Donovan seems to think so. He even ascribes some of our WC success to this. I'm not sure I like that - seems to give opponents too much of an excuse. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/us/news/2003/06/14/confedcup_us/
Its the truth. A lot of these guys on Brasil, Turkey, and Cameroon are coming off of 50+ match seasons. The US has the advantage of having players with only 2 months of live action so they are still fresh.
It's a weird situation. It hurt some teams and players but not others. Ballack, Roberto Carlos, Lucio, Raul, Morientes...these guys all had long seasons and didn't seem to be affected. Yet you look at someone like Jaun Sebastian Veron and he a shadow of his former self. It was a factor but not a big as a facgtor as teams made it out to be.
I don't think you can blame fatigue for anything in a World Cup. If you can't be prepared and have yourself ready for it you shouldn't be there... Sure some players are coming off long seasons, but a WC is at a whole different level. You are playing hard for reputation and pride...
they had time to rest those legs before the world cup started... was it a factor? sure maybe, but not to the extent some countries whined about...
Fatigue was a real factor in the World Cup, no question. Veron's problems, however, were all in his head. Lack of confidence, perhaps burnout.
Let's just dispel the fatigue myth right here and now. Brazil and Germany's players played in Europe all season long before the WC. So did Turkey's. So, fatigue really wasn't a factor at all in the WC. The Euro and South AMerican(Argentine) crybaby parade was rampant and had to find an excuse somewhere. The only thing those players could claim was mental fatigue, and well, that happens every WC. Those players play the same season before EVERY WC. So when they do well they can gloat about how great they are, but when they go tits up they can come up with excuses. It's just bull$hit excuses, nothing more.
How about the idea that Brazil (and Germany) was so much better than the other teams that they won IN SPITE OF being fatique. If I am not mistaken, the WC02 was held a bit earlier in the summer and thus allowed a lot less rest for some players who were involved in serious league actions late into spring.
soccer is sport for real men Well.. if is too hot get out of the kitchen soccer is a very demanding sport where fittness and stamina can define games...so like we said THE SURVIVAL OF THE FITTIES