If Germany reaches the final was that the most difficult path of all times?

Discussion in 'World Cup 2010: General' started by Dage, Jul 6, 2010.

  1. Dage

    Dage Moderator
    Staff Member

    Jun 4, 2008
    Berlin
    Club:
    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    Most times the both finalists, especially the future winner has a rather easy tourney grid, which means the team doesn't suffer from empty legs, card suspensions, mindgames or injuries like their opponents with a heavier path.

    Now, if you consider that the German group was ranked as one of the most balanced and because of that one of the most difficult ones (right so, both Germany and Ghana reached the Quarter Finals) the eventual oppponents were really tough - England, Argentina and Spain.

    => Is this the most difficult path of all times? Are there comparable examples, maybe actually a former champion?

    How do you rate Germany's chances against Spain and the Netherlands? Have these teams an advantage or will Germany be the exception of the rule?
     
  2. ImaPuppy

    ImaPuppy Member+

    Aug 10, 2009
    Using too many parentheses
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    American Samoa
    West Germany 1990:

    Group consisted of strong Yugoslavian and Columbian sides, then they battled:

    Netherlands <-- defeated them by 1
    Czechoslovakia <- they were very good this year, defeated them by 1
    England <-- defeated them in penalties
    Argentina <-- defeated them by 1

    For me, this and the 2010 were 2 of the toughest paths to winning the cup ever.
     
  3. Excape Goat

    Excape Goat Member+

    Mar 18, 1999
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    Argentina in 1978 was very tough. They got Italy and France(with a young Platini) in the first round. In the 2nd round, they got Brazil, Poland(which was then very good) and Peru. Of course, Argentina did not win all its games. There were some controversies in that tournament.

    Italy in 1982 also played against tough opponent. They faced the eventual 4th place team, Poland, in the first round. Then, they played Brazil, the pre-tournament favoirte and Argentina, the defending champion in the 2nd round. Finally, West Germany, the European Cahmpion in the Final.
     
  4. Erwin6174

    Erwin6174 Member

    Jun 13, 2008
    The Netherlands
    On paper, perhaps, but not on the field.
     
  5. robnycus

    robnycus Member+

    Jun 28, 2010
    Club:
    New York Cosmos
    how about Italy in 82.. .. ?
     
  6. Dage

    Dage Moderator
    Staff Member

    Jun 4, 2008
    Berlin
    Club:
    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    Yes that was my point. They didn't win in the end. If 1990 was the exception of the rule there is a lot that speaks against Germany '10 altthough it seems that a lot of users in here give Germany a slight edge about Spain or Netherlands or consider the titel chances of all three very similar at least. Is this all about delusion?
     
  7. Sildegil

    Sildegil New Member

    May 15, 2002
    France 2006 :

    1/8 : Spain, almost the same team that won the 2008 EC et just reached the 2010 WC

    1/4 : Brazil, the absolute favorite to win it all

    1/2 : Portugal, very tough team with a bunch from the "golden generation" and some young stars : Ronaldo and co...
     
  8. Dage

    Dage Moderator
    Staff Member

    Jun 4, 2008
    Berlin
    Club:
    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    and...


    lost the final
     
  9. Sildegil

    Sildegil New Member

    May 15, 2002
    Well the initial question was what was the most difficult path for a ... finalist. Not for a winner.
     
  10. benztown

    benztown Member+

    Jun 24, 2005
    Club:
    VfB Stuttgart
    I think his point was that teams with such a difficult path usually lose the final...
     
  11. Timmehhh

    Timmehhh New Member

    Jun 20, 2010
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Holland in 1974 had wins against pre tournament favorite Brazil, Argentina, east Germany and Uruguay before losing to West Germany in the finals.
     
  12. ImaPuppy

    ImaPuppy Member+

    Aug 10, 2009
    Using too many parentheses
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    American Samoa
    East Germany and Uruguay were not great teams in 74.

