World Cup Debate
Next I'd like to ask you 2 straightforward questions:-
1. Who do you think will win the World Cup?
2. Who do you think will end the tournament with the Golden Boot?
I'd love to answer (1) England & (2) Wayne Rooney, but I'd be lying. My honest answers are very boring, but I simply can't look past Spain & David Villa after they ended their hoodoo in Euro 2008...their midfield scares the hell out of me & I can't see any other side creating more chances than them, with Villa to score 6 goals on their way to the World Cup trophy.
Predictions please guys...do you think an outsider could spring a surprise?
Cheers,
AM
p.s. We now have over 250 people in the World Cup Blog League already, so it's sure to be a great competition! Place are unlimited so please feel free to join. We're going with the Official FIFA World Cup Fantasy game at http://en.mcdonalds.fantasy.fifa.com/M/h
43 comments:
Spain & Villa is the logical choice... But, I'll go with Italy, just because they're team is crap this year :D
of course Brazil and luis fabiano =)
I would have said Germany pre-Ballack injury but I will now agree with AM (and many other pundits) and go with Spain over England in the final (with the loss coming on PKs, an Achilles Heal to the Three Lions if ever there was one). However, I like Messi to take the Golden Boot.
My semi-final is: England-Brazil and Argentina-Spain.
Winners - Spain
Golden Boot - David Villa
boring but true...
spain will not win WC... my tips are Brazil and England... My personal favorites are Argentina and Ivory Coast... And Cardozo from Paraguay will win Golden boot...
USA will win it, Jozy Altidore golden boot.
it's possible....
Hello folks,
I can see spain winning the world cup, but T.Henry getting the golden boot. Apparantly the french are quietly preparing something special.
Kakashi.
kakashi,
is that special preparation getting trained by the french handball coach?
I think Brazil and c.ronaldo golden boot!
hopefully denmark though!
Ferdinand
1st: Spain
Golden Boot: Messi
I've created a World Cup Prediction Bracket thing below:
https://www.opendrive.com/files?6460235_pN5WV
My bracket is like this:
https://www.opendrive.com/files?6460239_0sQGR
I am rooting for the Netherlands, but David Villa for the Golden Boot is probably the likely result. Spain and the Netherlands are the most underachieved team in World Cup history, so I'd very much like a new World Champion this time around.
Ital
I really don't think Spain will win the WC
Semifinals will be
england vs. Netherlands and Italy vs. Argentina
Italy*
England
Rooney
Just Roo It
im a england fan, of course i'd love if england would win, definitely there's a chance. i've always liked netherlands, i can see them at quarters or semis.
brazil is so much weaker then in former world cups, they're like only hoping kaka to produce some magic, but at the same time they got a very good defense & goalkeeper, which is not ordinary.
they're always one of the favourites, i personally can't see winning it this year.
spain are the favourites and have the best team in the paper for sure, i'd place them at the final.
i think france is underrated little bit, they've got great team, could go far.
team that has not been mentioned a lot is serbia, they cruised through qualifiying group and are underdogs.
i feel sorry for ivory coast, like the last world cup, thet are in the hardest group.
dream final: england - spain, england to win :)
golden boot: villa
God I must be bored and in footie withdrawal to be posting on this already. The US team is playing the Czechs tomorrow about 15 minutes from my house in East Hartford and I am not going because they are on TV and its far less of a pain in the ass. Maybe if they were playing England.
Anyhow. THE major factor for me in parsing this is how fit Torres and Rooney are. Without Rooney England's attack is rubbish. If Torres is less than 100% he is just going to get in Villa's way and detract from Spain's offense but wanting the ball. Messi doesn't have the usual Argentine supporting cast and Maradona will probably go mental at some point. In short, it should be obvious I don't have a clue. I am just glad ESPN is televising every game and I hope that my Tivo keeps working.
I am thinking real upsets this year. I am liking the Netherlands and Serbia. I actually think the US has a chance of upending England in the first game. I think the whole WC is going to be wacky.
Winner: Netherlands
Golden Boot: Van Persie (he has been resting nearly the whole season and will be able to go at full speed)
like I said, Wacky.
cheers guys good to be online again
Im going for something unorthodox here. Im gonna give my top 4 teams, and top 5 who will win the golden boot. the order is my favourite to least in both.
