As the Round of 16 begins in the Brazil 2014 World Cup, there is another American breakthrough. It's not the fact that the USMNT made it to the second round in two consecutive World Cups, or that they escape the Group of Death. It's Mark Geiger, the American referee from Major League Soccer. Today he became the first American to get assigned to a Round of 16 match: France-Nigeria.
So we must give credit to him for his poise in the various games he has already refereed in this World Cup: Colombia-Greece and Spain-Chile. The latter one was particularly important given its serious implications in this tournament, i.e. Spain getting knocked out.
Geiger has had a steady rise through the ranks of American soccer: from being a math teacher in New Jersey to his time in the A-League in 2002 to MLS in 2004, to getting FIFA-listed in 2008, to the London Olympics in 2012, and now at the 2014 World Cup.
He will now dictate how one of the marquee teams, France, conducts its business on the pitch alongside the African champions, Nigeria. The French have a tendency to commit certain egregious offenses: Zidane's headbutt in Germany 2006 and Henry's handball in qualifiers, 2009. Nigeria can get physical. It will not be easy for Geiger.
Let's celebrate this latest accomplishment in the development of American soccer. We're not only showing the world we know how to play. We're also showing the world we know how to manage a match in the most difficult international stage: the World Cup.
Congratulations, Mark Geiger. Hopefully we'll see more of you later in the tournament.
New stadium, new opponent, same story. Team USA lost a friendly today versus France at the Stade de France outside Paris by the score of 0-1. Sounds familiar? It should. After an encouraging start to he Klinsmann era in a 1-1 tie versus arch-rivals Mexico, The US went to lose 0-1 versus a limited Costa Rica at home, 0-1 in Belgium, and 0-1 in New York against Ecuador. There was a win against Honduras in Miami. A bright spot in a difficult start for the new coach.
The match was fairly even today in the first 45. The US back line held up well and was basically a rock until the start of the second half. Altidore and Dempsey proved to be real headaches for France although neither could get a clear shot on the French 'keeper.
The midfield was a different story. While Beckerman showed why he's worth having as a defensive midfielder, he hardly showed why he should start over Michael Bradley (a regular for Chievo in the Italian Serie A). Danny Williams was beaten several times and did not contribute as much going forward. Brek Shea also had a hard time creating plays and was relegated to the defensive end, forcing the team to retreat further.
The addition of Jermaine Jones offered some respite for the central midfield of Klinsmann's team, but his introduction came shortly before Howard's goal was penetrated by Remy. Enter Fabian Johnson: creativity, speed, but not enough to save the day. He and DaMarcus Beasley allowed for Dempsey and Altidore to exploit open spaces. Dempsey payed for this by getting constantly fouled by the French. Altidore's attempts never quite broke through.
So where does the national team stand after this latest setback? Same place, really. They were going up against one of the best teams in the world, even if there were some new faces in Blanc's squad. This was the Stade de France of Zidane and Henry. A 0-1 loss is acceptable. But what of the 1-4-1 record? Clearly one or even two of those should have been wins. At some point, the honeymoon stage with Klinsmann has to end and he will have to start producing on the field with real results. Altidore needs company. Perhaps with Donovan and Dempsey both on the pitch things might be better. But that is likely to not occur until February or March of next year.
Courage. Resolve. Class. Teamwork. Relentlessness. The US women's national soccer team advanced into the Germany 2011 World Cup final with a thrilling victory over France. A precious gift to American soccer fans in such dire need of a victory. For the ladies, it is self-respect and recognition that they are one of the better sides in women's soccer.
Today it Cheney, Wambach and Morgan scoring. The old guard giving way to the new. Abby ruled the air as she so often does and scored the game-winner with style. Cheney started things off early, much like the Brazil game. But France pressed and eventually tied the score in the second half. After Wambach's score it was a little bit of magic from Rapinoe to Morgan. The youngster had a flash of genius and chipped the ball over the French goalkeeper.
For the second game in a row, Wambach showed us why she's the go-to player for clinching goals. Today their defense was stout with Krieger and Boxx. Hope Solo always an asserted general in the background. Rapinoe provided the second half spark that every supersub has to bring.
