It's worked pretty well so far, but yeah I take your point. The other day an official made an obvious no-call on a stone-cold penalty knowing the decision would go to VAR.
2018 FIFA World Cup
- Thread starter DalilaD
- Start date
It's worked pretty well so far, but yeah I take your point. The other day an official made an obvious no-call on a stone-cold penalty knowing the decision would go to VAR.
What about qualifiers?
I wish it would go back to that. Only Europe and South America are consistantly competitive. Asia is a disaster ... Africa can't get past the quarters ... and North America, well there's Mexico, and even they rarely get beyond the final 16.
Just take a look at the posted link... You'll get everything on qualifications too... Number of entrants have gone up at almost every events... From 32 in 1934 to 210 this year... But it took awhile before it became universal.
How many FAs were there in '34?
And how seriously did they take it? England refused to compete until '50, for example
There were only two World Cup before 1950...
Details of the 1934 qualification: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1934_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification
I know ...
Try making your points in your own words instead of sending a link I can't be arsed to read ....
I was not talking to you, first.... I was giving those links to sharkman to show him why there were only eight teams who have won the title since the inception of that tournament.
Actually 3 WCs before 1950 ... and I made the initial point about the relatively small number of countries that have won it. Nevertheless, if I misconstrued anything or otherwise offended you, I apologize! Meta ... out for the night!
I would not count out Germany or call them garbage after 1 game either.
Mexico is #15 in the FIFA world rankings. The next two games Germany plays are against #24 Sweden and #57 South Korea. It's questionable how a #57 ranked team got in to a 32 team tournament, but be that as it may, Germany should win those 2 games. Otherwise, they are garbage and their ride home should be a whole lot longer than when the Danes made the occupying German forces walk home at the end of World War II. The German athletes, of course, will fly home in luxury either way, and will not have to walk from Copenhagen to Berlin.
Mexico is #15 in the FIFA world rankings. The next two games Germany plays are against #24 Sweden and #57 South Korea. It's questionable how a #57 ranked team got in to a 32 team tournament, but be that as it may, Germany should win those 2 games. Otherwise, they are garbage and their ride home should be a whole lot longer than when the Danes made the occupying German forces walk home at the end of World War II. The German athletes, of course, will fly home in luxury either way, and will not have to walk from Copenhagen to Berlin.
That is the beauty of the world cup. Give some hope to smaller countries to participate. Otherwise it would only be another Euro with 3 south american team
That said I heard they are talking to bring the tournament to 48 team by 2026 in America. That can only happened where there is already many Stadium to accommodate all these games.Saudi-Arabia is even worst ranked then South Korea.
Each world cup there is some upset. Remember Spain 4 years ago. If Sweden car draw a tie with Germany then Germany could be in trouble hehe
Cheers,
The NCAA college basketball tournament operates on a similar principle. It’s a 68 team tournament that grants bids to conference champions from lower echelon Division 1 basketball conferences. This past tournament, Loyola of Illinois made the Final 4 as a #11 regional seed and something like #50 overall seed, although they got a butt kicking from Michigan once they got there. They had an unusual style of play which a lot of teams couldn’t figure out, but the Michigan coach Beilein is one of the best and he knew what to do.
It’s very unusual that teams outside the top 25 win the NCAA tournament although UConn did so in 2014. That 2014 UConn team had outstanding guards but really really substandard big men. However their big men could block shots (really the only thing they could do), the team as a unit played great team defense, and they shot 88% on free throws, an NCAA tournament record for 4 or more tournament games played, a record that is likely to never be broken.
Could a team outside the top 20 win the World Cup? Has it ever happened?
It’s very unusual that teams outside the top 25 win the NCAA tournament although UConn did so in 2014. That 2014 UConn team had outstanding guards but really really substandard big men. However their big men could block shots (really the only thing they could do), the team as a unit played great team defense, and they shot 88% on free throws, an NCAA tournament record for 4 or more tournament games played, a record that is likely to never be broken.
Could a team outside the top 20 win the World Cup? Has it ever happened?
FIFA only started ranking teams in 1992. Since then, the rankings of each winner immediately prior to the World Cup have been:
1994 Brazil: 3rd
1998 France: 18th (at home)
2002 Brazil: 2nd
2006 Italy: 13th
2010 Spain: 2nd
2014 Germany: 2nd
Another reason not to like #1 ranked Germany as this year's winner, lol ....
