That's true. The same few countries are usually at the top. (Reply #19)

In the discussion thread: The World Cup has won me over. [View all]

Thu Jul 10, 2014, 08:15 PM

DanTex (20,709 posts)

19. That's true. The same few countries are usually at the top.

Brazil, Germany, Italy, Argentina, France, England, Spain, Holland I would say are the perennial favorites. But that doesn't mean that it's predictable. Right there you have 8 quality teams year in and year out, that could win any given cup. And this year, Italy, England and Spain didn't even make it out of the group stage.

Spain didn't win their first World cup until 2010, and Holland still hasn't won. Meanwhile, Colombia could be climbing to the elite level.

I don't think the World Cup is more predictable than most sports leagues in any give year -- NFL, MLB, NBA, etc. Brazil was the favorite going in to this one, and they're not in the finals. Spain, defending champion and twice defending Euro winner was highly touted, but collapsed. It's true that Germany and Argentina were both among the top few favored teams, though.

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58 replies	Author	Time	Post
The World Cup has won me over. [View all]	minivan2	Jul 2014	OP
Well there's lots of football all the time starting next year	malaise	Jul 2014	#1
All true but you missed the biggest item of all : MLS	musiclawyer	Jul 2014	#9
Good rant re the MLS	malaise	Jul 2014	#10
Well put!	ChairmanAgnostic	Jul 2014	#31
Nice rant	redqueen	Jul 2014	#51
Love my Timbers!	hogwyld	Jul 2014	#55
Just bought a house in West Linn. Will retire there in a few years	musiclawyer	Jul 2014	#57
I'm not really a sports fan in general (okay, big understatement), but	Arugula Latte	Jul 2014	#2
The World Cup is so predictable	Art_from_Ark	Jul 2014	#3
That's true of almost every sport.	Threedifferentones	Jul 2014	#6
I don't think so.	DanTex	Jul 2014	#14
Germany and Brazil have both appeared in the Final Four on numerous occasions	Art_from_Ark	Jul 2014	#17
That's true. The same few countries are usually at the top.	DanTex	Jul 2014	#19
And little Costa Rica? They did great!	ChairmanAgnostic	Jul 2014	#32
England?	malaise	Jul 2014	#42
Well, maybe not so much England.	DanTex	Jul 2014	#43
What is strange to me is that not one of Norway, Denmark or Sweden	malaise	Jul 2014	#44
Sweden was a surprise.	DanTex	Jul 2014	#47
I see you're in California.	KamaAina	Jul 2014	#4
I used to hate American football.	Threedifferentones	Jul 2014	#5
I wish I could rec your post...	awoke_in_2003	Jul 2014	#13
I still think it's stupid to pay grown folks gobs of money to put on costumes and play kids' games.	X_Digger	Jul 2014	#7
"Some people think football [i.e. soccer] is a matter of life and death.	DanTex	Jul 2014	#15
Love that quote	redqueen	Jul 2014	#52
I find it hard to watch a whole country having a breakdown	jimlup	Jul 2014	#8
kinda neat to see such pride without tanks and bombs	dembotoz	Jul 2014	#12
Cartharsis is good	malaise	Jul 2014	#21
I have to admit...	awoke_in_2003	Jul 2014	#11
FYI: English Premier League is now on NBC Sports Network.	DanTex	Jul 2014	#18
thanks...	awoke_in_2003	Jul 2014	#22
I prefer the Spanish La Liga	malaise	Jul 2014	#23
I agree, to an extent.	DanTex	Jul 2014	#24
The Seria A scandals	malaise	Jul 2014	#25
Speaking of the top-heavy La Liga.	DanTex	Jul 2014	#45
You know Barca and Green Bay Packers are the only two sports teams in the world	malaise	Jul 2014	#46
Nice! I didn't know that about Barca.	DanTex	Jul 2014	#48
Barcelona is the anti-fascist club	malaise	Jul 2014	#56
Wow, I didn't know that...	redqueen	Jul 2014	#53
I first got into it in 2002	Cali_Democrat	Jul 2014	#16
My sons, who were 9 and 12 at the time...	3catwoman3	Jul 2014	#20
WOW! That's dedication!	Cali_Democrat	Jul 2014	#39
theres no "soccer" in FIFA. nt	griloco	Jul 2014	#26
It's never too late to enjoy the beautiful game.	lovemydog	Jul 2014	#27
In 2 weeks Mrs. Lib went from totally passive about sports	rurallib	Jul 2014	#28
Haha, nice!	redqueen	Jul 2014	#54
we will be doing that	rurallib	Jul 2014	#58
If you have any local pro, semi-pro, or college soccer teams nearby--support them as well.	Crowman1979	Jul 2014	#29
Took me a bit to get into the sport	LittleBlue	Jul 2014	#30
Dunno about that. I LOVED Germany beating up Brazil.	ChairmanAgnostic	Jul 2014	#33
Germany figured out what the USA women have known forever :	musiclawyer	Jul 2014	#37
exactly! Leaderless prima donnas, no matter how talented each one clearly is.	ChairmanAgnostic	Jul 2014	#40
Then what explains the fact that they have five world cup wins from seven finals	malaise	Jul 2014	#49
Because they were better then. The best.	musiclawyer	Jul 2014	#50
And 'the beautiful game' welcomes you! The youth league in our town has 1700 kids and	FailureToCommunicate	Jul 2014	#34
I agree. I have been enjoying the World Cup.	ellie	Jul 2014	#35
I grew up in small town, rural VT... We didn't have big enough schools many times to support an	glowing	Jul 2014	#36
Welcome aboard.	3catwoman3	Jul 2014	#38
Ann Coulter is against it	IronLionZion	Jul 2014	#41

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