Team:
1.Brazil
2.Netherlands
3.Spain
4.Ghana
Goalscorer:
1.Villa
2.Van Persie
3.Fabiano
4.Torres
5. Rooney
i will do two posts the first what i think and the second what i want.
what i think, france and spain in the final with spain winning it.
villa is not the golden boot boy, but arjen robben is. if the dutch get to the semifinals, he will do it. he is in the form of his life, the dutch offensively are as stacked as spain. robben will put one in the net for every game.
now for the one i want. i want USA and the dutch to play in the final with the dutch winning it. i want every great, favorite or past winning team, to not make it out of the first round. with the exceptoin of the germans who play in the semifinals
dempsey and van persie battle it out for the golden boot with van persie edging him out!
so, as you might have been able to guess. my parents were born in holland, i was born in USA. i now live in brasil with my brasilian wife. our 3 and 4 year olds root for brasil. the 7 year old roots for USA and brasil equally and loves the dutch. it will be a mixed up world cup for us. imagine i will be the only non-supporter or brasil in our town. i will be taking a beating i guess.
Winner: Brazil
Golden Boot: Milito
Having done some research I noticed some interesting trends. 1.) No European team has ever won a World Cup outside of Europe. 2.) Brazil is the only non-European team to win in Europe (1958). If Brazil wins, they will have won on 5 continents (The have won in South America, North America, Europe, and Asia. World Cup has yet to be played in Australia, and obviously won't be played in Antarctica).
Though, I do like Argentina, US, England, Spain, and other powerhouses, I am going to go with trends here and say Brazil will win (and since they are hosting 2014, they may go back to back, though they did lose 1950 in Brazil to Uruguay).
As for the Golden Boot, I also noticed that it doesn't necessarily come from the winning team. 1970 for instance, Jairzinho for Brazil scored in every game he played (7), but lost the Golden boot to Muller of Germany (who had 2 hat tricks, but he did play in the 3rd place game, so he did play the same amount of games). I am just going with Milito, because not only has he been on fire this year, but also last year, (had him on my Serie A team last year when he was with Genoa, bought him at like 10 and he got as high as 24ish I think).
I really have no educated guess for the Golden boot, it's just a hunch.
cabaroota says:
Argentina and messi
1. England for the title and...
2. Messi
My top 4 predictions:
1. Netherlands
2. Argentina
3. Spain
4. England
Golden Boot:
1. RvP
2. Messi
3. Rooney
Villa misses out because Spain has too many goal-scorers
Upsets:
1. Brazil. Portugal to grab 1st of group G, and then lose to Spain in R16.
2. South Korea to advance as 2nd of Group B.
3. USA. Stumbles and allows Slovenia to advance.
4. Denmark. Crushes Italy to advance to the Quarterfinals.
- SK
Heres one no-one has predicted...
Australia and Tim Cahill
(you never know, go the socceroos!!!)
STLRam01 - interesting remarks about the trends:
1.) Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil are the only South-American nations to win the the world cup. In fact, Argentina and Brazil are the only ones in the continent to reach the finals for almost 60 years.
2.) Europe, at the club level, have become the height of football for the past few decades. If there will be a time in the near future to break the Europeans winning only on home soil, then it's probably now rather than in 2014 on Brazil
- SK
I gotta feeling that Italy will get knocked out pretty early in the tournament, probably not in the group stages though, considering who their opponents are(no offence).
Even though they've proved that age is not that big of a barrier than what most people think it is, I seriously cant imagine their defending style of football surviving past the quarterfinals.
-xxy
SK- You have a point with number 2 there, who knows what will happen. Though, only 7 teams have ever won a World Cup, either from South America or Europe. There is not much parity in World soccer (football).
I am starting to think North Korea may not be a pushover. The only reason we think they suck, is because we don't know anything about the team. I am gonna make a bold prediction: North Korea 1 Portugal 1, heck they may win 1-0. I think Brazil is too good for North Korea and Ivory Coast gets by with the African support.
