WC 2010: what are you hoping for?

[K.Dub]

My favorites are England, Holland and Spain.

[MediumL]

The seedings are done on best teams at the moment. In terms of quality Holland shit all over Germany atm but come the tournament I would not be surprised if the Germans get further. Spain are probably in top 3 teams at the moment yet come the WC they too could choke (like they did against the USA) and get knocked out.

Regarding Portugal. They will probably be seeded as a 2nd team. You're definitely not in the top ten teams at the moment (as shown by their failure to qualify automatically) and just because Ronaldo is one of the world's best players means jack shit if the rest of the team is average.


Regarding what I'd like to see from the WC. I'd obviously want England to win it but thats an unlikely outcome. So I'm hoping more for brilliant games and excellent skill. FIFA handed both France and Portugal their tickets to the finals on a plate so I'd hope that their best players show their worth and provide the entertainment the fans deserve.

I'd like to see some classic grudge games. Argentina vs England, Portugal vs Greece, Brazil vs France, USA vs Mexico etc. Those always create good viewing if they live up to the hype. Moreover a 'group of death' is a must (4 top teams in one group ie. Brazil, France, Ivory Coast & Portugal). And some underdog teams achieving success (the 2002 WC was brilliant for this with Ireland and S. Korea beating the big names).

But most important is the classic moments that can be replayed in years to come. Amazing freekicks, tricks never seen before, controversial moments, sendings off, hot Brazilian girls in bikinis, a town centre full of England flags and a brilliant final.

Just to correct you in 1 place, Ireland only beat Saudi Arabia in the 2002 tournement. Drew with Germany and lost to Spain in the 2nd round on penalties. Still a great effort though.

Maybe the hysteria around the draw against Germany felt like they'd won lol. But I can't see Portugal doing much when they struggled to qualify from the group stages. Somehow I think Holland will mess up again and I can't see England doing any better than the qaurters. Although a lot of the competition is luck of the draw. I've seen some teams get to the semis without having to beat a top 10 team.

[Furor Teutonicus]

well, I count the 3 rd place game, so that makes it 2 victories in the last 2 tournaments. On the other side, I remember an embarassing defeat in 2000.

And I agree with Medium. Portugal is not average, but as of know, I wouldn't count them in the top 8. The golden generation is gone, and the younger generation hasn't convinced me yet.
I don't think Portugal 'll play a big role in SA.  

3rd place game doesn't concern me. I know a grip of our best players didn't start where-as there better players were the goal scorers. I don't recall the 2000 game; a friendly, perhaps?

Spain
Italy
England
Germany
Spain
Brazil
France
Argentina
Holland

I can't see anyone else arguing any other teams besides those better than us. That would leave us at 10. And I don't think France and Argentina are better than us; that's a toss up. And I don't care what u say about England or Holland, until they beat us (we've owned them both in recent major tournaments), they're not better than us either. But I understand England's qualifying campaign will lead u all to another answer. Fine by me. I won't argue it.

no, you beat us in Euro 2000, the group was Germany, Portugal, England and Romania (?). Well, Portugal and Romania advanced

Yeah, these are the teams who have all more potential than Portugal. But I know damn well Portugal could beat all of them. England always had a better team than Portugal in the last tournaments, but Portugal has had way more success.

To me 2 teams are favourites: Spain and Brazil. But the rule is inside Europe an European team wins and outside Europe Brazil. So I would bet my money on Brazil. After them 2, I would see Germany and Italy, they're not in their prime but experienced tournament teams and therefore dangerous (and we Germans usually have the luck of the draw ). Holland and England have strong teams, but are the opposite of Germany and Italy (don't forget there are penalty kicks ).
After them, I see a group of four: Argentinia, France, Portugal and Ivory Coast. Argentinia with Maradona is a catastrophe, and because of Messi, Tevez and co. people tend to forget that many established players retired after 06 and created a big gap.

[Invincible]

The seedings are done on best teams at the moment. In terms of quality Holland shit all over Germany atm but come the tournament I would not be surprised if the Germans get further. Spain are probably in top 3 teams at the moment yet come the WC they too could choke (like they did against the USA) and get knocked out.

Regarding Portugal. They will probably be seeded as a 2nd team. You're definitely not in the top ten teams at the moment (as shown by their failure to qualify automatically) and just because Ronaldo is one of the world's best players means jack shit if the rest of the team is average.


Regarding what I'd like to see from the WC. I'd obviously want England to win it but thats an unlikely outcome. So I'm hoping more for brilliant games and excellent skill. FIFA handed both France and Portugal their tickets to the finals on a plate so I'd hope that their best players show their worth and provide the entertainment the fans deserve.

I'd like to see some classic grudge games. Argentina vs England, Portugal vs Greece, Brazil vs France, USA vs Mexico etc. Those always create good viewing if they live up to the hype. Moreover a 'group of death' is a must (4 top teams in one group ie. Brazil, France, Ivory Coast & Portugal). And some underdog teams achieving success (the 2002 WC was brilliant for this with Ireland and S. Korea beating the big names).

But most important is the classic moments that can be replayed in years to come. Amazing freekicks, tricks never seen before, controversial moments, sendings off, hot Brazilian girls in bikinis, a town centre full of England flags and a brilliant final.

Just to correct you in 1 place, Ireland only beat Saudi Arabia in the 2002 tournement. Drew with Germany and lost to Spain in the 2nd round on penalties. Still a great effort though.