Up next is the enigmatic Japan. The Japanese have knocked off two soccer powers in Germany and Sweden. They have also lost two matches to the US in warm-up friendlies before the World Cup. But this is the final and they will be carrying the hearts of a nation that has seen so much pain in recent months. The key will be concentration and possession.
This is to thank the ladies for giving us a bit of fantasy with every play. Thanks to you, US Soccer is back in the final with a chance to win it all for the third time in history.
The hope of all of France went up at the end of World Cup 2006 when it was announced that Laurent Blanc would take over as manager of the national team. I must admit this pleased me also, having been a fan of the team since their victory over Brazil in penalties at the 1986 World Cup. Back then it was Platini versus Socrates in a match for the ages. This would be repeated at the France 98 final when the French won 3-0 with two goals from Zidane and one by Petit.
France hasn't been the same since winning on home soil. Even at Germany 2006, when they reached the final, Zidane shocked their country and the world with an unnecessary headbutt against Materazzi of Italy. They lost in penalties to the Italians. Raymond Domenech remained as coach of the team through the 2010 World Cup cycle. But his pupils rebelled and his team fell apart. Losses to Mexico and Uruguay knocked them out of the tournament in the group stage. Even France's entry into 2010 was shrouded in controversy, as Henry's handball to set up his team's win over Ireland was seen by everyone but the referee.
Photo credit: FIFA
Now, in France's 2012 Euro and 2014 World Cup cycles, new life is gracing the team. Even though the team started his cycle with a loss against Norway, the team soon recovered with wins over Brazil and Argentina. The team now tops the 2012 qualifying group with a 6-1-1 record.
Blanc has also brought in new faces to the team. Most notably, Marvin Martin and Younes Kaboul. Look for these players to make some noise in world football. Add Ribery, Benzema, Diaby, Diarra, Abidal, and you are already talking world class with a great coach behind them. Next year's Euro will be a tough test, but they can certainly hold their ground versus teams like Spain and Germany, and may have surpassed others.
Blanc plays smart, attacking football with a concentrated defense. The man that scored the golden goal for France versus Paraguay in 1998, as the world held his breath, is ready for the challenge. And we are enjoying the way his team plays.
Is it silly season yet? In Europe, it is. Fabregas is flirting with Barcelona. Drogba is being lured out of Chelsea. Efrain Juarez is now a Celtic man. Carlos Bocanegra has moved to St. Etienne. Roy Hodgson is now the Liverpool manager and Fulham are about to pick their own. It doesn't stop there: MLS also has its share now.
Yes, no longer a pushover league after the success of the US national team and the rise of its players abroad, MLS is quickly becoming more interesting to the international audience. Not too long ago, MLS was a league akin to that of Qatar or Saudi Arabia: big name stars in the twilight of their career. We are talking about Valderrama, Stoichkov, Zenga, Matthaus, Djorkaeff, Donadoni, Hugo Sanchez, Luis Hernandez, Leonel Alvarez. Not now: Freddie Ljunberg, David Beckham, Thierry Henry, Juan Pablo Angel, Marcelo Gallardo, Nery Castillo, Blanco, Nkufo. These are all players capable of working at the highest level in the toughest leagues. Note that Beckham missed the World Cup due to injury while Henry had some minutes for the ill-fated French squad and Blanco scored on a PK for Mexico.
Consider the fact that Nery Castillo is by no means a grade B player. He had a monstrous time with Olimpiakos before an ill-advised move to big-pocketed Ukranian team Shaktar Donesk. He's 26, not a 32-year-old retiree. Also consider that both Beckham and Blanco were recalled by their respective nations given their play in MLS. I can't say the same for a team in the Middle East, not yet. Also, Henry is no pushover. His time in Barcelona was winding down given the accuracy of Pedro, the consistency of Ibrahimovic and the arrival of David Villa. Few people want to sit on the bench. Henry wouldn't be the first.