    I still think W. Germany '90 is the only team to really have to run through a series of good team in order to win it, and if they win this year also
     
  13. schwuppe

    schwuppe Member+

    Sep 17, 2009
    Club:
    FC Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih
  14. zdrav

    zdrav Member+

    Sep 9, 2009
    Come on, beating England in 2010 was like beating the United States. The English were coasting on reputation. On the field, they were hardly a difficult side to play.

    But if Germany does beat Argentina, Spain, and presumably Holland to win the World Cup, that would be an extremely impressive trio of victories.
     
  15. vhatever

    vhatever Red Card

    Jun 16, 2010
    USA
    Regarding, 74'. Poland, Germany, and Netherlands had the best teams in 74'. Unlike Netherlands, Germany beat the other two top teams.
     
  16. teccomin

    teccomin Member

    Aug 5, 2006
    Lets not talk about the quality of the teams on field. On paper, Netherlands, England, Argentina and Spain are 4 of the top 5 tournament favourites before the world cup in terms of betting odds. If Brazil beat Holland and made it to the Final, then you can call Germany '10 the absolute toughest route to the final of all time, since that would make it all 4 of the top 4 favourites in terms of betting odds. Not to mention Group D was the group of death.
     
  17. teccomin

    teccomin Member

    Aug 5, 2006
    But escaped Argentina and eventually lost to Italy, both teams were rated higher than Spain and Portugal. But I can see how the French 2006 campaign mirrors Germany 2010. One finalist had to go through all the tough teams and other had relatively easy ones.
     
  18. aguimarães

    aguimarães Member

    Apr 19, 2006
    Club:
    LD Alajuelense
    The toughest path ever had to be South Korea in 2002. Top-ranked Portugal, Italy, Spain, Germany, and a Turkey who proved to be the second-best team in the Cup. The Germans had a bit of luck their way. Bad calls against Australia and England took those teams out of the game mentally, Ghana was missing Essien, and Argentina had been able to hide their poor defending until they met the Germans.
     
  19. vhatever

    vhatever Red Card

    Jun 16, 2010
    USA
    For who? 2002 was a joke and easy run for both finalists.
     
  20. aguimarães

    aguimarães Member

    Apr 19, 2006
    Club:
    LD Alajuelense
    ...
     
  21. vhatever

    vhatever Red Card

    Jun 16, 2010
    USA

    Uhh... They didn't make it to the final. I thought you were describing the world cup 2002, which was IN south korea... and why they made it as far as they did.
     
  22. Kaiser Ben

    Kaiser Ben New Member

    Jun 22, 2010
    New York
    Club:
    FC Köln
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    I think it was the most difficult path and I believe Germany will take tomorrow's game 3-1 going away.

    They predicted a German loss vs. England and then Argentina too. Paraguay had plenty of scoring opportunities which Germany will take advantage of when presented with them.

    Now that Germany beat those two in resounding fashion, everyone is saying that they just weren't that good.

    As a German it's my distinct pleasure to give credit where credit is due:

    Germany have taken the game to another level, creating a juggernaut which cannot be stopped.

    I call it Hyperfootball, where the midfield is bridged with warp speed laswer guided football missiles and goals come pouring into the opposition's goal from wormholes out of nowhere, somewhere.

    Not all of Germany's goal abbondanza is result of counter attacks either. About half are carefully crafted set pieces and skillfully executed combination play attacks.

    Bastian Schweinsteiger has stated that he doesn't intend to return home to Berlin empty-handed and he is backing that up with his play.
     
  23. Excape Goat

    Excape Goat Member+

    Mar 18, 1999
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    If we talk about pre-tornament favorite here, then, it must be Italy 1982. Italy beat three out of the four pre-tournament favorite en route to victory. Argentina and West Germany did not play well in that Finals. However, before the Finals started Argentina was billed as the same 1978 team, plus Maradona, and West Germany as the European Champion, plus Rummenggie.

    Unfortuniatelt, Italy did not really play well in the group stage.
     
  24. aguimarães

    aguimarães Member

    Apr 19, 2006
    Club:
    LD Alajuelense
    They did play seven games and their path was very difficult, even if they played at home.
     

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