Worst World Cup performance for a national team from 1986-2006?

[wufc]

Just curious what opinions you guys have. It doesn't necessarily have to be the 0 pointers, maybe a team had absolutely no talent but got a few points in or something. I decided to just go ahead and put the 0 pointers.

1986
Iraq 1-4 (0-1 Paraguay, 1-2 Belgium, 0-1 Mexico)
Canada 0-5 (0-1 France, 0-2 Hungary, 0-2 USSR)
1990
United States 2-8 (1-5 Czechoslovakia, 0-1 Italy, 1-2 Austria)
Sweden 3-6 (1-2 Brazil, 1-2 Scotland, 1-2 Costa Rica)
United Arab Emirates 2-11 (0-2 Colombia, 1-5 West Germany, 1-4 Yugoslavia)
Korea Republic 1-6 (0-2 Belgium, 1-3 Spain, 0-1 Uruguay)
1994
Greece 0-10 (0-4 Argentina, 0-4 Bulgaria, 0-2 Nigeria)
Morocco 2-5 (0-1 Belgium, 1-2 Saudi Arabia, 1-2 Netherlands)
1998
United States 1-5 (0-2 Germany, 1-2 Iran, 0-1 Yugoslavia)
Japan 1-4 (0-1 Argentina, 0-1 Croatia, 1-2 Jamaica)
2002
Slovenia 2-7 (1-3 Spain, 0-1 South Africa, 1-3 Paraguay)
China People's Republic 0-9 (0-2 Costa Rica, 0-4 Brazil, 0-3 Turkey)
Saudi Arabia 0-12 (0-8 Germany, 0-1 Cameroon, 0-3 Republic of Ireland)
2006
Costa Rica 3-9 (2-4 Germany, 0-3 Ecuador, 1-2 Poland)
Serbia and Montenegro 2-10 (0-1 Netherlands, 0-6 Argentina, 2-3 Ivory Coast)
Togo 1-6 (1-2 Korea Republic, 0-2 Switzerland, 0-2 France)

[nutbar]

For an European team, Greece were pretty pathetic in 1994. They only qualified because Yugoslavia were expelled from their qualifying group and just before they left for the states, they lost 5-0 to England.

[deejay]

For an European team, Greece were pretty pathetic in 1994. They only qualified because Yugoslavia were expelled from their qualifying group and just before they left for the states, they lost 5-0 to England.

Mitigated by the fact that they played very high quality sides: Maradona's Argentina, Stoichkov's Bulgaria and a talented Nigeria side.

Slovenia and Saudia Arabia 2002, otoh, lost to not very high quality sides.

[dor02]

Greece in 1994 were pathetic. They didn't score and they copped 10. Not only that, before the game against Argentina, the team went clubbing. Honestly, those Greeks think they're better than two Maradonas put together. It didn't matter if they played quality sides or not, they got too cocky or they just didn't have a clue.

USA in 1990 were dismal. Most of the players played for college teams. Sweden on the other hand, actually had a good team. Most of their players received injuries during the WC. The time Sweden had their best side was against Brazil, which they lost 2-1 but Brazil is obviously tough to beat. Against Scotland and Costa Rica, the Swedes had players out and in the last game, Sweden did lack pace but Olle Nordin's tactics were questionable.

[argentine soccer fan]

1986
Iraq 1-4 (0-1 Paraguay, 1-2 Belgium, 0-1 Mexico)
Canada 0-5 (0-1 France, 0-2 Hungary, 0-2 USSR)
1990
United States 2-8 (1-5 Czechoslovakia, 0-1 Italy, 1-2 Austria)
Sweden 3-6 (1-2 Brazil, 1-2 Scotland, 1-2 Costa Rica)
United Arab Emirates 2-11 (0-2 Colombia, 1-5 West Germany, 1-4 Yugoslavia)
Korea Republic 1-6 (0-2 Belgium, 1-3 Spain, 0-1 Uruguay)
1994
Greece 0-10 (0-4 Argentina, 0-4 Bulgaria, 0-2 Nigeria)
Morocco 2-5 (0-1 Belgium, 1-2 Saudi Arabia, 1-2 Netherlands)
1998
United States 1-5 (0-2 Germany, 1-2 Iran, 0-1 Yugoslavia)
Japan 1-4 (0-1 Argentina, 0-1 Croatia, 1-2 Jamaica)
2002
Slovenia 2-7 (1-3 Spain, 0-1 South Africa, 1-3 Paraguay)
China People's Republic 0-9 (0-2 Costa Rica, 0-4 Brazil, 0-3 Turkey)
Saudi Arabia 0-12 (0-8 Germany, 0-1 Cameroon, 0-3 Republic of Ireland)
2006
Costa Rica 3-9 (2-4 Germany, 0-3 Ecuador, 1-2 Poland)
Serbia and Montenegro 2-10 (0-1 Netherlands, 0-6 Argentina, 2-3 Ivory Coast)
Togo 1-6 (1-2 Korea Republic, 0-2 Switzerland, 0-2 France)

I broke the 'zeros' down by conference:

Concacaf 4: Canada, USA (2), Costa Rica
CAF 2: Morocco, Togo
AFC 6: Iraq, UAE, S.Korea, Japan, China, Saudi Arabia,
UEFA 4: Sweden, Greece, Slovenia, Serbia & Montenegro
Conmebol 0

[Gold is the Colour]

Just curious what opinions you guys have. It doesn't necessarily have to be the 0 pointers, maybe a team had absolutely no talent but got a few points in or something. I decided to just go ahead and put the 0 pointers.

