The FIFA World Cup 2014 Thread

The draw for the 2014 World Cup will be made tomorrow (Friday 6th December 2013). The odd seedings which have placed Switzerland along with Germany and Spain as the highest ranking European teams is due in part to the friendly matches played which count against teams that don't win them. There is also a suspicion that the unseeded European teams are not being treated equally and that France, statistically one of the weakest, will nevertheless get a better draw than England. Whatever.

What are your favourite World Cup Memories?
Who do you expect to make it to the last 4?
Who is your wild card?
Which player(s) will emerge heroic from the tournament or fail to impress?

Favourite memories:
1) England winning the cup in 1966 -one of the best team performances the Engand team have ever produced; the 1966 competition also marked the start of a history of bad-tempered/controversial matches with Argentina, including bad tackles and the captain, Rattin being sent off.

2) Mexico 1970 Brazil -vs- Italy: there are no words of wonder left to describe this performance, in which Pele consolidated his position as the greatest player of all time (so far); it was the joy with which Brazil played that came though most of all, we have never seen football played like this since that day.

3) Spain 1982 -the semi-final between France and West Germany was one of the most memorable and dramatic I can recall, with possibly the worst tackle in the tournament's history when West Germany's goalkeeper Schumacher almost decapitated Battiston who was charging alone into the penalty area and almost certain to score-a foul for which Schumacher wasn't even carded and a game which the Germans went on to win. This was the most likely French team to win the cup before the 1998 team, and many still feel bitter about the game, so were pleased to see the Germans beaten in the final by a wonderful Italian side -possibly the best Italian team of recent vintage.
Schumacher collision with Battiston 82 - YouTube


4) Mexico 1986 -Argentina -vs- England: yes, the 'hand of God' goal- Maradona cheated, it was as simple and as devastating as that -I could never take him seriously as a footballer after that: bad sportsmanship, the opposite of fair play, he should have been banned for life.

5. France 1998: Netherlands -vs- Argentina -Denis Bergkamp was one of the finest players never to win a final, along with Roberto Baggio -this one goal against England's destroyers Argentina following another controversial match in which Beckham was sent off, sent most of the UK into orange delight. It is even worth watching, again and again. One of the best.

Netherlands - Argentina: Bergkamp Goal 1998 (HD) - YouTube

Predictions:
Last Four: Spain, Germany, Brazil, Argentina.

Wild Cards: Colombia, Belgium

Players: Neymar, Messi and Ronaldo have the most to prove.

Group A
Brazil, Mexico, Croatia, Cameroon
Most likely to go through: Brazil, Mexico but Croatia have a habit of beating good teams.

Group B
Spain, Chile, Australia, Netherlands
Most likely to go through: Spain and the Netherlands, but Chile can't be ruled out.

Group C
Colombia, Greece, Ivory Coast, Japan
Most likely to go through: Colombia and Japan

Group D
Uruguay, England, Costa Rica, Italy
Most likely to go through: England and Italy, probably on goal difference.

Group E
Switzerland, Ecuador, France, Honduras
Most likely to go through: Ecuador and France, I don't rate Switzerland and don't know anything about Honduras.

Group F
Argentina, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Iran, Nigeria
Most likely to go through: Argentina, Nigeria

Group G
Germany, Ghana, Portugal, USA
This is a tough group but I reckon Germany and Portugal will go through

Group H
Belgium, Algeria, Russia, South Korea
Belgium and Russia from this one, I think South Korea are not as good as once they were.

Exciting! All we need now is for Brazil to finish building the stadia...

England have a reasonable group -I can't see them beating Italy, a draw with Uruguay is possible, a victory over Costa Rica essential: going to be tight.

URUGUAY all the way

england are wank. more chance of a nil-nilo with italy than keeping cavani and saurez etc out, in south america.. hellooooo south america???? we cant get the ball off chile at wembley!!! . dream on england:| :)

have fun roy!!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SammiValentine

england are wank. more chance of a nil-nilo with italy than keeping cavani and saurez etc out, in south america.. hellooooo south america???? we cant get the ball off chile at wembley!!! . dream on england:| :)

have fun roy!!!

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Think you're being a bit harsh there Sammi. Yes, this is a Scotsman speaking! :ignore:

I agree that they'll do well to get out of the group, but paradoxically I think that if they do, their chances of progressing will be better. Italy will be in the mix at the end, but are notoriously slow starters, so a tedious draw in the first game is likely. Then a hard-fought draw against Uruguay and hopefully a win (yes, I'm still Scottish :) ) against Costa Rica, ending up with 5 points. Then it depends on whether Italy and Uruguay cancel each other out and it could come down to goal difference.

