2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil

Discussion in 'The Beautiful Game' started by Lucas..., May 17, 2014.

  1. Lucas...

    Lucas... Member+

    Dec 18, 2012
    #1 Lucas..., May 17, 2014
    Last edited: May 17, 2014
    I know there are 'FIFA and Tournaments' forum, but I think the tournament will be fully discussed here and it would be nice have a specific thread.

    This thread will be open to discuss on the players, squads, friendlies, predictions, bookmarks, History and certainly all the 64 matches of the 2014 World Cup.

    I like to read your opinions about everything surrounding the World Cup. Hopefully there is valuable discussions here.

    [​IMG]
     
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  2. Lucas...

    Lucas... Member+

    Dec 18, 2012
    23-name list defined: Honduras, Brazil, South Korea, Mexico, Japan, England, Switzerland, France.

    Preliminary: Bosnia and Herzegovina (30 names), Iran (28 names), Nigeria (30 names), Germany (27 names), Russia (24 names), Algeria (30 names), Ghana (26 names), Cameroon (28 names), Ecuador (30 names), Costa Rica (26 nomes), United States (30 names), Uruguay (25 names), Spain (30 names), Côte d'Ivoire (28 names), Belgium (24 names), Chile (27 names), Portugal (30 names), Italy (30 names), Colombia (30 names), Netherlands (30 names), Argentina (30 names), Australia (30 names), Croatia (30 names), Greece (30 names).

    The final list of 23 players per national team will be submitted to FIFA by 2 June 2014

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FIFA_World_Cup_squads
     
  3. comme

    comme Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 21, 2003
    Lucas... repped this.
  4. comme

    comme Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 21, 2003
    Odds for the tournament:

    Brazil 3/1
    Argentina 9/2
    Germany 5/1
    Spain 6/1
    Belgium 16/1
    France 20/1
    Italy 22/1
    Portugal 22/1
    Colombia 22/1
    Holland 28/1
    Uruguay 28/1
    England 33/1
    Chile 33/1
    Russia 80/1

    All from Ladbrokes (there are better prices out there for some teams).
     
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  5. comme

    comme Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 21, 2003
    Top scorer odds:

    Messi 8/1
    Neymar 10/1
    Cristiano Ronaldo 14/1
    Suarez 14/1
    Aguero 16/1
    Higuain 20/1
    Fred 20/1
    Diego Costa 20/1
    Van Persie 25/1
    Falcao 25/1
    Lukaku 28/1
    Torres 33/1
    Balotelli 33/1
    Muller 33/1
    Benzema 33/1
    Rooney 40/1
    Klose 40/1
     
  6. PuckVanHeel

    PuckVanHeel Member+

    Oct 4, 2011
    Club:
    Feyenoord
    I hope that everyone with a ludicrously easy draw will fail to attain success.

    Just to give FIFA some headaches.

    Apart from own NT, I rout for Belgium (which is for 25% my own), Italy, France, Portugal, Chile.
     
  7. comme

    comme Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 21, 2003
    So obvious starting questions:

    Who are going to end up winning it and why?

    Who is going to finish topscorer?
     
  8. comme

    comme Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 21, 2003
    Thinking of? France? Belgium? Colombia?
     
  9. PuckVanHeel

    PuckVanHeel Member+

    Oct 4, 2011
    Club:
    Feyenoord
    Spain will not repeat their previous triumphs.

    Brazil will go very far.

    Argentina will go very far too, thanks to their draw, location (home base) and attack, but chances are big they'll bow out when they face a 'real' opponent. With a bit of luck they will face their first good opponent in the final.

    My wish is that Italy or France (I feel one of those two can surprise, the squads are quite balanced anyway) can make Joachim Low sad.

    Belgium will be eliminated against the first tactically astute and prepared team.

    Netherlands will not survive the first group stage.

    Colombia, until recently enormously hyped by the machineries, will become a laughing stock.

    In my opinion, there is no way that Suarez or C. Ronaldo become topscorer. Messi scoring 8 goals in the group stage is something that can happen.
    Neymar taking a head-start in the first four games is possible as well.
     
  10. PuckVanHeel

    PuckVanHeel Member+

    Oct 4, 2011
    Club:
    Feyenoord
    #11 PuckVanHeel, May 19, 2014
    Last edited: May 19, 2014
    FourFourTwo has a list of 50 greatest World Cup games. Very debatable ofc, and invariably the hugely overrated (in terms of 'errors' and objective quality of the game) Italy-Brazil 1970 game will end up very high, but these are the first 25:

    50. Germany - Austria 1982
    49. Senegal - Uruguay 2002
    48. East Germany - West Germany 1974
    47. USSR - Colombia 1962
    46. England - USA 1950
    45. England - Belgium 1954
    44. USSR - Belgium 1986
    43. Slovakia - Italy 2010
    42. Bulgaria - Germany 1994
    41. USA - Iran 1998
    40. North Korea - Italy 1966
    39. USA - Colombia 1994
    38. Hungary - Brazil 1966
    37. Chile - Italy 1962
    36. Scotland - Holland [sic] 1978
    35. Holland [sic] - Brazil 1994
    34. Croatia - Australia 2006
    33. France - West Germany 1958
    32. Brazil - Denmark 1998
    31. Brazil - Poland 1938
    30. Argentina - Cameroon 1990
    29. Brazil - France 1986
    28. South Korea - Italy 2002
    27. Germany - Italy 2006
    26. West Germany - England 1990

    They complete the top 50 on the next month.

    Was revealing that they don't put Germany vs England from 1990 somewhere in the top 10.
     
