More 2006 World Cup Notes
Brazil. Brazil. Brazil. Every Cup, every four years, Brazil is a factor. For American baseball fans, think New York Yankees, except that fans of other teams tend to like Brazil (if their own team can’t win). Brazil plays with an exciting, fluid, attacking style, the “beautiful game.”
After Brazil, there are three other football powerhouses: Argentina, Italy, and Germany. These four countries have won 13 of 17 World Cups (Brazil 5 times). At least one of these four countries has played in all 17 final matches.
The next basic fact is that Europe and South America dominate. Actually, after Brazil and Argentina, the powerful teams are Western European. In rough order, the countries to look out for, after the Big Four are: France, England, Netherlands, and Spain. Beyond that, one could name the Czech Republic (which is in the US’ group), Portugal, Poland, Sweden, or Croatia. Rick Moran summarizes the favorites.
FIFA Rankings. If you watch the Cup, you will hear about FIFA Rankings. They are nonsense. Among Group E countries, the Czech Republic is ranked 2nd in the world, and the USA 5th. And Italy is ranked 13th, along with countries like Turkey and Nigeria. The FIFA Rankings simply don’t reflect the geographic realities, the dominance of Europe and South America. Don’t get me wrong, the USA and the Czech Republic are strong teams, but they are not in the top five.
Upsets. All this being said, upsets happen every World Cup, and the 2002 Cup saw more outsiders progress than ever before, when South Korea, Turkey, the USA, and Senegal made it to the quarerfinals. World soccer is leveling, but slowly; the 2002 final match was familiar: Brazil defeating Germany.
Rivalries. Every team wants to win, and every country takes a special interest in beating its neighbor or political rival. But some football rivalries are historic. England vs. Argentina, Brazil vs. Argentina, England vs. Germany, are especially resonant, recalling the disputed 1966 final, the Falklands War, Maradona’s ‘hand of God’ goal, etc.. We might see one of these match-ups in the elimination rounds.
Here’s an article from SI.com, for more info.
2006 World Cup - Host nation Germany has reinvented itself, team
In the vast universe of soccer, there are traditionally two opposing poles: Brazilian flair and German drive. Both have been effective in their different ways, taking Brazil to an unsurpassed five World Cup titles and Germany, just behind them, to three. While Brazil, in the image of the outrageous skills of Garrincha and Pelé, mesmerized opponents, the German Mannschaft, marshaled by the likes of the imperious Franz Beckenbauer, wore them down.
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