But you're right. It is in South America, and aside from the usual suspects, Brazil and Argentina, I'd keep an eye open for Colombia, Uruguay and Chile (just for you, Nikka ;) ). Best European hopes? Spain, Germany, Italy.

Personally, I'd like a repeat of the 2002 final - Brazil vs Germany.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by robertlouis

Think you're being a bit harsh there Sammi. Yes, this is a Scotsman speaking! :ignore:

I agree that they'll do well to get out of the group, but paradoxically I think that if they do, their chances of progressing will be better. Italy will be in the mix at the end, but are notoriously slow starters, so a tedious draw in the first game is likely. Then a hard-fought draw against Uruguay and hopefully a win (yes, I'm still Scottish :) ) against Costa Rica, ending up with 5 points. Then it depends on whether Italy and Uruguay cancel each other out and it could come down to goal difference.

But you're right. It is in South America, and aside from the usual suspects, Brazil and Argentina, I'd keep an eye open for Colombia, Uruguay and Chile (just for you, Nikka ;) ). Best European hopes? Spain, Germany, Italy.

Personally, I'd like a repeat of the 2002 final - Brazil vs Germany.

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I cant see how a favorable draw after the group stage is paradoxical :D its a fact who gets out of our group avoids the big guns next round..

re Costa Rica well we are truely wank if we cant beat them. A recent survey in high schools discovered that 35% of year 10 students believe that "Costa Rica" Is a Poundland/ Discount store. *


* I could of made this up but sounds about right :D D: D: :D ENGGGERRRRRRRRRRRRRLUNNNNDDDDDD.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SammiValentine

I cant see how a favorable draw after the group stage is paradoxical :D its a fact who gets out of our group avoids the big guns next round..A recent survey in high schools discovered that 35% of year 10 students believe that "Costa Rica" Is a Poundland/ Discount store. *

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Quip about Costa Rica one of the funniest things I have read for ages...however, Costa Rica does have some tasty strikers, and Suarez who needed 10 shots on goal to score 2 has, since his brief spell as a mosquito, become one of the best strikers in the world -at an ominous time, unless he too is exhausted by the time they get to Brazil.

I sat down and tried to work out the perms:
If Brazil win their group and Mexico run up they are most likely to play either the Netherlands or Spain in the first knockout stage. If Colombia and Ivory Coast come through their group they will play England/Uruguay/Italy in the knockout and if England come through that most likely face Brazil in the Quarter-Final, or Spain. England actually has a good record of playing Brazil in Brazil, but if they beat Brazil their most likely Semi-Finalist is Germany assuming the latter beat France/Switzerland or Ecuador. It is also possible that England doing well would meet Argentina in the Semi-Final if Argentina do well.

As I said before I think, Neymar, Messi and Ronaldo have the most to prove on current reputations, and we don't really know how teams like Chile, Colombia, and Belgium will perform with young and exciting players. A final between Brazil and Portugal is possible -is this going to be Ronaldo's tournament?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stavros

Quip about Costa Rica one of the funniest things I have read for ages...however, Costa Rica does have some tasty strikers, and Suarez who needed 10 shots on goal to score 2 has, since his brief spell as a mosquito, become one of the best strikers in the world -at an ominous time, unless he too is exhausted by the time they get to Brazil.

I sat down and tried to work out the perms:
If Brazil win their group and Mexico run up they are most likely to play either the Netherlands or Spain in the first knockout stage. If Colombia and Ivory Coast come through their group they will play England/Uruguay/Italy in the knockout and if England come through that most likely face Brazil in the Quarter-Final, or Spain. England actually has a good record of playing Brazil in Brazil, but if they beat Brazil their most likely Semi-Finalist is Germany assuming the latter beat France/Switzerland or Ecuador. It is also possible that England doing well would meet Argentina in the Semi-Final if Argentina do well.

As I said before I think, Neymar, Messi and Ronaldo have the most to prove on current reputations, and we don't really know how teams like Chile, Colombia, and Belgium will perform with young and exciting players. A final between Brazil and Portugal is possible -is this going to be Ronaldo's tournament?

