It has been a big surprise that England & Spain are out of the final 16 - perhaps it was the luck of the draw that caused it. Or maybe some of the players were a bit long in the tooth or the tropical humidity was too much. Don't know for sure and I know they won't be making any excuses. Brazil-Chile on Saturday should be on ABC tv so the entire North American continent can watch it for free. Will be very exciting for sure!
European teams traditionally struggle at Latin American World Cups and no European team has ever won a World Cup in Latin America.
That's why it's no great surprise that England (for the first time since Sweden 1958 ), Italy (for the second successive World Cup), Portugal (for the first time since Japan and South Korea 2002) and Spain (for the first time since France 1998 ) are out at the Group Stage and why it's a foregone conclusion that Brazil, Argentina or maybe even Colombia will win this World Cup.
World Cup - Richard Hercock: History favours ‘locals’ as European nations struggle to adapt
Brazil's Neymar leaps in the air to celebrate after scoring his side's second goal against Cameroon.
27/06/2014
Before this World Cup kicked off, you wouldn’t have seen too many bookmakers cringeing at punters wagering a few quid on Spain retaining their trophy.
Or at those plumping for backing the youth of Germany, or the swagger of Italy.
And of course they would have had to hide their sn iggers if anyone had been foolish enough to chase the money on Roy Hodgson’s England.
The reason? The weight of history is against any European team lifting that famous old trophy come July 6.
All four World Cups held in South America—1930 (Uruguay), 1950 (Brazil), 1962 (Chile) and 1978 (Argentina)—were won by teams from the home continent.
Throw in that two of the four losing finalists were also from South America and it appears even more daunting.
If we stretch the South American boundaries to include Mexico – which staged the finals in 1970 and 1986, won by Brazil and Argentina respectively – then it really does tell a story of Latin American dominance.
Not that European football doesn’t also have an advantage on this side of the Atlantic.
The only time a non-European team has triumphed here was in 1958 in Sweden, when a 17-year-old lad called Pele first shot to prominence.
So the writing was on the wall before a ball was kicked in Brazil this summer.
And a quick scan down the group tables shows history seems to be repeating itself.
Look at the list of teams who have qualified so far – compiled before last night’s games – and it reads: Brazil, Mexico, Netherlands, Chile, Colombia, Greece, Costa Rica, Uruguay, France, Switzerland, Argentina and Nigeria.
The Dutch have impressed, the French have shown some neat flashes, but it is a list dominated by sides from the other side of the pond. Italy beat England, but there was little else to cheer for Cesare Prandelli, who swiftly offered his resignation.
Defending champions Spain were also a major casualty of the group stages, prompting another manager to throw himself on his sword in Vicente del Bosque.
Hodgson seems unlikely to follow Prandelli and del Bosque by tendering his resignation, despite just one point from the Three Lions’ group games.
What has saved him is the prospect of success in the future, such is England’s crop of youngsters who have come to the fore.
What the national side missed through this tournament was some defensive steel, in the shape of John Terry.
It is such a shame that the Chelsea defender – admittedly not everyone’s cup of tea, but his defensive skills cannot be disputed – was left out. On footballing terms alone, he deserved a place in the squad.
It smacked of Kevin Pietersen, and English cricket, where dressing room harmony was put above fielding the best XI.
Terry’s inclusion might not have bridged the Atlantic division of history, but he would have got his head on some of those passes which split open England this past fortnight.
One last word on why there is an advantage playing on your own continent: the obvious reason is very few European footballers will have experienced playing in South American conditions. Yes, the pitch is the same and they acclimatise as quickly as they can, but there is a clear advantage to home nations.
Roll on Russia 2018, I say.
World Cup - Richard Hercock: History favours ‘locals’ as European nations struggle to adapt - Yorkshire Post
Four months is NOT enough for Suarez - should be a full year for these assaults. Had this been the first time he violated the sport's rules and decorum 4 months would have been ok. But he has violated the rules far too often and is being treated with kid gloves.
