The World Cup


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This has been such a nail-biter, frustrating World Cup Season.

 

The Philippine Team can't make it out of Round 2 in the World Cup Qualifiers so I support Spain instead since my grandfather is from Spain.  I've been supporting them since I was a little kid.  They were surprisingly a big disappointment this year and are now eliminated.  So, my next team is USA since my husband is American.  I did not have high hopes for this team because they have a tough bracket.  But, I was pleasantly surprised that they won their first tournament!  I was even more surprised that they were leading Portugal!  We were super excited... until Bradley spaced out just for 1 second in the last 30 seconds of Stoppage Time and Ronaldo got the opportunity to make that terrific pass to a beautiful header putting the game to a Tie.

 

Now, we get to face the Germans - and we have to at least Tie the tournament.  I don't think that's happening... but, my husband says that's what I said on that Portugal game too!

 

So yea... my hopes are kinda up and kinda not and it's giving me stomachaches.  I very much wish they would move on.  The US-Portugal game was the MOST WATCHED Soccer Tournament in the history of the United States with 24.7 million viewers!   I'm excited to see this sport become one of the main American Sports!  I soooo love this game!

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Living in England, I have to listen to the endless talks of football. It's on TV, the radio, in newsprint. Because of this, I have to support someone.

 

But picking the wrong team will get you beaten up. So I have learned the best way to win:

 

Support a team no one likes.

 

I am very pro-Luxembourg. They have never made it to the World Cup - Never even qualified. Because of this, everyone assumes I am related to someone from Luxembourg. They also have no rivalries because they lose all the time. It is the safest thing ever.

 

And if you ever have a conversation about it, here is what you need to do pre-emptively:

 

Say, "Hey! Are you watching the World Cup? What a buncha bozos, huh? Yeesh."

 

This is a safe thing to say. Either the referees are blind or they hate the other team, or the team they like lost(In which case they're the bozos) or the team they like won(In which case the opposing team were bozos).

 

Someone, somewhere, was a bozo.

 

I have never failed with that line.

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I have to say, my husband is your typical American soccer spectator... so he follows Messi because I'm a Barca fan and so he's been interested in the main Barca guys - Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, etc.

 

So, he wanted to watch the Argentina/Iran tournament but he got caught up doing some stuff, so he caught the tail end of the match... and it was 0-0, and he said, Oh Good, I didn't miss anything.  LOL...

 

Argentina-Iran was an awesome game from open to finish!  With Argentina dominating in ball possession, it's amazing how Iran held them back to zilch!  Lots and lots of action on the field!  And then, of course, just as my husband got settled in his favorite spot on the couch... a few minutes into Stoppage Time, Messi, seemingly effortlessly, rams one into the net...

 

But the typical American spectator is not used to getting excited over plays instead of goals... my husband says - it's like enjoying the sex but not getting the release.  LOL!  So, he gets bored with it.  He's never been to a soccer stadium match though.  All he's been to is the kiddy soccer that doesn't count goals and everybody gets a trophy.  I think when you've experienced the energy of a stadium in a soccer match, your view of the game changes.  Okay, so the MLS really doesn't have that same energy... their fan base is not as crazy.

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Oh man... Japan is out.  I like Colombia but they didn't need the win to qualify.  Japan plays really beautiful soccer in the advance but, for some reason, they just couldn't finish.  They are shorter than the Colombians so they get out-run everytime and they can't do those corner floats... but, even then, they had about 70% ball possession in the 1st half.  And, like always, they quit playing in the 2nd half!

 

And that Italy/Uruguay match was brutal.  Suarez bit Chiellini's shoulder.  No doubt about it!

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I could care less, but a friend from grad school got tickets and is in Brazil. In addition to the games, she has taken side trips into the jungle, etc., so I have enjoyed her pictures. I generally don't care for sports and I reallly don't care for soccer - especially as it is played by children in the US with no winners (everybody's a winner! except, no, that's not how the world works). /rant

 

Back when I was in grad school, I bought access to some of the games for my Norwegian friend and she came over to watch. She was very excited; I still didn't get it, but I was happy for her. :)

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I could care less, but a friend from grad school got tickets and is in Brazil. In addition to the games, she has taken side trips into the jungle, etc., so I have enjoyed her pictures. I generally don't care for sports and I reallly don't care for soccer - especially as it is played by children in the US with no winners (everybody's a winner! except, no, that's not how the world works). /rant

 

Back when I was in grad school, I bought access to some of the games for my Norwegian friend and she came over to watch. She was very excited; I still didn't get it, but I was happy for her. :)

 

So in other words you do care some right?  :P

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It was AWESOME!!!

 

I cannot believe how good we played!  That German goal was just perfectly executed.  But, we held them to only 1!  Even with Klose playing all of the 2nd half!  Bradley is still mis-firing but he was better in this match than the last one, our forwards had a hard time getting through their defense but we made a lot of challenges... and we held our own in ball possession - against Germany!  That's awesome!

