2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil

The Flying Dutchman.. a few different interpretations:
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Forostar said:
As you all maybe have noticed: Europe and 'America' dominate in this World Cup: 4 of each with the last 8.

Since 1982 only 4 countries outside these continents have reached the quarter finals:

1990: Cameroon
2002: Senegal & South Korea
2010: Ghana

Europe has done better compared to 2010. In South Africa only 3 European teams (Netherlands, Germany and Spain) reached the QFs.

The 1990s was the era of European dominance: In 1994: seven! And in 1990 and 1998 six. In 2006 there were also six countries from Europe reaching this stage.
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As much as we say this is the "World Cup," Western Europe and South America have always dominated. I have never seen an Eastern European, Asian or African country actually WIN the tournament. Mexico qualifies fairly consistently but has only made it past the round of 16 twice and both times as host nation. That just means we are great underachievers with a lot of wasted potential and talent. While getting to the World Cup is an achievement in itself, once there if you don't win you just wasted your trip. People remember WINNERS, not who was third place or made quarter finals. So until the WINNER is someone outside of Western Europe or South America nothing has really changed.
 
Again... they didn't win. Croatia has reached 3rd, Japan has reached 3rd, but reaching 3rd is not winning the World Cup.
 
I am showing that I don't agree with his point. I do remember performances by clubs who did not win. I love underdogs. I remember Belgium in 1986.
I remember Cameroon in 1990. And so on.
 
Onhell said:
While getting to the World Cup is an achievement in itself, once there if you don't win you just wasted your trip. People remember WINNERS, not who was third place or made quarter finals.
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That's really false. In fact, World Cup might be the only football tournament where people actually do remember 3rd place teams, Quarter Finalists.

If you're going to say Senegal didn't prove something and made a name for themselves by reaching Quarters in 2002, you are false, sir.
 
Forostar said:
I am showing that I don't agree with his point. I do remember performances by clubs who did not win. I love underdogs. I remember Belgium in 1986.
I remember Cameroon in 1990. And so on.
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Remembering a good performance was not the point. I remember when the Colorado Avalanche swept the Florida Panthers in the 1996 Stanley Cup Finals. I remember that even though Colorado won the series 4-0 it was NOT an easy win. Each game was hard fought and difficult, but fast forward close to a couple of decades and all you see is a 4-0 series win, a sweep... Who cares HOW they won, what matters is that they WON and on paper... fairly easily and one-sided.
 
Onhell said:
I disagree, until Senegal WINS, no one outside of Senegal will care.
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Many people heard of that country because of that tournament. Everyone remembers Senegal from 2002. Their shocking win against the defending champions in their first game. I don't know what your view on "care" is, but that's about as much as a team can be remembered without reaching Semis.
 
I don't remember Senegal from 2002, so not "everyone" remembers this so-called "memorable" showing and that is the problem with said performances... 2002 is not that long ago, and I don't remember half the tourney, yet I can tell you Uruguay WON the very first World Cup. In fact, they've won twice.
 
1: Colombia
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2: Netherlands
3: Argentina
4: Germany
5: France
6: Costa Rica
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7: Belgium
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8: Brazil
 
I think it is safe to assume that football has more "sports nerds" addicted to it than any other sport. People who will remember much more than who won in 1930. If there is one sport where people remember more than the winners, I'm sure it's football. I might use myself and my memories of the World Cups since 1994 as anecdotal evidence. Things I do remember apart from who won:

  • Bulgaria's very surprising win against Germany in the quarter finals in 1994
  • Sweden beating them 4-0 in the 3rd place match
  • Croatia as a very young nation reaching the semi finals in 1998
  • England's elimination at the hands of Argentina after David Beckham was sent off (and while we're at it, their 1986 dismissal at the literal hand of Maradona)
  • South Korea's sensational - and controversial - way to the 2002 semi-finals
  • Ghana reaching the quarters in 2010, being eliminated after missing a penalty in extra time (the penalty given after Luis Suarez used his hands to keep the ball out)
@Onhell - since you come from a country where people are quite passionate about football, I'm actually quite surprised to hear a statement like "only the winners are remembered". I'm sure you can find thousands of people in Mexico who can tell you the result of every single game in those two World Cups that were hosted there.

People remember the Dutch team of the 70s, even though they lost both finals they played in. If you think it is only worthwhile to remember the winners, that's up to you, but a world full of football nerds will disagree.
 
Dr. Eddies Wingman said:
=1109]@Onhell[/USER] - since you come from a country where people are quite passionate about football, I'm actually quite surprised to hear a statement like "only the winners are remembered". I'm sure you can find thousands of people in Mexico who can tell you the result of every single game in those two World Cups that were hosted there.

People remember the Dutch team of the 70s, even though they lost both finals they played in. If you think it is only worthwhile to remember the winners, that's up to you, but a world full of football nerds will disagree.
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THAT I can agree with. Even though I come from a "football country," I personally don't care much for it outside of international tourneys. I am more fond of ice hockey from Pee-Wee level to pro and have similar memories from the ones you and Foro have of football, but from NHL seasons, Stanley Cups and Winter Olympics, but at the end of the day they are just fond memories that fuel fan discussions the world over, this thread as a perfect example. But delving deeper into a specific squad or game does not change the fact of who won and who didn't. I can tell you the result of many of Mexico's games, but at the end of the day I am more proud of the fact that we win the Gold Cup every other year, we've won the u-17 World Cup twice, we won the 2012 Pan-american games and the 2012 Olympics. Almost winning is not winning unless it builds to something more. Tying Brazil 0-0 was a psychological and morale win which we clearly built off of putting the Dutch on the ropes for most of the game. In hindsight we tied against a country which while talented and has a good history and has results to back up their reputation, they have slept walk through this particular tournament and we succumb to a VERY good team. THAT is what good teams are made of, never giving up and winning despite set-backs and early mistakes.
 
@CriedWhenBrucieLeft - Is posting lists a bad thing? hehe :p

@Forostar: Spot on. The first World Cup which I really engaged with (and which started my love for the sport) was Italia 90'. And I'd say I remember the wondrous displays from Cameroon (including those wonderful goal celebrations by Roger Milla!) more than the horrendous final between Argentina and West Germany.

And in 94', I still have the vivid memories of that wonder goal by Ray Houghton which gave the Irish Republic a shock win over the Italians, the magnificent play of Romania's Hagi, and the heroics of Stoichkov's Bulgaria putting Germany out, and getting to the semi-finals for the first time. And falling in love with the Swedish team... (and of course, the tragic and horrific aftermath of Colombia's exit from the tournament) again, all those things stick in my mind far more than the woeful final of that world cup, where the only memorable moment was Baggio missing the penalty which handed Brazil the trophy. I fondly remember much about a lot of the world cup's I've watched, beyond simply who won the trophy... and I think that is also true of a lot of other footie fans.
 
Dr. Eddies Wingman said:
Five favourite teams in the 2014 World Cup, three least favourite players from each - not including players who did not play during the tournament!
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Haha! :p Well, I'd have certainly picked Lukaku as one of my least favourite players for Belgium in this world cup, until his star turn when he came on in the game last night. lol He did more in the first 15 minutes he was on the field last night, than he did in the whole of the previous two matches he played in, where he was useless! xD
 
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