[Jonny]

Is anyone else getting the feeling that in their life-time the World Cup could possibly be won by a team outside South America & Europe?

South Korea & Japan have improved dramatically over a very short period of time and both have resources and population to 'make it happen'

I have also been impressed with the quality of some of the players America is currently churning out, Quaranta, Johnson, Beasley & Donovan come to mind.

I think Europe & South America will have to watch very carefully or risk eating the dut of the fast-improving 'other continents'

ChelseaBear

 

[Deniz]

I guess I am wrong about some of these Asian teams. They did not have a bad performance last night, especially South Korea

 

[aca]

World of football will change

Japan, with 80 million PPL (wild guess), there is no way in hell that they wont dig out talent, as long as football is being promoted & being invested in. At this pace, 5 years, and you will have one big headache for the European & South America. (It is headache already, but not a migrene yet).

You have the same thing with South Korea (and we saw today that they mean business), China (60 minutes at 0-0, they need more discipline and a bit more time than Japan maybe), and not to mention African countries which do send out shock-waves occasionaly

My biggest mystery is USA

IF football picks up there, it will be an amasing development. They are investing well it seems, but football still did not take off as much as it should, for states to become a major player

Maybe someone knows more about this?

 

[Bastin]

In 50 years time (assuming that Pakistan and India don't destroy the planet first), the face of world football will be completely different. Some established countries will remain near the top: Brazil, Argentina, and the better European sides. Some others, like China, India, Japan, USA, Cameroon, Nigeria, and other African countries, will emerge as world powers.

The reason for this is simple: Population. China has 1.4bn inhabitants, and the national sport is football. India has 1bn inhabitants, and the third national sport is football (after Cricket and Hockey). Japan has a population of 130m, and invests huge resources into promoting football as the national sport instead of Baseball.

The USA has immense resources, not to mention a country full of well-nourished, sport-hungry fans. In the USA, "Soccer" is already the most widely played sport amongst kids - ahead of American Football, Ice Hockey, and Baseball. Once this generation of children reaches their 20s, the USA team will be strong enough to challenge most of the South American countries. Once these people pass football onto the next generation, we'll see the USA beating most teams in the world.

Everyone knows about Africa. Nigeria has a population of 120m people. The children don't attend school all day (normally a rotation of morning/afternoon). What do they do in their spare time. Football. No sport challenges football in Africa, except around the Cape. We already see the likes of Cameroon, Nigeria, Senegal, and Morocco take on established countries and win. An African team won't win the World Cup this year, or in 2006, but I'd put my house on seeing the continent producing world champions by 2050.

Why some countries in Europe will fall and others won't seems to lie in the foundations laid before. Football is king in Italy, Spain, and Portugal. This isn't always the case in northern Europe. Sure, it's the national sport of almost all of the nations of Europe, but in England, Rugby, Cricket, and Hockey dilute the stream of youngsters taking up the game. Therefore, the northern Europeans will most probably cease to be major powers, emerging only now and then to challenge for the World Cup, and Europe's banner will pass to the Southern Europeans. This, of course, all depends on the development of the European Union. It is quite probable that by 2050, the EU will be a federation of one single political entity, but, assuming that the current countries continue to play football as individual nations, Italy, Spain, and Portugal will eclipse the British, Germans, French, and Dutch.

 

[Teddy Bear]

part of the attraction of football is that a countries wealth or massive population, does not relate directly to how the team performs

Take for example, America. They have had millions of kids playing football over the past 30 years, but this hasn't led to the US national team becoming a top team. This could happen to South Korea, Japan, China and the other 'emerging nations' - they make a break through to a certain level, but just cant take it further. In Europe and South America football is a part of culture, a part of the community, a part of history - its not just a game in other words. To create a similiar situation elsewhere will be extremely hard.....i'm gonna sound like a hippy but people need to 'feel' for football and not just play it. Africa, i think has a similiar passion to Europe/South America but for now their coaching infrastructure and stuff is not good enough yet - America has the infrastructure, but not the passion. It remains to be seen if Asia can achieve a successful mix (judging by Korea's, and less so Japans performance today, as well as the passion of their fans they might well achieve this - but the true test will only come in the future, not when they are playing at home when all the world cup hype is about)

 

[Deniz]

The USA has immense resources, not to mention a country full of well-nourished, sport-hungry fans. In the USA, "Soccer" is already the most widely played sport amongst kids - ahead of American Football, Ice Hockey, and Baseball. Once this generation of children reaches their 20s, the USA team will be strong enough to challenge most of the South American countries. Once these people pass football onto the next generation, we'll see the USA beating most teams in the world.

