This has been the best WC since '82

[Jangle]

My approach coming into this WC was to just enjoy it without having one favourite team. Many of my friends couldn't believe that a football aficionado like myself didn't have a favourite team. I've stop rooting for a single team from about the last two World Cups. The gap between the traditional powerhouses in football and the minnows has closed. This has been coming for the past 10 or so years now with influx of big money into club football. What we are seeing now is a result of the influx of players from faraway countries playing in the the top European teams. Another reason is FIFA's worldwide efforts to improve football in many Third World countries.

However, my main reason for not picking a single favourite is because all teams today play the same football. Again this goes back to the influx of big money in football. Today, coaches set up their teams not to lose first and then win on the breakaway. Gone are the days of individualism. We are not going to see or rarely will we ever see a team winning a game on a player's individual brilliance. No more Pele, no more Maradonna, no more Ronaldo (The Original) and no more Roberto Carlos. Maybe before the end of this World Cup we may be singing the name of someone new, but I won't hold my breath.

[Sir X]

You forgot to plug in football regions like Asia- Japan/Korea and North -USA/Can and Central america- Mex, that have invested in leagues giving populations or nations in those regions/areas a chnace to develop local talent at home.

Special mention to African Leagues.

https://www.soccerladuma.co.za/fan-p...th-africa/5188

[HL]

My approach coming into this WC was to just enjoy it without having one favourite team. Many of my friends couldn't believe that a football aficionado like myself didn't have a favourite team. I've stop rooting for a single team from about the last two World Cups. The gap between the traditional powerhouses in football and the minnows has closed. This has been coming for the past 10 or so years now with influx of big money into club football. What we are seeing now is a result of the influx of players from faraway countries playing in the the top European teams. Another reason is FIFA's worldwide efforts to improve football in many Third World countries.

However, my main reason for not picking a single favourite is because all teams today play the same football. Again this goes back to the influx of big money in football. Today, coaches set up their teams not to lose first and then win on the breakaway. Gone are the days of individualism. We are not going to see or rarely will we ever see a team winning a game on a player's individual brilliance. No more Pele, no more Maradonna, no more Ronaldo (The Original) and no more Roberto Carlos. Maybe before the end of this World Cup we may be singing the name of someone new, but I won't hold my breath.

Good overall opinion.

[Reggaedoc]

Good overall opinion.

Nice. The playing field is getting level

[Sir X]

How dem rob Senegal has left a bitter taste in my mouth , until the next game.

[wbvs]

My approach coming into this WC was to just enjoy it without having one favourite team. Many of my friends couldn't believe that a football aficionado like myself didn't have a favourite team. I've stop rooting for a single team from about the last two World Cups. The gap between the traditional powerhouses in football and the minnows has closed. This has been coming for the past 10 or so years now with influx of big money into club football. What we are seeing now is a result of the influx of players from faraway countries playing in the the top European teams. Another reason is FIFA's worldwide efforts to improve football in many Third World countries.

However, my main reason for not picking a single favourite is because all teams today play the same football. Again this goes back to the influx of big money in football. Today, coaches set up their teams not to lose first and then win on the breakaway. Gone are the days of individualism. We are not going to see or rarely will we ever see a team winning a game on a player's individual brilliance. No more Pele, no more Maradonna, no more Ronaldo (The Original) and no more Roberto Carlos. Maybe before the end of this World Cup we may be singing the name of someone new, but I won't hold my breath.

Jangle .in Qatar a african team going to take the cup home.

[Zeppo]

I agree, this has been an excellent tournament so far. So much excitement and so many twists and turns.

However, I can't get on board with this part of your analysis:

The gap between the traditional powerhouses in football and the minnows has closed. This has been coming for the past 10 or so years now with influx of big money into club football. What we are seeing now is a result of the influx of players from faraway countries playing in the the top European teams. Another reason is FIFA's worldwide efforts to improve football in many Third World countries.

For me it's just way too premature to make this claim. Yes, there are always surprises and upsets in the group stage, round of 16, and occasionally the quarterfinals. But to go the full route in this tournament requires the highest quality all the way though the squad, since injuries and suspensions are inevitable. And for all the talk about how "the gap has closed" it always seems to be a powerhouse lifting trophy in the end.

[Jangle]

Well we will see at the end. I hope I’m proven correct.

[Jangle]

“Today, coaches set up their teams not to lose first and then win on the breakaway. Gone are the days of individualism.”


There you go. Mother Russia

[Zeppo]

Well we will see at the end. I hope I’m proven correct.

Well, there we have it: once again, a powerhouse lifting the trophy.

And while Croatia, a country of only 4 million, made to the final you have to keep in mind that they also made it to the semis in 1998. So hardly a "minnow".

Also, in the quarterfinals were 6 European teams and 2 South American (Brazil & Uruguay), and the semis were an entirely European affair.

So I still don't see any closed gap yet.

[Jangle]

I reluctantly agree with you. The single African teams were a major disappointment to me. Also MexTico. To date France has been the most successful African team.

[Zeppo]

I reluctantly agree with you. The single African teams were a major disappointment to me. Also MexTico. To date France has been the most successful African team.

Yes, it was a disastrous WC for Africa, the worst since 1982.

For Mexico it was pretty much par for the course; strong in the group stage and then crashing out in the round of 16. Been the case since 1994.

And I know your France-as-African-team comment was mainly tongue in cheek. But at the same time it does a bit of a disservice to their country as a developer of talent, as every player on that team is a product of French football (not African).