Who do you think will win the Cup?

[on the road]

Argentina, if they can keep all their players on the pitch that is.

 

[darkstar]

Can't see Argentina winning, great players, not so great Coach. They will under achieve massively. I think England will beat France in the q/f then come up against Brazil in the Final. the winner of that game will go on to win.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Can't see Argentina winning, great players, not so great Coach. They will under achieve massively. I think England will beat France in the q/f then come up against Brazil in the Final. the winner of that game will go on to win.

England don't have a chance of winning, they are definitely in the B League here. The top picks have got to be Spain, Brazil and Argentina. Argentina, as you say, is hampered by their coach, Brazil is very well organised but don't have the flair of previous teams; Spain has the most complete team in the world right now and unless something drastic happens, I can't see them losing a game.

 

[darkstar]

England don't have a chance of winning, they are definitely in the B League here. The top picks have got to be Spain, Brazil and Argentina. Argentina, as you say, is hampered by their coach, Brazil is very well organised but don't have the flair of previous teams; Spain has the most complete team in the world right now and unless something drastic happens, I can't see them losing a game.

We shall see.

 

[mangaman]

Argentina for me,then Brazil I reckon (Dunga is a good coach and they always have talent)

I know Spain won the Euros. but they are still prone to cock up at crucial moments.

Never rule out Germany/Italy either.

I can't see France or Holland doing anything - they seem to be arguing amongst themselves more every day.

Ing-er-lund I don't think are good enough quite - quarters again - or maybe semi-finals.

Considering it is the game played by more people and countries than any other by a country mile, it always amazes me how few teams have won the world cup in the modern era. Uruguay did at first when hardly anyone else turned up.

England and France won at home.

Italy / Argentina / Brazil and Germany are the only teams to have won a world cup on foreign soil since 1950 (when Uruguay won a much smaller and different tournament)

I don't know why or how - the Dutch 1974 team was unbelievable but lost, for example.

The big 4 countries will be up there I predict. They always are. (And I have some moderate bets on them - Argentina winning would make me a handsome profit )

 

[amnesia]

I think Brazil are going to be hard to beat.

 

[Vidor06]

My money will be firmly placed on Spain. How can you look past a team with a fit Fernando Torres and David Villa scoring the goals?

 

[Jmetz]

they are the complete team, theres much more to them than just those two aswell, many people have mentioned Brazil, they havent been doing it for me of late, they arent that menace that we all associate with a brazilian side.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

I know Spain won the Euros. but they are still prone to cock up at crucial moments.

Like when? This particular team have only lost once since 2007 and that was in the Confederations Cup, which is not particularly major. They are the only side to have won every qualifying game for this World Cup and have also won every friendly (including against Argentina).

Sure you can talk about historical examples, but if you are talking about this Spanish squad, they have a record second-to-none.

 

[darkstar]

Like when? This particular team have only lost once since 2007 and that was in the Confederations Cup, which is not particularly major. They are the only side to have won every qualifying game for this World Cup and have also won every friendly (including against Argentina).

Sure you can talk about historical examples, but if you are talking about this Spanish squad, they have a record second-to-none.

You could say that about England and the whole 'mess up on penalties' bore. Loads of people are spouting that one and it's ridiculous.

 

[mangaman]

Like when? This particular team have only lost once since 2007 and that was in the Confederations Cup, which is not particularly major. They are the only side to have won every qualifying game for this World Cup and have also won every friendly (including against Argentina).

Sure you can talk about historical examples, but if you are talking about this Spanish squad, they have a record second-to-none.

That's what's so interesting about the World Cup.

Spain are the form team - I agree, but for some reason that doesn't translate into World Cup wins. I've no idea why Italy/Germany/Argentina and Brazil have always won (apart from France and England at home) but they do.

It would be an interesting research project. Other world cups (cricket/rugby) have to struggle to find enough teams in the world to even make a tournament. Football has to go through a rigorous process of exclusion as every country wants to be there.

Yet 4 countries win it every time. It's interesting as there's no obvious connection between Italy, Germany, Brazil and Argentina in terms of the structure of their football leagues / their countries in general.

 

[darkstar]

It would be an interesting research project. Other world cups (cricket/rugby) have to struggle to find enough teams in the world to even make a tournament

What are you talking about? There is a qualification stage to reach the 2011 Rugby World cup. The team whom finished in the top 3 of their pool matches automatically qualified, then 20 nations compete for the final 8 spots...

 

[pubrunner]

I think that Germany will win.

 

[HeyWayne]

Norway. All the way.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

You could say that about England and the whole 'mess up on penalties' bore. Loads of people are spouting that one and it's ridiculous.

The difference is that Spain are clearly the best team - I don't think England have ever been 'clearly the best team' at the start, even when they won it in 1966.

Now of course, the best team doesn't always win, which is what makes things interesting.