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I have to confess that I haven't analysed the draw and its possibilities as forensically as you have, Stavros, for which much thanks. So Brazil v Germany would be a semifinal only. Oh well. :(

This is quite a disturbing video from a match in brazil this week I think. TBH very disturbing and hard to watch so do not say I did not warn you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu-Xp7IyUWw&feature=player_detailpage

Played in some bizzaire circumstance where police not allowed in stadium due to a local law (Wtf) but shows things really could kick off there... I think we will see some evil police control, but i think they need it.

Sombre thought.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SammiValentine

This is quite a disturbing video from a match in brazil this week I think. TBH very disturbing and hard to watch so do not say I did not warn you.

Played in some bizzaire circumstance where police not allowed in stadium due to a local law (Wtf) but shows things really could kick off there... I think we will see some evil police control, but i think they need it.

Sombre thought.

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This kind of violence happens in Brazil because home and away fans can sit wherever they like, apparently the world cup venues will also use private security rather than the police, but my guess is all of those bodies are corrupt owing to the gulf between haves and have-nots in Brazil. That said, since most people will not be able to afford the tickets, crowd violence at the World Cup is more than likely to be rare, as it usually is -football hooliganism was rife in England in 1966, and there were a lot of assumptions about problems in South Africa because of the crime rate there which didn't become a problem in their hosting. But there is always a first, let's hope it doesn't happen. Report on the match in the youtube link from the Washington Post here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports...2ab_story.html

Quote:

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Originally Posted by robertlouis

I have to confess that I haven't analysed the draw and its possibilities as forensically as you have, Stavros, for which much thanks. So Brazil v Germany would be a semifinal only. Oh well. :(

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The fixtures after the group stages are like this:

8 June 2014 Second-round 1:
Winner Group A v Runner-up Group B, Estadio Mineirao, Belo Horizonte, 17:00
28 June 2014
Second-round 2:
Winner Group C v Runner-up Group D, Estadio do Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, 21:00
29 June 2014
Second-round 3:
Winner Group B v Runner-up Group A, Estadio Castelao, Fortaleza, 17:00
29 June 2014
Second-round 4:
Winner Group D v Runner-up Group C, Arena Pernambuco, Recife, 21:00
30 June 2014
Second-round 5:
Winner Group E v Runner-up Group F, Estadio Nacional, Brasilia, 17:00
30 June 2014
Second-round 6:
Winner Group G v Runner-up Group H, Estadio Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre, 21:00
1 July 2014
Second-round 7:
Winner Group F v Runner-up Group E, Arena de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, 17:00
1 July 2014
Second-round 8:
Winner Group H v Runner-up Group G, Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador, 21:00
Quarter-finals

4 July 2014
Quarter-final 1:
Winner Second-round 1 v Winner Second-round 2, Estadio Castelao, Fortaleza, 21:00
4 July 2014
Quarter-final 2:
Winner Second-round 5 v Winner Second-round 6, Estadio do Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, 17:00
5 July 2014
Quarter-final 3:
Winner Second-round 3 v Winner Second-round 4, Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador, 21:00
5 July 2014
Quarter-final 4:
Winner Second-round 7 v Winner Second-round 8, Estadio Nacional, Brasilia, 17:00
Semi-finals

8 July 2014
Semi-final 1:
Winner Quarter-final 1 v Winner Quarter-final 2, Estadio Mineirao, Belo Horizonte, 21:00
9 July 2014
Semi-final 2:
Winner Quarter-final 3 v Winner Quarter-final 4, Arena de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, 21:00

Yeah! I agree with the oppinion that south american teams will be very strong I am esp. looking forward to see those teams that exites me in Africa again in action. But lets don't forget Mexico and USA the have still some kind of home advantage. Italy should get far like usually also the germans. But I am couting on some "underdogs" like Portugal and Fance to make Quater Finals, if their are at their peak levels...

Don't think Smalling, Jones, Glen Johnson, Lambert or Milner are worthy of an England place, but I do think this could be a team that springs surprises and will back England to win the cup.