Maybe the hysteria around the draw against Germany felt like they'd won lol. But I can't see Portugal doing much when they struggled to qualify from the group stages. Somehow I think Holland will mess up again and I can't see England doing any better than the qaurters. Although a lot of the competition is luck of the draw. I've seen some teams get to the semis without having to beat a top 10 team.

Like Germany in 2002. Paraguay, USA and South Korea on their way to the final. USA may well have been ranked in the top 10 at the time, but they are not a top 10 team in the world.

[wcsoldier]

Anything can happen as in every World Cup ...  any top 10 team can win it if they can develop a chemistry for a month , even if on paper others teams are clearly better , then you can add the culture of winning in big competitions and the experience factors , teams like Italy and Germany are makin the last 8 90% of the time even if their game is not impressive ... whereas England , Netherlands and Spain can choke on a regular basis ...

It's impossible to clearly say who's going to win it , you don't win a World Cup head and shoulders above the rest of the competition.
That being said , I think the winner will be among the following group ;

Spain, Brazil, England, Italy, Germany , Netherlands

[east bay funk]

i'd like to see america play well. and mexico

[morbidenigma]

football to finally come home after 44 years of hurt

[Invincible]

football to finally come home after 44 years of hurt

We can only dream. Lets be honest, we won't win it.

[morbidenigma]

^^ yes but who knows with abit of luck

after all Greece & Italy have won tournaments with far inferior players then the current England team. But the key thing is they have played as a team, which England never seem to do. Just look at German football team, they have no world class players, just a few very good ones, yet becos they play as a team they normally get much further then England and normally to at least the semis.

[KURUPTION-81]

football to finally come home after 44 years of hurt

We can only dream. Lets be honest, we won't win it.

That wont stop the press, media and players hyping up the country into thinking it will, then when it goes wrong blaming it all on a united player.

The seedings are done on best teams at the moment. In terms of quality Holland shit all over Germany atm but come the tournament I would not be surprised if the Germans get further. Spain are probably in top 3 teams at the moment yet come the WC they too could choke (like they did against the USA) and get knocked out.

Regarding Portugal. They will probably be seeded as a 2nd team. You're definitely not in the top ten teams at the moment (as shown by their failure to qualify automatically) and just because Ronaldo is one of the world's best players means jack shit if the rest of the team is average.


Regarding what I'd like to see from the WC. I'd obviously want England to win it but thats an unlikely outcome. So I'm hoping more for brilliant games and excellent skill. FIFA handed both France and Portugal their tickets to the finals on a plate so I'd hope that their best players show their worth and provide the entertainment the fans deserve.

I'd like to see some classic grudge games. Argentina vs England, Portugal vs Greece, Brazil vs France, USA vs Mexico etc. Those always create good viewing if they live up to the hype. Moreover a 'group of death' is a must (4 top teams in one group ie. Brazil, France, Ivory Coast & Portugal). And some underdog teams achieving success (the 2002 WC was brilliant for this with Ireland and S. Korea beating the big names).

But most important is the classic moments that can be replayed in years to come. Amazing freekicks, tricks never seen before, controversial moments, sendings off, hot Brazilian girls in bikinis, a town centre full of England flags and a brilliant final.

Just to correct you in 1 place, Ireland only beat Saudi Arabia in the 2002 tournement. Drew with Germany and lost to Spain in the 2nd round on penalties. Still a great effort though.

Maybe the hysteria around the draw against Germany felt like they'd won lol. But I can't see Portugal doing much when they struggled to qualify from the group stages. Somehow I think Holland will mess up again and I can't see England doing any better than the qaurters. Although a lot of the competition is luck of the draw. I've seen some teams get to the semis without having to beat a top 10 team.

Like Germany in 2002. Paraguay, USA and South Korea on their way to the final. USA may well have been ranked in the top 10 at the time, but they are not a top 10 team in the world.

There doing well, beat Spain in the confederations cup and only just lost to Brazil. They did a lot better against them than we did.

[Man On The Moon]

Mexico to win it all....(one can only dream) 

[BakinSodaFree]

I think Spain, Holand, Brasil or England are most likley to win th WC. If Argentina gets there act togheter they have to many good players to be underastimated, same goes for france.
The biggest dissepointments i think will be Italy or Germany. Mayby its just a feeling but i think especialy Italy are to defensive to win.

From what ive seen at the qualify mathces there will be a big suprise this WC and i think that suprise will be Chile. They hav a team full of young players(Almoust the whole team played in the olympics) whit some older whit more rutine.... they came second(i think, mayby third) in the south america group and played some matches that realy impressed me whit realy offensive football.

Non of the African teams will do any good i think, to unstable they are...

Denmark is also a team i think can suprise some peoples(Bentner plays way better at the national side than in Arsenal) and since Norway diddent qualify i gotta rute for a team from Scandiavia. Plus they prooved to be a better team than Portugal so dont write Danmark of.. Portugal on the other hand will mayby play 16/1 final but thats it. Put Ronaldo out of the match and they realy havvent got to mutch to bring to the table anymore, of course some realy good player, but still...

Anyway, fuck this WC, 2016 Norway for the win..

[RingMan]

our team was too weak to qualify, so I have to root for... probably Ghana and Slovakia

[Lil White Azz]

I'm rooting for England and Mexico (always have), Ghana (and the rest of the African teams) and maybe Denmark too...

[Leggy Hendrix]

im gonna predict the winner will be between Brazil and Spain...dont really see too much of an upset in terms of one of the underdogs getting too far, i'd like a surprise tho