teepee Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Due to Scotland not having an earthly of qualifiying for the WC, ive started to get involved in the South American qualifiers. Brazil are yet again toiling after only drawing 1-1 with Ecuador this morning, while Chile pumped Peru 3-1 in Lima putting them level on points with Argentina, suprise team is obviously Paraquay. The top 4 Automatically qualify with 5th placed playing an home and away play off. 7 games to go and ist looking like it might go all the way Paraguay 11 7 2 2 18 8 23 Argentina 11 5 4 2 17 7 19 Chile 11 6 1 4 17 14 19 Brazil 11 4 6 1 16 5 18 Uruguay 11 4 4 3 21 10 16 Colombia 11 3 5 3 6 8 14 Ecuador 11 3 4 4 13 18 13 Venezuela 11 3 1 7 12 22 10 Bolivia 11 2 3 6 13 24 9 Peru 11 1 4 6 6 23 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex1874 Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 anyone else wonder how brazil managed to get anything out of that match last ecuador tore them apart julio cesar in goals was outstanding would have been a travisty if ecuador had,nt got anything out of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Romanov Saviour of HMFC Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 I watched the Brazil game ... they were absolutely terrible. Ecuador tore them a new one but went a goal down due to a lucky Baptista strike that came off the post and hit the keeper then went in. Ecuador got the equaliser in the last minute. No doubt they will qualify though. It's always tricky to judge these South America qualifiers due to altitude and all that. Brazil were absolutely gash though and if they continue like that I just cannae see past the Argies for the World Cup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tazio Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Am I the only person in the football supporting world with a soft spot for Uruguay? Except Uruguayans of course. Enzo Francescoli was one of my heros when I was younger and I always loved Montero as he was such a great player yet was capable of acts of complete thuggery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamboinglasgow Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 I watched the Brazil game ... they were absolutely terrible. Ecuador tore them a new one but went a goal down due to a lucky Baptista strike that came off the post and hit the keeper then went in. Ecuador got the equaliser in the last minute. No doubt they will qualify though. It's always tricky to judge these South America qualifiers due to altitude and all that. Brazil were absolutely gash though and if they continue like that I just cannae see past the Argies for the World Cup. Argintena is my fav South American team, they have some cracking players at the moment and I am surprised to see that they are not top of the league. I would love to see Argy play a 4-3-3 with a front 3 of Kun Aguero, Tevez and Messi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gavsy Van Gaverson Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Brazil lack a natural goalscorer at the moment. Hopefully, Ronaldo can get back to real fitness (he's lost a lot of weight already) and provide them with the goals they need. 4 goals in 5 comeback games is a great start and Dunga is already saying that if he keeps it up he'll be back in the squad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tazio Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Paolo Montero shows some Uruguayan flair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gavsy Van Gaverson Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Argintena is my fav South American team, they have some cracking players at the moment and I am surprised to see that they are not top of the league. I would love to see Argy play a 4-3-3 with a front 3 of Kun Aguero, Tevez and Messi. It would be great to watch if they all played. Messi, if he stays fit will win Argentina the World Cup IMO. He is simply a sensational little player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Romanov Saviour of HMFC Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Argintena is my fav South American team, they have some cracking players at the moment and I am surprised to see that they are not top of the league. I would love to see Argy play a 4-3-3 with a front 3 of Kun Aguero, Tevez and Messi. They are some team. All 3 of them scored on Saturday. Ronaldhinio was awful for Brazil last night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamboinglasgow Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 They are some team. All 3 of them scored on Saturday. Ronaldhinio was awful for Brazil last night. thats good to hear, I still question whether Maradona is the best manager for them but they should have enough quality to do well enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan Drago Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 They are some team. All 3 of them scored on Saturday. Ronaldhinio was awful for Brazil last night. Maxi Rodriguez isnae that bad either!