Yeah well he said one of the best not the best. Obviously, the league is light years away from the surpassing or even coming close to the EPL, Bundesliga , La Liga or the Serie A. Once again, if the last 10 years have shown us anything, the future looks very bright in the next decade or so.
The European Championship is better than the WC in terms of quality. The CA is a good tournament but when you say becoming a true Copa America you don't really have any teams of quality to add to it to make it a better tournament. Mexico perhaps when they're on form.
Agree in terms of quality. In terms of marketing where you have USA, Mexico and a few other teams, it will be big. A 16 team tournament with 8 from each confederation would bring in fans and sponsors. It also would have these countries on a two-year qualifying cycle that will only improve their quality. That for me is what gives Europe the competitive edge.
Name 8 teams that can give the game a somewhat competitive competition? Market it all you like but if the quality is not their it will die on its ass.
Did you not read where I conceded that point in comparison to Europe? Then again, Greece, Ireland, England, Sweden, Denmark, Russia and Ukraine are not exactly sides reaping with quality. In their current forms, the Copa America and Gold Cup are nothing more than exhibition tournaments. Combine the two, make teams qualify, play it once every four years, it is a better competition. Argentina & Brasil are the big draw from South America, Mexico and the US up north.
There is no money in Copa America and the coverage is even worse. With the U.S. media machine behind it, that could be changed dramatically. There's little to no argument that having the U.S. involved would not improve the tournament. I'm sure if UEFA could find a loop hole to have the U.S. team play they would for the same reasons. Some of the biggest sponsorships for the World Cup come out of America.
I did but it doesn't compare. Those teams are still strong and competitive. After Mexico and US they have nothing to offer. Those two should be joining the copa America and let the small teams continue to grow and have a chance at winning in the gold cup. Unless you want to have a whipping boys cup they won't have your idea falc.
Based on the last Copa America, the final 8 were: Chile Uruguay Brasil Argentina Bolivia Peru Colombia Paraguay From the Gold Cup, there was: US Chile Haiti Jamaica Trinidad & Tobago Panama Mexico Costa Rica It would make for a good tournament. No doubt that many of the CONCACAF sides are fill ins but they also bring interest to the competition. Right now, both Confederations play it 2-3 times per 4-year cycle. That makes in meaningless. A quadrennial event would create more interest.
Costa Rica are no push overs. They made it to the quarter finals at the last World Cup where they lost on penalties. And they beat Italy, Greece, and Uruguay to get there. Jamaica are generally not an easy team to play against either. Argentina barely beat them back in June. And Panama also have a good generation at the moment and would have gone to the World Cup instead of Mexico if not for the U.S. bailing them out. The rest are fodder. But there are fodder teams at the World Cup as well. It's part of the spectacle.
Yeah and that other guy won't win a WC...well unless a miracle happens. I read Ronaldo wanted to play for the Ft Lauderdale Strikers the team he owns but I guess he got scared and never did.
He just never had any of the magic that Ronaldo had...every time he touched the ball, fear hit you and every other defender on the pitch...he could pass intelligently, burn you 1 on 1, dribble with a purpose, he could play through a crowded box and scored for fun....the fake Ronaldo just runs really fast, jumps really high, and makes great off the ball runs to finish/poach a lot...give the fake Ronaldo the ball in midfield and watch him just give away as fast as possible.
Ronaldo is only about a week older than Totti (both born September '76). With the way the latter part of their careers went you'd think there was a 10 year gap. Shows how lucky we are with Francesco.
Yeah Ronaldo was done by 2006, Totti was just rediscovering himself in the false 9 position at the same time.