WebProNews

Tag: FIFA World Cup

  • Fifa World Cup: Winners And Losers

    Well, that’s all she wrote for the 2014 World Cup. It has been a crazy one, hasn’t it? I don’t think it played out one bit like ANYONE predicted.

    Did you predict an Argentina vs Germany final?

    Did you predict Brazil’s humiliating crash and burn?

    Did you predict Luis Suarez taking a bite out of someone?

    Well…maybe we should have seen that last one coming. After all, Suarez is a repeat offender. But the Uruguayan troublemaker aside, this has been one heck of a roller coaster ride.

    The winners and losers aren’t just decided by who makes it to the final and wins it all. In a way, more than a few people will walk away “winners” and “losers”.

    Winner: Germany

    By defeating Argentina in extra time in the World Cup final, they have the distinction of being the first and only European nation to win on American soil.

    They were denied by Spain four years ago, a team that went on to defeat the Netherlands in the 2010 World Cup final. The Germans had to wait four years for vindication and sweet success.

    Loser: Brazil

    This is Brazil’s second World Cup; the South American nation hosted the event back in 1950. That year, they had to stand aside and watch Uruguay collect the big prize.

    Sixty-four years later it seemed the nation was destined to rise to the summit and correct the mistakes of the past. Instead the Brazil national team broke the record for most goals allowed during a World Cup. Yikes.

    Winner: James Rodriguez

    Forget about Messi, the player of the moment is this dancing, adorable Colombian sensation. He’s not egotistical and he’s inarguably talented. What’s not to love?

    As buzz grows for the young athlete, it’s likely a move to a big football club just might be in the cards.

    Loser: Luis Suarez (?)

    Hmm, did he? Did he really?

    On the surface, being booted from the World Cup and all football-related activities may seem like losing. However Suarez garnered international attention, spawned a massive meme and wound up sold to FC Barcelona, one of the top football clubs in the world.

    AND he remains Uruguay’s favorite son.

    Hard to call that losing.

    Who Are The Winners And Losers Of This World Cup In YOUR Opinion? Comment Below!

    Image via YouTube

  • FIFA World Cup Final: Argentina vs. Germany

    FIFA World Cup Final: Argentina vs. Germany

    After watching their national team crash out of the World Cup following a humiliating 7-1 loss to Germany, it seems the worst might be yet to come.

    Rivals Argentina have just defeated the Netherlands in a thrilling penalty shootout (4-2). This means that it will be Argentina and Germany in the 2014 World Cup final.

    The Argentina vs. Netherlands match was admittedly stale when compared to the startling goal-fest that was Brazil vs. Germany. The match was scoreless through regular time and extra time. The only goals came during the shootout.

    Perhaps Germany seems stronger than they should based on a performance against a notably weakened Brazil. Star scorer Neymar was ruled out of the World Cup thanks to a terrible injury that resulted in damage to his back.

    The loss of Neymar and Thiago Silva (out of the match following to a hotly contested yellow card) left Brazil panicked and it showed. But when Germany advances to the final, they will face a decidedly different team than the one they just defeated.

    Argentina would love NOTHING more than to further humiliate their longtime football rivals by winning the World Cup trophy on their turf.

    Poor Brazil. The South American nation has not hosted the World Cup since 1950. They had to suffer the anguish of watching Uruguay win the trophy. It was widely hoped that this new opportunity would give the Brazil team a chance to redeem their nation’s honor.

    That went terribly wrong. Today’s Brazil fans may be left with an even more horrifying memory to live down.

    As for the upcoming Argentina and Germany final, it’s very likely to be a thriller.

    Germany is going to be full of confidence after downing the host nation with several largely unanswered goals. Meanwhile their Argentinian opponents will see an opportunity to rub a truckload of salt in Brazil’s wounds.

    Therefore I wouldn’t say either team has the psychological advantage.

    The only indisputable fact is that we’re facing a football final where anything can happen. It will likely be a Europe vs. South America match-up to remember for years to come!

    Who Do You Think Will Win The World Cup? Comment Below!