1994 Brazil: 3rd
1998 France: 18th (at home)
2002 Brazil: 2nd
2006 Italy: 13th
2010 Spain: 2nd
2014 Germany: 2nd
Another reason not to like #1 ranked Germany as this year's winner, lol ....
With reasonable as opposed to far fetched amounts of luck, I think most of the teams currently ranked in the top 12 or so could win the World Cup. For a team outside the top 15 or so it’s a real long shot.
I remember the French team in 1998 that won. They had some good up and coming players like Zidane then age 25 and in his prime, Patrick Vieira (21 at the time), Henry (20 at the time), goalie Fabian Barthes (26 at the time). All of these guys were big time players who until that tournament were not really truly recognized as such. Hence I believe they were underrated and also playing at home. They blitzed Brazil 3-0 in the final, and I seem to recall Brazil being favored in the match. That France team also won Euro 2000. It was one of the better French teams and France in 2006 would have beaten Italy but for the Zidane meltdown after one of the Italian players (Matarazzi) called his hot sister a whore. The Zidane headbutt in my mind ruined an otherwise incredible career. Hard to believe that such a hothead is now a coach. So is Vieira.
I remember the French team in 1998 that won. They had some good up and coming players like Zidane then age 25 and in his prime, Patrick Vieira (21 at the time), Henry (20 at the time), goalie Fabian Barthes (26 at the time). All of these guys were big time players who until that tournament were not really truly recognized as such. Hence I believe they were underrated and also playing at home. They blitzed Brazil 3-0 in the final, and I seem to recall Brazil being favored in the match. That France team also won Euro 2000. It was one of the better French teams and France in 2006 would have beaten Italy but for the Zidane meltdown after one of the Italian players (Matarazzi) called his hot sister a whore. The Zidane headbutt in my mind ruined an otherwise incredible career. Hard to believe that such a hothead is now a coach. So is Vieira.
FIFA Opens Anti-Gay Case Against Mexico
This apparently stems from Mexican fans shouting homophobic insults at the gay German goalie:
https://www.google.com/amp/www.espn...ase-after-alleged-mexican-chants?platform=amp
This apparently stems from Mexican fans shouting homophobic insults at the gay German goalie:
https://www.google.com/amp/www.espn...ase-after-alleged-mexican-chants?platform=amp
No, Zidane is not a hothead, as his steady stewardship of Real Madrid has proved in the last three years. Indeed, he's probably as cool a customer as it gets in world soccer. He does have a flair for the dramatic, however, as his recent surprise resignation proves. I mean, the guy has never NOT won the Champions League as coach, how amazing is that! In 2006, France did not not lose because of the headbutt in extra time; it would have been best had he remained on the pitch for the penalty kicks, of course, but that's life--penalty kicks are a crap shoot. Just prior to that headbutt, Buffon saved a header from Zidane--his race was done, 34, I think, and had carried France to the final--his performance against Brazil in the quarters now legendary.
Prediction today: England 2 [Kane; Sterling] Tunisia 0
Germany vs. Mexico: the game of the tournament so far.
Prediction today: England 2 [Kane; Sterling] Tunisia 0
Germany vs. Mexico: the game of the tournament so far.
Croatia Sends Kalinic Home
Croatia drop Kalinic after refusal to enter as sub http://www.espn.com/soccer/croatia/...inic-after-he-declines-to-enter-as-substitute
Croatia drop Kalinic after refusal to enter as sub http://www.espn.com/soccer/croatia/...inic-after-he-declines-to-enter-as-substitute
Landon Donovan Criticized For “ Vamos Mexico” Ads
Donovan: 'No one should question my allegiance' http://www.espn.com/soccer/united-s...es-supporting-mexico-in-world-cup-ad-campaign
Donovan: 'No one should question my allegiance' http://www.espn.com/soccer/united-s...es-supporting-mexico-in-world-cup-ad-campaign
Kalinic has always been a front-line starting player in the Italian league for both Fiorentina and Milan...hence he did not appreciate being passed by and relegated to the bench as a sub for Croatia...and he his a bit of a hot head.
Nevertheless, he is an exceptional striker capable of making the difference against any opposing team. I don't understand why he was not selected to be a starter for Croatia.
That was a great French team...France will probably never be able to put a team together like that one. Probably the best midfiled ever assembled!
My 3 undisputable key leaders of that 1998 french National Team (in that order): Deschamps (midfield), Zidane (midfield), Thuram (defender)
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