Current Odds from Ladbrokes look like this:

To win the cup
3/1 Brazil
9/2 Argentina
5/1 Germany
6/1 Spain
16/1 Belgium
20/1 France
22/1 Italy
22/1 Portugal
22/1 Colombia
28/1 Netherlands (listed as 'Holland')
28/1 Uruguay
33/1 England
33/1 Chile

To win Group D
6/4 Italy
9/5 Uruguay
9/4 England
33/1 Costa Rica

Top Goalscorer
8/1 Messi
10/1 Neymar
14/1 Suarez
14/1 Ronaldo
16/1 Aguero
20/1 Diego Costa
25/1 van Persie
25/1 Fred
25.1 Higuain
28/1 Lukaku
33/1 Balotelli
33/1 Benzema
33/1 Muller
33/1 Negredo
40/1 Hulk
40/1 Rooney

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stavros

Don't think Smalling, Jones, Glen Johnson, Lambert or Milner are worthy of an England place, but I do think this could be a team that springs surprises and will back England to win the cup.

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I think you're right, but it's hard to think of another English right back who's any better than Johnson. If Rodriguez hadn't had that awful injury I think he'd have got the nod ahead of his team mate Lambert, and from an embarrassment of riches a few years ago, England are scrabbling around for more than a couple of credible centre backs. I would say this, but it is a pity that Liverpool didn't win the title, as to have Gerrard, Henderson, Sturridge and Sterling on the crest of the wave would have been great for England. Man City may be the champions, but apart from Hart they didn't have a single Englishman on the field for their final game.

My starting eleven: Hart; Johnson, Jagielka, Cahill, Baines; Gerrard; Henderson; Sterling, Rooney, Lallana; Sturridge.

Possibly Wilshere instead of Henderson, but that's it.

We're going to be three losses and out. USA! USA! USA!!!

Seriously though, can't seem to beat Ghana, Germany we've only ever beaten once (although recently), and Portugal I don't see us beating either. So 3 losses or 2 losses 1 draw sounds about right.

Group A pisses me off. They've pretty much given an inferior Mexico team a free pass to the next round. Brazil is a lock, although they've got some chemistry issues, too many stars not enough workers, they could collapse. Doubtful, but its possible.

Group B, I agree about Spain and the Netherlands. Still, come on Socceroo's!

Group C, I don't know much about Greece as a national squad, anyone have an opinion? Japan has a really unique defensive style. It will be interesting to see if anyone has figured it out yet. They played a lot of good teams really close last time around. I think they are through, but it will depend on whether they can score, and not just defend. Colombia I don't think is as much of a lock. I think their game against Ivory Coast will decide the second team through.

Group D, Italy should go through. England? I'd be a little more worried than a lot of you are. I think my Liverpool guys should carry England to the next round, but Uruguay is going to be lighting up the scoreboard a lot, and if they can get their defensive issues sorted, might be the second squad through. Costa Rica is going to take a game from one of the other three. I don't know which one, but they will surprise someone. That should help determine this group too. Glen Johnson is like having half a player for England and half a player for the other squad. Feel free to play the "Glen Johnson drinking game with me" where you take a shot every time he gives away the ball, or slags off on a play. You'll be wicked pissed by 10 minutes in. Also, England has Roy Hodgeson, I've seen the way that man fucked up my Reds over the years by getting players injured and blowing games from the outset with crap formations and strategy. Good luck England, you're going to need it.

Group E, I've seen Honduras play the USA a few times. They are crap on the road, but turn up when they have a really supportive crowd behind them, which they should have this year. I agree that France is a lock to go through, but Ecuador Honduras will be a great game, and probably what decides which of these two teams go through.

Group F, don't sleep on Iran, over the past year they've been looking better and better, and might surprise a few teams.

Group G, Germany and Portugal. Ghana could shock someone as well. USA is going to lose all three, and I will be doing a lot of swearing, and a lot more drinking from depression.

Group H, I get why Stavros wasn't sure about South Korea, but I think they are much better than he is giving them credit for, and that team plays mediocre in qualifiers, but really show up and play hard for big games. I think they will be on to the next round, with either Albania or Russia being the other in that group. This to me is going to be the most fun group to watch.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by robertlouis

My starting eleven: Hart; Johnson, Jagielka, Cahill, Baines; Gerrard; Henderson; Sterling, Rooney, Lallana; Sturridge.

Possibly Wilshere instead of Henderson, but that's it.

