Posted on 06/30/2014 12:03:51 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
SAO PAULO – Lost amid all the talk about the World Cup making soccer grow in popularity within the United States is one very real and unexpected development taking place right here in Brazil.
The United States is growing in popularity within soccer.
Don't look now, U.S. men's national team, but you are increasingly becoming the second favorite team for a lot of folks from other countries, including the host nation.
"Brazil is falling in love with the U.S.," said Brazilian businessman Mario Ribiero, who partied with American supporters in Recife last week. "It is seen as something new and exciting and surprising. We love the team because it is an underdog. And we love the fans."
(Excerpt) Read more at sports.yahoo.com ...
Yep - USA USA USA! It’s the chant it’s easy for us simple Aussies to remember!
“I hope they have a look at what happened and that this gentleman goes home just like we are.”
With the result, Costa Rica have qualified for the quarter-finals, where they will play the Netherlands.
"We are making history. It's beautiful what we have done," said coach Jorge Luis Pinto.
YEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH LOL
Costa Rica have played some lovely football in this Cup - wouldn’t it be great to see them beat the Dutch!
The 2014 World Cup is the first at which more than one African nation has made it past the group phase, with Nigeria facing a fearsome-looking France side in Brasilia in the day's other last-16 match.
France v Nigeria
Germany v Algeria
"In recent matches, we have noticed a love rekindled with the team," France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris said Sunday. "We have done what we needed to do on the pitch to make them happy."
Nigeria’s revolting World Cup squad
African champions Nigeria will be eyeing a maiden spot in the World Cup quarter-finals on Monday.
Unfortunately, the Super Eagles' build-up to the crunch game has been overshadowed by a pay dispute. On Thursday, the players boycotted training, demanding part payment of their agreed appearance fee for the tournament. This was because they feared they will not be paid their $30,000 per player bonus for reaching the second round, a situation that was witnessed after last year's Confederations Cup.
Most Americans hardly pay attention to FIFA and don’t even know that just qualifying for the World Cup is a fairly tremendous achievement. Even many Americans paying attention only until just recently aren’t even aware that the US team has managed to get past the group stage three times since 1990 and once even to the quarterfinal.
Comparing this record to NFL Football, that’s like describing a team that regularly gets to the post-season playoffs by capturing its division, usually advances to the AFC/NFC championship game and even got (comparably, again) within one game of going to the Super Bowl. Our team may not be regarded as a top contender, but at least the rest of the world doesn’t regard us as punks. Far from it.
Team USA is basically the New York Giants of FIFA and our coach Klinsmann is basically Jon Gruden. They’re going to win the World Cup someday and maybe even with this coach. And hey, this World Cup is still going on...
Africa has never had two teams in the last 16 and if both can pull off upset wins, they will meet in the quarter finals and an African nation will be guaranteed a first ever place in the semi-finals.
French coach Didier Deschamps and Germany's Joachim Loew know however that if they win, their sides will clash in the quarter finals.
Angry Algeria coach says Ramadan is matter for players
"It's not the first time I have had Muslim players in my team. I myself am a Muslim. I've always let them be free, this is a private question and when you asked this you lack respect," the Bosnian-born coach said.
"The players will do as they wish. This is private. You should talk about football and nothing else. Stop asking me about Ramadan otherwise I'll get up and leave."
The Dutch will send the Costa Ricans home. Still I would rather have seen the wretched Greeks advance. Easier for the Dutch to defeat.
Tomorrow Africa leaves the tournament.
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