This is definitely possible. It is the general goal of the US Soccer authorities, and it is certainly possible as a long-run goal.

For the first time, the US has young players that are considered among the best in the world, among the prospects, such as DaMarcus Beasley and Landon Donovan. Moreover, these guys have a league to play in until they become ready for Europe.

If MLS continues to improve, the US will be a force to reckon with by the time I am in my middle age (in about 25 or 30 years)

 

[Bastin]

Judging by today's performance, Beasley is ready for a big move to Europe right now. He's dynamite.

Sensational result USA - that just confirms my belief that they will be a world power in the foreseeable future.

 

[Deniz]

Yes, I really think that Beasley and Donovan could be our two stars for the next decade. And unlike Earnie Stewart, Cobi Jones, jeff Agoos, etc; I think that that this generation will prove themselves in Europe.

The only problem with Beasley is that he is my weight...58 kgs

 

[Bastin]

58kg? You're that light, huh?

It's not as bad as Peter Crouch, of Aston Villa. I had seen him play a few times for QPR and Portsmouth at Vicarage Road, and everyone was slurring him throughout. He ended up being subbed off at half-time in one of the games. Anyway - he's 2.02m tall (6'7"), and he's only 68kg (10st, 9lb).

 

[Austin]

This is my view of things with the situation here in the States. The game here amoung the youth is exploding. There are programs left and right searching for the top players , and trying to idenfy all sorts of things , which is great , but there is one thing one stupid little simple thing that blows me away. You hardly ever seeing American kids playing simple pick up games . You go and see americans playing pick up basketball games. I am 18 years old and i cosnistantly go out and play pick up games 2 3 times a week with adults. I mean with solid players from all over the world. Not world class players , but people who love the game and have skill. I hardy EVER EVER EVER see american kids playing. I am always the only teenager and the only American. And that is something I take tremdous pride in. Its like i am out there represeting us. That is where you develop your skill , no trainer can teach you how to fend for your own or let you know what it feels like to take a terrible challenge from a grown man. Your learn the game there, not at some hour and a half training session that you are paying loads of money for. It may seem so casual in the rest of the world's eyes , but to me that is what is truly missing. The best players in the world all have stories of playing in the streets on at the park. Zidane , Ronaldo , Davids the list goes on and on. But when have you ever heard an american say that ?? Not me , I think we can get by on what we have now , like mentioned earlier we have 2 very very talented youngsters in Donovan and Beasely , and a few more kids like johnson and quartra .All of which have told stories of playing pick up games on the weekends But for us to truly be the best in the world that is what it will take. You all may think I am crazy , but from the perspective of an 18 year old american teenager with a dream that is my 2 cents .

 

[Jonny]

Maybe this 'uprising' is beginning sooner than anyone ever expected

 

[Bastin]

It definitely has something to do with it being in South Korea and Japan. The co-hosts have 50k-60k people behind them at every game, and they are all fervent supporters, not just the prawn sandwich brigade of Old Trafford. The conditions in the Far East also aid the Asian and African nationals. The established football nations are all in much cooler Europe, or in South America (Currently in winter - Bueneos Aires reaches 10 degrees in July). The nations that are doing well are all warm, humid nations (with the notably exceptions of England and Germany). The USA, Senegal, South Korea, Turkey, Spain, and Brazil are all warm nations (on the whole), and benfit from that.

 

[Jonny]

Totally agree, people have totally understimated both the home advantage and the humidity. But the gulf in ability between Italy and Korea should still have been enough to see them through.