    Image via Argentina Football Association, Facebook

  • Luis Suárez Gives Non-Apology For Biting Incident

    Luis Suárez has apologized (sort of) for biting Giorgio Chiellini during last week’s World Cup match-up between Uruguay and Italy.

    It’s as if the Liverpool FC forward has finally realized that both denying outright what he did and making lame excuses for himself isn’t going to encourage FIFA to go easy on him.

    Suárez had made no statements to the media since the incident or FIFA’s ban. The message posted by Suarez on Twitter is his first true acknowledgement of the biting scandal.

    In his apology, Suárez states that in the week since the biting incident, he’s spent time at home with his family and has had the opportunity to truly reflect on what he did.

    What’s interesting is Suárez doesn’t admit outright that he bit Chiellini. Instead, the Uruguayan phrased his statement to blame a “collision” with the Italian player for the damage he caused, rather than his own deliberate actions.

    In any case, Suárez apologized to Chiellini and the “football family” (could this include Liverpool FC, who’s had quite the monkey wrench thrown into its upcoming season?) and he “vowed to the public” that this is the last time that he’ll be getting into any trouble of this kind.

    Watching Suárez go through an entire season at Liverpool FC without incident would make one almost believe him.

    The problem is that with his track record, it’s hard to totally believe Suárez. Even if he’s sincere at the time of the apology, whatever is spurring this behavior goes deeper than conscious self-control.

    I’m sure his bite on Branislav Ivanovic of Chelsea FC was supposed to be the “last time” he caused trouble. Obviously, this was not the case.

    What would be encouraging, a sign of true sincerity, is if Suárez would completely admit to what he did, that he was wrong for his behavior, and then seek behavioral therapy.

    Proactively working to curb the behavior rather than excuse it, deny it, and offer empty apologies would elicit far more sympathy from the public and perhaps even encourage FIFA to show some leniency.

    As it stands…see you in November, Suárez!

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • World Cup 2014: Who Is James Rodriguez?

    World Cup 2014: Who Is James Rodriguez?

    Move over Messi! There’s a new football star rising courtesy of an outstanding World Cup performance.

    Meet James Rodriguez.

    The 22-year-old Colombian talent is gaining global recognition thanks in large part to his brilliant goals, well timed assists, and (of course) his adorable goal celebrations.

    The most wonderful thing about Rodriguez is that he seemingly came from nowhere.

    All anyone talked about going into the 2014 World Cup were the established stars.

    Host nation Brazil is toting young Neymar and Argentina of course has Lionel Messi.

    Both these major stars have been largely forgotten thanks to all the controversy surrounding Uruguayan badboy Luis Suarez.

    If anything, Rodriguez almost presents himself as an “Anti-Suarez”.

    He is the antidote to the negativity and shadow cast over the World Cup event both by Suarez’s bad behaviors and the subsequent debate over his ban.

    In James Rodriguez, we have a young handsome South American athlete who is both humble and non-offensive.

    He is happy to celebrate his goals with his team and fans through dancing that would make any choreographer proud.

    Colombia took on Uruguay earlier today, and it was very clear that the Uruguayans were desperately missing their troubled talisman Suarez.

    With no one to rely on, Uruguay was powerless to stop a dominant Colombian side, which advanced thanks to two goals by Rodriguez.

    One goal was so amazing that perhaps only Robin Van Persie’s brilliant header against Spain can top it.

    If Rodriguez continues to score goals like that, then upcoming opponent Brazil (which knocked out Chile, but only after a grueling penalty shootout) might be in trouble.

    It’s possible that the young Colombian talent just might establish himself as the new darling of international association football in the days ahead.

    The World Cup isn’t over and already there are rumors flying about what European club may be looking to snatch up the talented goal scorer.

    While gossip on the internet is largely unreliable, it is possible that Rodriguez’s World Cup performance could lead to a move to a big club in the near future.

    Image via YouTube

  • FIFA World Cup: Craziest Moments Of The Groups Stage

    With the groups stage of competition over, there have already been enough upsets, controversies, and scandals to make up an entire World Cup competition.

    And there are still a couple weeks of the World Cup left!

    Let’s take a look back at some of the craziest moments and controversial decisions from the World Cup thus far.

