Sweden first participated in the Cup events in 1934. At this time, they beat Argentina with a score of 3 to 2 during the opening round. They then lost to Germany with a score of 2 to 1 during the quarter finals and the Germans went on to lose to Czechoslovakia with a score of 3 to 1.

After this first tournament, the event moved to France in 1938 and Sweden received a bye for the first round when Austria withdrew from the competition. They went on to beat Cuba with a score of 8 to 0 in the quarter finals and met up against Hungary for the semi-final. Here, they lost with a score of 5 to 1. Hungary went on to lose to Italy in the final, with a score of 4 to 2.

In 1950, Sweden managed to beat Italy with a score of 3 to 2 and then had a 2 to 2 draw against Paraguay. They moved onto the final four, but than lost against Brazil with a score of 7 to 1 and then lost to Uruguay with a score of 3 to 2. Although they did win over Spain with a score of 3 to 1, it simply wasn’t enough for team Sweden to move on.

In 1954, Sweden did not qualify for the tournament, but they hosted the event in 1958. This seemed to bring good luck to the team, as they had the best World Cup performance in the country’s history of the game. First, they beat Mexico with a score of 3 to 0 and then won against Hungary with a score of 2 to 1. The team then had a 0 to 0 draw against Wales and moved on to the quarterfinals. They went on to win against the USSR with a score of 2 to 0 and to beat Yugoslavia with a score of 1 to 0. They ended up making it to the finals and facing Brazil. They couldn’t pull of the win, however, and lost with a 5 to 2 score.

Sweden failed to follow up this good year in a positive way, however, as they failed to qualify for both the 1962 tournament and the 1966 tournament. On the other hand, they did qualify in 1970 and they did win their final group with a score of 1 to 0 against Uruguay. That’s as far as they managed to go, however, and Italy ultimately won the title with a 4 to 1 win against Italy.

In 1974, the team did a little better with a 0 to 0 draw against Bulgaria and a Group 3 victory. They won with a score of 3 to 0 against Uruguay. They went on to lose against Poland with a score of 1 to 0 and a 4 to 2 loss against West Germany. West Germany ultimately went on to win the title.

Things looked promising in 1978, with a 1 to 1 draw against Brazil. They went on to lose against Austria and Spain and finished at the bottom of Group 3. The team failed to participate in the 1982 and 1986 events, but returned in 1990. At this time, they faced Brazil and lost 2 to 1, and then went on to lose by the same score against Costa Rica and Scotland.

In 1994, the Swedish team managed to make it to round two after a 2 to 2 draw against Cameroon, a 3 to 1 win against Russia, and a 1 to 1 draw against Brazil. They went on to win with a 3 to 1 score against Saudi Arabia and went on to the last eight. Here, they faced Romania and drew 2 to 2. After the shoot out, Sweden came out on top with a 5 to 4 score. They then faced Brazil and couldn’t manage to pull out a win.

The team failed to qualify in 1998, but did participate in the 2002 event. They won a 1 to 1 draw against England, won 2 to 1 against Nigeria, and had a 1 to 1 draw against Argentina. They went on to face Senegal, but still couldn’t pull out a win.

2006 doesn’t look much better for Sweden. Although they will likely make the last 16, history shows that they probably won’t make it all the way. If they do manage to progress any further, they are not likely to take it all the way to win the title, despite the fact that the team does have a great deal of talent to offer.

In 2004, Greece won the European honors and Turkey and South Korea have also managed to make it to the semi-finals in 2002. Another dark horse that is starting to gain more recognition over the past few years is Portugal, despite the fact that the 2006 competition represents only the fourth time Portugal has participated in the World Cup finals. The first Portugal win came in 1966 in England and it is still considered to be the best main event performance for Portugal.

Before their excellent 1966 performance, they had been in a difficult group that pitted them against two of the most prestigious teams from the decade before. In 1958 and 1962, Brazil had captured world titles. In addition, Hungary was having an amazing period of football at the time. Despite the fact that they hadn’t actually won a championship during this period of time, the Hungary team from that era is still regarded as one of the most revolutionary in the history of the game.

