National Team of CUBA [R]

[MIGkiller]

I don't understand why an olympic powerhouse in almost every sport like Cuba doesnt form a decent team to compete in the WCQs? Isn't it part of the communist propaganda to spread the socialism through sports also? They missed the oportunity to do it in the top stage of world football.

[Horizon]

Originally posted by MIGkiller
I don't understand why an olympic powerhouse in almost every sport like Cuba doesnt form a decent team to compete in the WCQs? Isn't it part of the communist propaganda to spread the socialism through sports also? They missed the oportunity to do it in the top stage of world football.


Cuba is a baseball country. They don't play futbol.

[IASocFan]

Fidel ama beisbol. Bastante!

[MIGkiller]

Originally posted by Horizon
Cuba is a baseball country. They don't play futbol.

But they also have a successful history in other collective sports like volleyball and basketball. At least Olympics speaking.

[denver_mugwamp]

No, really, they don't have even the most basic equipment, like soccer balls. I've traveled in Cuba and watched the kids play baseball with sticks and bottlecaps. Some people in our group brought in used baseballs and gloves from thrift stores and it was a huge hit. A soccer ball in a Cuban town would kicked into oblivion within a few months at most. They could change. All they'd have to do is have Castro issue some edict that soccer is important, pony up for some balls and build some rude fields, and I guarantee you that they'd be the class of the Caribbean in a few years. But unfortunately Castro was raised on baseball, had asperations to play in the US major leagues, and now that's the national (only) sport.

[Horizon]

Cuba has a national team, and have participated
in the Gold Cup with poor results. I guess that
for a country to be good at soccer, people need
to be interested in the sport, which they are not.

I am sure that kids play baseball, basketball and volleyball in school and in the streets. Being
baseball their national sport. Soccer is just not
part of their traditions.

Maybe that is changing. Baseball countries like
Panama, USA and Japan are slowly building a
soccer tradition. I am sure Nicaragua, Puerto
Rico, Cuba and the Dominican Republic will someday
embrace soccer. Heck, Puerto Rico had FSWE
before Miami did.

[DaMunk]

Originally posted by MIGkiller
I don't understand why an olympic powerhouse in almost every sport like Cuba doesnt form a decent team to compete in the WCQs? Isn't it part of the communist propaganda to spread the socialism through sports also? They missed the oportunity to do it in the top stage of world football.

Cuba went to the Futsal World Cup in 2000 and as someone else posted they were in the Gold Cup through the Caribbean zone qualifiers. Also, within the last year, FIFA's Goal Program built (is building?)a new training center.

Alas, baseball is the dominant sport in Cuba, DR and PR. I was recently in the Virgin ISlands and soccer is a distant third in preference behind baseball and basketball with pointyball in a close fourth. Almost made me sick...until I realized it was Christmas Eve, 82 degrees and I was on a beach. I got over it :)

Give it a while, I think Caribbean football is onthe rise, especially since the new WCQ gives everyone a chance.

[Rafael Hernandez]

Originally posted by DaMunk
Alas, baseball is the dominant sport in Cuba, DR and PR.

Actually Basketball is more popular here in PR although its stupid since they are a bunch of players in the Major League and historic players and in Basketball all the PR players that have been in the NBA have been pathethic.

[Postmaster]

Originally posted by MIGkiller
I don't understand why ... Cuba doesnt form a decent team ...
Originally posted by Horizon
Cuba has ... participated in the Gold Cup with poor results.

2002 Gold Cup
USA 1-0 Cuba
Korea 0-0 Cuba

I suppose you can call 2 losses "poor results," but it appears that these games were pretty close. As I recall USA/Korea did pretty well a few months later in the World Cup.

2003 Record (per http://www.eloratings.net/Cuba.htm)
4W - 0L - 1D including:
Cuba 3-1 Trinidad & Tobago
Cuba 1-0 Jamaica

For what they are worth, ELO has them @64 and FIFA noted them as a big mover this month @55 (tied with Guatemala for 7th in CONCACAF), 19 above Canada, and 27 above El Salvador.

Perhaps CONCACAF should watch out for Cuba in the next round of WC qualifiers.

[costarica]

repression leads to aggression....

They've been repressed for so long that they prefer more agressive sports, like baseball where you beat a ball with a bat, and boxing, where you beat a fellow human with your hands. :P

[efernandez9]

Originally posted by costarica
repression leads to aggression....

They've been repressed for so long that they prefer more agressive sports, like baseball where you beat a ball with a bat, and boxing, where you beat a fellow human with your hands. :P


tico what about dominos?

[condor11]

easy

because they have a peruvian coach

[Postmaster]

http://www.fifa.com/en/display/article,69063.html

"In Cuba, the land of magical Caribbean music, football has traditionally played second fiddle to the national sport of baseball. Until now that is - because the beautiful game is finally making inroads on the island, and the Cuban national team is making massive strides up the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking.
...
Cuba suddenly find themselves ranked 7th in the CONCACAF region, ahead of Guatemala (world ranking: 55th) and Canada (74th), and breathing down the necks of Trinidad and Tobago (51st) and Jamaica (50th). The islanders have undoubtedly benefited from the arrival of their highly experienced coach, who has enjoyed stints as Peruvian and Honduras national team manager as well as at club sides Deportivo Cali (Colombia) and Vera Cruz (Mexico)."

[Titan 7]

FYI

Cuba participated in WC in France 1938, they tied Romania 3:3 a.e.t. in the 1st game and won the second game 2:1, lost 8:0 against Sweaden in the 2nd round.

[worldsoccer-Jeff]

Originally posted by efernandez9
tico what about dominos?

Havent you seen then pound the crap our of the table after they win a game?

[champmanager]

Originally posted by MIGkiller
I don't understand why an olympic powerhouse in almost every sport like Cuba doesnt form a decent team to compete in the WCQs?

Its a lot easier to spend some money and energy to build a program in an olympic sport like volleyball than it is to develop a viable soccer program. In a sport like fencing (which Cuba's won medals in), they can import some coaches, find some talented kids (preferably left-handed ones), and within ten years have a world class team. That can't happen in soccer. Several years ago one of their best players was playing overseas -- in a Canadian indoor league.

[beineke]

Originally posted by Postmaster
2002 Gold Cup
USA 1-0 Cuba
Korea 0-0 Cuba

I suppose you can call 2 losses "poor results," but it appears that these games were pretty close. As I recall USA/Korea did pretty well a few months later in the World Cup.


... and the US goal was a soft penalty kick. After fielding a pathetic team in 1998, Cuba really stepped up in 2002. Then their two best players defected.

[Dave Marino-Nachison]

Originally posted by beineke
... and the US goal was a soft penalty kick. After fielding a pathetic team in 1998, Cuba really stepped up in 2002. Then their two best players defected.

I thought that '98 team showed a bit of promise. Didn't they farm out their entire team to a German lower-division club at some point? Whatever happened with that?

[BorrachoNJ]

and with maradona getting help for his crack habits, he amped up the football scene out there.
fidel's a huge fan of fat ass
they even watched last year's copa libertadores at fidel's house, both stogying up...

[DoyleG]

Originally posted by champmanager
Several years ago one of their best players was playing overseas -- in a Canadian indoor league.

Eduardo Sebrango who plays outdoor with the Montreal Impact. Played with Rochester and Vancouver as well.

He was forced off the Cuban team because he married a Canadian citizen and moved. Because his dismissal from the team was political, he tried to switch his alligance to Canada (Which is allowed by FIFA in such cases). It was stopped largely by the out-of-touch immigration department.