2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil

Good remark.

There's a (introductory) book around about just that, called 'soccernomics'. Which also includes a chapter about overall sports performances, outside football.
GDP per capita is important, but total GDP as well. At a certain point you see 'economies of scale' emerging, also in sports (China is also lowish on GDP per capita, but strong in sports and strong in total GDP). GDP per capita becomes less all-determining when the scales are large and outside investments high.
Ironically, that soccernomics book argues/concludes that England has overperformed rather than underperformed.

The book 'The Beautiful Team' has a brief chapter summarizing the dominant ideas about why Brazil is so successful (in the chapter featuring Carlos Alberto Torres) in football:
- The climate
- The (relative) poverty among large sections of the population
- The ethnic mix [think about how countries like France, Netherlands, Germany have benefited from integrating minorities, long after Brazil did]
- The unmatched passion for football; to an extent no other sport really counts [look at Brazil at the Olympics for example]. This is Carlos Alberto Torres his secondary answer ("In Europe you have many other sports [...]").
- The size and scale of the country; in everything (this is actually Carlos Alberto Torres his personal primary answer).

 

Exactly. So many people don't understand this point. An earlier foul is no reason to ''make things right'' later on. Similarly, Suarez shouldn't get a long ban only because ''he did it before.'' It's simple logic. Treat each case separately.

 

I think neither team impressed in the last game between Brazil and Holland though maybe the Dutch were a little worse, didn't help they lost De Jong too.

Marquez made enough contact for the clear foul, Marquez himself knew and there wasn't much of a protest even from Goalkeeper Ochoa who knew it as well. No controversy here really.

 

mmm what would I say ?
I really doubt them wining before the wC started.
BUT after 3,4 games watching all teams ,,, yeah Brazil and other teams *germany, France Argentina and Netherland could all share the same probability to win!!!

 

The way Mexico let it go reminded me of how Argentina let it go in 2006... Was the better team until they scored. Little after that they took shelter in the back and let Holland try again and again until they got it.
It looked to me like the sanctioned PK was not such, but the ref had not called one that imo was in the first half against Robben (the only time Holland brought any danger to the Mexican box the first 45', I think), so it compensates. Huntelaar took it perfectly: sharp and strong, but perfectly placed too. Reminded me of Brehme's in the 1990 final.

 

That's easy;

England has a record and history with penalties (also when starting first, like in 1990). Chile hasn't. If Chile builds a history with failing to bury games and subsequently wasting the shoot-out, same happens.

 

King of tackles and marking said: Football is not for balerinas ... especially a DIVER like Robben!

The REF was like WAITING for this moment LOL
and ... Marquez was just unlucky victim to get caught in such moment!

 

Tell Neymar and Rivaldo that

 

at least you sounded reasonable!

 

Neymar did dive one a while too = but not among the SERIAL DIVERS liek Robben, Suarez, Rooney Bale ... list

Rivaldo never dived... (his antic vs Turkey was different act, not diving to get PK)

 

I guess some of our dutch friends piss on their pants
Mexico has a great game and lost in the final 5 minutes. Awful sub x Gio dos Santos, moreover being a defensive man which come in. Since then, oranges put mexicans in their own area.
Before that substitution, Mexico nullified the dutch passers, getting van Persie and Robben isolated upfront. Much more because they had one CB marking each one and Marquez making the covers as last defender.
Also an interesting tactic when Robben takes the ball, two or three men cover the ride to mexican área (left foot) but give free road for the right flank (his weaker foot), and worked well, until the PK that Robben won at last minute.

 

I don't think it was simply Mexico substitution that changed the match. Holland were very slow until after they conceded, I think they were playing very much to the conditions and left a lot of energy for the end of the match

 

Haha agree ...
I am not a fan of Mexico at all, but I agree they played a great game of their life .... they were better in first 65mins of the game! Netherland only came back in last 30mins when most Mexicans were getting tire!

