Tim Howard will go down as an all-time great though, no doubt about it. A legacy.
Pressure is off now though, at least off the backs of American fans. One can look at the Cup. They have to celebrate the superstars, I guess I can except whomever they celebrate, Hames, Neymar, Muller, Robben, if it is Messi though, they will say he along with Maradona and Pele are the greatest ever.
I won’t go into it now but I did read the book “Hand of God” about Maradona. Good research tool.
And whomever wins it, good luck to the team, favorites have carried through and probably in the end, it will be one of the favorites and not only that, one of the standbyes. When Klinsmann took over Germany, they developed an attractive style so I don’t really knock them. Dutch, any of those can proceed.
Top of the bracket is a little heavy, lower part a little lighter, perhaps Belgium can see that as well.
2002, Germany made the final but their road, not to take anything away from any of the teams, was not all that difficult.
For Germany: Paraguay, USA, South Korea, final vs. Brazil.
For Brazil: Belgium, England, Turkey and then vs. Germany.
So it goes.