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 I watched the Brazil game ... they were absolutely terrible. Ecuador tore them a new one but went a goal down due to a lucky Baptista strike that came off the post and hit the keeper then went in. Ecuador got the equaliser in the last minute. No doubt they will qualify though. It's always tricky to judge these South America qualifiers due to altitude and all that. Brazil were absolutely gash though and if they continue like that I just cannae see past the Argies for the World Cup. Brazil have been complete pants throughout the qualifiers. I watched them against Argentina a few months ago, and couldn't believe how bad they were. But the thing is, they've also beaten Portugal 6-2 and Italy 2-0 recently; and as you say, altitude often plays havoc with the South American qualifiers. Ecuador are recovering under a new coach after an awful start, and no team finds it easy to win there. Brazil were pants throughout the 2002 qualifiers as well: then they won the World Cup by a street. Sometimes you can look at Argentina, then at Brazil, and it's like they're not even playing the same sport; but ever since 1990, the albiceleste have not had a clue how to win the big games. Brazil are generally more worried when playing Uruguay than Argentina, believe it or not; and given FIFA can be expected to mess around with the draw to try and help African sides progress next summer, and that Brazil are always a huge draw wherever they play, they're still my tip. The selecao don't win World Cups when they're the favourites - but they do when they've been written off and can sneak in under the radar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie-Brown Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Teams that reach peak in summer 2010 will stand the best chance of claiming glory not teams on fire just now......Brazil were awesomely brilliant in 1996 & 1997 but by the France 1998 tournament they'd run out of steam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Am I the only person in the football supporting world with a soft spot for Uruguay? Except Uruguayans of course. Enzo Francescoli was one of my heros when I was younger and I always loved Montero as he was such a great player yet was capable of acts of complete thuggery. Nope. Uruguay are my second team at international level. Fantastic result for them at the weekend, though they'll do well to get anything out of the trip to Santiago coming up: Bielsa's doing a fine job with Chile. Fifth place beckons, I hope: only this time, a play-off with someone like Trinidad rather than Australia, which seems eminently negotiable. ARRIBA URUGUAY! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie-Brown Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 How good were these guys....... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUUe2AalOq8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teepee Posted March 30, 2009 Author Share Posted March 30, 2009 got to say after watching quite a lot of south american football im really taking a shine to chile some me there attacking play is just brilliant-although there defense is very questionable-there next game is on wed againist uruguay who themselves are playing some good stuff could be a cracking game and go a long way to sorting out the qualifications Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 got to say after watching quite a lot of south american football im really taking a shine to chile some me there attacking play is just brilliant-although there defense is very questionable-there next game is on wed againist uruguay who themselves are playing some good stuff could be a cracking game and go a long way to sorting out the qualifications Chile have Marcelo Bielsa in charge - he took Argentina to the 2002 World Cup. They bombed there, of course, but were also unlucky - and had a superb record prior to that. Capturing his services was a real coup: and he plays a unique 3-3-1-3, full of intricate little one twos, but lacking in width against strong defences. I'm sure they'll make it - and Uruguay will do well to get a point out of Wednesday's game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 This month's 442 seems relevant to this thread. http://fourfourtwo.com/bestoftheweb/32/default.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan Drago Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 This month's 442 seems relevant to this thread. http://fourfourtwo.com/bestoftheweb/32/default.aspx I've got that in the house - quite a good read. They asked some expert to tell them who's better between Pele and Maradona but he answered Di Stefano. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 I've got that in the house - quite a good read. They asked some expert to tell them who's better between Pele and Maradona but he answered Di Stefano. Yeah, I smiled when reading that! I think he got the Pele v Maradona contest right though. Reading it only fortified my desire to swan off to South America and write a book on Uruguayan football in a year or so: I need to save up a bit and have Spanish lessons first though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan Drago Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Yeah, I smiled when reading that! I think he got the Pele v Maradona contest right though. Reading it only fortified my desire to swan off to South America and write a book on Uruguayan football in a year or so: I need to save up a bit and have Spanish lessons first though. I was a bit gutted that they didnt have a bigger bit on 'why Uruguay are rubbish these days', they had a tiny section on it but nothing really insightful or interesting. Has anyone watched the Ronaldo video on the 4-4-2 site? Nothing you haven't seen before but how ****ing good is that guy?! Could watch him all day. There's only one Ronaldo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dusk_Till_Dawn Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 I watched the Brazil game ... they were absolutely terrible. Ecuador tore them a new one but went a goal down due to a lucky Baptista strike that came off the post and hit the keeper then went in. Ecuador got the equaliser in the last minute. No doubt they will qualify though. It's always tricky to judge these South America qualifiers due to altitude and all that. Brazil were absolutely gash though and if they continue like that I just cannae see past the Argies for the World Cup. Maybe it was just me, but the goalkeeping in that game seemed to reach new standards of gashness. Mind you, I was dying on the treadmill as i was watching it so who knows Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 I was a bit gutted that they didnt have a bigger bit on 'why Uruguay are rubbish these days', they had a tiny section on it but nothing really insightful or interesting. Has anyone watched the Ronaldo video on the 4-4-2 site? Nothing you haven't seen before but how ****ing good is that guy?! Could watch him all day. There's only one Ronaldo. Me too! So much of it is a question of young players being exported ridiculously early though, and a joke of a federation who are powerless compared with super agent Paco Casal. Shady doesn't even begin to cover it in his case - and he makes our agents look like the tooth fairy. That Penarol-Nacional article was interesting, though! When they recapitulated the history of the two clubs, I couldn't help but notice it was always Nacional fans who got games abandoned and whined about this or that. They're right wing fascist lunatics. If I was Uruguayan, little Danubio would be my team of choice, though I'd have a soft spot for Penarol too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peebo Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 The selecao don't win World Cups when they're the favourites - but they do when they've been written off and can sneak in under the radar. Brazil are currently the bookies' favourites for 2010...and I'm pretty sure there were in 2002. I was at a 0-0 draw in Rio vs. Bolivia last year, and the game was utterly awful. SPL standard. However, I think that was in no small part due to the dreadful atmosphere and a terrible attendance. Days earlier I had watched on TV as Brazil won convincingly, and impressively, in Chile. Don't underestimate how hard it is to go to Quito and get a result. Ecuador have some really good players now, and the effects of altitude there are quite scary. I have been a couple of times, and you feel like you have a constant hangover (possibly something to do with visits to the Hearts pub there). Clearly I am not a fine-tuned athlete, but Brazil often struggle there; I believe that was the first time they have actually scored there in a WC qualifier. Brazil's problems at the moment are in central midfield - Gilberto Silva is past it, and crap like Lucas get a game. Up front, they are strong, and don't bet against Ronaldo reappearing in the squad before long. I'm keeping an eye out for his odds to be top goalscorer in South Africa... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Brazil are currently the bookies' favourites for 2010...and I'm pretty sure there were in 2002. I was at a 0-0 draw in Rio vs. Bolivia last year, and the game was utterly awful. SPL standard. However, I think that was in no small part due to the dreadful atmosphere and a terrible attendance. Days earlier I had watched on TV as Brazil won convincingly, and impressively, in Chile. Don't underestimate how hard it is to go to Quito and get a result. Ecuador have some really good players now, and the effects of altitude there are quite scary. I have been a couple of times, and you feel like you have a constant hangover (possibly something to do with visits to the Hearts pub there). Clearly I am not a fine-tuned athlete, but Brazil often struggle there; I believe that was the first time they have actually scored there in a WC qualifier. Brazil's problems at the moment are in central midfield - Gilberto Silva is past it, and crap like Lucas get a game. Up front, they are strong, and don't bet against Ronaldo reappearing in the squad before long. I'm keeping an eye out for his odds to be top goalscorer in South Africa... Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay all have a major mental block when it comes to playing in Quito or La Paz. Less accomplished nations often do better there, for some odd reason. The problem I think Brazil have is so many of their players are big, physical prototypes nowadays: they could almost be basketball players, and a lot of the old flair and creativity has gone. Brazil were fourth favourites for 2002, incidentally - behind joint favourites France and Argentina and third favourites Italy. I got them at 8/1 - just as I'd got fourth favourites West Germany (behind Italy, Brazil and Holland) in my very first bet on anything (thanks to my Dad) in 1990. I'm not always wrong, thank heavens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peebo Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay all have a major mental block when it comes to playing in Quito or La Paz. Less accomplished nations often do better there, for some odd reason. The problem I think Brazil have is so many of their players are big, physical prototypes nowadays: they could almost be basketball players, and a lot of the old flair and creativity has gone. Not convinced by that - not sure the size argument really applies to a team including Robinho, Elano and Ronaldinho. Luis Fabiano is a bit of a beast, granted, and, ironically, Brazil's goal came immediately from the introduction of THE Beast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teepee Posted March 31, 2009 Author Share Posted March 31, 2009 Chile have Marcelo Bielsa in charge - he took Argentina to the 2002 World Cup. They bombed there, of course, but were also unlucky - and had a superb record prior to that. Capturing his services was a real coup: and he plays a unique 3-3-1-3, full of intricate little one twos, but lacking in width against strong defences. I'm sure they'll make it - and Uruguay will do well to get a point out of Wednesday's game. I would hope so Shaun, means i'll get a trip to south africa thanks to have a chilean GF.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 I would hope so Shaun, means i'll get a trip to south africa thanks to have a chilean GF.. Nice one mate! Gustavo Poyet reports in FFT that your average Uruguayan girl is the most beautiful on earth, hence my planning to make a beeline there... But really, I think the only question is who ends up 5th and in a play-off. Barring a collapse in Brazilian fortunes (they could lose in Montevideo, but will still make it, I imagine), I think the current top four should all be fine - and suspect rapidly improving Ecuador will prove more of a threat to Uruguay than Colombia. Chile made quite an impression on me in 1998, incidentally. Marcelo Salas was the most awesome goal poacher, and was breathtaking at Wembley in a 2-0 win; and Ivan Zamorano going nuts during the Chilean national anthem against Brazil will stay with me forever. Now that's what I call passion. Chile were especially happy to be knocked out by Brazil, against whom they have an historic hero worship/inferiority complex - it's Argentina they hate, and love to beat like no other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swanyl Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Nice one mate! Gustavo Poyet reports in FFT that your average Uruguayan girl is the most beautiful on earth I can confirm this as i have a Uruguayan girlfriend forget Pe?arol and Nacional, Montevideo Wanderers all the way !!! its a simple problem regarding Uruguayan football.... money! None of their players play in their league Look at Diego Forlan... left Pe?arol before even playing a senior game... and there are many like him! why they were so good in the early years? dunno but i reckon scotland would have had a good chance at winning the world cup in those early years if the GFA hadn't been such a shambles.... self induced exile from fifa and thus the world cup.. in the first world cups refusing to go to the 1950's world cup because we only came second in the home nations championship.... and going on a tour of north america instead... wtf! sending only 13 players to the 1954 finals, even though FIFA allowed 22 man squads. Despite this self-imposed hardship in terms of players, the SFA dignitaries travelled in numbers, accompanied with their wives. by that point our advantage of having helped invent the game had well passed and we have no chance of ever winning it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teepee Posted March 31, 2009 Author Share Posted March 31, 2009 Nice one mate! Gustavo Poyet reports in FFT that your average Uruguayan girl is the most beautiful on earth, hence my planning to make a beeline there... But really, I think the only question is who ends up 5th and in a play-off. Barring a collapse in Brazilian fortunes (they could lose in Montevideo, but will still make it, I imagine), I think the current top four should all be fine - and suspect rapidly improving Ecuador will prove more of a threat to Uruguay than Colombia. Chile made quite an impression on me in 1998, incidentally. Marcelo Salas was the most awesome goal poacher, and was breathtaking at Wembley in a 2-0 win; and Ivan Zamorano going nuts during the Chilean national anthem against Brazil will stay with me forever. Now that's what I call passion. Chile were especially happy to be knocked out by Brazil, against whom they have an historic hero worship/inferiority complex - it's Argentina they hate, and love to beat like no other. Yes i have been filled in at length about the hatred