Then there are the Omar Bravo, Ronaldinho and Rafa Marquez rumors. Some probably truer than others. For Marquez, it would be change in scenery for one of the best Concacaf defenders of all time. He has ascertained that he has already won everything in Europe and is ready for something new (New York is a possibility). Omar Bravo has been released by Chivas Guadalajara and is rumored to be on his way to Kansas City. Ronaldinho is another matter entirely: he has been rumored to be going to the Galaxy ever since Becks made his way there.
Perhaps the most important signing is Thierry Henry. He is by no means done with the sport. He knew from 4 years back that he would be a Red Bull eventually... this was just the right time. His recent bad press with the "Hand of Gaul" against Ireland, limited time on the pitch with Barcelona, and the French debacle in 2010. Americans love outlaws and controversies and redemption stories. Henry should fit the bill. Added to that is the fact that he will be paired with Juan Pablo Angel, with the possibility for another DP (Marquez?) to manage the midfield. How fun does that sound?
So there you have it. Even if Landon Donovan were to leave MLS, the league would have newer and younger (Castillo) stars to continue the growth of the sport in this country. I'm looking forward to seeing them in action with their teams. Nkufo already played for Seattle (impressive, although the team hasn't been). Henry will debut next week in MLS action (this week versus Tottenham in a friendly match). Castillo is likely to do the same this week or next for Chicago.
There are critics out there that prefer Italy out of the tournament because of their overly defensive tactics. France was also downright sad to watch. Where was Ribery, Malouda, Henry, Toulalan? They were there in body but not in spirit. Perhaps the Raymond Dommenech situation or the recent underage prstitution scandal involving Benzema, Govou and Ribery overshadowed any semblance of a chance the Gauls may have had in South Africa. And Italy? Let's just say they were never young enough to get too far, not when a third of their players are over 30 and their star player (Cannavaro) is 36. Maybe they should have called Maldini?
Conmebol certainly has impressed. Barring a possible change in fortunes tomorrow with Chile, all South American representatives are already through. Concacaf also has its two major powers, USA and Mexico, through to the next round and in style. Mexico defeated 2006 finalist France and USA went unbeaten in group play and won their group thanks to goals scored. Let's not forget Asia. Their more storied sides, South Korea and Japan, also went through to the next round after overcoming opposition from mid-level European teams (Greece and Denmark, respectively) as well as African teams (Nigeria and Cameroon, respectively). Japan did it in style today in a dominating 3-1 decision over Denmark. They managed to score two goals from direct free kicks (what's wrong with Jabulani?). Oh, don't forget Australia (4 points, lost passage to next round to Ghana by goal differential) and New Zealand (unbeaten, three ties).
So what else is happening in this World Cup? One special thing location. Aside from Africa's failure, the different conferences have enjoyed the neutral location. Indeed, Americans are reported to have bought more tickets than any other country except for South Africa. They may not all be supporting team USA, but the various groups living in this country probably took up a large portion of the tickets.
One other aspect corroborating in this revolution is this: teams like Italy, England, and even Germany have leagues in which the majority of players in the dominant teams are not domestic. Inter, for example had only one Italian-born player on the pitch at the Champions League semifinal. Add to that the fact that the back line is made up of mostly Juventus players. Juve didn't have the best of seasons either. Oh, and England... why is Heskey starting? He hardly saw time on the field this past season. Germany's squad also relies heavily on Bayern Munich. You could argue that these players are tired from a very long season that included the Champions League final.
We can rest assured that there may yet be one or two or three more surprising scores in this tournament.. but how's this: Slovakia 3 - Italy 2, Switzerland 1 - Spain 0, Mexico 2 - France 0, USA 1 - England 1, New Zealand 1 - Italy 1... we can go on. And yes, that's why we love soccer.
Okay, make that three to Tango if we count Holland. Unless you have decided to watch baseball or the NBA or the Gulf spill, you probably already know that there have been upsets galore in South Africa 2010. Starting from the top: France ties 0-0 Uruguay and falls 0-2 to Mexico, England ties 1-1 versus USA and 0-0 versus Algeria, Italy ties 1-1 versus Paraguay and New Zealand, Germany loses 0-1 to Serbia, Spain loses 0-1 to Switzerland. Discounting non-traditional outliers (Mexico, Paraguay, Slovenia, etc), we are left with only Brazil, Argentina and the Netherlands. If we go, strictly speaking, with history, then Holland is taken out of the equation and we are left again with just Argentina and Brazil.
