Yeah no thread yet???
Well........
Its not that long and everybody will talk about football only....Actually in Germany they already do (and it sucks btw).This is what is coming. You will have no chance to escape from it. I actually never been a big football/soccer fan but yeah when the World Cup is I something watch a game.
Well feel free to discuss here. I will also sometimes.

First of all let me say that you have a freaky mascot you Germans.

w00t!!!

Im going to root for my national team all the way, although we (Mexicans) know they will prolly loose on the first round . There a great team, but in the world cup they always seem to suck pretty bad!

Nice to see a thread about this. Well im going to put up my predictions for the groups and in a month we'll see am I prophetic or an idiot.

Group A

Germany
Poland
Costa Rica
Ecuador

GERMANY
Looks as if the Germans have nabbed themselves an easy group which is just as well considering the shambles they have been of late (witness there hammering at the hands of Italy). They have some decent players in the forms of Ballack and Lehmann but look very toothless up front. However like all German teams I expect them to grind out the results and get thru

POLAND
The Poles possess a honest hardworking team but nothing from there group matches suggested anything very special. there previous star man Emmanuele Olesadebie has gone AWOL (and lost his form) and there really isn't anyone to take his place. I expect to see them in a fight with Ecuador for the second spot.

COSTA RICA
The Costa Ricans are coming into there Third World Cup and honestly I can't see them improving on the performance of the first when they made it to the last 16. In 2002 they gave the Turks a bit of a scare before finishing 3rd in there group but I can't see a repeat here. Virtually the entire squad is Home based including old European traveller Paulo Wanchope which doesn't suggest a lot of class in the team. they may pinch something against the very wobbly Pole's but I doubt it. Bottom of the group for them.

ECUADOR
Anybody who qualifies from the South American group has to have a bit of Meat about them. Most of the squad is like Costa Rica homebased but youngsters like Luis Valencia certainly have a future in Europe ahead if this tournament goes well. There performance in 2002 was better then the results tell and they'll be Polands main Threat for 2nd

My Prediction

Germany 1st
Ecuador 2nd
Poland 3rd
Costa Rica 4th


Group B

England
Sweden
Paraguay
Trinadad and Tobago

ENGLAND
First up it's the "old enemy"(joke) who have to be considered one of the favourites for the ultimate prize come the final. But whether we see the England that defeated Argentina 3-2 a few months back in Switzerland or the shambles that surrendered to the Northern Irish remains to be seen. Eriksson is well know for deploying negative tactic's once England go ahead in big matches which always seems very stupid considering the talent they have. No Rooney for the group stages will hurt but a predator like Owen will be more then enough for this stage, and the beanpole Crouch will doubtless leave defender's going wtf. Looking at the group winners here.

SWEDEN
Sweden were very comfortable winners of there qualifying group so when they came to Ireland for a warm-up match the last thing I expect was for them to be torn apart by Duff Keane and co. If they play like that in theWorld Cup they'll be on the first plan home but i expect them to pull it together for the big event. In men like Ibrahimovic and Larsson they possess world class strikers and although i expect the English to sqeak by them they'll be to strong for Paraguay and T&T Second place awaits.

PARAGUAY
Fourth in the South American Quali stage the Paraguayians have the scalp of a home win over the Argentines to show there no push-overs. There old goalie Calavert has gone meaning they lack any real stars and althought they seem like a compatent side from what i've seen they don't scream class. 3rd place for them

TRINADAD & TOBAGO
Trinadad and Tobago are the type of side everybody can have a soft spot for. The fact that this small nation has made it to the World Cup itself is an impressive feat but in the cold light of day there makeweight's and there are quite a few other sides that haven't qualified that would make mincemeat of the islanders. Qualifing from the weak Central/North American groups helped and in men like Stern John and Dwight Yorke they have experience but if teams like England and Sweden are ruthless it could all get a little embarressing.

My Prediction

England 1st
Sweden 2nd
Paraguay 3rd
Trinadad and Tobago 4th

Group C

Argentina
Ivory Coast
Serbia
Holland

ARGENTINA
along with the Brazilian's the tournament favourite's. With good cause it must be said. Player's like Messi, Crespo and Tevez just make a football lover drool with interest. It's bad luck that they got such a pig nasty group but they should muddle thru. It's between them and the Dutch for top spot.

IVORY COAST
a first final's apperance for the african's and it's there shit luck to be in a group like this. they have top striker/diver Didier Drogba upfront but the chance's of them grabbing a top 2 finish are not great.

SERBIA
Like most Balkan's side's the Serbs ain't flashy but they can ground out result's when they need to. And if Savo MILOSEVIC can avoid his racist side and Kezman stay on good form they might have a chance.

HOLLAND
On paper the Dutch always look formidable but then they love there infighting. If they can be a little more team spirity an stop Van Nisteelrooy sulking then it'll get thru. And with men like Rodden and Van Bommell that could just be the start.

My Prediction

1st Argentina
2nd Holland
3rd Serbia
4th Ivory Coast

Ill put up the rest of the groups as I find the time.........

Just early predictions: who do you think will win the cup?

oh man ... group 1 and 2 seem like no brainers

USA vs ENGLAND



that'd be perfect.

Obviously Brazil

In order I would put them :

1.Brazil
2.Italy
3.Germany
4.England

As having the best chance of winning the cup.

Here are my surprise picks: I honestly believe Sweden will surprise, win their group and move on into the finals where they lose against the Netherlands. I alo think that Switzerland will win their group against France. and as much as it hurts me, I think Germany will lose in the first knock-out-round against England

Sweden? Their recent form has been pretty crap. I dont even think they'll make the second round.

I know


Well, I actually like brazil, but yknow, they're such an obvious pick, yknow

I don't think it'll be Brazil. Too obvious of a pick.


Argentina or Italy.

Mark my words.

Brazil.

I supported Argentina last time and they broke my heart!

Just wait for it. They're offense is tremendous and just look what they did in the qualifier. They are incredibly strong with Larsson and Ibrahimovic. The test games mean nothing, just look at the results from the last days

Haha, we will see. Larson and Ibrahimovic is all they have. . .

Brazil is the obvious choice... but apart from that, I don´t see who can stop them. Certainly not Spain, if we do meet in the quarter finals

I wonder if Spain will ever win any championship, hehe...

We won the euro 1964. In Spain, of course.

Someday we´ll do it... But I´m afraid It won´t be this time. Saw part of the Germany-Japan friendly, BTW... germany doesn´t seem to be at its best, but of course, being the host, anything can happen, right?

They won't get to Quarter-Finals.

If everything goes according to plan - of course, It never quite does, but... - you should meet Sweden in the 1/8 finals... that shouldn´t be winnable, shouldn´t it?

Spain was robbed in 2004, they had to clear goals taken away from them,korea had some homne cooking.

2002 but yes i agree the Korea's cheated there way to the Semi's in 2002, i remember there play acting in the Portugal match it was pathetic.

My apologies... germany should be able to beat them, shouldn´t it?

* Goes back to study english *

Yes, that was... disgusting. But no excuses: we were better than them and should have been able to beat them in any case. We didn´t.