Personal opinions\nor of knowledge in the world of soccer
204593
Portugal. Cristiano Ronaldo can match Ronaldhino's skills. they are both fast and talented. But Ronaldo is younger so he'd be SLIGHTLY better.
236293
Yes,I would rather they don't have this rule simply because human judgement  can be controversial at times.Maybe they should come up with a demarcation line closer to the box that determine whether an attacker is offside or not.
594435
Well, all i can say, is that the american commentators are struggling with the most popular sport in the world, just like the american soccer team. Its time they got someone who has "played the game" to commentate, rather than someone who thinks that he knows the game. I guess the same applies to the americal soccer team and the coach too! Time to play catch up.
402028
1) Iran and England\n2)combine basketball, baseball and football and you get its importance (in both cultures)\n3) not really \n4) Culturally, the domestic league (MLS) doesnt have the viewership that the EPL and IPL(irans league) does in those countries and worldwide\nAlso, since ive been in the US, I havent noticed US get into World Cup fever(something that I miss).. it seemed US was mroe into it this year as my friends had heard of Ronaldinho and some commerials with him init\nAmerican soccer doesnt have a distinctive style\n5) Form identity- grow up with them so it easens the transition\n6) NOT 7 hahha. yea it can be.. it can also indicate youre an immigrant lol.  tho more nonimmigrants are geting into it.. ie my friends
557816
Yes the Us are really that behind in word soccer don't read anything into being ranked fifth in the world no world class players and no tactical knowledge sorry not trying to offend but that team needs a new manager and a new approach to the game
673086
I think this is an absolutely ridiculous proposition you have made. The beautiful game that is soccer will be reduced to nothing more than a pathetic farce. Let me explain why.\n\nEven though the spectators might be paying to be substituted on, there is no guarantee that they are playing for the side they are on. Since the opposition coach is choosing who goes on, he could very well choose a fan who is on his side. This fan would simply need to score own goals.\n\nAlso, what about the OTHER spectators, the tens of thousands of others who paid to watch a decent game. Who would want to watch just about any other Tom, Dick or Harry playing??\n\nFinally, let's say the match is a World Cup match. Wouldn't it be ridiculous if the spectator who joins the match isn't of the same nationality as the team?\n\nThere are millions more reasons to reject your absurd idea, security issues being one of them, but I suppose discerning readers and like-minded soccer fans will know from a glance that you are a somewhat odd man.
638701
I'm no expert but it did seem to me that the ref was biased in favour of the home team.  This might've been understandable in the days when the Germans were far and away the cleanest players, but now they're not much better than the average bunch of sneaks and crybabies who play international soccer.
576478
I also don´t think it was worth a yellow card, and I am also cheering for Germany...\nAnd you, guy, that answered this question first: Who gives a S*** if you think soccer is gay? Why do you even answer those questions if you are not interested? How rude...
662177
First, I'd just like to say that I know plenty of people who are extremely excited about the world cup. Like getting up in the middle of the night, having huge parties to watch the game, painting their faces, getting crazy and unruly excited about it. America as a whole is not a soccer country, but there are plenty of soccer fans in the U.S.\nSecond, while this guy was sort of an ass about his dislike of the sport, I do see his point. America gets a lot of criticism from the rest of the world for not liking soccer. But it's not like we are required to. If another country, smaller, less influential country chose not to be fanatic about a sport, no one would care. I think this is used as another chance to attack America. And, believe me, there are lots of reasons to dislike America (this coming from a proud American) but the fact that we generally dislike a sport that everyone else likes is a pretty superficial reason for attacking America. And I think that's what the author of the article is reacting to. He's being defensive because he's constantly being treated as having less intelligent, less complex (or whatever) taste just because he doesn't like soccer. \nSo, yeah, this guy is sort of a jerk. But you must not take his view as the one that all Americans have. And you should also understand that Americans are a little sick of people telling them that they SHOULD like soccer just because everyone else does.
