Ready for the Samba - Tatu Bola -Jogo Bonito Show? The 2014 WC Thread!

Good read but not really sure what point you are trying to make here. Widely known that Africa has crooked agents and phony academies to exploit children. Getting a trial in Europe is like winning the lottery. Qatar's version of this may appear cleaner on the surface but they too have their selfish reasons for recruiting these children. If they really gave a shit about helping these kids long term and empowering their local communities they'd educate them to be doctors, teachers and scientists.

 

you could say the same thing about numerous academies/youth sport initiatives.

 

Can we take a moment to recognize how awful the actual World Cup trophy is? ... k thanks.

 

You gotta be kidding me. I've always like it.

 

I want to see them in 2016. My guess is that they will be unstoppable.

 

I am not so sure about Spain. They are going to need four to ten years to rebuild. Italy and Franchise should show well in 2016. But, Germany will be the team to beat.

 

Why do you think it'll take Spain that long to rebuild? They have a lot of young talent on their squad and Costa is in his mid-20s. I think they'll be contenders sooner rather than later.

 

And they don't even let you keep it while you are champions! Best trophy in sports has got to be the Stanley cup (and I don't even like hockey). Gold medal up there as well

 

Because the variables that let that Spanish team really thrive aren't there anymore.

 

Totally disagree.

 

Dieter knows more than just sprockets http://www.dw.de/the-quiet-genius-of-mesut-özil/a-17779722

 

^ certainly better than that ignorant piece of shit Owen.

 

http://screamer.deadspin.com/germanys-world-cup-victory-ceremony-was-really-somethin-1605234519

1) I'm so glad Germany won.
2) Per's dance.

 

I just came to post the same link. oustanding - and worth the watch.

 

haha me too. I want to be Per's friend in real life. Is that weird? He's honestly one of the few professionals that just always seems be having fun. He always looks like: "holy sh*t, how cool is it that I get to play professional football for a living?"

 

I want to be Kos' friend so I can learn how to walk like a thug.

 

Hanging out with Per and Podolski would be incredibly fun.

 

I just missed them by a few minutes in DC when they played the US friendly. I was at a wedding in the same Hotel.

It was a sad day.

 

hmmm.......puts a new meaning to "eating the body of Christ"...

 

Agreed, they're having a blast there.

 

Anyone else agree this world cup sucked after the group stages?

 

i wouldn't go so far as to say it "sucked", but sure, the knockouts weren't as good as the group. we should be surprised by that.

 

Nah it pretty much went the way most knock out tournaments go. You have to attack in the group stages or you leave yourself open to non-win/loss factors. Once you are in the knockouts it becomes about not conceding, its a pretty normal phenomena in almost every knock out sport. Its more about the suspense than the action, which is exciting in its own way. All that being said I find club soccer is just straight up better to watch its always about the 3 points.

 

I think club soccer is better to watch because the teams know each other better, and know how to play together.