Soccer World Cup

[NaokoSmith]

Oh poor Brazil. I'll put away my red feathers and huly skirt then.

Gosh, if it comes to a Netherlands v. Germany final, there will be a lot to think about. The Netherlands are always extra agitated about playing Germany, and to have two European teams in the Final in South America will make for an odd mood too, I expect.

 

[just4me350]

Oh poor Brazil. I'll put away my red feathers and huly skirt then.

Gosh, if it comes to a Netherlands v. Germany final, there will be a lot to think about. The Netherlands are always extra agitated about playing Germany, and to have two European teams in the Final in South America will make for an odd mood too, I expect.

If Argentina beats the Dutch then Brazil will have to cheer for the team that crushed them because they HATE Argentina with a soccer passion!

 

[Sammael Bard]

The Germans lost in the finals last time and I don't think they'll just hand over this oppertunity

 

[jomar]

PKs. Too bad.

 

[R. Richard]

The World Cup will be Germany and Argentina.

Netherlands 0(2)
Argentina 0(4)

 

[AMoveableBeast]

Ar-hen-tina! Ar-hen-tina!

 

[R. Richard]

SAO PAULO – Furious Netherlands head coach Louis Van Gaal blasted FIFA for its refusal to scrap the World Cup's third-place consolation game and insisted the controversial playoff should be consigned to history.

Van Gaal's Dutch side will be forced to play host nation Brazil in Brasilia on Saturday after losing its semifinal to Argentina in a heart-stopping penalty shootout at Arena de Sao Paulo on Wednesday night.

Van Gaal, who takes over English Premier League team Manchester United at the end of the tournament, claimed he has urged soccer's hierarchy to abandon the game for more than a decade, to no avail.

"I think that this match should never be played," said Van Gaal less than an hour after his team's 0-0 tie and subsequent 4-2 loss on penalties. "I have been saying this for the past 10 years.

"We will just have to play the game but it is unfair. We will have one day less to recover and that's not fair play. But the worst thing is, I believe, there is a chance that you lose twice in a row in a tournament in which you've played so marvelously well. You go home as a 'loser' because possibly you've lost the last two matches."

(It will be interesting to see how Brazil approaches this third place match, after their dreadful loss to Germany. It's not unusual for a coach to play reserves in such a match, but I suspect that Brazil will come out with all guns firing, to maybe recover from their defeat.)

 

[Handley_Page]

SAO PAULO – Furious Netherlands head coach Louis Van Gaal blasted FIFA for its refusal to scrap the World Cup's third-place consolation game and insisted the controversial playoff should be consigned to history.

Van Gaal's Dutch side will be forced to play host nation Brazil in Brasilia on Saturday after losing its semifinal to Argentina in a heart-stopping penalty shootout at Arena de Sao Paulo on Wednesday night.

Van Gaal, who takes over English Premier League team Manchester United at the end of the tournament, claimed he has urged soccer's hierarchy to abandon the game for more than a decade, to no avail.



(It will be interesting to see how Brazil approaches this third place match, after their dreadful loss to Germany. It's not unusual for a coach to play reserves in such a match, but I suspect that Brazil will come out with all guns firing, to maybe recover from their defeat.)

For reasons as yet unknown, I actually watched the last bit of the Argi / Holland match. What struck me particularly was the Dutch goalie.

Meanwhile: See here.

It made I larf. . . .

 

[Sammael Bard]

For reasons as yet unknown, I actually watched the last bit of the Argi / Holland match. What struck me particularly was the Dutch goalie.

Meanwhile: See here.

It made I larf. . . .

That was quite unexpected and funny!

 

[R. Richard]

The Brazilians go down in flames!

Netherlands 3
Brazil 0

 

[Handley_Page]

There have been interesting ideas spouted about money changing hands in the Germany Game. Cries of "the Brazilians are a lot richer now" and so on.
Could merely be rumour,, wishful thinking, suspicion, etc., but it makes one think.

 

[R. Richard]

Germany wins the World Cup.

Germany 1
Argentina 0

 

[Handley_Page]

Germany wins the World Cup.

Germany 1
Argentina 0

My pal reckons that the Ref wasn't totally fair

 

[sr71plt]

Wonder how many Americans stuck around to care about this once the United States was ousted.

 

[jomar]

Wonder how many Americans stuck around to care about this once the United States was ousted.

They showed soccer gatherings around the USA of people watching...pretty big groups of folk.

Found myself pulling for Germany...probably because they were in the USA's round robin bracket.

 

[just4me350]

They showed soccer gatherings around the USA of people watching...pretty big groups of folk.

Found myself pulling for Germany...probably because they were in the USA's round robin bracket.

Not sure about how many stuck around but it was the 3rd highest ESPN soccer telecast ever. The ratings were really good for the whole tourney I think. FIFA will make about 4.5 billion off the whole deal.

 

[oggbashan]

... FIFA will make about 4.5 billion off the whole deal.

And Brazil will be left with massive debts.

FIFA needs a spring clean to get rid of all those with their hands in the till, and FIFA should reduce its expectations for host countries to more affordable levels.

It may be 'the beautiful game' but FIFA is the unredeemed, and unrepentant, beast.

 

[Sammael Bard]

And Brazil will be left with massive debts.

FIFA needs a spring clean to get rid of all those with their hands in the till, and FIFA should reduce its expectations for host countries to more affordable levels.

It may be 'the beautiful game' but FIFA is the unredeemed, and unrepentant, beast.

Most of it might be recovered from the increased boom in Soccer tourism, though, which was truly massive this year in Rio.

 

[DeYaKen]

Germany wins the World Cup.

Germany 1
Argentina 0

"Football is a simple game. 22 men chase a ball around a field for 90 minutes, then the Germans win." Gary Lineker -- one time England striker, winner of the Golden Boot. And BBC TV Football presenter and pundit.

Well done Gary the only thing you got wrong was the 90 mins.

 

[drteetho]

And Brazil will be left with massive debts.

FIFA needs a spring clean to get rid of all those with their hands in the till, and FIFA should reduce its expectations for host countries to more affordable levels.

It may be 'the beautiful game' but FIFA is the unredeemed, and unrepentant, beast.

Ain't that the truth.

FIFA is the only organization I can think of that make the IOC look good by comparison.