  11. comme

    comme Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 21, 2003
    It's a fairly bizarre list (I have the magazine as well), with lots of strange criteria. Hence the inclusion of USA-Iran ahead of numerous much more significant, exciting and enjoyable alternatives.
     
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  12. PuckVanHeel

    PuckVanHeel Member+

    Oct 4, 2011
    Club:
    Feyenoord
    Are you subscribed to all major football magazines??
     
  13. comme

    comme Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 21, 2003
    Well, World Soccer and the Blizzard for subscriptions, but I get most issues of FourFourTwo and Champions. Not that I have time to read them all.
     
  14. Lucas...

    Lucas... Member+

    Dec 18, 2012
    I bet just the obvious.

    There will be no team winning for the first time.

    Two Europeans teams in semifinal. I think Germany is one of the favorite and the other team... I think it may be Italy or France (same opinion of Puck). France is a mystery, I see many betting on a bad campaign and few believe they can go far. Funny to see how Belgium is well appreciated in the odds. And it is impressive how they have so many talented players.

    Four South Americans in Round 16 and three in the quarter-finals. Argentina has many chances. I think it's a certain team in the semis. But Brazil has a very difficult path. The Scolari's team is best under specific conditions, such as scoring the first goal and keep the result, but I have not seen Brazil at a disadvantage against big teams and need to reverse the situation. The team looked uncomfortable against Uruguay in the Confederations Cup semifinal. I like Colombia and think they can do a good tournament even without Falcao Garcia.

    A great player who made a great season will disappoint in the World Cup. My bets are Cristiano Ronaldo and Diego Costa (who may not play the World Cup because of injury). I think both are very intense in the season and and may suffer physical problems in Brazil.

    Messi will play his best World Cup. I do not believe he will be the top scorer, but I think he will be the Golden Ball and assists leader.
     
  15. Lucas...

    Lucas... Member+

    Dec 18, 2012
    ESPN Films: 30 for 30 Soccer Stories

    Maradona 86


    Barbosa: The Man Who Made Brazil Cry


    Mysteries of the Jules Rimet Trophy


    The Myth of Garrincha


    The Opposition - Politics changed the outcome of a World Cup qualifier between the Soviet Union and Chile in 1973.


    Ceasefire Massacre - In 1994, as Ireland played in a World Cup match in New Jersey, terrorists attacked fans at a tiny bar in Ireland.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izUeAIlHzME
     
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  16. Teso Dos Bichos

    Teso Dos Bichos Red Card

    Sep 2, 2004
    Purged by RvN
    With Diego Costa you also have the issue of fitting him into the Spanish side. He will have had barely any game time to be integrated into the team and his current injury could hinder any preparations they had planned pre-WC. Spain could also easily revert back to a false nine which leaves him sitting on the bench and if they wanted to make an impact substitution he would be competing with the experience of Villa and the aerial threat of Llorente. He could conceivably barely feature even if fit.
     
  17. Lucas...

    Lucas... Member+

    Dec 18, 2012
    Another from FourFourTwo...

    Top 10: Most Memorable World Cup Goals

    1. Michael Owen - England x Argentina, 1998
    2. Carlos Alberto Torres - Brazil x Italy, 1970
    3. Gerry Armstrong - Northern Ireland x Spain, 1982
    4. Dennis Bergkamp - Netherlands x Argentina, 1998
    5. Archie Gemmil - Scotland x Netherlands, 1978
    6. Geoff Hurst - England x West Germany, 1966
    7. Gerd Muller - West Germany x Holland, 1974
    8. Ray Houghton- Republic of Ireland x Italy, 1994
    9 and 10. Diego Maradona - Argentina x England, 1986

    http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/top-10-most-memorable-world-cup-goals

    Pelé?

    Bergkamp's goal is my favorite. I love the goal of Junior against Argentina in 1982 and Nelinho against Italy in 1978.
     
  18. Lucas...

    Lucas... Member+

    Dec 18, 2012
    Are factors to consider. But it also shows how he can be essential and ahead of Villa, Negredo, Torres and Llorente. Even being Brazilian, without identification with Spain and playing a few minutes, he is highly considered to be the main striker.
     
  19. JamesBH11

    JamesBH11 Member+

    Sep 17, 2004
    IMO, By the book (betting) and by their reputation (with assuming their team to go deep QF min)

    1- Messi (ARG)
    2- CR7 (POR. he could be #1 but Portugal have slim chance to pass SF - by the book)
    3- Suarez (URU - similar to CR7)
    4- Fred (Bra - Fred will have to share with Neymar and co in goals so less chances)
    5- any "surprised name" (a la Schilliaci 90, Salenko 94, Klose 06 or Forlan 10)
     
  20. JamesBH11

    JamesBH11 Member+

    Sep 17, 2004
    Pele goal vs Sweden (WC winner goals) as 17yrs old with a new trick to show the world (side step dribbling) will always be in TOP10. Much better then Owen (another youngster of 18yrs old) but his goal was in 2nd group 16 - easier

    Berkamp's goal in 98 was also memorable with great control and beautiful (but it was NOT at WC final)
     
  21. Jaweirdo

    Jaweirdo Member+

    Aug 19, 2011
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Quite a biased list.

    @PuckVanHeel can you link me to a site that shows the paths of each team. For example Winner of Group A plays second place team of Group B and so on. ?
     
  22. Lucas...

    Lucas... Member+

    Dec 18, 2012
  23. Jaweirdo

    Jaweirdo Member+

    Aug 19, 2011
    Club:
    Arsenal FC

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