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Wilshire instead of Henderson? It might be time to put down the bottle Robert. lol

[QUOTE=JenniferParisHusband;1489618]

Group D, Italy should go through. England? I'd be a little more worried than a lot of you are. I think my Liverpool guys should carry England to the next round, but Uruguay is going to be lighting up the scoreboard a lot, and if they can get their defensive issues sorted, might be the second squad through. Costa Rica is going to take a game from one of the other three. I don't know which one, but they will surprise someone. That should help determine this group too. Glen Johnson is like having half a player for England and half a player for the other squad. Feel free to play the "Glen Johnson drinking game with me" where you take a shot every time he gives away the ball, or slags off on a play. You'll be wicked pissed by 10 minutes in. Also, England has Roy Hodgeson, I've seen the way that man fucked up my Reds over the years by getting players injured and blowing games from the outset with crap formations and strategy. Good luck England, you're going to need it.

--I am actually going to put money on England winning the cup, regardless of what others are saying. England have a good record in Brazil, not least against the national team, beating them in the 1980s, and drawing with them last year in a game we could have won but for the flawed finishing of Welbeck (as usual) and a close shave from Rooney.

Italy are always a danger, they have one of the best players in the world, Pirlo, but their strikers are erratic, and their defence not as solid as it used to be in years gone by. I can't work out Uruguay but think they can be beaten, but your doubts about Hodgson's tactical play might make the difference.

The British government takes the pessimist view that England will not progress beyond the group stage, reported in the BBC today, as it decides whether or not to let pubs stay open late (the game against Italy starts at 11pm UK time):

"While England are certain to be playing in the matches in the first period, there is a high probability that they will not be playing in the later matches," it says.
"To account for this, we have used odds from Betfair.com, implying that England have a 54% probability of progressing past the group stage and an 11% probability of progressing past the quarter-finals, allowing us to estimate the expected benefits (of opening pubs late)."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27396376

Being an old fart.I remember sitting with my father and neighbours watching the 1966 Final,i was eight and that great day has stayed with me all my life.
Over the years one thing has become apparent,remember that day and Englands world cup winning victory,because you will never see it again in your lifetime.

Yes indeed, great days!! But how did you feel in 1990? Surely there was a great opportunity missed...like the penalties...

Yes 1990 was close.Could we have beaten Argentina in the final,who knows?I don't think so.
The England team then was probably the strongest since '66.A solid unit.
The squad of today hasn't got that.And Hodgson is weak.A lamb, not a Lion.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stavros

Yes indeed, great days!! But how did you feel in 1990? Surely there was a great opportunity missed...like the penalties...

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I watched the England v Germany semi-final in a bar in Brittany (I was there on business). The two of us arrived just as Lineker equalised and started shouting for them.

Only to realise that every other person in the bar, apart from the mildly intimidated staff, was wearing a West Germany shirt.....

They were probably gobsmacked to hear a Scotsman cheering for England...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stavros

They were probably gobsmacked to hear a Scotsman cheering for England...

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I think that's how we were able to escape unscathed. Without tunnelling. :whistle:

I was told of an incident in the 1970s when two Irishmen went into a pub in the North where there was a wedding party and got a bit tipsy and one started singing The sash his father wore...let's just say that it was a 'Catholic wedding' and you really don't want to know what happened next. And it wasn't football. I have tended to find Germans quite relaxed about it anyway, or is it just them being smug because they have been in 11 semi-finals and won the cup three times?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by robertlouis

Without tunnelling. :whistle:

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:lol:

Meanwhile, in another part of the world cup forest, Sepp reconfirms his corrupt twattery in all its glory.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/...ld-cup-mistake

Has anyone given some thought to the potential winner of the Golden Boot? I have backed England to win the Cup, but I would also like to back one or two individuals for the boot, and maybe do an accumulator on the group stage winners.

The problem is that while the opportunity to score a few goals is higher in the group stage where there are weak teams, it does not always work out like that as England has shown in the past when drawing 0-0 against teams we ought to have beaten on paper. In addition, I puzzled by Group C: Colombia, Ivory Coast, Japan and Greece because I assume Greece is one of the weakest teams in the competition, but don't know enough about Colombia and Japan, except that the latter usually has a good defence and can score goals -but the winner or runner up in Group C will play their counterparts in Group D, where I don't see Italy, Uruguay, England and Costa Rica giving away goals, except for a bias against Costa Rica due to my ignorance of the team.

So high scoring possibles are Group A -Brazil, Mexico, Croatia and Cameroon; and Group F -Argentina, Bosnia, Nigeria and Iran.

This means that on paper either Brazil or Argentina has the form to score the most goals in the Group stages and be hot favourites for the semi-finals, and this in turn gives the following a good chance:

Brazil -Neymar at 10/1; Fred at 25/1, but what about Hulk at 40/1? -looks a tasty bet,

Argentina -Messi is overall favouite at 8/1, Aguero is 16/1, the over-rated Higuain is 25/1.