Perhaps this "disarray" is due to a non-traditional location for the event: Africa. Perhaps the game is much more competitive now and teams from powerhouse leagues like England and Spain don't really match up with international success. Maybe the players are too tired from so many competitions. Wait, nearly all players tend to see each other once or twice if they play in such prestigious leagues (Drogba, Rooney, Dempsey, Vela, etc.). Clearly, this isn't the way to explain it since it would be a worldwide phenomenon of lowered quality in the game. No one wants to slump at the World Cup, right?
Then there is the African nations. With so much power and a "home field advantage," shouldn't they be tearing through teams like Australia, Japan and Slovenia? What's going on with Eto'o, Drogba, Gyan? Nothing. It's just that the teams as a whole just aren't quite there yet. More discipline is needed, perhaps, but haven't we been saying this all along? Aren't we always looking for a breakthrough African team that reaches the semifinal or, why not, the final? Cameroon (1990) and Senegal (2002) left us wanting more. Maybe South Africa can still pull off of a miracle entry to the round of 16 (still possible) and evade the title of first host nation to be eliminated in group play.
So we come back to a natural conclusion, one that is supported by historical evidence. It's as simple as this: a team that is meant to win it all does not lose a game. Never in World Cup history has a winner lost a game during the competition. Ties, yes (Brazil-Sweden in 1994, Italy-USA in 2006, etc.). With that in mind we can also argue for Italy to have a shot still. But, we are left with two teams that have thoroughly defeated their opposition: Brazil and Argentina. Historically, it takes Argentina or France to knock out the Brazilians (this goes back to 1986 for perspective). Argentina, on the other hand, can go out any number of ways: Germany, Romania, England, Netherlands.
This has to be the most competitive World Cup to date. Most teams (excluding Cameroon and perhaps one or two others after tomorrow) still have a chance to advance. Most "contender" teams could be sent packing. This could also be a World Cup of firsts: the host nation eliminated in group phase is a first. Maybe wounded nations such as Spain and Germany can break the curse and lift the trophy. If that is the case, then they have mountains of history to climb as well as two formidable gatekeepers: Argentina and Brazil.
Algeria is more of a history lesson for me, as well as a way to prepare for what they could mean for the US national team. The Desert Foxes were in two World Cups (1982, 1986) during their golden age. I admit to having little to no memory of their time in Mexico '86. As always as a child I rooted for the underdogs, and something tells me I was probably going for them too.
Algeria's play impressed in 1982. They defeated West Germany in a shock match. It followed that Austria and Germany needed a specific result (a 1-2 goal win by the Germans) to see them both through. This was in the days that wins counted for only two points and when final group matches were held at different times (today all final group matches are simultaneous). The Germanic countries ended with their preferred result and Algeria left the tournament.
In Mexico, Algeria didn't have as much luck and was able to get only a draw against Northern Ireland. Spain and Brazil were too much. The Desert Foxes haven't made it to a World Cup since then. But wait, isn't Zidane's family from Algeria? Oh, current French superstar, Karim Benzema is also an Algerian decscendant... Coincidence? It comes down to the reach of the French Empire, no? But that's politics and I'm not brave enough for it.
What's ahead? Slovenia (knocked out mighty Russia), England (always favorites), and the wild card, USA. If there's anything to say about the foxes is their resilience... they knocked out African champions Egypt after a heated home-and-away playoff that wound up tied and later settled at a neutral site--Sudan (not to mention the violence and hatred involved). Expect them to battle for second place in this very level field if we don't count England. This group is wide open, especially if Bradley's bunch pulls out another 1998/2006. Some stars to watch out for include Bougherra (Rangers), Belhadj (Portsmouth), Mansouri (Lorient), Matmour (Moenchengladbach), Ziani (Wolfsburg), Djebbour (AEK).
