** 2014 World Cup Thread **
 

Final: Germany vs Argentina

3rd Place: Brazil vs Netherlands

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FIFA_World_Cup
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/standings/

Cant wait. Both my N American teams up in this Mexico and the USA. Hey, my whole family comes from Mexico. Its in the blood! haha

Cant wait though, should be fun no doubt.

Who are the best world teams, in order, go

NB4 "I HATE SOCCER AND NO1CUR" posts.

Soooooooooo there's a consolation bracket, right?

I would say it is more wide open than normal. In my opinion the best and tournament favorite is Germany.

The elite teams (again IMO) are Spain, Italy, Germany, Brazil, Columbia, and Argentina.

Two teams from our group of Germany, Ghana, Portugal, and USA advance.

I know that... But seriously? Portugal AND Germany?!?

How the **** did that work out? Argentina's is a ****ing joke.

Yea, it is a tough group no doubt. I sort of welcome it. For all the chest pounding about the advancement of soccer in the United States and its team I sort of welcome the opportunity to prove it.

USA has been talking a whole lot...and improving...they get their chance to prove that. I can't ****ing wait.

Chill out, Bart Scott

Another thought. Ghana has been this weird boogey man for us for whatever reason but having them first? Huge. If we can win that first game? We are set up pretty well staring down the barrel of the harder games.

:D

So you're saying win-draw-loss is what's most likely for USA?

Yes, though I am not conceding a Portugal loss. We may also benefit from Germany being "in" at the time we play them.

It is interesting...obviously you can only go by this so much but when we beat them in 2002 USA was worse than they are now and Portugal better than they are now.

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The real question in that ridiculous group is not whether the US can advance, but whether they can win a game.

The US has got this

Oh ye of little faith.

This is a team in really good form. Lots of playmakers.

Don't know much about soccer, but I will cheer for the U.S.

I really hope Altidore can get something going for Sunderland soon. I know he doesn't have much to work with but it would be nice to get some goals and build his confidence before this summer.

Sunderland was a bad move...he isn't getting any service and everyone over there is shit. I think he will be able to find a way to make a move to another league.

Full expecting a repeat of 2006 in Germany.
That way, I'm nothing but surprised if things go the USA's way.

Wayne Rooney commemorated his blockbuster new contract with a cracker of a goal today.

Just a perfect one-touch half volley from the top of the penalty.

http://metrouk2.files.wordpress.com/...oney.gif?w=649

A good day for great goals

Six consecutive one-touches right through the heart of the D

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A mega blast off the goalpost and in from 30 yards, and it's in the run of play, not a horribly defended free kick like it might appear.

http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/19gh.../ku-xlarge.gif

Higher resolution at Deadspin

http://deadspin.com/arsenal-strike-a...oal-1528595349

http://deadspin.com/heres-gareth-bal...azo-1528647605

*Colombia

My bad

Well some wood-shoe doode in the snowy part of Europe told us we spend too much time playing sports that are meant to kill each other, so we'll see.

Obviously we can't play hockey, we'll see about soccer now.

We suck at curling too.

****ing Bale. He does that same shit to me in FIFA 14. It's so frustrating.

JK has released the 30 man preliminary roster. Besler and Zusi have one more time match with Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday before they ship off for camp.

GOALKEEPERS (3) : Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

DEFENDERS (11) : DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Timmy Chandler (Nürnberg), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders FC), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Clarence Goodson (San Jose Earthquakes), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim), Michael Parkhurst (Columbus Crew), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)

MIDFIELDERS (10) : Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Maurice Edu (Philadelphia Union), Julian Green (Bayern Munich), Jermaine Jones (Besiktas), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

FORWARDS (6) : Jozy Altidore (Sunderland), Terrence Boyd (Rapid Vienna), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Aron Johannsson (AZ Alkmaar), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)

Less than 30 ****ing days away.

So basically they have to beat the diving, ref paying, cheap shot artist, cheating Ghana then upset Portugal or Germany, Germany being a huge major upset. That is a tough group, yikes.

Really worried about Portugal and CR7...

Would beating Portugal be considered an upset?

Yu can't like both, but I do think that Americans need to pick another team to root for...lol

Yes. Beating any of those teams would be considered an upset

Winning the Ghana game would not be an upset. It's true they have had our number a bit but the US isn't a shit team.

Hey....put Official in the thread title.

