No USA
No Canada
No New Zealand
No South Africa
No Ireland
No Northern Ireland
No Wales
No Scotland
So it’s up to just England and Australia (yay!!) to fly the flag for the English speaking world in Russia next year. Is anybody planning a trip to catch any of the tournament?
What about Italy's dismal fail? That was a doozy (or "apocalypse" as it's been called, deservedly so). They're going to miss it for the first time in decades. And Holland among others...
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/nov/16/world-cup-2018-fans-holland-italy-ireland
Thank you for including Canada on your list, though I'm sure that was a courtesy. We only qualified once, 1986, and failed to score a single goal.
We do have some decent talent now, as well as a manager who seems to get the team to play a system so hopefully in the future we'll qualify.
One of our main problems is until recently we've never played a 'home' game. That is to say that when they play here, the ex-pat community of the opposition fills up like 90% of the stadium (to the fury of Canadian soccer analysts and enthusiasts) . I believe that is changing as the team improves, and the successful impact of the three Canadian MLS franchises.
We have also suffered through a number of players choosing to take out citizenship of (insert ancestral country here) to play for anyone but Canada. Shameful.
Interestingly the women's team is loved and supported and many of the players are househild names across the country.
One day I will get to a big game like these, mind you I recall being in Europe during the 2004 Euros. We were nowhere near the host country but the party atmosphere was everywhere.
Further to above I do realize there's an irony in my comment because I believe there's a Scottish guy that Canada recruited!
Even though Team USA scandalously failed to qualify, and based on the standings from the last WC, for the next six months the US of A can still say it's better at soccer than
Spain
Italy
England
Portugal
Ghana
and Russia
For 2018 I'll be rooting for Iceland!!!!
But FIFA ranks USA below all those teams, except for Ghana and Russia.
I note interestingly that the hosts are the lowest ranked of all the qualified teams.
But FIFA ranks USA below all those teams.
Rankings Shamkings. What matters is what happened on the field during the tournament:
http://tinyurl.com/onn2vy9
But the USA only won against Ghana in 2014, so I still don’t follow.
Another Guardian article:
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/jun/24/russia-2014-world-cup-squad-fifa-doping-investigation
Russia’s entire 2014 World Cup squad face Fifa doping investigation
Will 2018 be any different?
The difference is that, in 2018 Russia, is hosting the games. So their team is guaranteed a spot, I don't think anything will change that. The article has no concrete proof (it says as much), only allegations. The games will go on, with Russia being one of the 32 competing teams.
The USA women’s team will be hard to beat.
Other than that- Germany or Spain for the win.
The women's team isn't playing in Russia...they have their own Women's World Cup in 2019 in France.
Germany or Spain for the win.
What happened to South America (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, etc)? This is not Euro Cup, it's World Cup...don't count anyone else out. Other teams from Africa, Asia, Central America may be a surprise as well. Little Iceland punched above its weight. I wish Turkey had made it, they've been fun to watch in the past.
The draw always throws up some traditional rival pairings in the same group, accompanied by the potential security nightmare of fans clashing.
Look for these teams possibly being drawn together on December 1 ...
Russia & England
Germany & England
France & England
Argentina & Spain
Argentina & Mexico
Serbia & Croatia
But the USA only won against Ghana in 2014, so I still don’t follow.
The USA came in 15th place in the 2014 WC. Italy came in 22nd place, Spain 23rd place, England 26th place etc. Therefore until the next WC in six months we are better at soccer than any other nation below 15th place.
USA!
"Peru has declared a national holiday after its first World Cup qualification in 36 years."
I love it!!!
I would also add the Argentina Brazil rivalry. And a Germany v Brazil rematch would be interesting.
Those match ups won’t happen at the Group Stage as all the teams you mention are in the same pot.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/41962101
Australia’s dream draw would be a group with Senegal, Croatia and Poland.
A horror draw could see us with Denmark, Spain and Brazil.