Vive les bleus! That was the chant in 1986 as Michel Platini worked his magic to get past Brazil to a semifinal date with Argentina. It was also the chant when they played again, 12 years later, in St Denis outside Paris... and when they beat Brazil, again, but this time in the final. That's the story of the French national team with me. Always a favorite, always able to get past Brazil. Always controversial. They have two Euro championships (1984, 2000), two Confederations Cups (2001, 2003) and one World Cup (1998).
France is a nation with deep roots in world football. France was present at the inaugural and 1934 World Cups but did not advance far in those tournaments. They hosted the World Cup in its third and final tournament before World War II in 1938. They advanced to the quarterfinals in that tournament, losing to eventual champions Italy. In the 1950s, France saw a golden age with players like Just Fontaine (13 goals in one tournament, unmatched since then). They lost 5-2 at the semifinal in 1958 to eventual champions Brazil courtesy of a Pele hat trick. The French saw a significant decline in the 1960s and 1970s before roaring back to the scene in the 1980s.
This is where the story begins. Easily one of the most memorable games in my memory, Brazil-France in 1986 cemented the team as one of my favorites. It was Platini versus Socrates. It came down to penalties...and the French prevailed. Since then, not one team has been able to knock out Brazil from the competition except for Argentina (1990). When France didn't meet Brazil (1994, 2002), the "Samba boys" won the tournament. When they met (1986, 1998, 2006), the French ousted the Brazilians... Pattern? Maybe, because in sports, as we know, psychology plays a major role.
Two World Cups passed with a glaring absence (1990, 1994), as France failed to qualify twice in a row (once against Bulgaria in 1993 courtesy of Hristo Stoichkov). But the Gauls would return with a vengeance. They were hosting 1998, and what a tournament that was! For the first time, 32 teams were included. For the first time, Asia and Africa were dully represented. Who can forget games like Nigeria-Spain or Brazil-Chile? And as for the French team? Just say the names: Zidane, Henry, Petit, Deschamps, Laurent Blanc, Trezeguet, Dessaily, Vieira, Thuram, Fabien Bartez, Lizarazu, Djorkaeff, Dugarry. Simply an amazing squad. On that final versus Brazil, Zidane, who had not scored at all in the tournament, stepped in to initialize the scoreboard and seal the deal with a 2-0 that would later be appended by Petit's goal. Goleada!
On to 2002 and the pains of being number 1 but relying on one player--Zidane. "Zizou" was injured for the first two matches. France went on to lose their opening match (which I incidentally had called) to Senegal 0-1. Scoreless tie against Uruguay and a 2-0 loss versus Denmark doomed the squad and they bowed out after the first phase.
In 2006, the "old guard" would have its chance once more. After a slow start in a relatively weak group, France squeezed out of the group phase by defeating Togo and with help from Switzerland. The round of 16 pitted them against Spain, heavily favored by many. It was not to be for the Spaniards... 3-1 for the French in an amazing match. Next came Brazil, again, except this time there was no penalties. This time it was Zidane dancing around Ronaldinho and connecting superbly with scintilating Henry. Henry's touch on the 57th minute marked the difference. Portugal, with a young Cristiano Ronaldo, met them in the semifinal. Zidane's penalty early in the match decided the contest. And the final? Still fresh in the memory of, dare I say, American fans. Zidane's header on Materazzi's humanity eclipsed the penalty he had scored early in the match. The legend would be ejected and Trezeguet would miss the penalty that decided the game. Italy won in another installment of antifutbol.
So what's next? They are in 2010 due to FIFA oversights but are here nonetheless. Franck Ribery, for one, rose up during 2006 to become Zidane's apprentice and now sits comfortably in the midfield directing plays left and right. He's joined by Toulalan, Diarra, Diaby, Malouda. Up top are Benzema, Henry, Anelka. Anchoring the back line are Gallas, Evra, Sagna, Abidal. Against them are the hosts, South Africa, along with Uruguay and Mexico. You could pencil them in for the next round but remember that they are a streaky bunch (as 2002 showed). They are in need of a spark at the moment, yes, but they can never be counted out.