    Brazil (And A Terrible Referee) vs. Croatia

    We weren’t even a full match into the 2014 World Cup when controversy struck in the form of referee Yuichi Nishimura.

    His bias towards the home nation was particularly upsetting to the Croatian team and its fans.

    Things only got worse when the Brazilian side was awarded a penalty that probably won them the game due to a of a tackle that simply never happened.

    The subsequent backlash is likely why we haven’t seen Nishimura refereeing any other games this World Cup.

    Spain vs. Netherlands: Revenge Edition

    After Spain won the 2010 World Cup courtesy of a last minute goal by Andre Iniesta, you could already tell that the Dutch would be out to get the champions at the first possible moment.

    That moment came when the two sides clashed again during the groups stage of the 2014 competition, the first match for both nations.

    Perhaps Spain underestimated the anger that the Netherlands team felt. Perhaps they had simply lost their edge after winning three major football tournaments back to back.

    Whatever the case, the 1-5 victory by the Netherlands would shatter Spain. Many blame that awful start to the World Cup for Spain’s early exit.

    Uruguay vs. Italy: Luis Suarez Bites (Again!)

    It didn’t matter that Uruguay managed to win 1-0, eliminating Italy while securing a space in the the 2nd stage of competition.

    All that mattered is that 27-year-old Liverpool FC foward Luis Suarez had bitten his third victim. Just when it seemed he’d overcome the idiocy of his previous controversy, THIS happened:

    Though Uruguay is standing behind its favorite son (even Diego Maradona is defending him), there is no question that Suarez needs some kind of behavioral therapy.

    As of now, he’s banned from football for the next four months.

    USA SURVIVES THE GROUP OF DEATH!

    The USA was in Group G with Germany, Portugal, and longtime rivals Ghana (who’d eliminated the Americans from the previous two World Cups).

    Many were not betting on the United States to win a single game, let alone somehow advance to the next round.

    The ultimate underdogs, Team USA has been consistently underestimated. Yet thanks to talent, hard work, and quite a bit of luck, the United States follows Germany out of Group G and into the knockout round.

    What other moments stand out? Share them in the comments below!

    Image via YouTube

  • Luis Suarez Football Ban: Why It Will Solve Nothing

    We all knew that a lengthy ban was coming for Uruguayan football player Luis Suarez.

    One doesn’t take a chunk out of three different players and walk away without a serious punishment.

    Already there is a great deal of controversy over FIFA’s decision.

    Firstly, this is a ban from all football activities over a period of four months. Suarez will be out of the World Cup, that’s a given.

    Depending on how many more matches Uruguay survives, he may ultimately only be banned from the national team for a handful of games.

    Despite this action occurring with his international team, his current club Liverpool FC will be the ones bearing the brunt of the misfortune following the ruling.

    FIFA’s punishment means that Suarez will miss nine league games, three Champions League games, and one domestic cup competition.

    As Luis Suarez is far and away the best striker for LFC, the club will no doubt be feeling like the ones hit hardest by a ban over an incident that did not occur during the English Premier League football season.

    Perhaps worst of all….this ban will change nothing with regard to Suarez’s bizarre and problematic behavior.

    The reason is that it’s clear that there’s something else going on in the mind of the controversial football player.

    How does one bite three different players?

    How does one commit offensive and unsportsmanlike acts against others and then behave as if he is the victim?

    And most puzzling of all…why are so many people willing to defend and excuse those behaviors?

    It’s clear that bans and shaming aren’t helping Suarez. It’s also clear that so long as his club (during the racism scandal) and country (during his most recent scandal) enable and excuse the behavior, it will only continue…if not grow worse.

    What Luis Suarez needs is comprehensive behavioral therapy.

    Only by dealing with the root cause of his behaviors (and taking him out of an element filled with enablers) can any long-term changes truly be anticipated.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • FIFA World Cup: Is Nigeria The Last Hope For Africa?

    The African continent has yet to produce a World Cup-winning team. Many nations have tried, but all have failed.

    Even worse, most that qualify for the event are eliminated within the groups stage of competition.

    It was a sad fact that even when the games came to South Africa in 2010, the only African nation that made it to the knockout stage was Ghana.

