World Cup 2010: In case you care!

[epocalypse]

So, who wants to talk Football? Not fake football, but Association Football, where people play with their feet! I'm looking forward to this tentatively, as my team (Portugal) was underperforming in qualifiers (get off your ass, Ronaldo!) and was cast into group g, the Group of Death in this tourney with two of the top 3 (I'm looking at you, A Seleção Brasileira!) but we are ranked 3rd, and the third big hitter in the section, Côte d'Ivoire, just suffered a huge hit with their captain and star getting a fracture in a friendly against Japan, and North Korea doing anything against any of those teams would be a shock to remember.

Personally, I'd love for us to win, preferably by managing to properly thrash our cousins in Spain and Brazil (1 & 2 in the ranks, respectively) at some point. I do hesitate to get my hopes up, as we're one of the best teams to consistently not have won the big prizes, and I know that Brazil is PISSED after 4 years ago, but I'll be cheering my team.

So, anyone else care at all?

[Agloriouscuppa]

As cliché as it sounds England could have a chance to get pretty far, assuming we get our players fit in time. Its the strongest team we've fielded in years. That being said I see us getting to round 2 before getting knocked out. The pub near my flat is going to have a brass band for every match England play in. So 12 June, look out Yanks, were coming for you.

I'm a pretty big fan of football only because it gives me something I can be social to other people about. My flatmate is downright obsessed, but he also works in a pub and gets paid to watch/pour pints. Lucky Git.

[epocalypse]

So 12 June, look out Yanks, were coming for you.

I really hope England has higher expectations and ambitions than beating the USA.

[Keab42]

England will make it to the semi finals and then lose on penalties. It's our party piece.

[Agloriouscuppa]

So 12 June, look out Yanks, were coming for you.

I really hope England has higher expectations and ambitions than beating the USA.

You'd be surprised there are actually good American footballers, thing is they all play in the English Leagues so you lot never hear about them.

[Metcarfre]

My preferences for the World Cup generally fall into England>Germany>Netherlands, based on my heritage/people I know/uniforms. That said I'd love to see a country like Nigeria or Ghana do well, 'cuz, you know? Also one of my best friends is an ex-pat from Switzerland so I have to cheer for them too.

That said my only jersey is England's from 2002. So... I guess I have to cheer for them? Oh wait, I have an Italian one from the UEFA European championship of 2004 as well.

...Eh.

Also, CFL starts soon, so it's not the only football I'll be watching.

[Tapir12]

I'm living with a Brazilian and a Portuguese so things are going to get tense around here later this month!

I'm not much of a football/soccer person myself, but I think I'll probably watch a few games. I guess I'll be rooting for Brazil. It's going to be non-stop football talk for the next month, I'm sure of it. A bunch of my friends are going to see some games so maybe I will have some stories to tell later about the shinanigans of the World Cup fans.

[epocalypse]

I'm living with a Brazilian and a Portuguese so things are going to get tense around here later this month!

Yes... yes it will. At least you don't have a Spaniard, too.

[Evil Jim]

I don't actually care but it's painful because I know I should. A couple times a month there are football questions at Team Trivia & my team is pretty lean on sports info.

[Juliamon]

I arrived in Rio de Janeiro about an hour before Brazil won in 2002, and let me tell you that week was one of the most fun I've ever had (even though I was too young to drink at the time!) It was pretty funny, as we'd gone there planning to look as touristy as possible, and then EVERYONE IN THE DAMN CITY was wearing Ronaldo and Ronaldinho shirts and Brazil flag hats and we ended up standing out due to looking more like Brazilians than the actual Brazilians did!

So even though I don't much care for football (I'm a baseball girl), I still have a soft spot for the Brazil team. Good memories.

[frozen_flame]

It'll be nice in the background, and will be supporting England [ofc]. If they go out...always the underdogs. Stuff like S. Korea getting to the semis are awesome.

England fans: Opinions on Ferdinand pulling out?

