FIFA World Cup 2014 Brazil

[Mentar]

I'm perfectly fine with leaving the pseudo-stardom to our superdribbler egomaniacs. Let them. Would exchange that against the cup any minute.

To give an example: Remember the 7:0 from Schürrle, in which he nailed the ball unter the crossbar? Wonderful goal, no doubt, and the pundits were oohing and aahing it. But for me, the most beautiful thing in the entire game was Sami Khedira's back-pass for the 4:0, in which Kroos had just robbed the ball and passed it to Khedira, who had a legit chance to score. What did he do instead? Lay it back to Kroos so that he could side-foot tap it in.

Maybe I'm an atypical football fan, but these examples of unselfish teamplay - resisting the temptation to try for personal glory and rather optimizing the chance for a teammate who then has it even easier - they are what makes good football for me.

[ChampDream]

Originally Posted by KiraYamatoFan

I was asking that because every time I see media attention shifting towards certain individuals, it's more often than not towards an Argentine or a Brazilian. There are top quality players coming from more than just from those 2 countries. I hope nobody will tell me that it's not sexy if it's not South American.

It probably have to do with the influence that Pelé and Maradona have left in football, you can also said Di Stefano and Garrincha help too, I remember Neymar got popular because they said it was the next Pelé.

[SuitUp]

Originally Posted by KiraYamatoFan

Not only Messi and Neymar. Over the years before that, Kaka, Ronaldinho and Ronaldo had that kind of treatment around them. It was almost as if the media only had eyes for them while I was asking "where's the basketload of praise for the likes of Zidane? Thierry Henry? Or even Oliver Kahn in his prime?" I've never seen FIFA using these other guys as poster boys, especially Zidane, although they were legitimate candidates for mass worldwide adoration.

I was asking that because every time I see media attention shifting towards certain individuals, it's more often than not towards an Argentine or a Brazilian. There are top quality players coming from more than just from those 2 countries. I hope nobody will tell me that it's not sexy if it's not South American.

When has ever a keeper been the posterboy for something? The only one who actually got big enough that a whole myth and poetry was constructed among him was Yashin, and he was european (Russian, but still).
Also, if you remember the galacticos era, people and comentators could not shut up about Zidane, Figo and Beckham (a hack when compared to the other galacticos)...
That now people sell south americans more it's a result of the 70's, 80's where south american football (read: brazilian) was as good as it was unknow, and Pelé and Maradona's influence in football...

[frivolity]

Originally Posted by Mentar

I'm perfectly fine with leaving the pseudo-stardom to our superdribbler egomaniacs. Let them. Would exchange that against the cup any minute.

To give an example: Remember the 7:0 from Schürrle, in which he nailed the ball unter the crossbar? Wonderful goal, no doubt, and the pundits were oohing and aahing it. But for me, the most beautiful thing in the entire game was Sami Khedira's back-pass for the 4:0, in which Kroos had just robbed the ball and passed it to Khedira, who had a legit chance to score. What did he do instead? Lay it back to Kroos so that he could side-foot tap it in.

Maybe I'm an atypical football fan, but these examples of unselfish teamplay - resisting the temptation to try for personal glory and rather optimizing the chance for a teammate who then has it even easier - they are what makes good football for me.

As a basketball fan, I agree with that. Passing up a good shot to allow a team-mate to take an even better shot is what makes team sports fun to watch. The media will always focus on individual brilliance, be it the dunks and crossovers or the curlers and stepovers, but seeing a team winning through disciplined and intelligent teamplay as opposed to relying on star power will always be more satisfying for me.

[Jazzrat]

Originally Posted by KiraYamatoFan

Not only Messi and Neymar. Over the years before that, Kaka, Ronaldinho and Ronaldo had that kind of treatment around them. It was almost as if the media only had eyes for them while I was asking "where's the basketload of praise for the likes of Zidane? Thierry Henry? Or even Oliver Kahn in his prime?" I've never seen FIFA using these other guys as poster boys, especially Zidane, although they were legitimate candidates for mass worldwide adoration.

I was asking that because every time I see media attention shifting towards certain individuals, it's more often than not towards an Argentine or a Brazilian. There are top quality players coming from more than just from those 2 countries. I hope nobody will tell me that it's not sexy if it's not South American.

Actually Argentinian players aren't particularly popular when compared to Brazilians, other than Maradona and Messi, there's very few posterboy from that country. Brazil introduced the beautiful game (joga bonito/samba football) that's very easy to appeal to the mass with it's flair and dribbling hence their media fame.

While not as much as they give to them, top players like Zidane, Henry, Kahn still gets a lot of eyeball. If you really want to identify the underappreciated role, there's many position like the central defenders, defensive midfield that really doesn't get a lot of attention despite their contribution to the game. Casual watchers tends to only remember the players involved in a goal and not those who helped shut down such attempt.

[Bri]

Ouch

https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/socce...57-soccer.html

[Pellissier]

Djamel Haimoudi from Algeria is the referee for the the 3rd place match. I expected either him or Williams from Australia to be there.

Now for the 1st place match, it's Europe vs. America so if there's a decent ref from a different continent he should suit well. For this reason I'm predicting Irmatov (Uzbekistan) , he arrived to semifinals 4 years ago and already has 4 matches in this World Cup.

No other extra europeans or extra americans are of that caliber, so if it isn't him it could be either Proença or Webb. I don't think it'll be Rizzoli as italian media hope, for a very simple reason: out of 3 matches he already met Argentina twice (vs. Nigeria and vs. Belgium).

[Shinndou]

Originally Posted by KiraYamatoFan

"where's the basketload of praise for the likes of Zidane? Thierry Henry?