Suarez was third favourite behind Messi and Neymar, but it looks like he will miss the tournament through injury which is a major blow, as he has been in devastating form and had the potential to lead Uruguay to the final.

Ronaldo has also been in blistering form, but Group G play Germany, the USA and Ghana where goals might be hard to score. Interestingly, the winner and runner-up in Group G will play their counterpart in Group H -Belgium, Russia, South Korea and Algeria, which may give Ronaldo more opportunities to score; and at 14/1 must be a good bet, you wouldn't get odds like that on a horse. But saying that, Argentina in the second round will play a team from Group E -France, Switzerland, Ecuador and Honduras so the prospect for more goals increases as these are all weak teams, while Brazil may struggle score against either Spain, Netherlands, Chile or Australia in Group B.

Overall conclusion so far -the Golden Boot could go to someone from Argentina, or Cristiano Ronaldo.

Unless someone wants to make a case for Wayne Rooney...?

My friend drew Messi in the company sweepstake last time round.
Thought he was on a banker......oooppps. No goals.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stavros

Has anyone given some thought to the potential winner of the Golden Boot? I have backed England to win the Cup, but I would also like to back one or two individuals for the boot, and maybe do an accumulator on the group stage winners.

The problem is that while the opportunity to score a few goals is higher in the group stage where there are weak teams, it does not always work out like that as England has shown in the past when drawing 0-0 against teams we ought to have beaten on paper. In addition, I puzzled by Group C: Colombia, Ivory Coast, Japan and Greece because I assume Greece is one of the weakest teams in the competition, but don't know enough about Colombia and Japan, except that the latter usually has a good defence and can score goals -but the winner or runner up in Group C will play their counterparts in Group D, where I don't see Italy, Uruguay, England and Costa Rica giving away goals, except for a bias against Costa Rica due to my ignorance of the team.

So high scoring possibles are Group A -Brazil, Mexico, Croatia and Cameroon; and Group F -Argentina, Bosnia, Nigeria and Iran.

This means that on paper either Brazil or Argentina has the form to score the most goals in the Group stages and be hot favourites for the semi-finals, and this in turn gives the following a good chance:

Brazil -Neymar at 10/1; Fred at 25/1, but what about Hulk at 40/1? -looks a tasty bet,

Argentina -Messi is overall favouite at 8/1, Aguero is 16/1, the over-rated Higuain is 25/1.

Suarez was third favourite behind Messi and Neymar, but it looks like he will miss the tournament through injury which is a major blow, as he has been in devastating form and had the potential to lead Uruguay to the final.

Ronaldo has also been in blistering form, but Group G play Germany, the USA and Ghana where goals might be hard to score. Interestingly, the winner and runner-up in Group G will play their counterpart in Group H -Belgium, Russia, South Korea and Algeria, which may give Ronaldo more opportunities to score; and at 14/1 must be a good bet, you wouldn't get odds like that on a horse. But saying that, Argentina in the second round will play a team from Group E -France, Switzerland, Ecuador and Honduras so the prospect for more goals increases as these are all weak teams, while Brazil may struggle score against either Spain, Netherlands, Chile or Australia in Group B.

Overall conclusion so far -the Golden Boot could go to someone from Argentina, or Cristiano Ronaldo.

Unless someone wants to make a case for Wayne Rooney...?

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It would be coffin-shaped and made of oak.....:wiggle:

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Originally Posted by robertlouis

It would be coffin-shaped and made of oak.....:wiggle:

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Grim sort of humour...the man himself is confident he is going to perform well, so a punt on him might be worth £10 as he is 40/1.

Meanwhile Suarez may play after all, not sure how bad his injuries are.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stavros

as he is 40/1.

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Yep! And that's for a reason.

Think Belgium will walk their group but not sure who will score most of there goals. Think they only play with Lakaku as an out & out striker. Hazard is 40/1 & could score a few.

Just backed Italy at 16/1 to be top team from Europe

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Originally Posted by Black coffee

Just backed Italy at 16/1 to be top team from Europe

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I reckon Germany will go furthest of all the European teams. Their very promising youngsters of 2010 are now in their prime.

And the fact that I'll have a house full of Germans in the last two weeks of the competition is neither here nor there..... :whistle:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by robertlouis

I reckon Germany will go furthest of all the European teams. Their very promising youngsters of 2010 are now in their prime.

