World Cup fever!

Parent Cafe
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<p>Yes that game was close. Uruguay’s offense was on fire at the end, thank heaven the clock ran out. </p>

<p>There was a great article on the Dutch youth soccer training system in the NYTimes magazine section a few weeks ago. It described a soccer academy recruiter looking at a six year old. Yep, 6!</p>

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<p>I can definitely predict a European champion – the first ever in a finals held outside Europe!</p>

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<p>Very enjoyable game, at least in the second half. I was a little surprised when they pulled Forlan, as he has been such a play maker in this WC. If you are rooting for the opposing team, he is a very scary and dangerous player any time he gets his foot on the ball, much less when he gets a free kick. I loved how he “bent” the ball over the wall during one of the free kicks. Goalie made a good save.</p>

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<p>great game today. Announcers can chill a little with their criticisms of the officials. I thought the no offside call was correct on the 2nd Holland goal, though I didn’t watch it repeatedly.</p>

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<p>he picked up an injury at some point.</p>

<p>the BBC said today that Forlan is the first player since Lothar Matthaus (1990) to score 3 goals in a WC from outside the penalty box.</p>

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<p>Here is the piece… very good read.
<a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/06/magazine/06Soccer-t.html[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/06/magazine/06Soccer-t.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Ajax is world famous for their academy. They were a European power, but other teams with bigger markets have passed them. Now they have to sell their best players because they can’t afford to keep them. The big teams can just buy whoever they want. See: Inter Milan winning the Champions League, Seire A, and the Italian Cup… without a single Italian on their roster.</p>

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<p>haha true, though the actual Spanish goalkeeper, iker casillas, is known as Saint Iker :stuck_out_tongue:
and is just as easy on the eyes…
<a href=“http://i35.■■■■■■■.com/59x94m.jpg[/url]”>http://i35.■■■■■■■.com/59x94m.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Cardinal, your comment reminds me of a hockey-related story, and I know you’re a hockey fan so thought it would be okay to post it here in a soccer discussion. :slight_smile: I grew up in the Philadelphia area and we had seasons’ tickets to the Flyers games from the time of their arrival in the league. When Bernie Parent was their star goalie, there were bumper stickers and posters that said “Only the Lord Saves More Than Bernie”. In fact, Bernie has long maintained a website by the same name.</p>

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<p>I wondered if Forlan was hurt–I couldn’t imagine why they were taking him out. He wouldn’t have been able to participate if it went to PKs, as I understand it.</p>

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<p>alamode, another cute Spanish player.</p>

<p>I really want ds2 to get his sideburns cut like David Villa’s. He has the hair/looks to pull it off easily, but he doesn’t think he has enough attitude. :slight_smile: Here’s a good pic, but you have to scroll to the bottom:</p>

<p>[Google</a> Image Result for <a href=“http://girlslovesoccertoo.files.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2010/02/david-villa.jpg[/url]”>http://girlslovesoccertoo.files.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2010/02/david-villa.jpg](<a href=“http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://girlslovesoccertoo.files.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2010/02/david-villa.jpg&imgrefurl=http://girlslovesoccertoo.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2010/02/08/15-hot-fifa-players-to-watch/&usg=__HJViGH0cfKoveEdwE2je2IcpX00=&h=800&w=551&sz=181&hl=en&start=3&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=yUvQNu_EMvHFSM:&tbnh=143&tbnw=98&prev=/images%3Fq%3DDavid%2BVilla%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:*:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7DKUS%26tbs%3Disch:1]Google”>http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://girlslovesoccertoo.files.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2010/02/david-villa.jpg&imgrefurl=http://girlslovesoccertoo.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2010/02/08/15-hot-fifa-players-to-watch/&usg=__HJViGH0cfKoveEdwE2je2IcpX00=&h=800&w=551&sz=181&hl=en&start=3&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=yUvQNu_EMvHFSM:&tbnh=143&tbnw=98&prev=/images%3Fq%3DDavid%2BVilla%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:*:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7DKUS%26tbs%3Disch:1)</a></p>

<p>Also, the site has a pic of Michael Bradley with hair. I thought he was cute bald, but he’s even better-looking as a brunette.</p>

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<p>The line-ups are in, and it’s Pedro in for Torres.</p>

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<p>Many people still think that the final should have been Brazil vs Argentina, or a number of other teams. In addition, there have been many WC where the best European team did not make it though the brutal qualifying rounds. </p>

<p>The reality is that both Spain and Germany lost games against lower ranked teams. On the other hand, the Netherlands have won each game so far. In addition, the Netherlands qualified for the WC in an impressive fashion. </p>

<p>The competition is such that it is impossible to name the top team among half a dozen possible candidates. Just as in most WC, many games have been decided by luck or controversial calls. This might very well be the year that Holland gets its just desserts, as Dame Fortune was not on their side in 1974 and 1978. This time there won’t be as much “homecooking” involved as in Buenos Aires and Munich. </p>

<p>I would be thrilled to see Germany lose the final against Holland on a last minute penalty kick. Poetic justice that would be! Of course, Spain has still lots to say before a repeat of the 1974 final.</p>

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<p>That is actually bad news for the Netherlands. The german defense would have had an easier time to mark the more static and wildly overrated Torres.</p>

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<p>My fever reaches 107 degree now: go Netherlands-Germany!</p>

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<p>I fell in love with soccer after watching Netherlands-Germany epic.</p>

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<p>After seeing the Netherlands play their past two games, I would have to agree with you that they are very impressive.</p>

<p>It’s still hard for me to imagine Germany losing after they’ve had so many high scoring games, but Serbia was able to beat them, so anything could happen. That’s another reason why I love World Cup.</p>

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<p>Spain is looking very good…knocking on the door…if Germany doesn’t get it together, they will give up a goal very soon.</p>

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<p>^You called it!</p>

<p>Yes!..</p>

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<p>Yep. Beautiful header by the Spanish.</p>

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<p>Here we go. Spain has a goal. Germany needs to step it up.</p>

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<p>Let’s see if Germany can comeback.</p>

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<p>Two minutes!</p>