La Celeste. Enough said. Yes, these days Concacaf teams were hoping to land this South American team in their group. Yes, they haven't made much noise since 1970. But still, they were the original World Cup champions in 1930 against Argentina. They are also the only ones to win a major tournament in Brazil. That was 1950, the first World Cup after World War II and the final was in Rio de Janeiro at the famed Maracana stadium. It ended 2-1 in favor of the Uruguayans, silencing a football nation that would have to wait another 8 years before its first title. Added to two World Cups are 14 Copa America titles and a 4th place in 1997 Confederations Cup. They last won a major tournament in 1995, which they hosted and won on penalty kicks against Brazil.
Outside of its constant battles versus Brazil and Argentina in games that are usually "clasicos," Uruguayan football is much more about harsh defensive tactics and clogging of the midfield. Their club teams include Penarol, Nacional, River Plate (the other one), among others. The "Charruas" these days are in the constant mix of mid-table South American teams. If it had not been for a miraculous penalty in Quito, it may be Ecuador or Costa Rica we are talking about here.
Uruguay participated in Mexico '86 but I only remember that they were there and not much else. The team lost to Denmark in the group stage and tied both Scotland and eventual-finalists Germany. A date with eventual-champions Argentina ended their run. I remember them in Italia '90 when Fonseca and Bengoechea were playing. Then there's the Uruguayan master... Enzo Francescoli. For that World Cup, I had a booklet that included all the players for all the teams and Uruguay happened to have some legible names for a then-11-year-old. On that World Cup, they squeezed into the round of 16 as 3rd place simply because at that point wins still counted for only 2 points (instead of 3 today). Their group included Spain (group winners), Belgium and South Korea. They tied Spain, lost to Belgium and won against the Koreans. Hosts Italy were too much in the round of 16; they lost 2-0.
Uruguay would go on to to miss both USA '94 and France '98. They would make a comeback in 2002 after winning the playoff against OFC's Australia (incidentally, they lost this match for the 2006 tournament). Uruguay landed in the group of death: Senegal, France and Denmark. Although Senegal were newcomers, they exploded onto the scene with their shock-win against then-champions France. They would actually go on to tie the Senegalese and also France, forcing a must-win for the defending champions on their last match. The game against the Danes was fantastic (this was their opening match) but their game versus Senegal was a hard-fought 3-3 battle that nearly ended the African team's chances of reaching the ground of 16. Very cool goal by Forlan.
In 2010 they are in the group with Mexico, South Africa and once again with France. There's no surprise team unless South Africa realizes they must win as hosts. Mexico and France are known foes. Uruguay boasts Diego Forlan of Atletico Madrid along with Sebastian Abreu of Botafogo, Eguren and Godin of Villarreal, Caceres of Juventus, Luis Suarez of Ajax and Diego Lugano of Fenerbahce. It's a wealth of talent and a credit to being in the tournament. Most of their players play abroad and are well-known throughout the world. I can see them sneaking into the round of 16 if Mexico doesn't deliver or even if France crashes out early once more.
I leave you with goals from the 2002 game with Senegal. Enjoy.
This is the first of a 32-part series in which I reminisce about each of the teams participating in the World Cup. Some teams I have little experience with but will include a few caveats most aren't familiar with. I start with the hosts of next year's tournament: South Africa.
South Africa was marred for most of the century by its Apartheid system. What was used to segregate people induced a self-segregation and isolation of the country from world soccer. At one point, there were three different federations within the country: The all-white Football Association of South Africa (FASA), was formed in 1892, while the South African Indian Football Association (SAIFA), the South African Bantu Football Association (SABFA) and the South African Coloured Football Association (SACFA) were founded in 1903, 1933 and 1936 respectively (source: wikipedia). In 1992, they returned to the world stage once Apartheid was lifted and participated in the African Cup of Nations as well as the FIFA World Cup.
My first memory of the South African team stems from its first game in the 1998 World Cup against hosts France. France was always one of my favorite teams ever since 1986, when they ousted Brazil through penalty kicks in the quarterfinal. I was happy to see the French back in the tournament and also newcomer South Africa. By this World Cup, the team total had been raised from 24 to 32, thus opening the way for more teams from less-represented confederations (i.e. CAF, AFC, CONCACAF). Most of us were content with France's 3-0 win over lowly, entry-level South Africa. I remember this game because I was watching it from my grandmother's store whilst on my way to get some paperwork done (visas and such).
