With France, Argentina, Portugal, Mexico & now Italy out.

Who's going to win the World Cup?

Will the USA beat Germany? - Its soccer to all you Americans, but its really called football, because you generally kick a ball (spherical ball shaped object) with your feet.

?????

Germany

I think it's pretty obvious with alot of big teams gone there's only one team left to save FIFA's face and that's Brazil. No need to tell how Belgium was cheated out of victory over Brazil! :mad:

From a dutch newspaper today:
... FIFA wants Brazil to win, the public wants Brazil to win so the referee thought it was wise to disallow a perfectly valid goal from the Belgians...
And usually the Dutch papers are not very nice about Belgian football! :eek:

Because the time difference I am forced to go watch soccer at a bar at 7.30am, so Germany better wins - or I am p...

Marc

I vote for England, the homeland of Football to win the world cup!

- Bader

It's better SENEGAL .

Today , the soccer is dirty ( Spain - Eire , Italy - Croatia , Italy - Mexico , Brazil - Belgium , Brazil - Turchia , Italy - South Corea , Usa - Mexico , Paraguay - South Africa , Rivaldo ), this is only solution .

Bye

Max

Let's hope USA is going to beat Germany! I still remember the final in 1974 when Germany won against The Netherlands and the quarter final (I think) in 82 when they won against France (3-3 at full time, Germany won after penalties), and I have never liked German football after these games. They didn't deserve to win.
Who is going to win the World Cup?
I hope for England (they still talk about 1966 and it's time to give them something else to talk about), but I don't think they are strong enough. I guess Spain will win this year, they have never won the World Cup, one time have to be the first.

Well I hope the USA wins it.

And for Smiffy one of the announcers during one match discussed the term soccer. He said it was originally created by the English and not an American term. Had something to do with them needing to tell the difference between Rugby(I think) and Football. But at 4:30am in the morning my brain is not functioning sufficiently. :)

In our paper the people in Mexico were saying things like "We had to let USA win or they would do embargos and cancel trade agreements. It was all politics.". :)

Mark

Spain, going toward the final. I think we will see Brasil-Spain Final, who will win?. Hope Spain.

During the nearly two decades that we lived vicariously through the soccer (futbol) escapades of our kids (youth house leagues, select travel, Olympic Development, college, international tournaments, national teams, US Olympic Fest…), we could never figure out where the young players learned how – in the face of an open net – to either whiff the shot or place it 10 rows into the stands. Finally, with somewhat decent coverage of the 2002 World Cup on U.S. television, we realize that they were merely emulating the pros.

There’s probably a message there for Baan professionals. But how many of us will admit it?

Oh yeah, my predictions? If the USA can get away with an un-called handball in the box in each of its remaining matches, we could go to the final four.

Scott

I hope Turkey
Türkiye


\O/
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I hope the USA or Senegal. It's time for a big shock in the FIFA world. Germany doesn't have the team strength as they did in the past. The spanish side has great talent but missing the urge to win. Brazil, well enough said. And England, too much pressure will keep them from performing the best.

Remember the words from Gary Lineker, the famous player and expert from England.

In the build-up to the World Cup in America 1994, when asked to
explain the game to its new audience he was famously quoted as saying that football is a game of 90 minutes which ended when the whistle went and the Germans had won.

Nothing to say more ......

Juergen

I am not an expert but I understood that the definition of football is: 22 people on a field kicking at a ball and at the end Germany has won.

Hey Han,

You always have to allow for the odd exception to the rule. Germany NOT winning that is :)

The exception to the previously mentioned description of football, which ends " and Germany have won", is "except when they are played off the park and thrashed 5-1 by England"

Smiffy,

England has yet to impress me in this World Cup. Let's see how they do against Brazil.

See the attached

Germany and England have met eight times in official
competitions, one of them a two-legged tie.
Germany came out on top four times out of six, England in 1966
and 2000 and the 1982 group meeting was a draw.

So advantage Germany!

We will see .....

The Three Referee of Italy - South Corea By FIFA

I miss the Orange team.

I vote for Sengal. hope they will win the final against Germany.

-Ehab

ROME (Reuters) - Italian soccer club Perugia has cut its ties with South Korea's Ahn Jung-hwan after he scored the goal which knocked Italy out of the World Cup, Perugia's chairman has been quoted as saying.

