The Official Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup thread

[Aerlik]

Suddenly the Aussies are starting to take an interest despite the best efforts of SBS TV to promote "football".  Well, there is even talk that they are not going to get belted in every game and may, just may, in fact, surprise a few people.  Considering the team, scoring a goal will surprise a few of us.

One good thing this year is that every game will be shown "live" on SBS, but start times ranging from all ungodly hours, the recorder will be doing overtime in this house, if at all.

God forbid they get a point and we'll never hear the end of the courage, bravery and magnificence in the face of such adversity.

[Rossie11]

Suddenly the Aussies are starting to take an interest despite the best efforts of SBS TV to promote "football".  Well, there is even talk that they are not going to get belted in every game and may, just may, in fact, surprise a few people.  Considering the team, scoring a goal will surprise a few of us.

One good thing this year is that every game will be shown "live" on SBS, but start times ranging from all ungodly hours, the recorder will be doing overtime in this house, if at all.

God forbid they get a point and we'll never hear the end of the courage, bravery and magnificence in the face of such adversity.

I have them down to score zero and concede 10 and maybe get a red card or 2!!

[BennyCake]

Really hope South American setting can inspire a tournament to rival '70 and '86, while an '82 would be perfectly acceptable also.

Is it just me getting older, football getting shiter, or what, but with each WC the quality is getting worse? My first was 86, which was really good, but since then it's got worse and worse. 2010 was brutal.

[WT4E]

Really hope South American setting can inspire a tournament to rival '70 and '86, while an '82 would be perfectly acceptable also.

Is it just me getting older, football getting shiter, or what, but with each WC the quality is getting worse? My first was 86, which was really good, but since then it's got worse and worse. 2010 was brutal.

Its the same with the GAA

One Word ruining the whole thing:

SCIENCE

[Syferus]

Really hope South American setting can inspire a tournament to rival '70 and '86, while an '82 would be perfectly acceptable also.

Is it just me getting older, football getting shiter, or what, but with each WC the quality is getting worse? My first was 86, which was really good, but since then it's got worse and worse. 2010 was brutal.

It's just you getting older.

[give her dixie]

Behind the scenes at this World Cup lies a deep and bitter relationship with the average Brazilian. The countries healthcare and education is in ruins, and everyone is watching hundreds of millions been spent on a football tournament and white elephant stadiums.

There is a very high human cost at this stage, and the tensions are getting raised. Already today in Sao Paulo crowds are gathering and protesting. Water cannons on the scene and tear gas already been fired.

Sadly and unfortunately this World Cup will not pass off peacefully.

[Captain Obvious]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/worldcup2014/article-2650576/Bebeto-recreates-USA-1994-World-Cup-goal-celebration-son.html

[Rossie11]

Behind the scenes at this World Cup lies a deep and bitter relationship with the average Brazilian. The countries healthcare and education is in ruins, and everyone is watching hundreds of millions been spent on a football tournament and white elephant stadiums.

There is a very high human cost at this stage, and the tensions are getting raised. Already today in Sao Paulo crowds are gathering and protesting. Water cannons on the scene and tear gas already been fired.

Sadly and unfortunately this World Cup will not pass off peacefully.

Anti Fifa graffiti in Brazil

http://www.buzzfeed.com/conzpreti/anti-fifa-graffitis-are-covering-the-streets-of-brazil

[BennyCake]

I don't understand why the WC is awarded to a country that needs to build a dozen new stadiums. Is there even a stadium in Qatar? There are modern stadia in Germany, Italy, England etc. why not give it to one of them? Brazil has the Olympics in 2016 and that's a shitload of money to do both. It makes no sense. Then again, it's all about brown envelopes and corruption at the end of the day, not sport.

[Hotshot Hamish]

Behind the scenes at this World Cup lies a deep and bitter relationship with the average Brazilian. The countries healthcare and education is in ruins, and everyone is watching hundreds of millions been spent on a football tournament and white elephant stadiums.

There is a very high human cost at this stage, and the tensions are getting raised. Already today in Sao Paulo crowds are gathering and protesting. Water cannons on the scene and tear gas already been fired.

Sadly and unfortunately this World Cup will not pass off peacefully.

Feck way to put a dampener on the whole thing.

I can't wait. T - 4 and a half hours!

[mouview]

Really hope South American setting can inspire a tournament to rival '70 and '86, while an '82 would be perfectly acceptable also.

Is it just me getting older, football getting shiter, or what, but with each WC the quality is getting worse? My first was 86, which was really good, but since then it's got worse and worse. 2010 was brutal.

Think '90 was actually the worst, really dour and defensive.

Unfortunately I think World Cups have decreased in relevance (thus quality) due to
a) the advent of satellite TV and the huge revenues it has brought in to club football
b) thus the rise in the primacy of the European club competitions, in particular the Champions League
c) the fall of the old Iron Curtain, thus the free movement of the best players to the western leagues. Once upon a time International tournaments were the only shop window for them.
d) over-exposure of football on TV

However, the CL this year was quite non-vintage, so maybe the WC will compensate.

[Bingo]

I don't know about it getting worse at all.

France was a very good world cup, Japan/Korea (outside of the little incident before it) was very good. Italia 90 was a terrible one and led to many rule changes as a result but has been some really good tournements and I can't remember not enjoying it but I'd like the whole package and soccer as a game. Even South Africa was enjoyable and had plenty of drama.

The whole off political situation and fallout from it is not nice to see. But this situation hasn't happened cause of the world cup, it was already there and has been neglected by various governments and accepted by generations. In a roundabout way, maybe the staging of the WC and Olympics has pushed the people onto the streets and given them a greater reason to voice their disapproval at how the country has been run. Its a not a positive but maybe its a changing of the times for them. 

[laoislad]

I don't know about it getting worse at all.

France was a very good world cup, Japan/Korea (outside of the little incident before it) was very good. Italia 90 was a terrible one and led to many rule changes as a result but has been some really good tournements and I can't remember not enjoying it but I'd like the whole package and soccer as a game. Even South Africa was enjoyable and had plenty of drama.

What little incident before Japan/Korea??

[Bingo]

I don't know about it getting worse at all.

France was a very good world cup, Japan/Korea (outside of the little incident before it) was very good. Italia 90 was a terrible one and led to many rule changes as a result but has been some really good tournements and I can't remember not enjoying it but I'd like the whole package and soccer as a game. Even South Africa was enjoyable and had plenty of drama.

What little incident before Japan/Korea??

The ticketing issue 

http://www.printweek.com/print-week/news/1114256/fifa-blames-world-cup-hosts-ticket-chaos

[deiseach]

It's going to be great. The world's biggest jamboree.