As for Beasley, yes he is a scorer - as I said before he should be positioned up front in some form of offensive role. But he is not a defender and lacks the power to push an attacker away from the ball and he fails to clear the ball out of our zone. I don't blame him for being at left back, I blame Klinsmann for not moving him.
Having said all that, I again praise coach K for taking us to this level as we have fallen from grace compared to the momentum we had in 2002. Trust me Blackie that I KNOW that the USA belongs among the elite soccer powers. We belong in the Top Ten of FIFA's ratings. But we lack the discipline, not the talent, that should get us there.
Kudos to our Yanks for reaching the knockout rounds.
Kudos to CONCACAF for having three teams reach these rounds. North American football is now at the same level as European and South American footie. Let's all applaud this success!!
Suarez's punishment is definitely too lenient although, amazingly, Chiellini himself thinks it is too HARSH!!
Luis Suarez's ban is too harsh... I feel sorry for him, says bite victim Giorgio Chiellini | Mail Online
I agree. Beasley is playing more as a left back under Klinsmann in the USA team. When he played for Glasgow Rangers he was more of an attacking left winger (almost like Real Madrid and Wales's Gareth Bale). That's how he should be playing. Klinsmann is a very defensive manager, although I suppose you can't blame him when his fairly limited team comes up against a football superpower like Germany.
USA play a fairly strong Belgium team next in the Last 16 and, should they manage to win that, then they will have the small matter of facing mighty Argentina and Lionel Messi in the Quarter Finals (unless Switzerland pull off the shock of the tournament). So it's not going to get any easier for the USA from here on in.
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Greece are in the latter stages of a World Cup for the first time ever, so it'll be interesting to see how they do against Costa Rica in what is the most unlikely of the Last 16 fixtures:
Last 16 fixtures (in each colour-coded section, the teams who win play each other in the Quarter Finals)
(All times in GMT)
Saturday 28th June 2014
Brazil vs Chile (17.00)
Colombia vs Uruguay (21.00)
Sunday 29th June 2014
Netherlands vs Mexico (17.00)
Costa Rica vs Greece (21.00)
Monday 30th June 2014
France vs Nigeria (17.00)
Germany vs Algeria (21.00)
Tuesday 1st July 2014
Argentina vs Switzerland (17.00)
Belgium vs USA (21.00)
World Cup 2014: Algeria want Germany revenge for 1982 exit
BBC Sport
27 June 2014
1982 West Germany vs Austria Highlights - YouTube
32 years on Algerians still believe this match was fixed by both participating teams to end 1-0 for West Germany. Watch it and decide for yourself
Coach Vahid Halilhodzic insists Algeria have not forgotten the furore around their 1982 World Cup exit as they prepare to meet Germany in the last 16.
A 1-1 draw against Russia on Thursday earned Halilhodzic's side a place in the knockout stages for the first time.
West Germany's controversial victory over Austria 32 years ago allowed both teams to progress at Algeria's expense.
"We have not forgotten," Halilhodzic said. "Everybody has been talking about Algeria and Germany from 1982."
Algeria competed at the World Cup finals for the first time in Spain in 1982, and caused an upset in their opening group game with a 2-1 win over West Germany - then the European champions.
They finished with two wins and a defeat from their three matches, which they completed before West Germany and Austria met in the final group game.
A 1-0 win for the Germans would take both sides through at the expense of Algeria, and that was how the match turned out.
Algerian officials launched a protest, claiming the match was fixed, but the allegations were never proved and the result stood.
However, as a result of the controversy, the final round of World Cup group fixtures now kick-off at the same time.
Halilhodzic said. "Thirty-two years ago is a long time. I am very proud of what we have achieved tonight and we deserve to be here.
"I think Algeria played a heroic match and our qualification for the second round is perfectly deserved."
BBC Sport - World Cup 2014: Algeria want Germany revenge for 1982 exit
Despite having only just left the Group Stage, there have been a record 136 goals in the 2014 World Cup. The previous record was 130 goals in the whole of the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea. So for goals, this has been a World Cup to remember.
Here are all of the 136 goals scored so far in the 2014 World Cup:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5VjG76gtaQ&feature=player_detailpage