"That gentleman will never set foot in Perugia again," Luciano Gaucci told sports' daily La Gazzetta dello Sport on Wednesday.

Italy has reacted with fury to Tuesday's shock 2-1 defeat to South Korea, accusing the referee and soccer's ruling body FIFA of fixing the match.

Ahn, who missed a penalty earlier in the match, was hailed as a national hero when he headed home the golden goal winner in the 116th minute.

But his goal was viewed in a different light at Perugia in central Italy, where he has been viewed as an under-achiever during his stay at the club.

"He was a phenomenon only when he played against Italy. I am a nationalist and I regard such behaviour not only as an affront to Italian pride but also an offence to a country which two years ago opened its doors to him," Gaucci was quoted as saying.

"I have no intention of paying a salary to someone who has ruined Italian soccer."

Ahn joined Perugia on loan from the South Korean team Pusan Icons in the summer of 2000. He scored five goals in 29 appearances.

A Perugia spokesman said on Wednesday the club had virtually decided to release Ahn even before the World Cup tie.

Originally posted by Ehabos
I miss the Orange team.

I vote for Sengal. hope they will win the final against Germany.

-Ehab

The Orange team that can't kick penalties? :D

Why did Belgium loose always??

I attach the reason :

How very Baan.

We over here are looking forward to an intriguing match against Brazil, while in the Baan corner the real match is Belgium v Netherlands. Perhaps in two years time?????

Hey Ehab,

Wrong picture man. First of all our colours are yellow,red and black. Secondly we don't drink Carlsberg, let alone wearing their t-shirts as we have plently of beers of ourselves :D

he his WANTED alive in Italy because we want his stupid face put in all the square for entertein our children and let them know how a human being can be so stupid and how you can recognize it immediately for the face.......dead or alive!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey mpenno,

Take it easy please. Let's try to keep this thread lighthearted and funny.

To whom this history belong ??

Hey Ehab,

That's our track record alright. Not bad at all for a small country I would say if you take into account that we have qualified for the last 4 world cups straight :)

Here is a link to what one "so-called" local sports journalist said about the US in the world cup(link (http://www.courier-journal.com/cjsports/comment/index.html)). I have always thought he was a weenie, but this takes the cake. Here is a summary - "Let someone else win because soccer is all they have, the US has everything else." This makes all Americans look bad, but I am willing to bet most Americans would not agree with him. Soccer is a sport that continues to grow in the US and I hope this growth continues.

Good Luck to all left in the world cup!!!

Mark

Granted Spain got through i think Ireland were the stronger team and deserved to win but unfortunetly we were knocked out in the Peno`s this may seem a bit bias but i think there should be a more fairer way!!!:)

The penalty stage has always been a bit of a lottery to end any match. Personally I think the match should continue until the 'golden goal' happens or one of the teams drops dead from exhaustion, whichever happens first :)

How about suspending the offside rule during extra time?

That should find a lot of support in Italy at least!

Someone was bound to score a goal in the next few minutes of that match (Ireland)!!

But a longer golden goal would be a more acceptable result in the world cup.

P.S.

Ireland have come home unbeaten from the World Cup
(WE must be a good team!!!) LOL

Penalty kicks are a terrible way to end it. I agree that play should continue until the golden goal is scored. Of course, that could go on for quite a while... Perhaps after the first 30 minutes of overtime they could remove a couple of players on each team from the field. Playing 9 on 9 would open things up a bit more. I would rather see a team win that way than have 5 guys shooting 1-on-1 for 12 yards. Of course, I am a goalkeeper...;)

It`s not fair to goalies standing one on one with a striker but as Fifa see it someone has to win fast and that is the most lgical thing to do in their cases.

Reducing players on the pitch is a good idea but there will be problems managers will kick up a stink and overall the team will missing certin area`s of strenght!!!

( but it is a good idea and could work)

Champion Turkey

Originally posted by Han Brinkman
I am not an expert but I understood that the definition of football is: 22 people on a field kicking at a ball and at the end Germany has won.

Han, upto now, it seems your right! ;)
But maybe the final against Brasil will be the exception of the rule.

I'm hoping Brazil win it as they play the most exciting football and have the best players. I don't believe Germany are the best team, but are as efficient as ever.

I had hoped for a different outcome but.....

Congratulations to Brazil!

Yes Brazil was the better team overall. Too bad Oliver Kahn made his almost only slip in the final!