    Ghana was then knocked out after a controversial match against Uruguay.

    Four years later, the pattern appears to be repeating itself.

    Yesterday saw the heart-breaking and absolute last minute elimination of the Ivory Coast due to a late penalty. Cameroon, a team that failed to win any of its three games or even draw, was officially eliminated a week ago.

    Of the three remaining African nations still fighting for a spot in the final 16, Nigeria has the best chance.

    If Nigeria can defeat Argentina, the team will not only qualify for the next stage, but finish at the top of the Group F table.

    Losing will not eliminate the Nigerians, but they must hope that Iran either draws or loses to Bosnia and Herzegovina. If Iran wins with more than 2 goals, Nigeria is out.

    Algeria can also qualify with a win or draw against Russia.

    Meanwhile Ghana’s advancement is dependent on both defeating Portugal and hoping that the United States fails to defeat or draw with Germany.

    Though these nations represent the strongest chances of having an African team in the knockout stage, it’s too soon to say whether or not their chances of qualifying are especially good.

    The Ivory Coast needed a draw or win to advance. At certain times during play, it seemed like they could get either.

    And then everything went badly.

    These teams must take nothing for granted this week, as what stands before them is a last gasp at glory…or a plane ride out of the World Cup.

    Image via YouTube

  • World Cup Standings: Week One’s Winners And Losers

    Well, the first week of the much anticipated World Cup is over. After a thrilling series of games, some teams rose to the occasion while others…flopped.

    The winners and losers emerging from Week 1 are in some cases expected and in other cases quite shocking.

    Winner: The United States

    The big winner of week one (for entirely unbiased reasons, I promise) is the United States. The US team emerged victorious over Ghana, breaking a pattern of humiliating back-to-back losses suffered against this African nation.

    Without a doubt the ONE goal for the United States men’s team going into the World Cup was to break Ghana’s psychological hold. That’s done. Anything else is gravy.

    Loser: Spain

    No one saw that 5 – 1 result coming. Whoever says they did is a liar. Even if there was anticipation that the Netherlands would avenge their 2010 World Cup loss, no one could have known things would go so terribly for the defending champions.

    Speaking of which, Spain holds the distinction for the worst performance by a defending champion in World Cup history. Ouch!

    Winner: Robin Van Persie

    Two words: Flying header. The image is already iconic and Van Persie’s header just may end up as THE goal of the 2014 World Cup.

    RVP contributed two goals in the 5-1 victory over Spain. He’s no doubt hoping his international display will make up for a lackluster season at Manchester United.

    Loser: Diego Costa

    This is a man that seemingly abandoned his Brazilian roots for the opportunity to play for the “greatest team in the world”. Costa may be realizing right now that not all that glitters is gold.

    Brazil is faring better than Spain at the moment. If Spain fails to make it out of the groups stage while Brazil manages to do so, it would bring a dramatically ironic end to Costa’s World Cup efforts.

    Who are your World Cup winners and losers? Comment below!

    Image via U.S. Soccer, Twitter

  • U.S. vs Ghana: Third Time The Charm?

    U.S. vs Ghana: Third Time The Charm?

    I confess that I watched with a certain amount of glee when Ghana saw their World Cup hopes dashed to pieces by Uruguay in 2010.

    It was the bitterness of an American football fan who saw the United States advance from the group stage in South Africa, only to lose to Ghana. Again.

    Ghana has knocked out the United States in two consecutive World Cups. As someone who has been through this disappointment before, I really don’t care about Germany or Portugal.

    That’s quite the confession considering these teams are the major heavyweights in our group, the pair that seems the most likely to advance from Group G.

    Portugal boasts of having a capable captain and goal scorer in Cristiano Ronaldo. Germany was a stone’s throw away from advancing to the finals in in the 2010 World Cup.

    They’re certainly not teams to dismiss…Ever.

    My momentary indifference towards these high caliber teams isn’t a dismissal of their abilities. I just couldn’t care less about either of those opponents at the moment.

    Right now it’s all about Ghana and whether or not the United States will FINALLY step up and collect a win.

    A small desperate part of me would be happy with a draw. After all, collecting a point would be only slightly less humiliating than a three game shutout, which isn’t exactly beyond the realm of possibility.

