You're betting on teams? That's a mistake
The biggest myth of the game is that football is a team sport and that team efforts win prizes. When the qualification rounds are over and the actual tournament begins; all logic goes out the window and you're not looking at teams anymore. You're looking at players. Great players.
In 1982, Paolo Rossi wandered across the turf resembling a ghost rather than a football player in the group stages of the tournament after fatigue caught up with him at the end of a long season; a scene we're all too familiar with today. But he woke up on time to lead his nation to victory past Argentina and Brazil. Maradona inspired Argentina to the title in 1978 and went on to replace God Himself in 1986. Beckenbauer lead Germany to victory in 1974 and Pelé did the same for his Brazil in 1970. More recently, the efforts of Zidane in 1998 were fundamental to France's victory on their native soil.
See, when it comes down to it, when it really comes down to it; team efforts won't cut it. When time is ticking away and the mathematical group stages are in the past, the best player on the pitch will decide the match. When Germany becomes the centre of the universe in 83 days' time, you should put your money on the teams with players that silence stadiums and move over the grass without touching it.
You should put your money on Thierry Henry for France, on Lionel Messi for Argentina, on Ronaldinho for Brazil and on Wayne Rooney for England.
Forget the Dutch; they rely on team efforts since Bergkamp retired. Forget Italy; they are lacking that vital one player to lead them to victory. Portugal? What's Figo compared to Ronaldinho? The Czechs? Nedved is talented, but lacks the flair and that thing.
And while you're at it; don't rule out the Germans. They aren't just the dark horse; they've been breeding it since football came to their lands.
Unless something's been rigged or we get a once-in-a-thousand-years mass-choke-up like the one in Korea and Japan; the odds are clear. 27 of the 32 nations that qualified are in it for decoration purposes. Go ahead, tell me I'm wrong.
Erik
The biggest myth of the game is that football is a team sport and that team efforts win prizes. When the qualification rounds are over and the actual tournament begins; all logic goes out the window and you're not looking at teams anymore. You're looking at players. Great players.
In 1982, Paolo Rossi wandered across the turf resembling a ghost rather than a football player in the group stages of the tournament after fatigue caught up with him at the end of a long season; a scene we're all too familiar with today. But he woke up on time to lead his nation to victory past Argentina and Brazil. Maradona inspired Argentina to the title in 1978 and went on to replace God Himself in 1986. Beckenbauer lead Germany to victory in 1974 and Pelé did the same for his Brazil in 1970. More recently, the efforts of Zidane in 1998 were fundamental to France's victory on their native soil.
See, when it comes down to it, when it really comes down to it; team efforts won't cut it. When time is ticking away and the mathematical group stages are in the past, the best player on the pitch will decide the match. When Germany becomes the centre of the universe in 83 days' time, you should put your money on the teams with players that silence stadiums and move over the grass without touching it.
You should put your money on Thierry Henry for France, on Lionel Messi for Argentina, on Ronaldinho for Brazil and on Wayne Rooney for England.
Forget the Dutch; they rely on team efforts since Bergkamp retired. Forget Italy; they are lacking that vital one player to lead them to victory. Portugal? What's Figo compared to Ronaldinho? The Czechs? Nedved is talented, but lacks the flair and that thing.
And while you're at it; don't rule out the Germans. They aren't just the dark horse; they've been breeding it since football came to their lands.
Unless something's been rigged or we get a once-in-a-thousand-years mass-choke-up like the one in Korea and Japan; the odds are clear. 27 of the 32 nations that qualified are in it for decoration purposes. Go ahead, tell me I'm wrong.
Erik
