World Cup!

Hi Everyone,

So, the World Cup is going to start in Russia in a few minutes. I love big world sporting events and watch them. I have my favourites and some aren't here for they did not qualify..... Norway of course, but the USA and Italy are a couple I love to watch that did not make it to the finals.....

Well, I shall be rooting for England of course and Iceland mostly, but Denmark and Sweden shall get my support too

I'd like everyone to do a one two three of who they think will be winners runners up and the third place nation. Here's my call!

1.Francetia  . I have a felling in my bones that they qualified brilliantlyy land, so  zil would be the  good winners.

2. F Croatia Yes, of course it is highly likely they will meet someone good in the semi final, but I think that this World Cup is very open and France  will guay go close.

3. Belgium any. A dogged and determined team that fight tooth and nail for every advantage, I cant see them repeating their featof '66 in any World Cup.gium but 3rd would be good.

So Germany ance and argentina  ? I think they are weaker than they have been for many years, I reckon their halcyon days are numbered. Spain and Portugal? Spain relies on older players now and Portugal just quite aren't there yet. 

I'm quite excited about it all! But then I am easily pleased, I suppose....

Celia xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Serious disinterest. But I do think soccer is a great game. Loved playing it. Being Irish, disappointed we're not there but hope England play well. They usually don't. So no great hope.
I'm really looking forward to Royal Ascot, horse racing and dresses. My thing.

Iceland - do they have enough citizens to even field a team
As to the winners:

The US? (Okay, you can all stop laughing now!!)

Well the USA did not qualify, but I remember 1994 when the USA hosted the cup and it was one of the best cups ever. It's going to the USA, Canada and Mexico as joint hosts in 2026.

It may change in years to come, but the only team from CONACAF capable of winning the cup, for the next couple of decades at least, would be Mexico, with a prevailing wind and lots of luck.....

….. but if anyone was in doubt of the beautiful game, simply watch last night's Spain v. Portugal game. Breathtaking.

In 1994, I was working in a local town called Los Gatos and the Brazilian FC was staying in one of the towns hotels.

IT WAS PARTY TIME - BIG TIME

My office was located along a piece of street across for a town plaza that was closed off every night during the Brazilian stay. It was great fun. Read more at: http://articles.latimes.com/1994-06-19/news/ss-6428_1_los-gatos

The 2026 World Cup was awarded to a combination of Canada/USA/Mexico with the final rounds in the US. San Francisco is scheduled to be one of the final locations. (I hope I am still around to see this ginormous event)

Hi Miki!

That was a very interesty article, that must have been fun having them there. Nobody would attempt to impersonate someone in Europe, they are all too famous for that and well known. 

I'm sure you'll get to see the spectacle, I think it's great for all three nations, I guess all three qualify automatically so no problem for that. USA can be quite good, but not quite good enough yet. 

Canada, sorry to say Lesley, won't get far at all….. but Mexico tend to do well at home and I guess all their matches will be played south of the wall, if it's still there, oh and if it ever got built at all.   Celia xx

Celia Eriksson wrote:….. but if anyone was in doubt of the beautiful game, simply watch last night's Spain v. Portugal game. Breathtaking.

SI ¡El partido fue un empate pero bien jugado!

I see it looks like Argentina will be out after a 3-0 thrashing by Croatia! The old Yugoslav nations are very clever footballers, what a result for the Croats!

Jehanne wrote:

Celia Eriksson wrote:….. but if anyone was in doubt of the beautiful game, simply watch last night's Spain v. Portugal game. Breathtaking.

SI ¡El partido fue un empate pero bien jugado!

What happened to my post??

What happened to it Jehanne?

Celia Eriksson wrote:What happened to it Jehanne?

It's like in Spanish. Google Translate has it as:

"The match was a draw but well played!'

This is strange because I thought I posted the SI! ¡El partido fue un empate pero bien jugado! post.

I remember having to use the Character Map to find the Spanish "¡" exclamation point.

It is no big deal, but I, like Jehanne am curious.

Well that is strange! Did you edit it all? I never edit my posts of course. Anyway a biggie tonight, Sweden v. Germany just about to kick off and my predictions are looking good!

I don't know what happened; strange quirk.

But, I am glad that Germany won!! I am a mutt, but some of my ancestors were from Deutschland.

Celia Eriksson wrote:Well that is strange! Did you edit it all? I never edit my posts of course.

If this was directed towards Miki, no I didn't (at least I don't remember editing it!)

Celia Eriksson wrote:Anyway a biggie tonight, Sweden v. Germany just about to kick off and my predictions are looking good!

(GER 2 - SWE 1 GER scored final goal in 95th minute.) One of the things I have found in sport, nearly every sport, is that you can't win if all you do is play not to lose. I only watched the second half, but if Sweden had made any semblence of an effort to play offense (at least in the second half), they may have won.

Hi Miki!

No, I didn't aim it you doll, I was asking generally. But it was a bit strange an occurence. (I do edit my posts sometimes, OK, A LOT!, but only for tecicical reasons), coz I would never edit my mysticacal magical 'always correct' predictions and that kinda stuff.

Celia xx

Oh, Argentina are out! Well done France, but I think you'll find it tough against the Uruguayans, that is if Uruguay beats Portugal tonight, I think the Portuguese are quite a lot better than anyone thought, but I think Uruguay should just about pull it out. It will be close!

It's sad that the WC is only every 4 years; why not every year?!  They should change that.

I think a Copa Mondial every year would take away the 'specialness' of the event. The Olympics (Summer and Winter) do very well every four years and it adds to the spectacle* of the events.


*Hence costly, really costly events.

I agree, it is costly. I have always thought, as far as European teams are concerned, that the Euros every year, except World Cup year would be good though. 

It would be better than playing silly, meaningless friendlies and in this day and age it could be played across Europe, home and away ties. Though nobody would want the long trip to Russia from the West.

I think it would renew interest in the national teams only witnessed every four years.

Celia Eriksson wrote:Oh, Argentina are out! Well done France, but I think you'll find it tough against the Uruguayans, that is if Uruguay beats Portugal tonight, I think the Portuguese are quite a lot better than anyone thought, but I think Uruguay should just about pull it out. It will be close!

Did things get messy

Hehe, nice one Lucy. It's Denmark and Croatia now, second half of extry time and then it could be the dreaded penalties where I hide behind the sofa and pop my head up when the team I want to win score! Come on Denmark!!!!!

Oh dear, they are out on penalties, never mind there is still England, Sweden and a pet favourite Uruguay, coz Cavani is cute, those I will want to win..... only thing is of course, England and Sweden will meet if they win their games!

Celia Eriksson wrote:...England, Sweden and a pet favourite Uruguay...

The United States, ya know, that country that is the greatest (or at least once was) has such a great ejukashun system that maybe one in ten could find all three of those countries on a map.

Hell, there is a sizable percentage of U.S. citizens that have difficulty pointing to the U.S. on a map.

I once read that only 18% of Americans hold passports, so I'm not surprised.

Bad parenting is a problem here, (our education system is ok, though it has it's problems). Some children are turning up for first year still in nappies. 

When I was young, older folk were annoyed that some children were starting school unable to read and write. I remember being able to read and write, as did all my peers. Now some parents are sending there children to school unable to speak!.....

Anyway.... I don't want to sound like Miss Moanymoan….. so Belgium took out Japan last night in a thrilling second half! Brazil coasted through so all of my supermysticical predictions are on course to be right!