On that day it was Dugarry that started the game for France. Little did we know that soon Trezeguet and Henry would become France's dynamic duo. South Africa shared that group with Saudi Arabia (2-2 tie) and Denmark (1-1 tie).
On to 2002. South Africa was now a soccer nation with aspirations to host a World Cup and one tournament under its belt. They were pitted into a "group of death" of sorts alongside Paraguay and Slovenia. Spain was the headliner and didn't disappoint. This tournament actually came down to who had scored more goals. South Africa tied Paraguay 2-2 and beat Slovenia 1-0. They lost to Spain 3-2... just enough to give Paraguay a berth having gone 0 goal differential but with a margin of 6 goals for and 6 against. South Africa had 5-5. I caught only highlights of that game, but I remember Jose Luis Chilavert (the emblematic Paraguay goalkeeper) saying that he was thanking his "Spanish brothers" for handing them the result.
South Africa has had few stars in recent years, except for Benni McCarthy. The Blackburn Rovers man is 32 and has scored on 32 out of 77 competitive games for his country. Added to him are Portsmouth's Makoena (captain of South Africa) and Everton's Pienaar. The majority of the current squad play at home in the local league...something that might hamper their chances come next summer. Still, they face Mexico, Uruguay and France. They are at home and given their play in the Confederations Cup, they can hold their ground against any team.
The excitement began today. The party is underway. What will this world cup be like? Here is a quick look at the groups and who has it easier/harder and what surprises we can see. Throughout the time leading up to the tournament, I will post a more personal look at each of the teams, their structure, history, players and memories.
Group A: South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay, France. It's hard to imagine France not winning this group, but 2002 proved that it could happen (loss to Senegal and ties to Denmark and Uruguay. You can argue that Mexico has it easy to be the second team to make it through. Uruguay is a dangerous team that can surprise any established squad. Then there's South Africa. Clearly the weakest African team in the tournament...but they are at home. Never underestimate home field advantage (think USA in 1994).
Group B: Argentina, Nigeria, S. Korea, Greece. This group is almost a mirror image of the 1994 group that included Bulgaria instead of Korea. Argentina should win this group, but Maradona's squad has lost to much weaker teams recently. Nigeria struggled to enter the World Cup, but they have the history and the players to dominate any team. Greece is the new Italy, with it's superb, albeit boring, defensive style. Korea has the speed and agility to create chances.
Group C: England, USA, Algeria, Slovenia. This is the "easiest" group the US has had in recent memory but I will give much more details on this on future posts. England should claim victory in this group, but they are prone to injury and much weaker without Gerard, Lampard and Beckham. Algeria is in a World Cup for the first time since 1986. They aren't a terribly strong squad but they have a certain African pedigree that could help them go the distance. Slovenia is arguably the weakest European team, but as they showed versus Russia in the UEFA playoffs, they have the ability to overcome stronger teams.
Group D: Germany, Australia, Serbia, Ghana. Group of death #1. Germany is the strongest team, but they aren't too far ahead of the others. Serbia has history on their side but they match up equally against Australia and Ghana. The Australian "socceroos" have players in major leagues making the difference in those teams (Kewel, Viduka, Shwartz) and they aren't a weak team anymore. Ghana isn't as strong as they were in '06, but they still have dominant men like Michael Essien pulling the strings.
Group E: Netherlands, Denmark, Japan, Cameroon. This is a fun group to watch. It could be considered group of death "light" since they are all quite accomplished sides. Holland are likely to win this group thanks to Kuyt, Snejder, Van Persie and company. Denmark is another strong squad that booted out Sweden and forced Portugal into the playoffs. Japan, like S. Korea, has the speed to surprise the opposing defense. Cameroon struggled to enter the tournament but they have the history of being a difficult team to play against.
Group F: Italy, Paraguay, New Zealand, Slovakia. A relatively weak group for the Azzurri. Paraguay should also be able to overcome a much weaker "kiwi" team and another weak European team. New Zealand is possibly the weakest team in the tournament, whilst Slovakia can be another toss-up.