And the fact that I'll have a house full of Germans in the last two weeks of the competition is neither here nor there..... :whistle:

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I don't know. Spain seems like it can go pretty far, has been somewhat dominant over the last few tournaments, and should get out of their group easily. Since team USA is in "give-up" mode this year, and my Korean Reds are borderline to get out of their group. I am putting my money on Spain again this year.

(Although if the home team can come together in time, they'd be my second choice. No Brazilians in my house, unless you count what they did to me with some wax earlier.)

I'm not the biggest futbol expert. But I love the international competition of the FIFA World Cup. Brazil is my pick win it all.
Spain and Germany are my alternate picks.

Eric Cantona has made a new documentary which savages FIFA for its attempt to create in Brazil a football that, far from being for the masses, is for those who can pay. The article is followed by a youtube extract. Note in the article it says one of the many unknown films at Cannes this year was a film about Sepp Blatter, which apparently cost £16m -if that is not an abuse of money I don't know what is.

Eric Cantona: Fifa’s corruption divides Brazilian football from its roots

Just back from making a documentary in Rio, the Frenchman has a jaundiced view of the governing body’s modus operandi



It will surprise precisely no one who has taken even a passing interest in his life and career, but Eric Cantona is no great fan of football’s governing bodies.
Having recently returned from Rio de Janeiro, where he has been making a documentary about Brazilian football and politics that will receive its UK premiere at Amnesty International’s Sidelines film festival next month, he has a jaundiced view of Fifa’s modus operandi.
As a player he spent much of a mercurial, stellar career at odds with the establishment and retirement has not mellowed him. Now, as a film-maker, he is taking aim at the power structures that underpin the game.
In light of the protests in Brazil against what is seen as Fifa’s controlling approach to staging the tournament and against a government spending $11bn (£6.5bn) on the World Cup at a time of underinvestment in public services, the Frenchman views Sepp Blatter’s “corrupt” governing body as “so powerful, stronger than any country”.
In an interview with Amnesty in Paris, the former Manchester United striker has strongly questioned the decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, saying it proves Fifa “don’t really care about the sport” and he fears that globalised, commoditised football will be ultimately damaging to the sport.
Yet Cantona – pondering how recently Brazil was a military dictatorship and its relative youth as a democracy – says he is equally convinced that the spotlight the World Cup will shine on the vast, swiftly evolving nation is a good thing. “It is why this World Cup is very important. Because the World Cup is there, now everybody can know a lot of things and they can speak and they can debate about things,” he said. “All the people, the journalists, TV [cameras], all the media from all around the world [will highlight the issues]. Unfortunately what’s happening is not very nice – it is horrible – but I think it is an opportunity for the country to take that in a positive way for the future.”
In the documentary, the seventh he has made, Cantona investigates the histories and culture of the four biggest clubs in Rio – Fluminense, Vasco da Gama, Flamengo and Botafogo – and explores the impact of the World Cup on the city.
Across Brazil there are complaints that some of the new stadiums built with public money have cost up to three times what they should have, due to alleged corruption, and will result in poorer fans being priced out, as private companies try to operate them at a profit.
Cantona, who splits his time between film-making and acting these days, has much sympathy for those who fear it will prevent the poorest attending games.
“I have been in Maracanã before and I loved Maracanã. [But] now it is just a stadium like the Emirates Stadium, or Stade de France. And they say: ‘It’s a revolution for us, we have to educate the people to sit.’ But they don’t want to sit, they just want to stand up and sing and dance,” he said. Those who want to sing and dance can’t afford to go any more, he says. “So they don’t educate them, they just throw them away and bring [in] people who can pay for the tickets.” Around the world Cantona says he can see football becoming detached from its roots. Given the amount of money flowing into the game from broadcasting deals and ticket revenue, he suggests that a fifth of all tickets should be available at affordable prices.
Watching football at the Emirates or Old Trafford is “very, very expensive” he says. In his view a proportion of tickets should be “reserved for the people who are the ones really in love with football but they cannot pay for the tickets now”.
Cantona is still revered by Manchester United fans in particular, not only for his ability on the pitch but his style and swagger off it, and laments the fact that footballers “from the street” will only be able to watch the sport on television.
“They just want to throw them away. But it is a shame because it’s these kind of fans who made football and it’s these kind of fans who have a child who will play football,” said Cantona. “Because most of the people, most of the players come from poor areas. To be a footballer you need to train every day when you are a kid, you need to go in the street and play in the street every day.”
Cantona, who most recently hit the headlines here over an altercation with a paparazzi photographer in north London, says “all the best players” grew up in poor areas, name-checking Maradona, Pelé, Messi, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. For him, football is 50% physical and 50% psychological. “You need to be angry, because it is not only about abilities. Abilities is 50% and 50% is mentally. And mentally is where you learn how to fight … it is in the street.”
For him a broken link between the street and the stadium should be of urgent concern to Fifa – which was mocked last week for spending an alleged £16m on a hagiography of Blatter that premiered at the Cannes film festival – and football’s other governing bodies. “This kind of people, this kind of young guys, need to go to the stadium also with their parents, not to see football only on TV in a bar, because maybe they don’t have the money to buy their own TV,” he said.
“So it depends on what they want to do … the authorities in football, FA, Uefa or Fifa. They speak a lot of good things, [about] fair play. Where is the fair play if we take this example, where is the fair play? They have to show examples – not only words. But it is just my point of view.”
Cantona saves his most damning opinions for the decision to take the World Cup to Qatar in 2022.
Amid controversy about how the tiny Gulf state won the vote to host the tournament and questions about the treatment of migrant workers building the infrastructure, Cantona is unequivocal about Fifa’s decision. “They have their responsibility. And in giving the World Cup to Qatar they show the world that they don’t really care about the sport,” he said.
Whereas he believes Brazil deserves to have the World Cup “in terms of football” and understands the argument for taking it to a country like the US to develop the sport, he believes there is no justification for a Qatar World Cup. “In Qatar there is no hope, because people from Qatar they don’t play football. Eighty per cent of the people, they work for the other ones, sleeping in – you know – small areas, so many of them. Some of them died, they work for those other ones,” said Cantona. “Those other ones who don’t care about football, their kids don’t play football. So I just cannot understand. They [Fifa] will have that on their backs for centuries and centuries I think.”
Cantona believes Uefa should also be held to account for giving the European Under-21 championship to Israel in light of what he claims is “the same kind of injustice” in human rights terms.
The Frenchman, who is working on a documentary about French immigration as refracted through the lens of football, will attend the premiere of his Brazil film at the festival in Hackney. An itinerant life as a wandering film-maker, pondering pressing social issues through football and listening to the stories of those he meets on the way, seems to rather suit him.
“If I can say it, I say it. I don’t have any kind of responsibility [to anyone], I don’t feel a responsibility of saying things, I just try to understand, make documentaries, go to countries, meet people, read things about the story of the country, everything,” he says. “I am rich in that. Of course I have got money too, but my richest thing is to be curious.”
Sidelines is Amnesty UK’s first football film festival. It takes place from 6-8 June, at Hackney Picturehouse, east London. It will be a weekend of thought-provoking films, Q&As and panel discussions, all with a football and human rights theme.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/...rld-cup-brazil



