World Cup for Dummies

[Soccer Dad]

Yes, I'm a dumb American, but not so dumb that I don't realize that a real football is round, not turd shaped.

I'm also not so dumb to not realize that the World Cup deserves "World" in its name. (The "World Series" of baseball certainly does not, unless one of the teams happens to be from Kalifornia. But then you have an inter-planetary series.)

So in a possibly futile effort to be a more worldly man, I beseech upon you football fans to edify me. What are the Top 5 things I need to know to better appreciate the upcoming Cup?

I've never played the game and I don't know the rules--and I'm not sure I should be getting excited about a sport where possibly only one point will be scored in an epic game.

But I am. And I'll be rooting for Team USA, you betcha.

[Rule number one]

The one most important thing you have to know about the World Cup is: DO NOT, and I repeat DO NOT root for team usa!

;D

[Don Corleone]

Ok my "americano" friend.
First: Your team will play against Italy and it will be a good game to watch

for us ;D

For a quick look at the rules: www.fifa.com/en/regulations/regulation/0,1584,3,00.html

Football is a "flowing" game. Hence do not expect strategies like in your football and continous commercial breaks. Instead watch the players and their skills in passing the ball (brasilian and italians), aerial skills (english, swedes) , rough tackles (english, argentinian, paraguayans swiss), speed (togo, ghana), diving in the penalty area (all teams except Italy ;D)...
Watch Ronaldhino, probably the most amazing player ever to grace the game after Pele'.
What else, just learn the rules and try to catch that off side position, always a forward nightmare. Watch the referees , there will be loads of incompetents and inexperienced from countries without a professional football tradition.
Speaking of which: The Singaporean referee: Do you think he will yellow card every player spitting on the pitch? ;D ;D ;D

[attachment]

I've got a powerpoint to attach. how do i attach powerpoint presentations.

Good summary of football tactics ;D

[oldmike]

Points to note:
1: There are only 11 players on each side. Usually no substitutions
2: There are no cheerleaders, drill teams or marching bands.(:-((
3: Only one man on each side is allowed to touch the ball with his hands.
4: The idea is to kick the ball into the net behind the little squat goal frame.
5: there is a rule called " Offside" which means that sometimes when you get the ball in the net it does not count.

Given the vast sums of money they earn, I have never understood why 22 grown men have to fight for 90 minutes over the single ball. Can't they learn to share, or buy one each?

[Easy]

There are two rules to help you enjoy the world cup

1. Only support your home team
2. And any team playing England

Hope this clears it up for you! ;D

[To put it simply]

It's a game where 22 or so players run around a nice grass field fand kick a ball back and forth for 90 minutes or so, and in the end Germany wins.

[mimi]

I think you'll find that Germany doesn't usually win. Since the competition began, it has only won it three times. Here's each country, and how many times they have won it.

BRAZIL : 5

ITALY : 3

GERMANY : 3

URUGUAY : 2

ARGENTINA : 2

ENGLAND : 1

FRANCE : 1

[Don Corleone]

Anyway this is the team you have to support all the way!!




;D ;D ;D

[Brazil all the way]

mimi said:

I think you'll find that Germany doesn't usually win. Since the competition began, it has only won it three times. Here's each country, and how many times they have won it.

BRAZIL : 5

ITALY : 3

GERMANY : 3

URUGUAY : 2

ARGENTINA : 2

ENGLAND : 1

FRANCE : 1

Germany doesn't usually win???

Only Brazil won more often than Germany, and this time it's on home ground!

I have no idea of the performance of this year's German team, but just looking at the time Germany won and the fact that they play in Germany, I think it has the highest chances of winning.

I still hope Brazil will win! ;D

[Soccer Dad]

Thanks for the advice all.

The FIFA rulebook was a big help, although I still can't get my head around the "offside" rule. I take from the comments here, though, that not even the refs get it right all the time. Anyhow, I take it the main point is to avoid having some glory git hang around the opponent's goal in hopes of an easy score.

Mrs. Soccer Dad (a.k.a. Soccer Mom) is not too thrilled that I've found another sport to watch on TV. But that's why we have two televisions.

Are the initial matchups random draws? Or does some FIFA drone make the decision? If so, I guess I should thank him for pitting Team USA against Italy in the early days. You know to give my team a nice warm up!

Cheers!

[mimi]

I don't know what your definition of 'usually' is, but winning 3 times out of 17 wouldn't be what I would refer to as 'usually'

[drongo]

The initial groups were put together taking into account seeding and keeping teams from same world groups apart.
I know the offside rule and I'm a girl! Refs get it wrong less often now because linesmen are helping out looking more or less just for that.
Oh, I'm so excited...and I just can't hide it

Husband's just told me that due to some stupid company rule he's said no to the offer of WC corporate hostility

[Brazil all the way]

mimi said:

I don't know what your definition of 'usually' is, but winning 3 times out of 17 wouldn't be what I would refer to as 'usually'

OK, then it's not 'usual' for the German team to win, but it's more 'usual' than any other team except the Brazilian (and as 'usual as the Italian). Nobody 'usually' wins, but Germany does so more 'usually' than almot anybody else.

Does anybody have the statistics for the runners up? Germany often reached the finals!

[Don Corleone]

I found this statistic (in italian of the strongest teams based on all the world cups played so far.
first number is games played, second is wins, third is draws, fourth is losses, fifth is goals made, and sixth goals received.

