I've been watching US Soccer since the 89 qualifiers. I watched stuff like the LA Lazers (indoor) when we didn't even have a professional soccer league. My international teams are: USA: Easily my favorite Uruguay: Love Forlan. Suarez and Calvani spice it up too. Germany: I've just always enjoyed their dominant, refined style. England: That's my roots, so I naturally root for them. They've had 3 or 4 teams that could've won it all since 90 and they had some real heart breaks. And I don't count the 2010 team as one of those teams really. They were dysfunctional and losing Beckham to injury was the back breaker. Ireland: Cos I enjoy watching Robbie Keene. Egypt: Cos Bob Bradley is the coach Any Nordic country: Cos Swedish, Finnish, Norwegian hotties at the World Cup is in everybody's best interest. Anti-Mexico: When they lose, I'm happy. Anti-Brazil: I think they're the luckiest team in the history of football and I root against those cocky bastaads. Anti-Middle East Squads: Generally speaking. My Clubs: LA Galaxy: As long as Donovan is on the squad. My Leagues: MLS Premier League
Pick some teams and root for them. It's more fun that way. Though, I can see the value of so-called impartiality. LA Galaxy, USA, are the big two for me. I'm more a Forlan fan than Uruguay fan; though I'd have to say Uruguay is the only SA team I could see myself consistently rooting for. I have a love-hate relationship with England. Of the 'powerhouses' I take Germany over Brazil, Spain, etc. I mainly like exciting soccer and am not worried about being too anchored with a team, though living in SoCal it's natural that I continue to root for USA and Galaxy. I don't have an EPL team; I just tend to root for Americans or whoever is playing Man U. And Egypt just got blasted today and are all but out of the WC. It would be a Hollywood comeback now. But, I'm sure I'll root for whoever Bradley coaches next. Also, I imagine NZ'll get thrashed; but got to take the Kiwis over Mexico!
This may be a dumb question, but why anti Mexico? I get the rivalry thing, competition for the Gold Cup and in the CONCACAF Champions League between the pro teams, but I thought there was more of an understanding among LA people.
Have you seen the way their fans treat visiting fans? I don't know if I'm so anti Mexico. When I come across fans of Mexico in real life, it's not like I try to burst their bubble or anything. But for as long as I can remember I've just tended to root against them. They would always take very vicious cheap shots at our players when we were about to win too. It might be different if there was a general classiness there. I feel like Dos Santos and Hernandez have represented Mexico very well though. So maybe you're turning a page. Still, you have thugs like Marquez though. Also, I'm more OC than LA, haha.
I've heard quite a few horror stories about international play in Mexico, Paraguay, Brazil to a certain extent- I do think of the US as being one of the most low key places to play international ball, but I don't think of Mexico as being all that bad relative to the rest of the world. Meaningful games between the US and Mexico continue to hold most of the records for most-watched soccer games all time in the US, also many of the top-10 attended matches are in LA at one time or another. I kind of feel like the natural rivalry with Mexico is one of the best things that US soccer has going for it. Maybe I have too much of a tendency to think of people like Pele when I think about US-Mexico soccer, but I never really thought of that as an era of good feelings that unexpectedly rescued Mexico and the US from an otherwise bitter rivalry- I'm aware of some bad feelings, but I thought that was a bit more isolated and pretty far from being the defining quality of the US-Mexico relationship. I think of it as a largely respectful rivalry between friends who happen to be reaching for the same brass ring most of the time. Side note- the Gold Cup final was played at Soldier Field not too long ago, the expected matchup was US-Mexico and then Costa Rica beat them for the second time in a space of just a few weeks. I promise you there were many thousands of Mexicans in and around Chicago who immediately went about the task of selling the tickets they'd bought for the final as soon as they saw that result. I will admit it makes me smile just a little to think about how much that sucks for them, but mostly I wish it had been Mexico advancing to the final, I think it would have been perfect for a game being played in Chicago.
Seriously? Luckiest team in the history and they just happened to win 5 World Cup titles? We'll find out this World Cup anyway, if Brazil can hold their own on their turf and with so much pressure... Full disclosure: I'm 100% Brazilian
Hence why they're lucky. They were not the best team in 94 or 02 imo. Good luck on you WC. Brazil has looked very beatable. We'll see if the luck holds up.
I enjoyed your post. I am pulling for the US in the WC, but I pick a team to pull for in the non-US games. I love watching Messi play. I also love EPL games and follow Liverpool FC. I'm not a fan of Mexico because of the rivalry, but I don't consider myself anti-Mexico. (I don't have your experience in international matches, so I respect your opinion.)