 

So, the hero in the USA/Germany game... Ronaldo.  LOL!

 

Next stop... Belgium.  Just as tough as Germany in single-elimination.  That's probably where we're going to pick up our coats.  But, that's ok... we can go home proud of what we've accomplished here.

 

 

 

(Okay, for those who are not familiar with the World Cup - Ronaldo is like the LeBron James of Portugal.  He's been struggling in the World Cup but he shined yesterday against Ghana making another goal with only 10 minutes left in the game, effectively knocking Ghana out of the World Cup and causing a Tie between Portugal and USA in the rankings - but USA has a higher goal differential - tie-breaking points - than Portugal so USA advances and Portugal goes home).

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Back on topic I am English as our my whole family so should support England but I find them over paid underachievers who don't seem to care much about performing for the international team however with so mmany young players up and coming perhaps the attitude will change. My partner is American working for LDS family services in Birmingham so I guess I could support USA but I just can't do it. So I support the Netherlands.

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Back on topic I am English as our my whole family so should support England but I find them over paid underachievers who don't seem to care much about performing for the international team however with so mmany young players up and coming perhaps the attitude will change. My partner is American working for LDS family services in Birmingham so I guess I could support USA but I just can't do it. So I support the Netherlands.

 

Rooney is not an underachiever... but, he struggled in this World Cup... but yeah, the team is getting older.  Just like Spain.  Needs some young-blood infusion...

 

Why can't you support USA?  Netherlands is probably going to bag the cup, but, there's always a chance for the underdog to snatch it out of their hands.

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Rooney is not an underachiever... but, he struggled in this World Cup... but yeah, the team is getting older.  Just like Spain.  Needs some young-blood infusion...

 

Why can't you support USA?  Netherlands is probably going to bag the cup, but, there's always a chance for the underdog to snatch it out of their hands.

 

Yeesh? can you believe the Suarez thing?

 

WHAT A BUNCH OF BOZOS.

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This has been such a nail-biter, frustrating World Cup Tournament.

 

The Philippine Team can't make it out of Round 2 in the World Cup Qualifiers so I support Spain instead since my grandfather is from Spain.  I've been supporting them since I was a little kid.  They were surprisingly a big disappointment this year and are now eliminated.  So, my next team is USA since my husband is American.  I did not have high hopes for this team because they have a tough group.  But, I was pleasantly surprised that they won their first match!  I was even more surprised that they were beating Portugal!  We were super excited... until Bradley spaced out just for 1 second in the last 30 seconds of extra Time and Ronaldo got the opportunity to make that terrific pass to a beautiful header putting the game to a draw.

 

Now, we get to face the Germans - and we have to at least draw the match.  I don't think that's happening... but, my husband says that's what I said on that Portugal game too!

 

So yea... my hopes are kinda up and kinda not and it's giving me stomachaches.  I very much wish they would move on.  The US-Portugal game was the MOST WATCHED football match in the history of the United States with 24.7 million viewers!   I'm excited to see this sport become one of the main American Sports!  I soooo love this game!

 

There you go, I fixed it for you!  :P

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Anatess, so who is winning tomorrow? Brazil or Germany?/Netherlands or Argentina? And who is going to be the winner overall.

 

My prediction:

 

Germany will beat Brazil. Argentina will beat Netherlands.

 

 

Going for Germany

 

OMG ON THAT BRAZIL MATCH!!!!

 

It is not safe to walk the streets of Brazil today, folks!

 

My husband thinks it's a Messi World Cup... I think Netherlands has weaknesses but so far nobody could exploit it... I don't think Argentina will win.

 

Germany vs Netherlands on the finals with Netherlands putting one over the super cute, super tall Neuer... 0-1... Netherlands bags the cup.

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I am waiting for Microsoft Cortana's final prediction lol. So far, it predicted correctly the last 16 games and it says the final will be Germany-Argentina. lol

 

I agree with your husband. My bet is that Argentina will beat Netherlands today and they will beat the Germans in the final.

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I am waiting for Microsoft Cortana's final prediction lol. So far, it predicted correctly the last 16 games and it says the final will be Germany-Argentina. lol

 

I agree with your husband. My bet is that Argentina will beat Netherlands today and they will beat the Germans in the final.

 

 

It would be good too if you're right about Argentina... it would be very wierd to have European finals in a World Cup in South America...

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It would be the first time ever I believe. 

 

Not counting the first and ony World Cup held in Asia and the first and only World Cup held in Africa, there has not been a World Cup Finals that has not included a team from the host Continent... okay, American Continent is usually considered one in the World Cup... (World Cup hosts usually alternate between Americas and Europe)... but if we split up North America from Central and South America, then the World Cup held in the US did not have a North American team in the finals (Brazil won it then).

 

So, if Netherlands win (don't tell me the results yet!  I haven't had a chance to watch it!), then it's like Euro Cup held in the Americas...

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