Football Soccer Football Soccer Football Soccer

[siablo14]

Quite entertaining so far.

[siablo14]

Extra time. Thrilling stuff.

[siablo14]

1-0 to USA in the dying minutes of ET.

[BigZ44]

Was a really fun game with tons of missed chances from both sides. Have to say, I'm shocked the US pulled out this tourney with the team they brought and some of the lineups they kept running out there. I was honestly concerned about getting out of the group stage with Canada and Haiti and thought for sure Jamaica was gonna beat us. That's 2 big wins over Mexico now in tournament finals this year, feels like a real wave we are riding into the future now. Can't wait to see the A team in WC Qualifying with all this momentum now, future is bright for the USMNT!

[F l i c k e r]

I guess Berhalter is the one.

[Phenom]

Is that not an endorsement though? Portugal didn't even win a game did they in normal time to win that? And Greece played a teams in Portugal that had beaten England on pens in a ridiculous game and then the Netherlands.

Greece is possibly a bit of a different era but that was a football miracle again to Leicester.

My belief is just I dont think the top European nations would be fussed if they got Brazil or Argentina in a knockout world cup game. I think they would be favorites to win. Knockout football can still produce any result but I just cant see your traditional free flowing, champagne football type Brazil doing that well in today's game. The ball has almost become secondary.

It is all pressing and counter pressing.

We will see though, I'd like someone completely different to do well. An African nation going as far or further than Cameroon.

I just think the game is weighted to Europe. It has all the resources and it is basically the knowledge base of the game where tactical innovation will happen first.

I'm not sure how grass roots works in Brazil even. It is an enormous country but in England you have kids at elite academies from the age of 8 and that happens all around Europe.

I don't think Portugal won game in the world cup either Italy didn't even qualify

Like you had Denmark Ukraine Czech Republic Switzerland in quarterfinals ffs

Japan could make it to euro final depending on which side of the bracket they in

[Sparked_26]

I don't think Portugal won game in the world cup either Italy didn't even qualify

Like you had Denmark Ukraine Czech Republic Switzerland in quarterfinals ffs

Japan could make it to euro final depending on which side of the bracket they in

Would Japan beat any of those teams? I'm not sure what their record is in world cups but have they beaten any European teams. The difference being I guess someone like the Swiss is the weakest possible European team that seem to consistently qualify for World Cups. I'm not picking the Japanese against them unless there is a flood of Japanese talent into the European games at good teams who are playing consistently. You just can't go up the levels without playing in Europe.

Nowadays it is probably harder to get in as top European teams are desperate to create their own talent.

There is an issue with the brackets at world cups. Less so this tourney but Croatia or England wasnt a good world cup semi final. England are better now but then they were okay but not really befitting of that stage. Croatia did brilliantly but realistically they shouldn't be getting that far without avoiding good teams.

We will see in Qatar. It is really hot so maybe that changes things for Northern European sides but I'd still bet on 4 European semi finalists.

Germany will go again as usual, France, Italy, England, Spain, Portugal. There are 6 there that I feel will consistently go long in tournaments. Then you have the good second tier sides like Denmark, Croatia and Sweden that traditionally do quite well in tournaments. Not to mention the probable death rattle of a golden generation Belgium who still have world class players in their prime. The Netherlands are another problem they have nearly sorted themselves out.

Whereas on the other hand who are European nations looking at and thinking these guys will take some stopping? Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, the African cup of nations gets passed around so there is no dominant team there, the US? No team in Europe is allowed to lose to the US that 1950 England team is reviled for it so is the 2010 team for drawing with them. Could they win a one off game maybe but I doubt it. All Euros would be keyed in to face them

There is just nothing much there. European nations will only be looking at themselves and Brazil and the Argies.

I dunno I'm obviously this side of things but what European nation do you think the US could beat out of the ones I've mentioned? Football is football so anything can happen but who would you make a case for them being favourites to beat?

[alza1988]

Joe Hart interview .

[BigZ44]

Would Japan beat any of those teams? I'm not sure what their record is in world cups but have they beaten any European teams. The difference being I guess someone like the Swiss is the weakest possible European team that seem to consistently qualify for World Cups. I'm not picking the Japanese against them unless there is a flood of Japanese talent into the European games at good teams who are playing consistently. You just can't go up the levels without playing in Europe.

Nowadays it is probably harder to get in as top European teams are desperate to create their own talent.

There is an issue with the brackets at world cups. Less so this tourney but Croatia or England wasnt a good world cup semi final. England are better now but then they were okay but not really befitting of that stage. Croatia did brilliantly but realistically they shouldn't be getting that far without avoiding good teams.

We will see in Qatar. It is really hot so maybe that changes things for Northern European sides but I'd still bet on 4 European semi finalists.

Germany will go again as usual, France, Italy, England, Spain, Portugal. There are 6 there that I feel will consistently go long in tournaments. Then you have the good second tier sides like Denmark, Croatia and Sweden that traditionally do quite well in tournaments. Not to mention the probable death rattle of a golden generation Belgium who still have world class players in their prime. The Netherlands are another problem they have nearly sorted themselves out.

Whereas on the other hand who are European nations looking at and thinking these guys will take some stopping? Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, the African cup of nations gets passed around so there is no dominant team there, the US? No team in Europe is allowed to lose to the US that 1950 England team is reviled for it so is the 2010 team for drawing with them. Could they win a one off game maybe but I doubt it. All Euros would be keyed in to face them

There is just nothing much there. European nations will only be looking at themselves and Brazil and the Argies.

I dunno I'm obviously this side of things but what European nation do you think the US could beat out of the ones I've mentioned? Football is football so anything can happen but who would you make a case for them being favourites to beat?

Personally, with all the young talent that is coming through now, I feel like the US slots in with those 2nd tier European teams like Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Ukraine etc. Good enough to rise up and challenge the top tier teams on their best days, but not consistently. Like if they were in that UEFA Nations League, they'd be a team that bounces between winning league B and getting relegated from League A imo

[Sparked_26]

Personally, with all the young talent that is coming through now, I feel like the US slots in with those 2nd tier European teams like Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Ukraine etc. Good enough to rise up and challenge the top tier teams on their best days, but not consistently. Like if they were in that UEFA Nations League, they'd be a team that bounces between winning league B and getting relegated from League A imo

A good USA team would be interesting tbf. As much as teams like beating England and Germany. Imagine if the US beat Brazil in a world cup? They would be in national mourning.

If the US ran rampant through a world cup the whole world would be pretty upset, lol. I'd enjoy it.

If the money was poured into US grassroots football I'm sure therir actual numbers of players playing organised football at underage level would exceed a lot of European nations maybe most of them. The issue I'd imagine is those kids will always probably play a few sports and I would imagine getting them into the right places to develop is logistically difficult otherwise they probably could do well.