Group G: Brazil, N. Korea, Cote d'Ivoire, Portugal. Group of death #2. Apart from N. Korea, all three teams have a chance at advancing through to the next round. This will likely come down to scoring plenty against the Koreans for the Ivorians, Brazilians and Portuguese. It's also about getting a result against the stronger teams. Portugal is one of the few countries that has beaten Brazil in recent memory. The Ivorians are one of the strongest teams in the world (Drogba, Kalou, Toure) and they could go the distance. Brazil is just what it is--Brazil.
Group H: Spain, Switzerland, Honduras, Chile. Spain is the best team on the planet and I can see them getting all nine points here. Switzerland are a bit of a mystery but with excellent players. Chile has a squad to reach the quarterfinals, given the right results. Honduras aren't pushovers anymore. Players like Suazo, Costly, Palacios and Guevara mark the difference.
Vive la France. Vive les Bleus. France are in after Henry "handed" them a victory thanks to his pass for William Gallas. It's tough to argue that significant dividends will come from the French's inclusion in next year's tournament. Add Anelka, Benzema, Henry and Malouda and you start to see the economic impact. This also sets up another possibility for Brazil to not win the tournament. For the past six World Cups, only France and Argentina have been able to knock off the "verdeamarela." France-Brazil in quarterfinals of Mexico '86 and Argentina-Brazil in the round of 16 in Italia '90 are some of my best memories.
Another economic success is Portugal's entry into the tournament. Cristiano Ronaldo will be in the World Cup after all. After a poor showing at home versus Bosnia in a match that the Bosnians deserved to win (3 hits on the post), the Balkan team collapsed at home due to player suspensions and saw their chances of advancing come to an end on a sad night in Zenica. Portugal won without CR9 by the minimal score away from home.
Welcome back, Greece, Slovenia, Uruguay, Algeria. Greece, the unlikely Euro chanps in 2004, enter their second World Cup since their debut in 1994. This a stronger Greek team full of defensive potential. They are the new Italy of defensive football. Out is Shevchenko's Ukraine, which failed to win in Donetsk. Slovenia also managed to knock off another former Soviet republic--Russia. Guus Hiddink failed to qualify a young and promising Russian team that had raised a few eyebrows during the last three years.
Uruguay are back thanks to a playoff versus relatively weak Costa Rica. The team is loaded with attacking talent in Bueno and Forlan. Then there is Algeria, appearing in its first World Cup since 1986. They are a country rich in soccer history (Zidane's family is from Algeria). They battled against Egypt on neutral soil in Sudan after tying in every statistic in their respective African group. The match was a gut-wrenching 90+ minutes full of joy and sorrow. I caught the Egyptian-based signal and it was sad to hear the tones of voice emanating from the announcers even though I couldn't understand a word they said.
The next phase is Friday, December 4th in Cape Town (ESPN2 at noon), where the draw will take place that will decide the groups for the initial stage in next summer's tournament. Who will be in the "group of death"? Who will have an easy "group of life"? What group will the USA land in? It will be a fun couple of hours .
La main de Dieu. La mano de Dios. The hand of God. Not Maradona. Thierry Henry. Easily one of my favorite players, but even they can fall from grace. And so he did. Kind of. At least in Ireland and most places that don't fancy the French and/or their national team. He handled it, no doubt. He probably thought he would get called on it, yes. In the end it wasn't really his fault. It wasn't the referees'. It was the game.
For some time now, maybe 40 years, there have been calls for video playback to be included in the officiating of matches. FIFA was slow to act and simply never did it. It would be useful for handballs, dives, goal-line decisions and other important calls that might change the result of a game. True, it might hamper the flow of the game. True, it might lengthen the game. But how long are we going to watch travesties such as today's to continue when we have the technology to circumvent this problem?
I propose this: With NFL rules as a start, why not allow two "challenges" to each team that can be reviewed by the officiating crew? This way it will only be a limited amount of calls, adding potentially another 4 minutes to each game.
But now it's just the result that matters. France are back in the World Cup, and with it the millions of dollars in sponsorship deals and media contract. Out is Ireland. A country proud of its sport, whose warriors on the field were handed an unfair result. But that's football.