I am not saying the US team is shit, but mark my words they will struggle to beat Ghana...if they beat them at all.

Inb4 we get knocked out by Ghana again.

Portugal has Cristiano Ronaldo (just to name one guy on a superb squad). So...yes.

I was looking yesterday at our back line from 2010 and our back line this year, and I couldn't believe just how awful it was. When your best defender is Carlos Bocanegra, (and you have Jonathan "Slowest Man in the World" Bornstein) you're in a lot of trouble...

At least we've got a serviceable back line now. Besler has been sharp, Beasley has made a good transition from midfield, and Cameron/Johnson and Chandler making a comeback from injury would be excellent. Glad to see Timmy made the 30 man.

Yes, Portugal is currently ranked #3 in the world. Germany #2, Ghana #38. USA currently ranked #14.

Groups A and D look pretty tough as well, but some of them look light. Not sure how those things are decided but looks a bit rigged.

It is. FIFA is a very corrupt organization.

Ukraine lol

It's the luck of the draw

Remember, this is FIFA we're talking about. This is the governing body that decided Qatar in the summer would be a great idea for a World Cup (also Russia, the ****?)

Most corrupt sports governing bodies:

1. FIFA
1. FIA
1. NCAA

Far from it...

Were you trying to put a thought together here? Feel free to use more words.

Everytime I have ever seen Ronaldo do something worth doing it is either in a Real Madrid shirt or some vague Nike kit...because it's a commercial. Haha.

Why didn't Portugal get one of the 8 number 1 seeds?

Rankings have nothing to do with seeding. It is all based upon politics and story lines.

They also barely qualified. Had to beat Ibra and Sweden in a playoff.

Just need to win that first game and let the other teams beat on each other.

I like to get into the spirit of the World Cup. It's very fun. But we suck this year...like every year.

I feel like five points is pretty much our best possible outcome. Unless we can steal one from Portugal like we did in 2002.

23 man roster is in...no Landon.

Wondo in which I like...Green is in...

Davis and Yedlin are in which I am not crazy about.

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Davis and Green over Donovan? The fuuu...?

Its a surprise I mean....Zusi has been sort of the guy in an LD type role for a while now and that sabbatical or whatever LD took really rubbed JK the wrong way. Truth is LD is only so fit and he really has not played good soccer for club or country since the Gold Cup.

Will miss ya Landon.

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True, but we need goal scorers who create thier own chances (wether it be via runs or beating a guy 1:1). Now have have only Dempsey who can be easily marked out of a game. Altidore has been just as bas as Donovan lately.

Yea I am not as down on them though I get your concern I think they are more likely to create classic team goals like the often have been especially with Bradley who is in my opinion the best player in CONCACAF.

Bradley is badass. Easily best player on our team and I'd give him the nod on CONCACAF as well. I just hope he doesn't get worn out having to constantly run into the defensive 1/3; covering for our weak wing defenders.

True Fan.

Hey man...some people are looking forward to the World Cup and some are stuck focusing on how good LD used to be. Come what may.

Yeah a World Cup for chiefs fans, 0-3 and out, but u just wait til 2018 when the young guys r ready!!!

Jurgen Klinsmann: 'Toughest Decision in my coaching career'

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The same haters who were going on and on a few years ago about how the US were going to be buried under the dominance of Mexico are here with their hot sports takes.

Mexico, the asshole of NA futbol, love beating those punks

I haven't seen the foreign teams we'll be playing play as teams much, but the US wouldn't scare me too much from an offensive standpoint if I were them. Not from the matches I've seen.

Sort of surprising since Donovan was by far the best player on the squad during the last WC, but I'm not going to pretend like I know if this was a good or bad move.

If nothing else, Landon Donovan can say he scored the greatest goal of our generation for US Soccer and he might be responsible for the rise in popularity of the sport among fans and youth.

Howard, . . gratefully claims it, distribution, . . . brilliant

Poetry

Not so much for his son

Where do you see that? I'm sure he deleted the tweet by now, but usually it's out there anyway. I don't see it.

Nevermind. I see. Looks like he took his account down.

That's not for real is it?

You have no clue what you are talking about. USA is 1-1-1 at worst.

Wow. I want to beat that douche.

Saw that when it came out. How unnecessary.

Will never forget.

The Germanification of US soccer. MOAR retreads!