 

SPORTSMore: Soccer World Cup Mexico
Dutch Player Flops In The 94th Minute, Draws Game-Winning Penalty To Eliminate Mexico

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/arjen-robben-dives-2014-6#ixzz363mftGzn


Look at his "pathetic" and dramatic diving!
I think this is the only "skill" that Neymar could have learned from Robben !

Neymar dived badly .. I have to admit LOL

 

That's what happens when you play central defenders who belong in a retirement home. Marquez lazily and stupidly hung his leg out. Robben took full advantage.

 

Didn't you ever watch Rivaldo in his Barca days?? He made it an art form.

 

I'm getting a wield feeling bout this Greek team...taking it to the Ticos, there might be a surprise.

 

Robben's comments after the match.

"Wenn man das Spiel drehen will, muss manchmal zum richtigen Zeitpunkt gut fallen"

 

I was looking this @ the Belgian TV (because I can't withstand certain Dutch commentators) and they said at half-time Mexico showed more movement and energy without the ball. Both at offence and defense there was more off-the-ball movement.
They said: maybe Mexicans can deal better with the heat (as expected), or Netherlands saves energy. Or a bit of both. Stats at least show higher intensity by Mexico.

The substitution of Dos Santos looks bad, but I saw no one mentioning so far that Netherlands switched to 4-3-3. Mexican manager felt the need to respond. Remember: before the substitution Daley Blind was the free man in Dutch midfield. It already looked a little bit better for the Dutch between 45-55th minute. It was a wonderful strike by Dos Santos.
It did not work however, because Mexicans played with 5 defender vs 3 attackers but became outcrowded in midfield. Who knows what had happened with Dos Santos playing the remainder? Maybe had created more danger, but maybe the Dutch had owned the midfield even more. Who knows.

Then the penalty: I do not feel pride. In my opinion it was no penalty. The incident at the first half was a double penalty though, as Gary Lineker said.
However, there was contact and it is consistent with earlier incidents in this tournament (Samaras, Gotze etc.). There have been half a dozen penalties given in this tourney for similar contact, let's be honest about that. And still, it is not always given. It was 'lucky' (because not always awarded) but there have been six, seven penalties awarded that way in this tournament.
Where were all those people when those penalties occurred?

I have some more thoughts but wanted to say this.

PS: Van Hanegem (at Dutch TV) and Jan Mulder (at Belgian TV) had high praise for Dirk Kuijt.

 

You got a BIG REP for two remarks:
- yes the late 4 3 3 (due to different players sub) suited well to revive Netherland's flair

- Penalty kick: I would say it's a 50-50 call . Marquez did (slighly ) stepped on Robben's toe (no intention) and Robben DIVED artistically.

My 2 cents:
1- In a normal game the ref could go either way - fine by me.

2- In such a KO game at LAST MINUTE at WC level - the ref must be extra-careful!
a PK call was like a GIFTED TICKET to a team (like Greece carved it out in last minute DIVE from Samaras )- very very BAD for the game and moral for younger generation -

This will ONLY PRODUCE more of serial DIVERS

 

Yeah, deep respect for Kuyt, Huntelaar. I'm happy with the result, but not the ''how''. Robben was just looking for it, and the manner in which he does it is painful. Many people complain when Latin players dive or cheat, but when it's a Northern European doing the deed it's often ignored by USA/British/Dutch people. That is shameful.

Was feeling that we'd score a late equaliser anyway. Mexico couldn't keep up after 70 minutes. On the whole we weren't good at all, but even with extra 30 minutes we would have won.

 

very nice comment and with honest

I believed so too,,, that Mexico did better earlier, but they ran out of juice, and Netherland would have eventually won in "extra time" anyway ...

 

and the SURVEY said .... (espnfc.com)

Should Arjen Robben have had a penalty?

• 36% **** Yes - Rafael Marquez tripped him
• 48% ******* No - it was a soft one
• 16% ** One? He should have had three