Look for these teams possibly being drawn together on December 1 ...
Russia & England
Germany & England
France & England
There's never been a particular rivalry with France where football is concerned. Germany definitely but the violence and trouble is disappearing from the game due to football banning orders and good intelligence based policing. The trouble in France during the recent Euro's was caused mainly by organised Russian hooligans. There has never been any football rivalry between England and Russia however the organised (state sponsored?) hooligans are certain to cause problems.
Personally I think the games in Russia and Qatar should be boycotted as they clearly weren't awarded on merit.
Travel to Russia is not on my short nor long future travel list.
I have no plans on attending. I was in Japan about 3 months before the 2002 World Cup and it was amazing how little fanfare there was about it. All I saw were a few posters on trains.
Bruce, why not? Its such a modern and progressive nation.
I visited St Petersburg and Moscow in August 2012, the month after Pussy Riot performed their protest in Christ the Saviour Cathedral. My cousin and family were living in Moscow st the time. I found it very interesting and of course with so many paradoxes. In the months following anti gay laws were introduced, and authoritarian attitudes suppressed opposition voices. Annexation of Crimea and interference in Ukraine saw sanctions introduced and my cousin thought it best to take the family out.
So no, I won’t be going back until the situation changes, and yes, only Swedish vodka these days.
I suspect that the facilities will be at least as good as they were for the Olympics in Sochi
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2014/02/04/journalists-at-sochi-are-live-tweeting-their-hilarious-and-gross-hotel-experiences/?utm_term=.543cf34a7ef5
I have heard that if you are going you might want to bring your own bottled water and toilet paper; I think that is an absurd suggestion. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-14/hooligans-racism-vladimir-putin-is-russia-ready-2018-world-cup/8609034 sounds like fun.
@James E.: there are so many other countries that I’ve not visited and ones I wish to visit again...including Hungary.
It saddens me to say I fear the ugly face of racism will be a blight on the tournament.
David, what makes me sad is that what I see so far is the old and tired face of pre-tourney fear mongering on all possible fronts.
Saw it before Uni games in Kazan, Olympics in Sochi, Confed Cup earlier this year... Jeez, even World Dog Show 2016 in Moscow managed to get loudly and proudly boycotted by AKC (which was not supposed to attend in the first place).
Not exclusive to Russia, either - remember Brazil, China... Doesn't seem to be the case with South Korea, apparently.
Was well founded in terns of the Olympics in Sochi I think.
I have heard that if you are going you might want to bring your own bottled water.... Good advice. Probably want a Hep A vaccination too. Sad experience of the Dominica skiers at the Socci (Russian) Olympics: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/olympics/sdut-olympics-dominica-di-silvestri-2014feb16-story.html
The di Silvestris, Gary and Angelica, both ended up in Russian
hospitals the day after walking in Opening Ceremony. She missed her
event, the 10-kilometer classic race held on Feb. 13. Gary managed to
start the 15-kilometer classic the following day, then collapsed after
one lap in the stadium and never finished.Angelica picks up the story here:
“Gary’s illness occurred when a pipe in our village broke and there
was brown water coming out of the faucets. He was taking a shower and
did not pay attention to the color of the water. He also brushed his
teeth with the same water. The following day, he developed very strong
abdominal cramps and went to the clinic, where he was diagnosed as
having caught acute bacterial gastroenteritis.”
Don't ingest the water. The Olympic village housing was "new" but apparently the water was not tested.
I'm still kicking myself for not making it to Sochi back in 2014 - I had two hockey tickets and had to cancel last minute. My Canadian friends went and had a blast. I do not remember them reporting any brown water or gastrointestinal problems - but then again, they probably stuck to bottled water or alcohol just to be on the safe side.
For World Cup, I applied for 3 early matches in Moscow - and, surprisingly, got all three tickets (well, at the very least I got charged for them, which is a good sign... Right?...Right?...)