    At least taking a point away from Ghana would see us break the spell and leave with a bit of dignity.

    However, I feel strongly that it’s not enough to go halfway. The US men’s team needs to beat their rivals in this opening Brazil fixture. This team must outscore Ghana and bring an end to this losing streak once and for all.

    Walking away from the “Group of Death” with at least a win over Ghana would be a small victory that I’d gladly accept.

    Yes that sounds pathetic in the grand scheme of things, but I’ve always been pragmatic about the United States’ chances given their World Cup history.

    I don’t hold any illusions that this American team could win the tournament. I’d be utterly stunned if it somehow limped out of Group G and into the knockout phase.

    Beating Ghana MUST be the main objective.

    Who knows? Getting a result could be enough of a pick me up to guide the United States to a shocking upset of either Germany or Portugal.

    A girl can dream, can’t she?

    Image via YouTube

  • Lionel Messi Is An International Flop

    Lionel Messi Is An International Flop

    No one in their right mind lowers the bar for elite athletes, and yet this is exactly what is done for Argentinian international Lionel Messi.

    Quite frankly it’s both disappointing and disturbing.

    Three World Cups and only two goals.

    This is not a statistic that sets the world on fire. It’s instead something that, had it been any other athlete for any other team, would render that player lukewarm and hardly as visible as international athletes like Robin Van Persie (whose brilliant header against Spain may be THE goal of the World Cup) and even Messi’s teammate Gonzalo Higuaín (who scored 4 goals during the 2010 World Cup).

    Of course, Messi isn’t just any player. This only raises questions as to why are football onlookers expecting and accepting of so little from this star athlete.

    A quick comparison to the less talked about Karim Benzema.

    Benzema had his first appearance earlier in the same day for France, a team haunted by their disastrous 2010 World Cup performance.

    During the game he scored two goals and forced an own goal, leading France to a thrilling 3-0 victory.

    A few hours later, Argentina hobbled out 2-1 victors over a Bosnia and Herzegovina side that was threatening to collect a point off the South American team at the last possible minute.

    Yes, Argentina has a Messi goal to thank for shielding them from an embarrassing draw. However, this is only his SECOND World Cup goal in three separate appearances. His other goal was scored in 2006 against Serbia & Montenegro. He was absolutely anonymous in 2010.

    Serbia and Bosnia aren’t exactly Spain and Germany, so why are we expected to be dazzled by Messi managing to find the net only two times in three major tournaments against a pair of second-rate international teams?

    Far less talked about international stars have stunned bigger international teams.

    It’s time to face facts: Lionel Messi continues to be an absolute flop for Argentina. He will continue to be an international flop until he begins to score against top international teams and his goals actually help carry Argentina to a respectable finish in the World Cup.

    With one game down, it’s far too soon to bring out the holy water and anoint a man who just hasn’t proven himself on this stage.

    Football journalists and fans need to stop embarrassing themselves by throwing all these accolades at a series of World Cup appearances that simply DO NOT live up to the hype. Elite competitions require standards across the board.

    We must stop lowering them for Lionel Messi of all people.

    Image via YouTube

  • Cristiano Ronaldo: Is Starting Him A Big Risk?

    People can say whatever negative things they want to about Cristiano Ronaldo, but one thing no one should doubt at this stage of his career is his dedication to football.

    Ronaldo has grown into a professional and immensely talented football player at Real Madrid.

    His love of football and competitive spirit has a problematic downside: Ronaldo has a tendency to play through injuries and make them worse.

    It was injuries that benched him for a chunk of Real Madrid’s season, and though he made enough of a recovery to participate in a glorious Champion’s League final, his overall health is still a bit fuzzy.

    The Portuguese captain told a roomful of reporters, “I would like to be 110% fit but I am 100% fit and that should be enough to help the national team.”

    Ronaldo said that he believes he can “make a difference” for his team, but also emphasized that Portugal’s progression in the World Cup will require a team effort.

    He does not expect that he can carry the team on his own, since many have long thought of Portugal’s national team as pretty much a “one man show”.