[Tim]

Oranje! Oranje!

[davefp]

England for me. Although with all our injuries lately it's going to be tough. Who's up for getting to the semi-finals then losing on penalties? We are!

[EnglishMQ]

I find your options constraining, I'm more than Not Caring but definitly don't shout HOO-YEAH! at the very mention of it.

I like Football, I like tournaments where you can apply statistics and facts and figures, so this is an enjoyable event. I don't support England though, I'm neutral.

Not that it matters, England are going to loose in the Quarter Finals to France 2-0. Mark my words!

[iamafish]

ok here's the thing.

i dont really like football. it does not interest me. That's fine, different things for different people. I dont resent people liking it, it's their loss. What i do resent is all the FUCKING hype. I cannot turn on the TV without some bloody advert telling me to watch or bet on the world cup, or the radio, or interact with other people without it being shoved in my face (i'm not talking about this thread by the way). I dont mind people talking about it, but do you have to assume that everyone gives a damn? I really wish people would stop shoving the fact that the world cup is on into my face.

Another thing that pisses me off is that everyone is convinced that England will win and, unless you're on TV, it is blasphemy to say otherwise. The kind of patriotic dedication to your country's sports teams (or indeed your local sports team) has never made sense to me. Don't get me wrong, i enjoy sport and support sports teams, but when it gets to the point where your team can do no wrong and you despise people who do not support your team, you are taking things far too seriously. This is one of the reasons why football annoys me; the fans are so obsessive and fervent. England may win the world cup, it would be great if they did, but people are setting themselves up for disappointment, because in all likelihood England will to reasonably well, but wont win.

[/rant]

[Elomin Sha]

Come on Wales....oh wait, they're not in it. Maybe Ireland...err, no. Well there's always Scot...nope. ENGLAND!!!!!!!!

[Lord Chrusher]

I have been in Melbourne long enough that 'Football' means Australian rules football. I will throw my support behind my adopted country and say "Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi".

[epocalypse]

Oi. I love that word.

[ThrashJazzAssassin]

I have an idea; this year, when we (England) lose, why doesn't everybody skip the "Oh-well-I-never-gave-a-shit-anyway-and-actually-I-quite-like-Portugal" routine? That always gets on my nerves.

As cliché as it sounds England could have a chance to get pretty far, assuming we get our players fit in time. Its the strongest team we've fielded in years. That being said I see us getting to round 2 before getting knocked out.

That sounds likely; sadly, no matter how strong the squad we almost never manage to actually work effectively as an entire team.

[Elomin Sha]

What I find retarded, each world cup some stupid priest/clergy guy comes out with prayers to help England win. Yeah, talking to thin air is really going to help.

[matthewm]

I think Spain will actually pull it off this time. I'm just really hoping that an African team at least makes it to the Quarterfinals (Semis would be ideal, but I dunno if that's going to happen).

Cote D'Ivoire have had the worst luck. I'm hoping it turns around for them, but I kind of expect them to get lost on their way to the game against North Korea and default on it automatically or something.

I find all Euro/South American teams dominating to be disappointing. I want teams from other parts of the world to do well! Well, except the USA, I do think they play pretty good football (last I saw them play they didn't seem to dive), and that the game against England will be closer than people in the UK think (England are ranked 8th in the world, USA are ranked 14th), but they don't "deserve" winning, in that I don't think it'd even be front page news if they won the entire tournament.

Do people want to post who they think will win the groups/semis/finals?

[Ed.]

I would almost like to see USA do well if it meant Americans start playing real football

[Cade Antilles]

I'm from the States, where not caring about Soccer (or Football to the rest of the planet) is a national pastime.

[epocalypse]

What I find retarded, each world cup some stupid priest/clergy guy comes out with prayers to help England win. Yeah, talking to thin air is really going to help.

They should grow a pair, like the Brazillian Nuns. I hear they go in face paint.

[Elomin Sha]

Dip them in the pot is it?