Except the numbers that include actual scores you mean? I suspect the FIFA ratings probably are a better way to rank teams than the transfermarkt values.
But, Ivory Coast still has better players at basically every position. All of Ivory Coasts players will walk straight into Mexico's starting lineup. The game is played on the field and Mexico makes up for its deficiencies with hard work and determination but, with all that put together Mexico's potential will always be AT MOST the round of 16 and it will take special circumstances to go past there. If Ivory Coast gets their problems sorted out their potential in the Quarter Final with the talent they have but, they are still not at the Germany/Spain level.
Not really but, on the FIFA ranking Ivory Coast is ranked higher All I am saying is that the team with better players will likely win but, other factors can make an average team(Mexico) punch above its weight.
My only point was that now that the cultural stigma about soccer has died in this country, more kids who are good at will continue to play it, and focus on it, instead of playing a sport they're less suited to excel in. In my experience, in the 90s it was not cool for a guy to play soccer past the age of 14. By the time I was in high school in the early 00s, that was rapidly starting to change, especially after our amazing run in 2002.
Wow, has this changed or is it different in other states, when I was in HS tackle football and football soccer were both on the fall, so you really could not play both.
In Wisconsin (where I grew up) and in NJ (where I live now) it is as you describe for HS level. Both are fall sports. Club teams of course play year round. My kid, who is 17, pretty much plays 11 months a year. Maybe more.
Always, at most, special circumstances. You are quite myopic. In the 70's one could have said the same thing about Mexico never getting out of the first round. As recently as 1998, one could have said the same thing about Spain never getting past the QFs. Now they are the best team in the world. Mexico, using I would guess 80+% domestic players, has made the second round of the last 5 WCs. They have just recently started sending more of their top players to Europe and have begun investing heavily in their youth programs, which is already paying dividends. Also they take every opportunity they can to play against better competition, like Copa America. It is silly to think that Mexico, or any other non-elite team with population and resources, has plateaued.
That's fine. Saying that kids play sports that aren't soccer strictly because they want to be cool is ridiculous.
anyone of us going to go to sweden board and post how US papers think Sweden is shit as was their Euro campaign?
I reserve the right to believe that at their current pace they will not get past the R16 in 2014 and may even go out in the group. For goodness sake, the choked against us in the world cup. Time to stop making excuses for them. They are not that good. When it matters most at the biggest stage they will always choke.
I fail to see how what a different Mexico team did 10 years has any bearing on their current and future squad. They've beaten Brazil at both a Confederations Cup and a Copa America, something we've never done. They've beaten France, Croatia and Iran at World Cups and won their group a few times. They went wire to wire with an Argentina team thought to be among the best back in 06, losing in overtime. Lost on pens to a very good Bulgaria in 94. I think they are actually quite underrated on the world stage, as is their domestic league. I love that we beat them at our only world cup meeting but if they choke on the big stage, that moniker would seem to fit us as well.
IN 2002 we did well. In 2006 we had a harder group. In 2010 we topped our group. Even in the recent Gold cup we should have beat them despite playing poorly all tournament. They are an average side with a good work ethic but, lack the international class to call them a world cup quarter-finalist or even to top team. Going into 2014 they can beat anyone but, can also be beat by anyone.
People used to say that about Spain. Things can change. As for choking, they are now bringing up players who have done very well in youth tournaments and have a winning mentality. Look at the last Gold Cup. How many thought Mexico had the mental fortitude to come back from 2 goals down to the US? I certainly did not and they surprised me. I think they are beginning to turn a corner.
When you compare them to Spain that is when I start to laugh. Come on. They are more comparable to Croatia and teams of that class at best. With regard to the goal cup game I blame lack of foresight.
Dude, learn to comprehend. I am not comparing them to Spain. I am pointing at that teams in the past (eg Spain) that seemed to have an inherent limit (WQ QFs) and a rep for choking, do not always stay at that level. Spain has improved immensely in the past 10 years. Mexico MAY also improve to some extent in the near future. And somebody, I think you, mentioned Mexico punching above their weight. If they are ALWAYS in the top 16 at the WC, I think we can conclude THAT is their weight.
Yes, the top 16 is their weight but, they are barely a top 16 side and usually sneak in. We on the other hand are between 24 and 8... I think we will win it before them but, we could also be irrelevant.
Well, I was definitely a kid in school during a transitional period for soccer's reputation in the United States. I can tell you that the (now dead) stigma did divert some wonderful athletes, including some of my friends. But that has changed. I can remember after WC2002 that at couple of football guys (who played soccer formerly) switched back to the sport they grew up playing for the next school year. I'm not saying "coolness" determines every child's decision, or even most, but it does impact some. Even if the fact that soccer is no longer negatively regarded tips the balance for just two athletes in every high school in America, that's an extra 40,000 kids playing soccer every year. If a generation lasts ten years, that's an extra 400,000 athletes to draw from each generation. That kind of thing will make (already makes) a difference. We already have players playing with unprecedented (for Americans) technical ability and flair. We still lag behind the best in the world, but compared to the types of players we fielded in the 90s we look like Brazil. We've become so much more dangerous from the run of play.
I find your use of "barely" and "sneak in" to be too focused on one achievement for one team. About half the teams in any WC R16 barely get out of the first round. Just 1 goal difference in 1 of 3 games often makes the difference. What about the times where Mexico BARELY missed the QFs in 94 (penalties to Bulagaria), in 98 (played even with Germany only to lose by 1 goal, like us in 02), and in 06 (played even with Argentina only to lose to a wonder strike in overtime)? One could also say Bulgaria, Germany and Argentina barely got past Mexico. I am not necessarily disagreeing with your conclusion, just saying that "barely" and "sneak in" can apply to many accomplishments and "just misses" in soccer. Spain barely won the WC, Holland barely missed winning the WC. A team can barely make it our of the first round and also barely miss the QFs. They are not exclusive. We may win it before them. In 2014 I would not be surprised to see either the US or Mexico finish anywhere between 3 and out and the QFs depending on the draw and luck.
I really do not understand the posts A) gloating about how we are superior to Sweden (we're not) and B) saying that we will be capable of winning the World Cup in 10 short years. I just do not see it. Unless the top 10 teams in the world suddenly get much worse, we will be lucky to be a solid top 20 team in a decade. MLS is improving and has improved, but it is still small potatoes compared to most leagues outside of CONCACAF. I would wager that Japan wins a world cup before we do. Their development of players has been much more rapid over a similar timeframe.
True, but they will get there. Their situation at pretty much every position is much better than ours, the only thing we may edge them in is the aforementioned striking and perhaps (1) centerback. It is amazing how well they have broken into Europe at the highest levels. Oh, and of course we have a better GK. Forgot to mention that.