    Despite his sentiments, it’s not beyond Cristiano Ronaldo to try his best to be that one man that carries a lackluster national team. The star athlete is known to go above and beyond at times and strain himself, which is very concerning.

    There have been numerous injuries already in the World Cup, and we’re not even through the first full week of competition. If Cristiano Ronaldo isn’t truly as fit as he is letting on, is it an unnecessary risk to start him?

    It’s hard to say. Portugal’s first World Cup match will be against the formidable Germany. Denied in the semifinals by defending champion Spain, the nation will be seeking to get their revenge. Anyone in their way, including Portugal, may very well be trampled on their climb towards the top.

    This could be an important game for Portugal, but it may not be winnable regardless of whether or not Cristiano plays. However, games against Ghana and the United States may be far less risky. Giving Cristiano more time to rest and playing for the draw against Germany may make more sense than throwing caution to the wind.

    If Portugal loses its talisman now with those two teams still to face, we could see Ghana or the United States take advantage of a severely weakened Portugal and advance to the next stage.

    Portugal may not want to be thought of as a team carried by Ronaldo, but risking Ronaldo early on is something that the manager should think long and hard about prior to their first World Cup match.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Iker Casillas: Not The Goalkeeper He Once Was?

    5-1.

    It’s a scoreline that stunned World Cup watchers across the globe. But then, who wouldn’t be stunned?

    Spain has become practically synonymous with outstanding football over the past decade. This view was largely aided by their ability to collect international trophies back-to-back.

    Two Spanish teams hailing from capital city Madrid fought it out for the 2014 Champions League title.

    A few weeks later, it feels as if the footballing nation has been knocked off its perch.

    While no one had outright predicted that Spain would be gliding to another World Cup win (all the pressure is on host nation Brazil at the moment), the Spanish team is made up of some of the best athletes in the world.

    This includes captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

    In 2010, when Spain and the Netherlands met in the World Cup final, Casillas ably stopped every ball that came his way. Four years later, he let in 5 amazing goals from a rampant Netherlands team.

    It was the worst loss ever suffered by a defending champion in the history of the tournament. Humbled and humiliated, the Spanish captain was moved to issue a public apology for his role in the defeat.

    Despite the gesture, Spain manager Vicente del Bosque doesn’t believe that the team captain should shoulder all the blame for Friday’s shoddy performance.

    Said Del Bosque, “If a team loses it’s not down to the performance of a single player.”

    This is an important observation. Where were Casillas’s defenders? There were four other men in front of him tasked with keeping the opposition from scoring. If the 33-year-old goalkeeper failed, it’s because others failed him.

    Still, it must be noted that Casillas has had difficulty maintaining a starting position in his Real Madrid team. Already there are whispers that it’s because Casillas is “past his time”.

    This is an unfair comment as Casillas was benched largely because Carlos Ancelotti wasn’t sure what to do about a controversy he inherited from former Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho. That much time spent on the bench over two years can take a toll on a player’s ability, even one as world class as Casillas.

    Are we witnessing a lack of time in goal catch up with the Spanish captain?

    Perhaps. Or it could be as simple as Spain having an off day at the worst possible time.

    On Wednesday, Spain faces Chile in a must-win match; their South American opponents already have one victory under their belts. A draw could doom the Spanish side; a loss would most definitely knock them out of the World Cup.

    It will be a make or break moment for Iker Casillas and the rest of the Spanish team.

    Do You Think Del Bosque Should Bench Casillas Against Chile? Comment Below!

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • FIFA World Cup Set To Begin As Controversy Looms

    Well, we’re on the threshold of a fresh FIFA World Cup. What should simply be a tournament about the best of the best from each country competing for the 2014 title is often overshadowed by a series of controversies and corruption charges.

    This may be a make-or-break moment for the entire competition.

    Firstly, there was the decision to select Brazil as a host nation for this year’s World Cup. Keep in mind, Brazil will also be hosting the Summer Olympics in 2016.
    At least that’s the plan.

    Brazil’s struggles to keep on schedule have stayed in the headlines over the past four years. Not to mention the fact that eight workers have been killed during the rush to finish preparations for the World Cup on time.