BRASILE 87 62 11 14 201 90
GERMANIA 85 53 15 17 189 114
ITALIA 70 39 14 17 118 78
ARGENTINA 60 33 8 19 113 79
FRANCIA 44 23 4 17 98 72
INGHILTERRA 50 22 13 15 74 53
SPAGNA 45 20 9 16 81 65
RUSSIA (anche ex URSS) 37 17 6 14 64 44
JUGOSLAVIA 37 16 7 14 62 49
SVEZIA 42 16 10 16 76 69
UNGHERIA 32 15 3 14 87 57
URUGUAY 40 15 10 15 65 57
OLANDA 32 14 8 10 58 40
POLONIA 28 14 5 9 42 36
AUSTRIA 29 12 4 13 43 47
BELGIO 36 11 8 17 51 67
CECOSLOVACCHIA 30 11 5 14 44 45
MESSICO 41 10 9 22 45 86
ROMANIA 21 8 3 10 38 42
CILE 25 7 6 12 31 40
DANIMARCA 13 7 2 4 24 18
PORTOGALLO 12 7 0 5 25 16
CROAZIA 10 6 0 4 13 8
SVIZZERA 22 6 3 13 33 51
U.S.A. 22 6 2 14 25 45
PARAGUAY 19 5 7 7 25 34
TURCHIA 10 5 1 4 20 17
BULGARIA 26 4 7 15 25 54
CAMERUN 17 4 7 6 15 29
COREA DEL SUD 21 4 5 12 24 52
NIGERIA 11 4 1 6 14 16
PERU’ 15 4 3 8 19 31
SCOZIA 23 4 7 12 25 41
COLOMBIA 13 3 2 8 14 23
COSTARICA 7 3 1 3 9 12
EIRE 13 3 6 4 17 17
IRLANDA DEL NORD 13 3 5 5 13 23
ALGERIA 6 2 1 3 6 10
ARABIA SAUDITA 10 2 1 7 7 25
GERMANIA EST 6 2 2 2 5 5
GIAPPONE 7 2 1 4 6 7
MAROCCO 13 2 4 7 12 18
NORVEGIA 8 2 3 3 7 8
SENEGAL 5 2 2 1 7 6
COREA DEL NORD 4 1 1 2 5 9
CUBA 3 1 1 1 5 12
ECUADOR 3 1 0 2 2 4
GALLES 5 1 3 1 4 4
GIAMAICA 3 1 0 2 3 9
IRAN 6 1 1 4 4 12
SUDAFRICA 6 1 3 2 8 11
TUNISIA 9 1 3 5 5 11
AUSTRALIA 3 0 1 2 0 5
BOLIVIA 6 0 1 5 1 20
CANADA 3 0 0 3 0 5
CINA 3 0 0 3 0 9
EGITTO 4 0 2 2 3 6
EL SALVADOR 6 0 0 6 1 22
EMIRATI ARABI 3 0 0 3 2 11
GRECIA 3 0 0 3 0 10
HAITI 3 0 0 3 2 14
HONDURAS 3 0 2 1 2 3
INDIE OLANDESI 1 0 0 1 0 6
IRAQ 3 0 0 3 1 4
ISRAELE 3 0 2 1 1 3
KUWAIT 3 0 1 2 2 6
NUOVA ZELANDA 3 0 0 3 2 12
SLOVENIA 3 0 0 3 2 7
ZAIRE 3 0 0 3 0 14

[mimi]

Statistics for runners up:

1930 Held in Uruguay: Champions: Uruguay; Runner up : Argentina
1934 Held in Italy: Champions: Italy; Runner up : Czechoslovakia
1938 Held in France: Champions: Italy; Runner up : Hungary
1950 Held in Brazil: Champions: Uruguay; Runner up : Brazil
1954 Held in Switzerland: Champions: W Germany; Runner up : Hungary
1958 Held in Sweden : Champions: Brazil; Runner up : Sweden
1962 Held in Chile: Champions: Brazil; Runner up : Czechoslovakia
1966 Held in England: Champions: England; Runner up : W Germany
1970 Held in Mexico : Champions: Brazil; Runner up : Italy
1974 Held in W Germany: Champions: W Germany; Runner up : Holland
1978 Held in Argentina: Champions: Argentina; Runner up : Holland
1982 Held in Spain: Champions: Italy; Runner up : W Germany
1986 Held in Mexico: Champions: Argentina; Runner up : W Germany
1990 Held in Italy: Champions: W Germany; Runner up : Argentina
1994 Held in USA: Champions: Brazil; Runner up : Italy
1998 Held in France: Champions: France; Runner up : Brazil

[Brazil all the way]

Grazie Don Corleone, Grazie.

Interesting, also that they organised it according to wins instead of something else. So, Germany is the second best team! Well before Italy. ;D

Scusi Don Corleone, Scusi.

But the third is not bad! Cheer up!

Salutiamo!

[Statistician]

Cool. In both 1986 and 1990 the final was between Germany and Argentina.

You will notice that relatively often (6 times out of 16) the winner is the country where the championship is held. Statistically, Germany has a lot of chances this year.

[doo wop]

doncorleone said:

Anyway this is the team you have to support all the way!!




;D ;D ;D

oh my god they looka lika fags

they shoulda cuta their hair

[Don Corleone]

doo wop
If i catcha ya, i cutta your pen1sa and stuff ina your mouth!!