I don't know when you started following this sport but Zidane has always been praised a lot (deservedly so) by the media. He's an icon and one of the best footballers of all time, and the media still talk about him whereas you don't hear them talking about Ronaldo as often anymore, for instance.

It's true that south-american players tend to be under the spotlight more often, but it's more because they are the type of players who showcase dribbling skills and trickery, which does appeal to the average uneducated football fan. And if you think about it, they are all forwards/strikers. You'll hardly see any defender or midfielder (or keeper, as you pointed out) being as much under the spotlight as these guys.

Think about someone like Lahm, Cannavaro, Thiago Silva, etc... they are all widely known and appreciated by football fans but they're defenders and they generally don't possess the same level of flair/trickery, therefore they're not going to attract the attention of the average person who doesn't religiously follow football as we do. The only case where I remember a defender appearing pretty often under the spotlight was that of Roberto Carlos, because of his amazing ball control and shooting skills.

[Pellissier]

Contrarily to my expectations, FIFA disregarded the fact he already had Argentina twice in this tournament and chose the Italian Nicola Rizzoli as referee for the Maracanà final.
His matches in this tournament were:

Spain-Holland 1-5 (Groups)
Argentina-Nigeria 3-2 (Groups)
Argentina-Belgium 1-0 (Quarters)

I wish him good luck, at least an Italian representative made it to the final (actually three considering the linesmans).

[Mentar]

Surprising. I would have expected Webb.

Well, at least I'm not aware of any big problems surrounding Rizzoli, so it should hopefully be fine.

[KiraYamatoFan]

Originally Posted by Shinndou

I don't know when you started following this sport but Zidane has always been praised a lot (deservedly so) by the media. He's an icon and one of the best footballers of all time, and the media still talk about him whereas you don't hear them talking about Ronaldo as often anymore, for instance.

Zidane is getting the consistent amount of attention now, yes. But I was always under the impression that Ronaldo and Ronaldinho had more spotlight although Zizou probably squeezed in between for a short period as the top marketable guy.

It's true that south-american players tend to be under the spotlight more often, but it's more because they are the type of players who showcase dribbling skills and trickery, which does appeal to the average uneducated football fan. And if you think about it, they are all forwards/strikers. You'll hardly see any defender or midfielder (or keeper, as you pointed out) being as much under the spotlight as these guys.

Think about someone like Lahm, Cannavaro, Thiago Silva, etc... they are all widely known and appreciated by football fans but they're defenders and they generally don't possess the same level of flair/trickery, therefore they're not going to attract the attention of the average person who doesn't religiously follow football as we do. The only case where I remember a defender appearing pretty often under the spotlight was that of Roberto Carlos, because of his amazing ball control and shooting skills.

Schmeichel and Kahn... those were the years.

To be honest, I would love it if there's another Franz Beckenbauer rising someday to claim a title of most complete player. In terms of duopoly between the 2 best players in the world, I would certainly have enjoyed Cruijff vs. Beckenbauer a lot more than Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo today.

Originally Posted by Mentar

Surprising. I would have expected Webb.

I thought so too. Since Webb is English, Germany or Argentina (pfff), he couldn't care less about favoring anyone.

[Urzu 7]

Originally Posted by Bri

Ouch

https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/socce...57-soccer.html

That's nothing. Everyone on the Brazilian team have sore anuses after their last game.

[Pellissier]

Originally Posted by Mentar

Surprising. I would have expected Webb.

Well, at least I'm not aware of any big problems surrounding Rizzoli, so it should hopefully be fine.

I think Webb wasn't chosen because he did the final in 2010. There's a sort of unwritten rule that says that a referee cannot have a World Cup final twice, it's actually the same in Champions' League, Europa League and other competitions, you only get 1 cap for the final round.

Rizzoli isn't very appreciated in Italy, because he tends to favour some sides - always the same sides - sometimes with very blatant episodes. He isn't even the best italian referee since at least other two surpassed him as for performances (Orsato and Rocchi).
But in international matches he's different, freed from personal preferences and so far he's had a pretty good career. He still shows admiration for some players (take Messi, in the Argentina-Belgium match he committed at least 4 fouls worthy of a yellow card but Rizzoli always spared him). One thing I think Fifa likes a lot about him is that he's VERY talkative with players, always seeking for a serene dialogue before going to bad means (ie. yellow/red cards).

All in all, he's certainly up to the task given his immense experience, but let's see how he wakes up on sunday.

[KiraYamatoFan]

From extremely bad to a hell lot worse to Brazil!

RVP converts a penalty, 1-0, 3rd minute.

[Irenicus]

HOLY SHIT.

The nightmare deepens for the Selecao.

[Mentar]

*lol*

Holland may just outperform Germany. 1:0 after 2 minutes, and Brazil can feel lucky that da Silva wasn't sent off.

[sneaker]

Wow, way to destroy the chance for redemption...

[Pellissier]

Maybe the foul began outside the area, so *maybe* technically it could have been free kick. But by all means it was red card for Thiago Silva, no matter what interpretation of the rule that is always a red card.

[KiraYamatoFan]

Originally Posted by Pellissier

Maybe the foul began outside the area, so *maybe* technically it could have been free kick. But by all means it was red card for Thiago Silva, no matter what interpretation of the rule that is always a red card.

With that regard, Silva is a very very lucky boy. I can only imagine what would have been if Silva was sent off again.

[Pellissier]

Originally Posted by KiraYamatoFan

With that regard, Silva is a very very lucky boy. I can only imagine what would have been if Silva was sent off again.

It isn't a foul to commit after two minutes. Provided you're being sent off, it's best to go down 1 goal than 1 man with all that time left.