?!? England? Hell no. Not so long as they bring gentlemen like Terry and Gerrard along. Even Cashley is more likeable than those douchebags.

NPR reported this morning that the US will have the largest group of fans traveling to SA for the Cup.

Shhhh. don't tell a brit that. They hold the title to all things football. ;)

Play fair? This is the World Cup! Good point well made, although I hope you see what I mean :dedhorse:
But of course! Merkins are only the biggest group going because you have a large and relatively wealthy population. We win on the fan front simply because we invented it. So there.

I will be rooting for America and Holland anyway. As long as they don't play us at any point. My favourites to win (aside from England)? Germany. They won the Eurovision against all odds, it would be nice for them to do the double.

Sports wise, I think Australia are a good chance to make the second round. We've won - although not convincingly - our warm up games so far, and our rivals - Ghana and Serbia - have lost theirs.

More importantly, which country's fans will win the street violence?

And which player will have the stupidest haircut?

What is it with these balls?

Which balls?

I can't find my England flag :(

Have a table booked in a local hostelry for Saturday.
Originally my bro & SIL were thinking of joining me. Now it seems Mum & Dad will be home (Dad thought they left for Spain on Saturday, turns out it's the Tuesday after?!)

I still might end up there alone, but am hoping not.
I might not be able to go out for any other matches, but am determined to go out for the first.

Am on countdown now - 5 days to go!
I may wear my sombrero watching the first game of course...

The balls are a new model. They are glued rather than stitched, so are more nearly perfectly round, and so have been covered in little ridges for aerodynamic effects.
1. A new ball should not be adopted just at the start of the biggest tournament. Give the players time to get to know it. You get better football games.
2. The ball is too aerodynamic - it is fast and curves, which is good, but it swerves and dips randomly, which is bad. It reduces the benefit of being the most skillful, and gives more advantage to the lucky.
Bah.

i don't like the new ball Zen but they have had a LONG time to work with it. They didn't show up this week to touch it for the first time. Hell, I've played at least a dozen games with the new one already.

This happens at every major international. It always starts with a couple of keepers bitching about it and then it spreads. It is sort of like Arsene Wenger and Pep Guardiola complaining about the turf conditions it is just plain going to happen.

I hope Brazil will re-work some old magic
:dedhorse:

I hope Brazil is fed a poisoned lasagna the night before their first game. They are not the free flowing creative side of the 70's and 80's anymore. they play a rock solid back 6. Probably a single forward with 3 creative mids. They are more a counter attacking force than anything under Dunga.

Netherlands and Spain will be supplying the beautiful game for this edition of the world cup.

Hasn't that happened before?

In my teens, PBS showed Soccer Made In Germany, when Hans Mueller, Beckinbauer, Rummenigge, etc played, so I'm partial to the German side.

Just watching the Opening Concert. Black-Eyed-Peas so rocked. I totally expected them to be lame live.

So we won't need this?