is not one player being the star, it is the team being the star. They are different from Brazil.

Argentina every time is my favourite for the World Cup, but at the matches they don’t play like a team. The players, before they play the pass, they want to show the world that they are good players, then they make the pass. I think every time that was the problem for the past two World Cups.

Miguel Coley, assistant head coach, senior Reggae Boyz:

I think Brazil will win for a lot of reasons. First, they are at home, their crowd, that ’12th person’ in the stands will be important. They are a young and efficient team playing good football, playing for the coach, and the country really believes in them. So Brazil for World Cup 2014, one of the most efficient teams in the competition.

Warren Barrett, former Reggae Boyz captain and goalkeeper coach:

I have been a big fan of Argentina since 1982 and that’s the team I will be carrying for the World Cup in Brazil this year. I am a ‘born’ Argentinean, and I think apart from being a Jamaican, normally when I support a club I am very passionate about that club and I don’t normally change, just like I am a Tottenham Hotspur fan in England from 1981, so I normally stay very close to the team that I support, so I’m hoping for the best for the Argentineans for this World Cup.