Official World Cup 2010 Thread

Well, just over a week away and of course I am very much looking forward to England's first match in which we will kick the USA's backside and we can then listen to 'mericans constant whining about how football is not a real sport and they don't care about it.

Come on England!

I just completed my World Cup pool and ultimately picked......The Dutch to win it all. It just felt right.

Fuck off with that negativity.

We will win the competition!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We aren't good enough to beat England, but then again, it wouldn't be the first time England laid a turd in the WC. I'm hoping for something like a 1 - 1 draw with many highlight saves by Howard.

I wouldn't underestimate the USA. They're not technically gifted but they are a hard working, tough bunch of grafters. They're the only team to beat Spain in the last 3 years or so, they will provide a challenge. We shouldn't have any problems at all with the other 2 teams though.
Getting a bit excited about it now, finally something to look forward to in football after that miserable, miserable Premiership season.

Good luck El Chup! I can honestly say I don't care, one way or the other, who wins this. Neither do 97% of my countrymen.

Yep, I'de like to see you beat America too. But as for the rest of your post, how is it any different from listening/reading the hysterical English media build up about going to win it......again. And then watch your hooligans go to town when Germany pump you out in the quarters on penalties!

But thats only because you aren't any good at it.

England, although packed with quality players aren't as good a side as the hype and marketing men would have you believe. Are they good enough to contend in the world cup - yes. Are they beatable - definatley.

Look at the result they had at the weekend!

Once someone breaks Rooneys foot, the dream will be over.

I am totally at a loss who to root for in this World Cup. Normally I'm for the French (of course ), but this time they are going to be somewhere between dismal and disgraceful, so there is little to be gained there. And rooting for the Americans in football is about like rooting for the French in basketball.

So I guess I don't care much.

Actually I thought the Prem season was rather good

Did you not see the little winky I put up there when I sais we'd win it......

....I thought you had sarcasm up there as well?

Rio Ferdinand is out of the WC due to injury. The England team will now be captained by Steven Gerrard.

He better perform better than he has done for his club though, he had been pretty poor for most of last season.

I am hoping for a non-loss for the US against England, and victories over Slovenia and Algeria. While I'm not naive enough to think the USMNT can win the Cup, I'd be quite happy with say...a showing of making it into the Quarterfinals with a slight loss to a strong contending team.

As for who wins it all, I'm going w/ Spain as my pick, with the Netherlands as my Darkhorse choice.

Brazil wins. Best soccer country. Best tradition. Hottest chicks.

Over.

http://www.theonion.com/articles/nations-soccer-fan-becoming-insufferable,17553/

More importantly, Michael Dawson will now come into the side. Dawson has played out of his skin this year while Gerrard has fucked about installing his team's mid table obscurity.

Alas, Brazil is not as a prolific a winner as you think.

Quarterfinals?

Good luck.

I expect the US to advance to the Round of 16, but no further. The defense is mediocre, and Tim Howard is often overhyped.

I beg to differ. They have more World Cup titles than any nation on the planet. And that's all that counts, no?

If the Americans manage to shock the Brits, the World Cup will get some interest here. I think the USA is good enough to atleast get to the Round of 16, then maybe go on another magic carpet ride like that year.

I do enjoy the World Cup cause it's the only sport where I can cheer for the Americans as the plucky underdogs against a chav state of old world failure like Mother England!

It's here!

World Cup Fantasy Football

The official FIFA site, sponsored by McDonalds.

You can pick your team of 23 players for the World Cup.
Plus you can make transfers during the tournament.

Join the Wordforge League, and compete against your online friends.

Activation Code: 44073-80822.

It's easy to play.
They give you a budget that is more than adequate.
You don't need 23 good players.
I got 15 players that I wanted, and had enough left over for reserves.

Get your team set up, before the tournament kicks-off;
very early Saturday morning, in the USA.

The World Cup will last one month.
You won't be able to avoid it.
So you might as well get invovled, and have some fun.

No, it isn't. If they were the unbeatable team that people pretend they are then they would be winning almost every four years, which they certainly don't. In fact, since their 1970 win they have only won 2 further times. In the same 30 years Italy, Germany and Argentina have all won twice as well.

I think you are argueing for the sake of it though. Lonley squire said, "best soccer country, best tradition, hottest chicks."

In terms of being the best, you cant get any better than being world champs, which Brazil have managed more than anyone else. If you use your own post 1970 determination as the barometre, then your mob are as good as mine.

Best tradition - maybe not.

Hottest chicks - quite possibly.

Yeah I don't know how anyone can argue about Brazil being the top football nation. They have always produced great national teams and have won the World Cup more than any other country. Even when they weren't winning the cup, they still had brilliant players on show and were spectacular to watch (1982, 1986).

Here's my World Cup Fantasy Football team.
It's too easy. They give you too much budget.
They should make you work harder.
This is almost a World All-Star team.

You are limited to two players per country.


Starters

Gianluigi Buffon --- Italy - Juventus

Maicon --- Brazil - Inter Milan
Lucio --- Brazil - Inter Milan
Walter Samuel --- Argentina - Inter Milan
Georgio Chellini --- Italy - Juventus

Wesley Sneijder --- Netherlands - Inter Milan
Xavi --- Spain - Barcelona
Bastien Schweinstiger --- Germany - Bayern Munich

Lionel Messi --- Argentina - Barcelona
David Villa ---Spain - Barcelona
Wayne Rooney --- England - Manchester United

Reserves

Hugo Lloris --- France - Lyon
Phillip Lahm --- Germany - Bayern Munich
Steven Gerrard --- England - Liverpool
Cristiano Ronaldo --- Portugal - Real Madrid


I have four players from Inter Milan, none of them Italian.

And that doesn't even include my Avatar, Javier Zanetti;
with 700 appearances for Inter Milan, and 136 appearances for Argentina.

Also they have Julio Cesar, from Brazil;
Esteban Cambiasso and Gabriel Milito, both from Argentina.


I could have picked some USA players.
Tim Howard, Landon Donovon and Clint Dempsey are good values.

Unfortunately, this game was not well planned.
There's no need to search for value, when you can pick a team of stars.

So, our USA posters need to get in there. Pick a team similar to mine,
and beat those British posters at their own game.