616294
I assume you mean soccer since you posted this in the World Cup forum.\n\nI'm impressed that you know it is "offside" not "offsides"\n\nThere are two parts to offside: offside position and offside offence.\n\nOFFSIDE POSITION:\nIt is not an offence in itself to be in an offside position. A player is in an offside position if:\n* he is nearer to his opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second last opponent.\nA player is not in an offside position if\n* he is in his own half of the field of play or\n* he is level with the second last opponent or\n* he is level with the last two opponents.\n\nOFFSIDE OFFENCE:\nA player in an offside position is only penalised if, at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of his team, he is, in the opinion of the referee, involved in active play by:\n* interfering with play or\n* interfering with an opponent or\n* gaining an advantage by being in that position.\n\nFor any offside offence, the referee awards an indirect free kick to the opposing team to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred.\n\nAlso, there is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from:\n* a goal kick or\n* a throw-in or\n* a corner kick
240842
I never cease to be amazed how little some of the people answering questions know about football.\n\nTo wit, several included Ronaldinho in their answers to this question. Don't they know he is NOT a striker, and therefore less likely to have opportunities to score?
576365
"If the 4-5-1 does not fit, Arena must quit."\n\nHaving only one striker and dropping two midfielders back in defense weighs the American team heavily toward their keeper's end of the pitch--and people wonder why they can't score goals.  Hard to put it in the other net if it's always around yours; Arena should be sent packing and replaced with someone who has more soccer sense.\n\nThat, and ol' Bruce didn't even seem happy when we equalized against Ghana.  Should have been the best moment of the tournament for him, but he just kind of frowned and threw his fist around lazily.  Awkward.
202439
NO, its not that .  Soccer it a game that alot of people grow up watching their HOME team, that is the team representing their region or their tiny provincial town.  In Europe, unlike the USA, regional pride is huge and club teams are very old and supporting a club is passed down from generation to generation.  So its almost a tradtition.  People get also soooooo invested in the game emotionally and feel as if THEY are a part of the team, so if someone insults the team/ players/ coach etc, they get insulted, and fights brake out.
666326
I have!! I have never liked soccer. I know now it was because I knew so little about the game. I have been following the World Cup games, and now I am a fan. Not a knowledgeable one, but I am learning.\n\nGo England!!
570808
it is very hard, now some games can be bias, but for a tournament like the world cup which costs billions of dollars I don't think that cheating and preparing games is an option. But some mistakes or 'sentimental' things from the referee might occur, he's a human after all.
525827
Roman - russian gagster? thats cool. I agree with you. In the pitch the players do act as unruly rich kids who own the game and can do and say anything that they like at any time. Jose likes attention and can do anything to get it. In all post match reviews he says the same thing - 'the referee was hostile and his sweet shy cudly boys were wrongfully targeted'. so what if Drogba and Robben treats the pitch as a swimming pool and dives deep down without any assistance from the opposite defenders. (they could have won olympic gold medals in diving and accolades for their oscar winning performances in front of the officials- you have to give them that) so what if Essien practices Muy Thai moves in the pitch or Ricardo trying hard to send someone to the hospital for good- they are just little innocent kids. All these needs hard training and who better to give them that other than THE MASTER - JOSE MOURINHO.
663172
I agree that more than one person should decide on the more controversial things but I think that to have 'lasers and more ' is a bit too, cameras yes. For example, some of the Korea vs European sides caused a lot of controversy over some dodgy offsides, not to mention that infamous 'Maradona hand-ball goal'  incident, all could be and have been clarified by the camera. However, soccer is a traditional sport and the humaness of the referee adds to the excitement. Sure, that recent game, I forget which, in which 7 or so yellow cards were handed out and not a single red card, even for the most abtruse tackles was rediculous but I would blame the standard of the referee rather than anything else. Many other referees could have done a better job, it all comes down to experiance. Do you really want a world where everything is controlled by computers and the slightest blow in the fuse could cancel a game? Also, it would completely destroy the chances of some of the poorer, but none the less deserving countries the chances of hosting the cup, restricting it only to places like USA, where the soccer isn't so good, or European countries, who have already hosted numerous times, etc. \n  Also, there are checks and balances, where we do have flag-men, who aide the ref. in his or her decisions, and there is a compensation system, where when Rivaldo got another player 'sent off' by simulation, he got a hefty fine when he was found out.\n\nAll in all, I would just employ the cameras a bit more, the rest I would leave the same.