I just notice that people in Europe tend to be overconfident about other European countries (and I understand why) but don't get caught up in European football is the best. In a tournament with a team playing a maximum of only 7 games, anything can happen. Not saying it's bad, probably have a majority of European teams getting to the quarterfinals, but people saying the Swiss will destroy Honduras? Honduras is better than people think, at least in my opinion. Greece ain't that good either.
Slovenia does scare me, but who knows what will happen. I guess that's the beauty of pre-tournament debates, we all have our biases and we'll find out who is right come July 11.
One final note, the fact that it will be winter in South Africa and at high altitudes in some stadiums, could level the playing field for certain teams as well.
p.s. Reading the Ball is Round: A global history of Soccer (Football), by David Goldblatt. Really good read so far, and I'd recommend it.
Note about my above post: I am not predicting North Korea to get out of the group just have a feeling that their games may be closer than we think.
No predictions, but second the Sam Bradford fan's recommendation of The Ball is Round. Gets a little dry at time, but still really good. In my opinion there aren't a lot of good football books (that I know of) - any recommendations?
Jeff
1. Who do you think will win the World Cup?
Brazil
2. Who do you think will end the tournament with the Golden Boot?
Messi
Rgds.
Ajani
1. Who do you think will win the World Cup?
My fav team, BRAZIL ! But, i think SPAIN will win.
2. Who do you think will end the tournament with the Golden Boot?
Dont be suprised if PETER CROUCH will win the Golden Boot haha !
To those of you who have included France in your choice of winners:-
Over here in France the supermarket multi-national company "Carrefour" are offering to reimburse 100% any TV purchased from their stores during the world cup period ...
... but only if France win!
Seeing that Carrefour are an official sponsor of the french team,(truth!), this gives you some idea of the hope that the nation is not feeling about the team's eventual victory.
I do have a smile though at the thought of the company directors squirming in their leather armchairs every time the french score a goal.
Winners : Netherlands
Golden boot : Villa (Martin O'Neill would be pleased)
Im still not buying a new TV though
Pauly
US
Lando
Soccernomics is an interesting read Jeff.
Soccernomics is a great read. Im currently reading THE FIX by Declan Hill which is a fantastic soccer book. I recommend everyone to read this.
Once I finish the mammoth that is "The Ball is Round". The next soccer (football) book I wanna read is... "Inverting the Pyramid: The History of Football Tactics"
I've looked at it at a bookstore and looks very interesting.
I have heard Soccernomics is a good read as well, just haven't read it yet.
No real love for African teams or players I see - sadly for me South Africa will probably not get past round one. I am hoping that Cameroon, Ghana or Ivory Coast can go far, while I would like to see Drogba continue with his amazing scoring record this past year.
On paper though, I can see Spain or Brazil taking it.
Have tickets to Netherlands v Japan and Portugal v Brazil in my hometown of Durban. Real WC fever hitting our country now, flags flying everywhere, far too many WC-related TV ads etc!
It will all go pretty smoothly and I think many fans will be pleasantly surprised.
Phil, South Africa
England and Heskey. Heskey breaks his 10 year run of poor form in front of net and powers england to glory. You heard it here first.
wow some of these golden boot predictions are a stretch indeed....North Korea will definitely win and Harry Kewell will get the Golden Boot!!!
NOT
Drogba and Spain!!!
-ALN, not drunk today
Haha, I'd say a european team will take it.
If I had to choose, I'd go with England. I think they really have a chance now, mostly because of the coach.
Goalscorer.. Wayne Rooney :} He's actually 3rd favorite according to the bookies.
Haha, and that coming from someone who's not english.
base on route to final, my verdict is brazil-england & argentina-spain for semifinal..
& brazil will be champion!
goldenboot winner: robinho
rethinking the Golden Boot...I feel Diego Forlan is a top candidate..just had to say that!!!
spain will be the winner, for golden boot my candidate is torres
The teams noone is picking.
I am going out on a limb.....
Nigeria (they have the easiest route of all African teams)
USA (they are tired of no respect and play wrong)
Argentina
Italy (defense wins time and time again)
Golden boot will go to Drogba.
Ole'
Tigers
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