    The inability to adequately prepare for the World Cup may signal to the International Olympic Committee that Brazil was a poor choice to host the Games.

    If World Cup preparations leaves Rio De Janeiro unable to finish on time for the 2016 Olympics, some are hoping that London may once again be the host of the Olympics. Otherwise…the consequences of choosing Brazil for the World Cup could have the unintended consequence of ruining the 2016 Olympics.

    The questionable selection of World Cup hosts has led to increased whispers of corruption. The controversial Qatar bid acceptance has outright led to accusations of bribery and a request that FIFA president Sepp Blatter step down as president.

    In Brazil, there has been some political dissatisfaction over the decision to host the World Cup. Protesters regularly march in the streets by the hundreds, even thousands.

    There are those who feel that the millions of dollars poured into World Cup preparations should go towards much needed education expenses and medical coverage for poorer citizens.

    There is much mistrust and unhappiness about the World Cup in Brazil, and there are worries that it could prove disastrous.

    Until the worst actually occurs, this is merely speculation.

    For now participants and observers can only hope for a safe and exciting football spectacle that is remembered for inspiring feats of athleticism…not controversy or tragedy.

    Image via YouTube

  • World Cup 2014: Who Are The Dark Horses?

    World Cup 2014: Who Are The Dark Horses?

    With the FIFA World Cup a little over a week away, excitement over the event is building to a fever pitch.

    Everyone is prepping for the drama, thrills, and surprises that are typically found in World Cup game fixtures.

    As football fans try and guess which teams are most likely to advance beyond the group stage, some national teams have been more speculated about than others

    Among the list of favorites to win it all are former champion Spain and host country Brazil.

    It’s actually more fun to consider which dark horses could surprise everyone and win it all.

    Belgium

    This nation has stood in the shadow of neighboring France for some time, but that may be changing.

    Les Bleus are known more for drama and scandal in recent years than they are for quality football. Manager Didier Deschamps could find himself more focused on the French team not being a source of national embarrassment instead of winning the World Cup.

    Meanwhile Belgium has flourished in recent years in terms of the development of promising football talent.

    United States

    If there was ever an underdog in this entire World Cup, it has to be the United States. The nation finds itself locked in a group with Portugal and Germany, the latter of which advanced to the 2010 quarterfinals. There is also Ghana, a nation that has already knocked out the United States TWICE.

    Perhaps the threat of being trampled by Ghana for the third WC in a row will raise the fighting spirit of the American team. In doing so, it may give them a shot at taking points off of Portugal or Germany.

    A couple of upsets could be all the US men’s team needs to stun everyone and perhaps find a place in World Cup history.

    South American teams other than Brazil or Argentina

    Much has been said about the epic rivalry between host nation Brazil (who many see as a very likely victor) and Argentina. However, bringing the World Cup to South America will likely influence other South and Central American nations to truly rise to the occasion.

    It wouldn’t be the first time a South American host had the Cup piped by a neighboring nation. Such an opportunity could likely prove too good for a team like Uruguay or Chile to pass up.

    Which team could stun everyone and win the World Cup? Share your pick in the comments!

    Image via YouTube

  • Landon Donovan’s Removal Makes Little Difference

    As a football fan (soccer to those who don’t watch it internationally), I admit there is a huge part of me that would like nothing more than for my United States men’s team to swoop down on the competition at Brazil.

    I would absolutely LOVE for America to leave the 2014 World Cup with the big award in hand.

    However, I’ve made peace with the fact that to even get to the knockout round is itself a steep uphill climb for the US team. The United States will enter the Fifa World Cup in Group G. That means to advance we must overcome Portugal, Germany, and Ghana.

    Ghana has knocked us out of the World Cup not once, but twice in the most recent competitions. While Portugal failed to advance at the same stage that the United States did in 2010, they at least have Cristiano Ronaldo. Finally Germany, who advanced to the quarterfinals and was knocked out by Spain, will be out for blood and will probably spill ours all over the field for the privilege of avenging their failure four years ago.

    With this as the backdrop to our entrance into the World Cup, one has to ask, “Does it really matter that Landon Donovan was axed from the team?”

