Why does everyone understimate small countries and think they won't do well in the world cup (Costa Rica)?
606770
I dont think everybody is. Think back to 2002. France didn´t even score in his group and small countries were performing much better. I don´t there are "small" countries anymore.
1046368
????  they didnt impress just now in their 4- 2 win over Costa Rica. Time will tell.
1009004
Puhleeeez! Let's not even go there! The US might--just might--be good at local soccer--and I say that kindly. But to put them at World Cup class and compare them to teams like England, Brazil, Germany, and a few others--it's a total waste of your 5 points to even ask such a question. To put it mildly--they suck!
1004687
Many small countries cannot afford to take part in international sports.  And, if a country is small enough, it may not have all that many athletes at the world class level.
1140251
six nil against a respected team like Serbia and Montenegro? You better be damn nervous of them. And Czech Republic, Brazil, Holland, Germany, etc, etc. Whenever we discuss the World Cup runners and riders, as it were, why is it that England seem to be the only horse running with blinkers on?
1099560
Actually I think it is because they do not have the drive to want to play in the World Cup as all the other countries do..\n\nJust look at the game between USA and Ghana...\n\nThis is Ghana's FIRST appearence in the World Cup and they advanced to the next round, and yet USA has qualified for the World Cup since 1990 and still lost..\n\nIt goes to show that they do not truly have the desire to want to play soccer and be in the World Cup
1021602
Because when you have a country with a huge population , that are only known for there playing soccer abilities , you have all the kids training an wanting to be great soccer players when they grow so you practically have a guaranteed cream of the crop  team for that county (Brazil) .\n\nArgentina is the same , except they dont have such a big population , an they have other stuff ,than just soccer to contribute there abilities.\n\nsame with japan , Japanese are know for being intelligent hard workers , disciplined etc . so every little Japanese kid grows up to fill those shoes, because in a way its whats expected of them.\n\nsame thing with Germans , they are know for there discipline so they all grow up wanting to fill those shoes an wanting to be know also for there discipline , an they accomplish that . German kids\n\nthere's ton's of other examples an some are negative too
1037574
My wife tries to make the world cup a struggle of class against class (I thought that was a political struggle, not a sports struggle).  But she doesn't complain when her country wins (Brazil, not exactly a rich one).  So it seems a bit hypocritical.  I didn't see the Ivory Coast match, but from what I've seen in the past, African teams play rougher among themselves than non-African teams do and so when they have to play outside of Africa they get called for more fouls.
475264
i think they have a pretty good chance, considering they beat many teams to qualify for the world cup. also these are countries that live and breathe soccer. so they have a prety good chance and who knows the underdog might win this time.
363856
I agree, they are overrated.  Everyone acts like they are amazing, just like brazil, but in reality they get very lucky.  England plays their players in positions that they never play until international play, and they get goals.  Germany has a great goalie...and that's about it, if a team has a great keeper, and an average team, they will do good, but they aren't amazing.  I have to disagree with you on Brazil, France, and Italy.  Brazil has a great chance, but i think the underdogs have the best chance (i.e. Uruguay, Serbia, Angola)
358164
The US will not perform badly this year...and they have not reason to perform in any less a level than past. The question is will they have the drive, pride and the unity necessary to win not just at matches, but in people's hearts.  Every country has potentially talented footbaool players, but the US has the advantage of superior facitlites, advisement etc available to them. Now its a matter of understanding the passion behind the game and bringing that into their matches. For the rest of the world it is not just a game to be won and have the title of 2006 World Cup Winner. Its also the passion behind the team and their supporters to represent their country, strive to win, show their skill, commitment, comradery and still hang their head high at the end of the day for having tried, represented and united their supporters/country. Nothing in the world brings a greater mass of people together worldwide than the sport of  football. No one want a champion who's sole goal is to add another win/medal to their list.......there has got to be more to it....
1067127
It's an obvious but simple answer. The players aren't good enough. They don't compete to a very high standard in their domestic league and are out of their depth when it comes to playing in the World Cup.
369542
The better question is when will have better teams in the World Cup?  In some regions a lot better teams don't get in and some other regions get teams that aren't even competitive to meet the limit, but what are you gonna do.
1167203
Nope, not in the least.  What people seem to not realize is that the FIFA World Rankings are not ranking the teams by their likelihood of winning or their overall abillity.  It is NOT a committy decision.  It is a formula plugged into a computer, nothing more and nothing less.  When you realize that you realize U.S. NOT getting a #1 seed bid (or pick) for the Group Drawings was accurate.  They were not in a group of death seeing as Italy was the only trully strong team (when healthy, which they weren't).  Oh by the way, Italy was ranked something like 14th or something in the Fifa Rankings!  No one voted for the U.S. to be that highly ranked...it was a formula based off of certain things.  The ONLY stat that was right was Brazil being a clear #1.  \nThe only overating that could have been there is from our disrespectful loud mouth Landon Donovan and co.  He has NEVER proven himself EVER on a big stage and never will.  He hasn't score in almost an entire calendar year at an international level (mind you that we have easily one of the weakest qualifying groups...he hasn't scored in close to a year against the likes of Jamaica, Morrocco, Venezuela, Trinidad, Costa Rica, and the list goes on of teams that are far from good).  \nThe only bit of overrated hype and belief came from ESPN, US media, and the U.S. team.  Anyone that watches the game or is from another country KNEW, not wondered, but KNEW this outcome would happen.  The fact we had a chance was a shock (a shock because Ghana has more international superstars than us and the only reason we had a chance was because we played a depleated Czech team and a VERY subpar Italy squad).\n\nSo no, we were not overrated to the world.  We did what we were supposed to.  However, the media here did there typical hype and exaggerations to get fans.  Unfortunately it built the expectations way to high and soccer passion and the growth in the U.S. has taken a huge blow.  We could feel this for quite some time.
859959
It's funny you say that, he's tied for first in La Liga in scoring goals, people think that just cause he had a bad world cup, it wasn't just him who had a bad world cup, the top scorer had only 5 goals, that's down considerably from previous world cups, so nobody did anything spectacular, Brasil's former coach even said it himself he had the wrong mix of players and that's why they failed, but most countries would've liked to make it to the quarter finals, everyone just expects to much from him, you know this game is a team sport and if your not pulling your weight for the team then they cant produce, and Barcelona has been very unfortunate with all of there injuries.....  he is still the best player out there talent wise and his creativity is unfathomable, he will prove himself again you wait and see....
333421
as far as predictions go, most ppl are bordering on those teams that harbour the superstars of football. but teams like france, although full of talent, fail to operate as a team! so im going for teams like croatia, tunisia and spain to spring a surprise!
1101506
As much as everyone would like Brazil to win they aren't gonna. Simply because of the fact that they have been struggling lately, in the qualifying round they lost 3 of their 4 matches. They might have the world's most talented team but if they dont pull it together you can see France or Argentina stealing the Fifa world cup this year.