I`ll bet some money on Italy. They maybe don`t have the best squad, but I`ve got the feeling that it`s their turn 2006.
Uruguay will win their third cup. And it will be the most spectacular victory in all of sports as Uruguay didn't even qualify for the World Cup but end up winning! It will be quite difficult, but a team who failed to qualify has won a major tournament before (Denmark - EURO '92) so why not Uruguay in 2006?
So, don't keep us in suspense! Which South American team will be kicked out of the tournament to allow Uruguay to take a place in the finals? Enquiring minds, you know...
Truly, Argentina deserves revencha against England for English cheating. Oh wait a second, Argentina did get revencha on England in '86. http://www.sptimes.com/News/100899/Sports/_Hand_of_God__beats_B.shtml But the Argentines didn't cheat. It was Hand of God scoring the goal, not Hand of Maradona. How come when England and Korea gets a break, it is cheating, but when Maradona scores on a hand-ball for Argentinia, it is the Hand of God? I am embarrassed -- for you.
No - I bet it's the Ozzies that are going to get chucked so that Uruguay can get back in and win it. I don't know on what grounds Australia will get the boot, but I'm sure we can think of something??...
Unfortunately the sad and boring truth is that the winner will be one of the previous winners. Although if it's Brazil I don't mind as they're very humble and sportsmanlike. And if it's England, their time is long overdue. But the rest? I couldn't care less. Oh how I want football's traditional world order to change! 2002 was encouraging but I don't think any real change in tradition will appear until 2010 at the earliest. Football evolves very slowly as young players mature over several years. But I predict a non-traditional winner by 2014. Most likely from CONCACAF or Afica.
Wow. When I started this poll, I was thinking I was going to get flamed for starting it...But right now, it's nearly 50/50 that people think there will be an 8th World Cup Champion. Do people really think this, or am I just optimistic? In any case, I would certainly love for there to be an 8th Champion--I pick Holland as I said before, but no offense to one of the magnificent 7 that have won a world cup, but I want somebody new to win.
Australia would get replaced by the next OFC team. I'm already looking forward to Brazil falling to the might of the Solomon Islands.
First of all, you are from Canada, so please be seated. Secondly, I do not understand your ire against the USA? A lot of voters are wanting Portugal, Mexico, Sweden, and Iran to become the great eighth, so what is really wrong with US Fans wanting the US to become the 8th team to win the world cup? Right now, I agree, the USA has injury problems, the USA is historically not good when playing in Europe, and furthermore, the USA has the second most difficult group in the World Cup. These are all relevant points to bring up and it's why I don't think the USA will win the World Cup this year. But it seems that many people are just bashing the USA for being the USA, and not levelling any intellection behind it. That's just senseless, man.
Jabinho, if you want to use a quote of a post, you should do it without changing it whatever is your opinion. My post was: Who are the 3% that vote for USA to win the World Cup, that is the biggest joke of football history. and I assume it. Furthermore, when USA athletes won any competition, we always have to carefull about it because we know that they are the world champ of cheating with doping substances. They are well in advance on research to improve athletes performance and to use substance that are not yet detectable by the Antidoping agency. Lance Armstrong is one of the best i.e. We call that the US fairplay
It was simply making the point that sometimes there can be surprises and before the European Championships a few people picked Greece to win and were ridiculed in a similar fashion.. I'm sorry if you didn't understand the oft used method in this particular case..
Agreed. I guess the Oranje fans have to represent. (Sorry US fans, I voted Oranje. Had to back the winner)
See results below..I normally don't judge the future on the past but you can see why many would chose USA over the others below for being the great 8th. It's still a long shot for the U.S but they can could do it. I really don't know why Suisee2006 and Italia1982 issues with people picking the US. Mexico.............................Beaten by USA The Netherlands................Did not Qualify Spain...............................Knocked Quarter finals, but they alway choke. Czech Republic..................Did not qualify Portugal...........................Beaten by USA Serbia and Montenegro.......Did not qualify Sweden............................Knocked out in round of 16 Paraguay..........................Knocked out in round of 16 Iran.................................Did not Qualify Poland..............................Did not make it past the group stage Ukraine.............................Did not Qualify South Korea......................Unfortunalty beat Italia(USA-Italia that game between the two will be hard to watch in the opening round this year. I will have to root for one of them I just don't know who) Costa Rica........................Did not Qualify, USA beats them often
Les Blues will make another run to win the World Cup. The Rosbifs like always will lose. Brasillians and Argetina can not win in Europe. It will be down to Les Blues and the Germs.
Nice analysis, I feel that besides the Dutch, Mexico, United States, and Portugal are perhaps the next best candidates (In that order) of being the "Great Eighth", so people voting for these countries should not be vilified. I rate Mexico the most likely because of her player pool, her tradition, and talent. Everybody knows that if the Mexican team had more discipline (Which will come as more players leave for Europe) they would be practically unbreakable. Lavolpe is a good start, and his row with that gasbag loser vying for his job has shown everybody that Mexico knows that results beat posturing. I vote USA 2nd because the USA have the best "Learning curve". They may not have the player pool nor the footballing tradition, but the US is perhaps the most improved team of the last 10 years. From 1990 to 2000, the USA went from a confederational minnow to the confederational power. Many feel that the USA will advance, from 2000-2010, from a Confederational power to a world power. If the USA advances from her group, there is no question that she is truly a world power in football. I rank Portugal third because while Portugal has the history and the player pool, there has to be some rebuilding since the end of the Golden Generation. Euro 2004 wasn't exactly that klaxon call. Portugal have looked strong in qualifying but they must prove that they can handle their group easily and advance. If Portugal fail to advance in 2006 then I feel they won't be anywhere near being the "Great 8th" anytime soon. Before I go, you missed one point in your analysis: The USA does *NOT* beat Costa Rica often. As good as the USA is, the USA *always* has trouble with the Ticos. Why? It's like Holland/Belgium. Even when Holland is one of the best sides in the World, Belgium will still play 'em tough. Or like England/Scotland. On paper, England would wallop Scotland, but on the pitch it's quite different. Even if England win, it's a hard game. Costa Rica/USA is every bit the rivalry as USA/Mexico-- Except there is a difference: USA has dominated Mexico everywhere but in Mexico. The Ticos dominate the USA everywhere but the US proper, and even in the USA the Ticos can draw us. Even when the USA beats Costa Rica 3-0 like in qualification, it's ALWAYS a tough game and the Ticos always play us very well. Any real US fan will say that they fear (and respect) Costa Rica more than any other side on the planet.