2010 FIFA World Cup

[Mike-Dub]

Man I cannot wait for USA Vs. England.

One of the best US wins ever was in 1950 WC in Brazil 1:0 over England.  (yes, I'm a soccer geek )

if you are a US soccer fan you know of that game lol.

I'm not.

I am lol... They kept talking about it after the US beat Spain this summer.

That was one of the few bright spots for USA soccer ... a sport in which we have been traditionally out-matched on the world stage. I think that's changing, though, and I think we'll be considered as a consistently serious contender in the years to come.

Same TP.

[misha]

Man I cannot wait for USA Vs. England.

One of the best US wins ever was in 1950 WC in Brazil 1:0 over England.  (yes, I'm a soccer geek )

if you are a US soccer fan you know of that game lol.

I'm not.

I am lol... They kept talking about it after the US beat Spain this summer.

That was one of the few bright spots for USA soccer ... a sport in which we have been traditionally out-matched on the world stage. I think that's changing, though, and I think we'll be considered as a consistently serious contender in the years to come.

A lot still has to change to be a constant contender. To built a tradition in a sport that's not even one of the four most popular in the country takes time. Top european and south american teams are doing that for decades.

[Mike-Dub]

Man I cannot wait for USA Vs. England.

One of the best US wins ever was in 1950 WC in Brazil 1:0 over England.  (yes, I'm a soccer geek )

if you are a US soccer fan you know of that game lol.

I'm not.

I am lol... They kept talking about it after the US beat Spain this summer.

That was one of the few bright spots for USA soccer ... a sport in which we have been traditionally out-matched on the world stage. I think that's changing, though, and I think we'll be considered as a consistently serious contender in the years to come.

A lot still has to change to be a constant contender. To built a tradition in a sport that's not even one of the four most popular in the country takes time. Top european and south american teams are doing that for decades.

You can still be a contender without being extremely popular in your country.

[dlpin]

You can still be a contender without being extremely popular in your country.

Not to be a spoil sport, but the US isn't a contender. Can it win? Sure, stranger things have happened. But no one would consider the US to be one of the top 8 favorites to win the cup.

[Mike-Dub]

You can still be a contender without being extremely popular in your country.

Not to be a spoil sport, but the US isn't a contender. Can it win? Sure, stranger things have happened. But no one would consider the US to be one of the top 8 favorites to win the cup.

Man I cannot wait for USA Vs. England.

One of the best US wins ever was in 1950 WC in Brazil 1:0 over England.  (yes, I'm a soccer geek )

if you are a US soccer fan you know of that game lol.

I'm not.

I am lol... They kept talking about it after the US beat Spain this summer.

That was one of the few bright spots for USA soccer ... a sport in which we have been traditionally out-matched on the world stage. I think that's changing, though, and I think we'll be considered as a consistently serious contender in the years to come.

[misha]

Man I cannot wait for USA Vs. England.

One of the best US wins ever was in 1950 WC in Brazil 1:0 over England.  (yes, I'm a soccer geek )

if you are a US soccer fan you know of that game lol.

I'm not.

I am lol... They kept talking about it after the US beat Spain this summer.

That was one of the few bright spots for USA soccer ... a sport in which we have been traditionally out-matched on the world stage. I think that's changing, though, and I think we'll be considered as a consistently serious contender in the years to come.

A lot still has to change to be a constant contender. To built a tradition in a sport that's not even one of the four most popular in the country takes time. Top european and south american teams are doing that for decades.

You can still be a contender without being extremely popular in your country.

Not in this case. This is not a league team when you can just buy players. You need to raise generation after generation of good players, but in US, kids growing up are not dreaming to be soccer stars. While in Brazil, England or Spain it's their biggest dream. The organization, passion, selection  it's all on completely different level there, while in US, soccer is just not in their dna. To become contender overnight is impossible.

[Mike-Dub]

Man I cannot wait for USA Vs. England.

One of the best US wins ever was in 1950 WC in Brazil 1:0 over England.  (yes, I'm a soccer geek )

if you are a US soccer fan you know of that game lol.

I'm not.

I am lol... They kept talking about it after the US beat Spain this summer.

That was one of the few bright spots for USA soccer ... a sport in which we have been traditionally out-matched on the world stage. I think that's changing, though, and I think we'll be considered as a consistently serious contender in the years to come.

A lot still has to change to be a constant contender. To built a tradition in a sport that's not even one of the four most popular in the country takes time. Top european and south american teams are doing that for decades.

You can still be a contender without being extremely popular in your country.

Not in this case. This is not a league team when you can just buy players. You need to raise generation after generation of good players, but in US, kids growing up are not dreaming to be soccer stars. While in Brazil, England or Spain it's their biggest dream. The organization, passion, selection  it's all on completely different level there, while in US, soccer is just not in their dna. To become contender overnight is impossible.

That is why we were in the finals of the Confederations Cup and beat Spain in the semis.  We may not have all the kids in our country growing up to be soccer players, but we do have the best athletes EDIT: in THE WORLD and as long as we have some dreaming to be soccer players we definitely can be contenders.

[aporel#18]

Very interesting subject... it's not easy, even if you have a good or great squad, to win in the World Cup. It requires confidence and respect from the refs. Spanish team has never won it, not even played in the final game. Being a contender in the World Cup takes more than having a good team.

