Being a blind homer for France is no better than be a hater.

Well, if Argentina can make a team out of their star players, they are the favorites.
Brasil on the opposite side don´t have much start players now, but have a good team play.
And Netherlands is my dark horse.

I really believe an African team will ake it to the Semi's. Just like Korea in 2002. Most likely Ivory Coast, but Ghana also fields a dangerous squad.

Supporting his national team is better than hating the other teams. When I tried to interrest myself in American Football, I discovered that being a supporter in USA is more about hating other teams than loving his one.
Btw you don't like "soccer" but in fact what you call soccer is the most popular sport in the world. American sports are hardly played only in USA. But Football gathers fans all around the globe. I bet you cannot understand the meanning of the World Cup.

(I supposed you are American because you call Football Soccer.)

dang chamois you're throwing some fighting words out there.

I'm american and i call it football most of the time, but i use soccer when in a large group so people don't get confused.

what you said about american football is only partly true, yes we do hate other teams, or dislike rather, but most do have a favorite team and will root for that team and cry when they lose as i've seen in every sport. many american football fans have some of the same love for the game as you have for soccer.

also yes soccer is the most popular sport in the world, however you can't say that no one else likes american sports. many countries play baseball and love it more than any sport, many countries play basketball as well as others.

Serbia as both picks!!

Chamois,
You are an ignorant fool. ". When I tried to interrest myself in American Football, I discovered that being a supporter in USA is more about hating other teams than loving his one. "

I disagree. I LOVE my teams (The Philadelphia Flyers and Eagles). I dislike some of the teams they play frequently, not because I think they are dirty or evil, but because I know they have bested my teams too many times - Devils/Penguins in Hockey, Giants in Football.

"Btw you don't like "soccer" but in fact what you call soccer is the most popular sport in the world." Agreed, but I'm not sure of the relevance. It didn't like we were comparing sports, saying 'mine is better than yours'. I called it 'Soccer', because that is what it is called here. If you walk into any bar here and ask the score of the football game, you are more like to get a '27-7' than '1-1'. (There probably are some heavily ethnic areas with neighborhood bars where that is probably not true, but for the most part...)

"American sports are hardly played only in USA." Again, what is the relevance? I didn't say 'Soccer sucks'. I said I don't like soccer. Strange reaction you had to that. Feel inferior much?

"But Football gathers fans all around the globe. " Relevance please?

"I bet you cannot understand the meanning of the World Cup. "
Yes, its like the Stanley Cup combined with the Olympic Gold Medal hockey game. But again, relevance?

('I didn't like' should say 'I didn't know')

Argentina to win, North Korea as surprise team

relevance : I wanted to stress on the importance of the competition to justifie the blind homer. For instance the fact that people support national teams and not Franchises that wil move to a another town when then are upset with locals, the number of nations involved that made the winner prouder etc...

But anyway you are right that isn't a reason. Of course not all the american football fans are haters, but I think most of you are as I read on forums comments etc... For instance I feel like everybody who isn't a cowboys fan hates the cowboys fan etc..
Plus I like American Football it looks fun despite I think the equipement is to expensive compared to soccer (as for hockey and baseball). I mean all the helmets and stuff.

But the topic is about Fifa World Cup : so France deserved its place in South Africa. ^^
I would love to see the reactions in Ireland if France manage to won the title xD
But our team sucks now I don't know why, I think the coach. But we reached the finale in 2006 with a very bad starting. So everything is possible.

Bullshit Chamois. You wanted to mock a boorish ignorant American who you thought was making fun of soccer and/or your French national team. I did neither you holier an thou twit.

@chamois

"Everybody seems to think that without Henry's hand Ireland will be qualified : Wrong!!
Remember : Ireland-France 0-1, France-Ireland 1-1 "

What is your point? Without the handball the game might go to penalties. It's 50:50 there.

@ DJ - you're brutal dude, but I like your style :), and agree with what you said... so cheers.

@Hellenic Riot

Now that's a bold one! Obviously after EURO 2004 you believe in miracles :)

Hell yeah ;)

You lucky bastards :)

It's football not soccer DJ. It's okay to call it soccer in an american bar, but not on internet forum. You suck!!

Ivo_ivanovic 50-50? France played at home so I think they had better chances : but you are right they played badly so who knows? That was just to answer the way people think Ireland deserves to be qualified, but anyway now it is done, spoiling France won't change it.

I don't really follow soccer, but it is interesting to be sure. I just don't watch a lot of TV, on top of that I don't watch a lot of sports, on top of that the US networks don't carry much soccer... so yeah.

But when I can watch it I enjoy it.

So anyway of course I would thrilled if the US took it... it might make Americans FINALLY get into a sport that THE REST OF THE WORLD LOVES and we somehow don't.... lol.

But also it would be amazing if an African team could pull it off too. If Ghana did it I have some Ghanaian friends who would lose their fucking minds lol. So... should be fun I'm excited to tune in.

Hopefully American TV carries it??? I mean... how can they not?

If France had the better chance at home then why were they losing the match? France won't win, it's got nothing to do with the coach, it's got more to do with the fact that they are an aging team, just like Italy.

Oh sorry am I not supposed to call it soccer lol I just read the thread.

I mean..... you know what I mean.... so why can't I call it what I grew up calling it? I understand you when you say football and start talking about goals and such.... it's just part of living in a globalized environment lol.

Telling me I have to say football for soccer on an international forum is like telling me I have to speak English on this forum because it's full of English speakers.

But we all know that's not true... there's like a freaking Hungarian thread a few pages down.

I don't think it's a big deal is it, really? I mean I loved playing soccer as a kid I just don't see it much on TV. Same with cricket... it's NEVER on TV here but I enjoy watching what I've seen in Africa and Europe and such.

Whatever lol.

@DJ Yes I was just upset by the sarcastic : "i don;t think france will win it. its not handball its football" but it isn't against you.

"Ivo_ivanovic 50-50? France played at home so I think they had better chances : but you are right they played badly so who knows? That was just to answer the way people think Ireland deserves to be qualified, but anyway now it is done, spoiling France won't change it. "

Personally, I think FRA are the better team, with the better players, and you also have the funnies coach ... who makes Maradona look sane and professional :)

So, I would rather prefer to watch FRA than the Irish in a World Cup and most likely FRA would have won the game anyway, that's true. Not cool if you're Irish though.

@serrioussham : Coachs can choose young players. Btw the old players aren't so bad : remember the retreating Zidane in 2006, all the spainish media laugh at him because of his age, but finally he played very well.

...And then got sent off in his final game ;)

Playing well = Not headbutting a player and getting sent off in a world cup final and not being there to take an all important penalty kick.
You can also put not handling a ball under that definition too.
Maybe France has limited experienced talented young players?

Also the reason i'm sticking with this is because I am Irish. I'll never stop until every French person who brings this up in conversation apologises!

@chamois
I am a big Ireland supporter and really would have liked them to place in the 32 in South Africa. In penalties, you may think otherwise, but Shay Given is a better goalkeeper than Lloris. I believe that it would have been an out-and-out, 50-50 penalty shootout, if it came to that. France may play better football, but that day was for the Irish.

Well, France is starting to get accustomed to see the Irish vomit their hatred on everything concerning the French team and France in general. I think we just shouldn't pay attention. I am glad to see that on this forum we can talk peacefully even about football.
Btw Henry has already apologized. Btw : sorry for the trauma I hope you're not going to commit suicide because of that match ^^'

The hand of god makes good tv. That's the way all handballs should look.