    It was Donovan’s inspired goal in 2010 that helped us advance to the knockout stage. But four years later, there’s a lot of talk that Donovan just isn’t inspired anymore.

    While some question the wisdom of manager Jurgen Klinsmann’s decision to leave out the team’s most successful player, the man has made his sentiments known for some time. He already stated that there was a chance Donovan would be left out. It was up to Donovan to demonstrate the passion, drive, and ability make it. But the 32-year-old clearly came up short.

    Then there is the huge elephant in the room that no American fan wants to address, but I pretty much had to in previous paragraphs—We probably do not have a snowball’s chance in Hell this time around of winning the World Cup.

    We drew one of the hardest groups of anyone at this tournament. Even if we somehow survive the group phase, it’s very likely we will be crushed by any combination of opponents.

    Even having said that, there’s still the tiny part of me that dreams anyway and wants nothing more to be wrong. Strangely, it was never a dream that hinged on Landon Donovan. I think perhaps leaving the veteran out could inspire the team that made the cut to step up their game.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • World Cup 2014: Does Team USA Stand A Chance?

    The American national team will have its work cut out for it going into the 2014 World Cup. Team USA managed to land in a really tough group.

    The United States is in Group G with Portugal, Germany, and Ghana. It was Ghana that knocked the United States out of the 2010 World Cup before going on to lose in a controversial match with Uruguay.

    While Portugal was knocked out during the first knockout round by Spain, Germany would be knocked out by Spain at the quarterfinal stage. Germany would go on to play for and win the third place award.

    The United States was thought to have been part of a tough group in 2010, but this group is far more difficult.

    The odds of the United States advancing are slim, but not impossible. Having been knocked out by Ghana multiple times in the past, the US team may be motivated to up their game against their international rivals.

    At the same time, Portugal has not been so impressive as of late, having also been knocked out at the same stage as the United States in the last World Cup.

    Germany will likely be the toughest opponent, but a win can happen. Stranger things have happened in football.

    While United States is one of the biggest underdogs in the World Cup, there are some heavy favorites.

    Brazil is hosting the World Cup this year and many expect the talented nation to go far, if not win it all. Because it is a South American-hosted tournament, it is possible that if not Brazil, pride may make South and Central Americans compete that much harder to keep the trophy on the continent rather than see it go back to Europe.

    Spain, the defending champions, will likely have a huge target on its back. It won’t just be South American countries seeking to stop them from repeating their 2010 success; Germany and the Netherlands will likely be out for revenge.

    The World Cup starts June 12.

    Image via YouTube

  • FIFA World Cup 2014: Will Brazil Be Ready?

    Brazil will be hosting the next FIFA World Cup, but many are wondering if they will be ready in time, as there are less than 3 months left before the event is scheduled to begin.

    Cuiaba, the capital city of Brazil’s Mato Grosso state, is filled with unfinished structures that were supposed to be done last December. Reports also say that construction is behind schedule in 11 other host cities. Six of the 12 World Cup stadiums have been finished last summer in time for the Confederations Cup, but the other six stadiums missed their deadline. To date, four stadiums remain to be under construction.

    In 2007, after Brazil got the World Cup, politicians stated that an $8 billion budget would be spent on nationwide projects for the renovation and construction in preparation for the 2014 World Cup. However, some of the infrastructures have not yet been completed, with only a few months remaining.

    Sports economist, Victor Matheson, said, “They started late and have boxed themselves in.” Now, efforts have to be doubled in order to make sure that the stadiums get finished on time. The delays in construction have been embarrassing for a lot of Brazilians, and many are even angered by it. A number of Brazilians also say that the country has lost, even if they win the World Cup. According to local businessman, Atilio Martinelli, there is a slim chance that all the other projects will be finished in time for the World Cup. “It’s going to be a great humiliation for us.” Martinelli runs a locksmith business located near one of the building sites. Brazil seemed like the ideal location to hold a soccer event. However, things are looking bleak with all the debris and unfinished infrastructures. There were also anti-government protests that happened during the World Cup pre-tournament, which happened last year.

    Brazil Works Hard To Complete Venues For World Cup 2014

    http://youtu.be/fulwjsA-sGI

    Image via YouTube