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYaO-DCvfhI

Kind of really want to like that, Stavros, but it's Eric Cantona, so I kind of can't. It's like those commercials he did a few years back about not diving. It's hard to take the Kung-Fu kick guy seriously when he's talking ethics in football.

Plus, once a Manc, always a Manc, as the home fans like to say.

YNWA

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JenniferParisHusband

Kind of really want to like that, Stavros, but it's Eric Cantona, so I kind of can't. It's like those commercials he did a few years back about not diving. It's hard to take the Kung-Fu kick guy seriously when he's talking ethics in football.

Plus, once a Manc, always a Manc, as the home fans like to say.

YNWA

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Frankly a feeble response; and presumably rules out Luis Suarez before he even makes a documentary about fast food in Uruguay, or Anfield. Cantona has always been what he is, take him or leave him. I don't judge men by the football club they used to play for. Gary Lineker made an interesting documentary on the golden boot a few world cups ago, even if he did once play for -Leicester? Whatever.

Goldman Sachs have produced their four semi-finalists -
"based on a regression analysis that uses the entire history of mandatory international football matches - ie no friendlies - since 1960". This generates 1400 observations, fed into a forecasting model that assumes "that the number of goals scored by a particular side in a particular match follows a Poisson distribution".

Now that is clear, the four semi-finalists will be: Brazil-Argentina-Germany-Spain.

Details are here, minus a definition of the Poisson Distribution...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-27602311