1986
Iraq 1-4 (0-1 Paraguay, 1-2 Belgium, 0-1 Mexico)
Canada 0-5 (0-1 France, 0-2 Hungary, 0-2 USSR)
1990
United States 2-8 (1-5 Czechoslovakia, 0-1 Italy, 1-2 Austria)
Sweden 3-6 (1-2 Brazil, 1-2 Scotland, 1-2 Costa Rica)
United Arab Emirates 2-11 (0-2 Colombia, 1-5 West Germany, 1-4 Yugoslavia)
Korea Republic 1-6 (0-2 Belgium, 1-3 Spain, 0-1 Uruguay)
1994
Greece 0-10 (0-4 Argentina, 0-4 Bulgaria, 0-2 Nigeria)
Morocco 2-5 (0-1 Belgium, 1-2 Saudi Arabia, 1-2 Netherlands)
1998
United States 1-5 (0-2 Germany, 1-2 Iran, 0-1 Yugoslavia)
Japan 1-4 (0-1 Argentina, 0-1 Croatia, 1-2 Jamaica)
2002
Slovenia 2-7 (1-3 Spain, 0-1 South Africa, 1-3 Paraguay)
China People's Republic 0-9 (0-2 Costa Rica, 0-4 Brazil, 0-3 Turkey)
Saudi Arabia 0-12 (0-8 Germany, 0-1 Cameroon, 0-3 Republic of Ireland)
2006
Costa Rica 3-9 (2-4 Germany, 0-3 Ecuador, 1-2 Poland)
Serbia and Montenegro 2-10 (0-1 Netherlands, 0-6 Argentina, 2-3 Ivory Coast)
Togo 1-6 (1-2 Korea Republic, 0-2 Switzerland, 0-2 France)


If you are looking for the "worst" performances, take out Iraq '86, Sweden '90, Morroco '94 and Japan '98, all these teams lost by a single goal in each game, and at leaset scored. USA '98 only just worse (with a 2-0 to Germany) and also scored.

Next up USA '90 and S&M only had one blow out each (other games within 1 goal) and scored at least once themselves. Korea '90, Slovenia '02, Costa Rica '06 and Togo '06 didn't lose by more than 2, and also scored. Canada were the same but didn't score a goal.

This leaves:

UAE '90 - 2-11 (0-2 Colombia, 1-5 West Germany, 1-4 Yugoslavia)
Greece '94 - 0-10 (0-4 Argentina, 0-4 Bulgaria, 0-2 Nigeria)
China '02 - 0-9 (0-2 Costa Rica, 0-4 Brazil, 0-3 Turkey)
Saudi Arabia '02 - 0-12 (0-8 Germany, 0-1 Cameroon, 0-3 Republic of Ireland)

Except maybe Costa Rica '02, all the teams they played were class.
UAE at least scored (twice) so I'll discount them.
China and Greece's records are similar, against similar teams, China slightly ahead.

So it comes down to Greece '94 v Saudi '02. This depends on whether the one bad performance (Saudi 0 - 8 Germany) outwieghs the more consistantly bad Greece (no game within 1 goal). I'll leave the rest of you to decide.

That's my opinion anyway:cool:

[Caesar]

For me, just by going from watching and not any kind of objective analysis, Greece '94 does it for me. They were beyond a joke, for the reasons dor02 mentioned. Saudi Arabia in 2002 are close behind, but they at least got their act together at times regardless of their embarrassing loss against Germany.

[spoonman]

How about Holland in '90? One of the most talented Dutch sides ever but failing to win a match.

[broomtree]

1990
United States 2-8 (1-5 Czechoslovakia, 0-1 Italy, 1-2 Austria)

Ahh Czechoslovakia, they had a stronger football team(and ice hockey) when they were together. It's not surprising that USA in the 90's lost 1-5 to a tough team.

[DoyleG]

Canada's case is odd given that the team could be described at best as semi-professional. It was mentioned that it was raining in St John's, Newfoundland in the days leading up to their crucial qualifier with Honduras. The visitors had to stay inside for training. All of this occuring after the demise of the NASL.

The French took nearly 80 minutes before they got their goal while the Hungarians took as long to get their 2nd goal.