for the Argies, from what i can gather the hatred stems from the fact that the Argies try and take over there beaches in the summer months (sound familiar) and continually look down there noses at them. Althought o be fair she has said that i can go to a boca game when we go over some time next year ... Agreed re- the top 4 they should be safe i can see Ecuador taking the fifth place, espically if Chile can beat Uruaguay tommorrow...Chi, Chi, Chi...Le le le...as im being taught to chant. And as for the most beutiful girl's on earth mate, my fear of the latin tempremant tells me to say its the chilean girls, although in all honesty i dont think you can for wrong anywhere south of mexico:th_love: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 I can confirm this as i have a Uruguayan girlfriend forget Pe?arol and Nacional, Montevideo Wanderers all the way !!! its a simple problem regarding Uruguayan football.... money! None of their players play in their league Look at Diego Forlan... left Pe?arol before even playing a senior game... and there are many like him! why they were so good in the early years? dunno but i reckon scotland would have had a good chance at winning the world cup in those early years if the GFA hadn't been such a shambles.... self induced exile from fifa and thus the world cup.. in the first world cups refusing to go to the 1950's world cup because we only came second in the home nations championship.... and going on a tour of north america instead... wtf! sending only 13 players to the 1954 finals, even though FIFA allowed 22 man squads. Despite this self-imposed hardship in terms of players, the SFA dignitaries travelled in numbers, accompanied with their wives. by that point our advantage of having helped invent the game had well passed and we have no chance of ever winning it Which, of course, affects the whole of Uruguayan infrastucture too. Montevideo is said to be a remarkably quiet, quaint, backward-looking sort of city - and I desperately hope Uruguay and Argentina are jointly awarded the 2030 World Cup, as that would finally bring some much needed investment into the place. That Scotland actually turned down a place at the 1950 finals out of misplaced pride is, you're quite right, just unbelievable - and it was actually the Scottish (as opposed to the more muscular English) game which was exported to Latin America in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and made good by Uruguay and Argentina in the 1920s. The other day, I downloaded via rapidshare extended highlights of Hungary v Uruguay: the 1954 World Cup semi-final. What a game that was! Barely any fouls at all, constant end to end stuff, with the Uruguayans hanging in there and coming back from 2-0 down to force extra time. Their players were so excited at the equaliser that they actually knocked goalscorer Juan Hohberg out cold: and with no substitutes allowed back then, you could almost pinpoint that moment as the turning point in the whole history of the game there. Hohberg went on to hit the post in extra time, but the Magyars scored twice; Uruguay lost their first ever World Cup match (despite what I suspect was their best ever side), and a long decline followed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Yes i have been filled in at length about the hatred for the Argies, from what i can gather the hatred stems from the fact that the Argies try and take over there beaches in the summer months (sound familiar) and continually look down there noses at them. Althought o be fair she has said that i can go to a boca game when we go over some time next year ... Agreed re- the top 4 they should be safe i can see Ecuador taking the fifth place, espically if Chile can beat Uruaguay tommorrow...Chi, Chi, Chi...Le le le...as im being taught to chant. And as for the most beutiful girl's on earth mate, my fear of the latin tempremant tells me to say its the chilean girls, although in all honesty i dont think you can for wrong anywhere south of mexico:th_love: Argentinians, it has been said, are Italians who speak Spanish, think they're English and dream of Paris. They honestly seem to regard themselves as having been deposited on the wrong continent through some incomprehensible quirk of fate. My best friend travelled through Latin America in late 2001, and happened to be in Buenos Aires right when the economy collapsed around Christmas. As she hot-footed it out of there, she got talking to someone on the bus she was on - and was told that these things weren't supposed to happen in Europe! That's how some Argentinians refer to their country: European, but trapped in South America. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teepee Posted March 31, 2009 Author Share Posted March 31, 2009 , it has been said, are Italians who speak Spanish, think they're English and dream of Paris. They honestly seem to regard themselves as having been deposited on the wrong continent through some incomprehensible quirk of fate. My best friend travelled through Latin America in late 2001, and happened to be in Buenos Aires right when the economy collapsed around Christmas. As she hot-footed it out of there, she got talking to someone on the bus she was on - and was told that these things weren't supposed to happen in Europe! That's how some Argentinians refer to their country: European, but trapped in South America. Yep sound like a fun race, that being said as much as the chileans feel put upon by the Argentinians, they in turn arent very pleasant about the peruvians, they are by and large the turks to there germans in the way the take all the menial jobs, your mother is a llama is a favourite saying, while not exactley groundbreaking material you get the jist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Yep sound like a fun race, that being said as much as the chileans feel put upon by the Argentinians, they in turn arent very pleasant about the peruvians, they are by and large the turks to there germans in the way the take all the menial jobs, your mother is a llama is a favourite saying, while not exactley groundbreaking material you get the jist. Yes - I've heard about the casual racism which still goes on in Chile (towards Peruvians and Bolivians I believe). When Chile scraped past nine-man Cameroon and into the last 16 in 1998, one of the TV presenters reported his shock that the Indomitable Lions were even wearing football boots: can you believe that?! Mind you, Uruguayans aren't much better: Alvaro Recoba being known as 'El Chino', for example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teepee Posted March 31, 2009 Author Share Posted March 31, 2009 Yes - I've heard about the casual racism which still goes on in Chile (towards Peruvians and Bolivians I believe). When Chile scraped past nine-man Cameroon and into the last 16 in 1998, one of the TV presenters reported his shock that the Indomitable Lions were even wearing football boots: can you believe that?! Mind you, Uruguayans aren't much better: Alvaro Recoba being known as 'El Chino', for example. The thing is they really dont see it as racism, rightly or wrongly they are just themselves, i actually had to explain the term PC to my GF and her family and they were shocked that we could hardly open our mouths for fear of someone being offended. And this is a family that spent half there lives in Aus as well as chile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie-Brown Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Nice one mate! Gustavo Poyet reports in FFT that your average Uruguayan girl is the most beautiful on earth, hence my planning to make a beeline there... But really, I think the only question is who ends up 5th and in a play-off. Barring a collapse in Brazilian fortunes (they could lose in Montevideo, but will still make it, I imagine), I think the current top four should all be fine - and suspect rapidly improving Ecuador will prove more of a threat to Uruguay than Colombia. Chile made quite an impression on me in 1998, incidentally. Marcelo Salas was the most awesome goal poacher, and was breathtaking at Wembley in a 2-0 win; and Ivan Zamorano going nuts during the Chilean national anthem against Brazil will stay with me forever. Now that's what I call passion. Chile were especially happy to be knocked out by Brazil, against whom they have an historic hero worship/inferiority complex - it's Argentina they hate, and love to beat like no other. On the South American continent Venezuela have produced more Miss World's than anywhere else. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_World#Best_performances_by_country Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swanyl Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Yes - I've heard about the casual racism which still goes on in Chile (towards Peruvians and Bolivians I believe). When Chile scraped past nine-man Cameroon and into the last 16 in 1998, one of the TV presenters reported his shock that the Indomitable Lions were even wearing football boots: can you believe that?! Mind you, Uruguayans aren't much better: Alvaro Recoba being known as 'El Chino', for example. Racism is strong here in Argentina and its against the Peruvians and Bolivians... I've seen a manager of a club here on the tv complaining that they were "treated like Peruvians" when they had gone for an away day.... as for the nickname of Recoba.... El Chino means the Chinese.... but not in a malicious way... its just like the way tevez is called "El Apache".... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diego10 Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 This month's 442 seems relevant to this thread. http://fourfourtwo.com/bestoftheweb/32/default.aspx the Pele v Maradona thing was rendered farcical for me when they rated the players on attributes out of 10 and gave Maradona an 8 for Dribbling. an 8! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gavsy Van Gaverson Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 the Pele v Maradona thing was rendered farcical for me when they rated the players on attributes out of 10 and gave Maradona an 8 for Dribbling. an 8! Ha ha totally agree. These guys write for a football magazine and obviously don't have a clue. Maradona's dribbling ability was second to none. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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