I think the US team has potential to be a top 10 consistently, then everything is possible, even to reach the last four and try to win it all. But you can bet Brazil is going to be there, Germany will, even Italy and Argentina. Sometimes a very good squad may win, like France did in 1998, but the 4 teams get all the respect from the refs, and they have confidence: that leads to "good luck".

Maybe Spain and Brazil have the best squads, but I would not be surprised to see England and Argentina fight for the gold. Germany will be very tough to beat, and Italy will play awfully in the preliminary round, but then will be able to beat anyone.

I think South Africa will have a tough time to get out of his group, will be interesting. Also will be fun to watch Brazil vs Cote d'Ivoire and Portugal. For the US fans, watch out Algeria, they have the best tradition in African football (soccer) and they use to treat the ball very well.

Very nice thread... OKC Zombies up 25 with less than 2 minutes

[Mike-Dub]

Maybe Spain and Brazil have the best squads, but I would not be surprised to see England and Argentina fight for the gold.

England?? I highly doubt they'll be playing for gold.  IMO they're overrated.

[Bahku]

Man I cannot wait for USA Vs. England.

One of the best US wins ever was in 1950 WC in Brazil 1:0 over England.  (yes, I'm a soccer geek )

if you are a US soccer fan you know of that game lol.

I'm not.

I am lol... They kept talking about it after the US beat Spain this summer.

That was one of the few bright spots for USA soccer ... a sport in which we have been traditionally out-matched on the world stage. I think that's changing, though, and I think we'll be considered as a consistently serious contender in the years to come.

A lot still has to change to be a constant contender. To built a tradition in a sport that's not even one of the four most popular in the country takes time. Top european and south american teams are doing that for decades.

You can still be a contender without being extremely popular in your country.

Not in this case. This is not a league team when you can just buy players. You need to raise generation after generation of good players, but in US, kids growing up are not dreaming to be soccer stars. While in Brazil, England or Spain it's their biggest dream. The organization, passion, selection  it's all on completely different level there, while in US, soccer is just not in their dna. To become contender overnight is impossible.

Oh, I think there are a few kids in the U.S. who aspire to be soccer stars, especially with the popularization that guys like Bekham have brought with him since coming here. But it is certainly not the ultimate sport that it is in almost every other part of the world. Even our crowds/fans can not compare to some of the immense stadium showings elsewhere in the world. We think baseball and football and basketball are so big here, but it really is dwarfed by what soccer means to the majority of mankind ... it really is far beyond what the average American realizes. And you're right in that most kids in other countries grow up with it being the all-encompassing dream and aspiration, to be a soccer (football) star.

[aporel#18]

Maybe Spain and Brazil have the best squads, but I would not be surprised to see England and Argentina fight for the gold.

England?? I highly doubt they'll be playing for gold.  IMO they're overrated.

I don't know... if Capello is coaching your team, you never know what to expect. And there's that Commonwealth thing, if South Africa fails (and I hope they don't) they can be the "home" team. Never forget that home court is a big advantage in World Cup, and not only because of the crowd support, but the refs.

It would be great a Brazil-Spain final, but there are always surprises. Let's see what happens.

[ACF]

 

[misha]

Man I cannot wait for USA Vs. England.

One of the best US wins ever was in 1950 WC in Brazil 1:0 over England.  (yes, I'm a soccer geek )

if you are a US soccer fan you know of that game lol.

I'm not.

I am lol... They kept talking about it after the US beat Spain this summer.

That was one of the few bright spots for USA soccer ... a sport in which we have been traditionally out-matched on the world stage. I think that's changing, though, and I think we'll be considered as a consistently serious contender in the years to come.

A lot still has to change to be a constant contender. To built a tradition in a sport that's not even one of the four most popular in the country takes time. Top european and south american teams are doing that for decades.

You can still be a contender without being extremely popular in your country.

Not in this case. This is not a league team when you can just buy players. You need to raise generation after generation of good players, but in US, kids growing up are not dreaming to be soccer stars. While in Brazil, England or Spain it's their biggest dream. The organization, passion, selection  it's all on completely different level there, while in US, soccer is just not in their dna. To become contender overnight is impossible.

That is why we were in the finals of the Confederations Cup and beat Spain in the semis.  We may not have all the kids in our country growing up to be soccer players, but we do have the best athletes in our country and as long as we have some dreaming to be soccer players we definitely can be contenders.

Some is not enough. The teams that really have a chance are: Spain, Brazil, Argentina, France, Germany, Italy, England and Holland. They proved it time after time and soccer there is in the highest priority. US team is far from being on that level. Right now you don't have even one player in a top european team. You belong to the level below with teams like Croatia, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Serbia. Sure you can make a surprise like reaching the 1/4 in 2002 but in order to take US seriously like Germany or Italy - a lot have to change. That's why in 2006 WC when US finished last in a group with Italy, Ghana and Czech Republic it wasn't a surprise.

Confederations Cup means nothing and players don't take is seriously.

[ACF]

The teams that really have a chance are: Spain, Brazil, Argentina, France, Germany, Italy, England and Holland.

And Denmark.

 

[misha]

The teams that really have a chance are: Spain, Brazil, Argentina, France, Germany, Italy, England and Holland.

And Denmark.

 

I do like the Danish team. I was 8 when they won the Euro 92, and it the first major tournament that I watched. That was a huge surprise, but after beating Holland and Germany  - totally deserved. The same coach, Richard Nielsen, later trained the Israeli NT. I wish you another generation of players like Schmeichel and Laudrup brothers.