Powerhouse! ... Define powerhouses. Is your NT one of them?

Discussion in 'The Beautiful Game' started by Ethan Rom, Jun 30, 2005.

  1. Ethan Rom

    Ethan Rom New Member

    May 27, 2005
    What is really a powerhouse?

    Fans from traditional participants of the World Cup, or in european cases, the EUROCUP, (this, because in Conmebol they don't need to qualify to a Copa America), are always bragging about how pwerful their NTs are, about their superstars (at least according to what the player gets paid), about how "in paper" sublime these teams can be. But the reality is that in every tournament only one team can call themselves: the Winner.

    Which teams can really be called Powerhouses?

    Those who are proven winners? or/and those that got "world class stars" (I call them in some cases: overpaid bums).

    We know Brazil is the main powerhouse currently, they won the last WC and recently just won the Confeds Cup rolling over powerful Argentina. Plus they have won everything (except for the olympic gold medal :D ).

    So, who else dares to call themselves a Powerhouse and what are their merits?
     
  2. king_saladin

    king_saladin New Member

    Oct 5, 2004
    MI, USA
    No, that isn't true! If a NT wins a major tournament without having a bunch of superstar players, it must be a fluke. ;)

    I think the only ones right now are Brazil and Germany. Maybe Argentina.
    I do think there are other football powerhouse nations (Italy, England, Spain... etc)... but I'm just talking about the actual national teams.
     
  3. Teso Dos Bichos

    Teso Dos Bichos Red Card

    Sep 2, 2004
    Purged by RvN
    Is your NT one of them?

    Not quite. :(
     
  4. copaantl98

    copaantl98 Member

    Apr 9, 2002
    Not a powerhouse for now.
     
  5. The Old Lady Hertha

    The Old Lady Hertha New Member

    Dec 15, 2004
    Boston, MA
    Club:
    Hertha BSC Berlin
    Nat'l Team:
    China PR
    Not a powerhouse now, but will always be regarded as one when every Euro or WC tournament comes along.
     
  6. astabooty

    astabooty Member

    Nov 16, 2002
    China
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Nope, not close.
     
  7. Ethan Rom

    Ethan Rom New Member

    May 27, 2005
    Us, no longer one! But don't count us out!

    U.S., hopefully one day!
     
  8. Colm

    Colm Member

    Aug 17, 2004
    UK
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    :D

    well i'd consider my country in the top 6 and we have won a world cup, we have lots of footballing stars so i suppose we are a powerhouse
     
  9. Ethan Rom

    Ethan Rom New Member

    May 27, 2005

    Greece's triumph gives ordinary men hope. People outside of England considered the 1966 win an ugly achievement, but they won it fair and square also non south americans (with the obvious exception of brazilians and brazilian lovers), thought that in 1978 Argentina won the crown undeservedly.
    The greeks looked solid, and they beat without having to go to the penalties definnition, the best NTs in Europe, and they took care of the Guese twice in their on soil. So fluke or not they were winners but not a football power. Good point.
     
  10. mad theory

    mad theory New Member

    May 10, 2004
    London
    england?

    definitely.. :cool:
     
  11. MIGkiller

    MIGkiller Member+

    Flamengo
    Brazil
    May 9, 2003
    Rio de Janeiro
    Club:
    Flamengo Rio Janeiro
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    The biggest of all.
     
  12. P1brit

    P1brit Member

    Mar 31, 2005
    Novi, MI
    Club:
    Swindon Town FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    I'm trying to remember the last time Germany beat a european team of any signifficance
     
  13. Germanshepherd

    Germanshepherd New Member

    May 19, 2003
    Rostock, Deutschland
    Northern Ireland 4:1! :cool: just one month ago.
     
  14. king_saladin

    king_saladin New Member

    Oct 5, 2004
    MI, USA
    What European teams are significant? Greece are the champions of Europe. :rolleyes:
     
  15. Rewinder

    Rewinder Member+

    Jun 24, 2004
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    And George Bush is the president of America

    doesnt make em special.
     
  16. Latin Pride

    Latin Pride Member

    Aug 1, 2004
    In your house
    Club:
    Olimpia Asuncion
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    I'm trying to remember the last time Germany beat ANY team of any signifficance
     
  17. Germanshepherd

    Germanshepherd New Member

    May 19, 2003
    Rostock, Deutschland
    lolol, enjoy it people. The day will come. Klinsmann will get the job done.
     
  18. GoodDead

    GoodDead Moderator
    Staff Member

    Aug 8, 2004
    Toronto Canada
    Club:
    Sporting Braga
    Nat'l Team:
    Portugal
    are you talking about the English or Greeks?
     
  19. argentine soccer fan

    Staff Member

    Jan 18, 2001
    San Francisco Bay Area
    Club:
    CA Boca Juniors
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    World Cup powerhouses? In my view there are four: Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Italy

    I look back at the last ten WC finals. Why ten? I know it's arbitrary, but it is a nice round number, plus they are the tournaments which were held during my lifetime.

    Which are the teams which keep showing up time after time?

    Brazil 4 times, 3 wins.
    Germany/W.Germany 6 times, 2 wins
    Argentina 3 times, 2 wins
    Italy 3 times, 1 win.

    2002: Brazil-Germany
    1998: France-Brazil
    1994: Brazil-Italy
    1990: W.Germany-Argentina
    1986: Argentina-W.Germany
    1982: Italy-W.Germany
    1978: Argentina-Holland
    1974: W.Germany-Holland
    1970: Brazil-Italy
    1966: England-W.Germany

    These are also the four countries which have won the most points if we add up WC results based on wins and loses.

    I suppose if we want to consider the really old days we could add England and Uruguay for sentimental and historical reasons. But Uruguay has faded, and England needs to make at least a couple more finals to stand with the big four.

    Other than that, France won one and Holland came close a couple of times, but they need to do quite a bit more to join the club. Everybody else is a long way away from consideration.
     
  20. Paul.eta

    Paul.eta Member

    Jan 21, 2003
    South Korea isn't one of them
    In Asia we are considered the powerhouse :D
     
  21. Ethan Rom

    Ethan Rom New Member

    May 27, 2005
    England of course. But also the Gyro-makers won EURO2004 deservedly, nobody gave a sh!t about them, Portugal overlooked them twice, neither the french nor the czechs thought they (the greeks) had a chance against them, and still the ultradefensive and horrible greek way, beat 'em up. Like it or not, powerhouse or not the Souvlaki boys are the current champs of Europe. Sometimes life doesn't seem to be fair.
     
  22. ECMoney

    ECMoney Member

    May 9, 2003
    Toronto
    Brazil
    Germany
    Argentina
    Italy

    Those are the 4 powerhouses, they have been every since football has evolved and still are today. Other teams like England, Spain, Holland, France, Czech Rep, Portugal, etc are all great too but they are not in the class of the Big Four!
     
  23. SFC

    SFC New Member

    Apr 7, 2005
    Portugal

    That pretty much says it all.
     
  24. silver bullet

    silver bullet Member

    May 11, 2004
    Based on your definition, you could argue that Argentina's powerhouse status is a bit outdated. They haven't reached the final in 15 years and haven't won it in nearly 20 years.
    (edit) I'd say Argentina and Germany were the powerhouses in the 70's and 80's. Brazil is the only powerhouse since 1994.
     
  25. arthur d

    arthur d Member

    Oct 17, 2004
    Cambridge England
    I agree with this. Apart from Brazil I don't really see any powerhouse right now.
     

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