World Cup 2014
 

This deserves it's own thread.

Brazil's ready!

@ESPNFC This is the Manaus pitch that will host the England-Italy World Cup match in 3 days (via Getty).



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yeah this world cup is going to be about as shitty as sochi i think

I hope the heat/humidity doesn't severely impact performance. And maybe the massive transit strikes won't happen.

I was invited to Sao Paulo later this month for a trade show. I considered going just to catch a match or two. But then I worried it would be a travel clusterfuck because they have the world cup underway and tens of thousands of people flying in for a convention.

Nothing some good grass paint can't handle. Looks worse than most high school fields though.

If the US can get over on Ghana, they just might be able to eek out two draws from there with a puncher's chance of a win against Portugal. Stranger things have happened. Germany may not need a win by the 3rd game.

Germany's in rough shape. Not feeling too hopeless about this one. Still no fucking chance though.

Why oh why must my favorite teams be the US and England?

If Ronaldo is a wheel down somewhat, that might be enough. Outside of him the teams are level.

england sucks and only jerks like them

England is to international football as the Maple Leafs are to the National Hockey League.

Well said, I usually compare them to Notre Dame in american college football, or really at this point the Dallas Buttfucking Cowboys

IM A COWBOYS FAN AWWW YEAHHH

I'm so stealing this.

someone explain this to me

ultimately they are a very pedestrian team that's got a huge fan base and hyped beyond all evidence to the contrary

and they haven't accomplished anything in a LONG time so it's just this bewildering fan based media catering perpetual hype machine

i hope in 15 years i can say that about the lakers, it would make me ready to die

figured as much given their last world cup championship was 1966.

also they have probably the best league in the world but it's because of guys not from england

The leafs haven't won a cup since 1968 which is why i thought of the comparison at first and then the rest just fit.

that too

are the England team really that hyped though? most Englishmen i know give them no chance...

stateside they are

GO AUSSIE nah just kidding we fucking suck at soccer idgaf

Honestly I didn't think that ANYBODY believes they've got a good team or a snowball's chance.

i think you're right. i believe even in england the football supporters have come to their senses. (it took a couple of huge disappointments, but they're finally there.)

in belgium, people are getting all hype-y now. this is the kind of news we normally get from the netherlands, so this is quite strange. i don't think it's as mental as the orange craze of the dutch, but still. if belgium does quite well, we might still reach that state.

i think there's still a big chance belgium won't get very far. so that might end in a big disappointment for the enthusiastic belgian fans. oh well. that'll teach 'em.

What are the chances of the US getting out of their group? 10%?

I'd say that's fair, and England certainly has a good team but not in the top tier like Mayfuck, Luke, and sleeper.

my money is on Snacktown.

Old Skool pizza spring rolls from Flavortown

Don't know, remember Ireland or Switzerland fans when their teams were out?

and please don't NukeCroatia today, I'm totally rooting for them (I'm in for misery, I know)

margin

I hope Portugal doesn't make it too far like they did on 2006, otherwise it'll be a bitch to walk around this neighborhood for the duration of the cup (nevermind sleep). Of course once Portugal is out they often root for Brazil anyway but at least not with the same ardor.... In 2006 i was living with french roommates in this portuguese neighborhood (they faced each other in the semi)....while i do by default root for France (well it's the closest affinity i have with any of the countries, at least all my ancestors do come from there all the way back in like the 1600s and 1700's...), my god this was annoying.

I like it, for a few weeks people don't talk about politics or evilimmigrantz, the usual daily stuff just vanishes.
If a team does well happy faces left and right, flags out of car windows, honking all night.
I'm gonna miss that here.

i'm not sure if i remember. what happened? (is it comparable though?)
it's just that a lot of people here believe that belgium will definitely make it to the quarter-finals at least. there's flags everywhere and other silly stuff. now belgium should be able to get fairly far, on paper. but those people will be disappointed if that doesn't happen. they're expecting way too much.

i used to root for croatia. they've always had a good team. but the last tournaments i've gone off them. they play too dirty. it's not nice to watch that. fuck them.

heh I'm used to absolute madness over the matches, I wonder what it'll be like here. Do you guys do fireworks for every goal? lol

I also sympathize with Croatia, but... yknow.

yea I can't help it. Dirty fucks, I love them.
well switzerland and ireland dropped out, sure the fans were sad, but they celebrated just for having been part of it. it was pretty awesome.
Personally I hope Belgium makes it to the quarter-finals.

Fireworks??? you throw beer for goals!!! I hope they score once. Just for their fans back home. Anything else is wishful thinking.


jesus christ Löw shut the fuck up or I'll be happy when Germany plays like shit just to slap you with your damn arrogance

Damn, so you've never experienced watching a goal and then for the next 10 minutes the entire city is exploding with fireworks?

Nope, actual fireworks weren't allowed in any of the cities I've been during world cup. Some bengalo fires, and people singing. Car parades. Music.

Or maybe.... could be there were some in 2006, and I wasn't paying attention.
You do fireworks in France??

Ah that makes sense, fireworks being dangerous and all. And I meant in Brazil, no idea what to expect from Paris.

I wonder if italy will flop out early or get to the finals. Also, a final without Brazil would suck.