Although Hungary wasn’t quite the juggernaut it used to be by the time 1966 came around, the fact that Portugal was able to win with a score of 3 to 1 at this time was quite an achievement. It was also here that Eusebio made his first goal while helping in a 3 to 0 win over Bulgaria. Eusebio added two more goals to his record while helping Portugal achieve a 3 to 1 victory over Brazil. Although some of the defensive moves used by Portugal at this game were controversial, the game still highlighted the fact that the Portuguese were a team to contend with.

The fact that North Korea beat Italy during the first round also helped Portugal, because this meant the Asian side would be their opposition during the last eight. It looked as if all was lost, however, when North Korea brought the score to 3 to 0 during the game’s first 25 minutes. With the help of Eusebio’s four goals, the team managed to pull out a 5 to 3 win.

The team then faced England and faced a real challenge. Bobby Charlton got two goals early on and Portugal wasn’t able to regain control. It took another 20 years before Portugal made it to the finals again. When Portugal made it to the tournament in Mexico, they were considered a difficult team to contend with, but they still were not thought of as a team that could win. At this time, Portugal found itself facing England in the opening group phase. Despite putting up a good fight, Portugal did not progress.

Once again, the Portuguese found themselves out of the World Cup action for a long period of time. In fact, they didn’t return until 2002. They were referred to as the “Golden Generation” during this time, but still did not fair too well. Despite the excitement surrounding Rui Costa, Luis Figo, and Fernando Couto, the young team wasn’t able to pull off a victory. First, they lost against the United States with a score of 3 to 2. They did win against Poland, however, with an impressive score of 4 to 0. With that victory, team Portugal’s hopes were improved. This was short-lived, however, as they were beaten by South Korea. The hopes team Portugal held in its young talent were quickly dashed.

After that disappointing season, Luis Felipe Scolari was brought in to try to revive the team. Scolari, who was the manager of the winning Brazilian World Cup team has brought new hope to the struggling team. After being beaten in Euro 2004, Scolari has something to prove to the world and he has just the team to do it with. In addition, it is a straightforward procedure to get out of Group D, which contains Iran, Mexico, and the former colony of Angola.

If history is any indication, Portugal is not likely to bring home the win in 2006. At the same time, they have a number of factors working in their favor. They have young talent that is thirsty for a win as well as a high-quality coach with something to prove to the world. The results of this match up remain to be seen.

The first time Mexico’s problems reared their head was back in 1930. At this time, they lost all three of their World Cup tournament matches. Against France, they lost with a score of 4 to 1, while Argentina beat them with a score of 1 to 0 and Chile won with a 3 to 0 score. The loss against Argentina was particularly hard to accept because Argentinians went on to lose against the South Americans with a score of 4 to 2.

This devastating tournament was the first time Mexico was in the finals before the war. The team returned in 1950, however, and still couldn’t bring home the win. Rather, they lost against Brazil with a score of 4 to 0, to Yugoslavia 4 to 1, and to Switzerland with a score of 2 to 1.

It seemed as if losing out in the first round was becoming a regular habit for the Mexican team. In the 1954 tournament in Switzerland, Brazil won out with a score of 5 to 0 and France won with a score of 3 to 2. Ultimately, West Germany took the win after beating Hungary with a score of 3 to 2.

In 1958, Sweden beat Mexico with a score of 3 to 0 and Hungary to home the win with a score of 4 to 0. The one highlight for Mexico was the draw they managed to squeeze out against Wales, with a final score of 1 to 1. Ultimately, Brazil one its first of its five world titles in 1958 after beating Sweden with a score of 5 to 2.

Finally, Mexico managed its first win in 1962 while competing in Chile. The team wasn’t able to go to the next round, however, despite its 3 to 1 win over Czechoslovakia. Brazil once again knocked Mexico out of competition, with a score of 2 to 0. Brazil went on to win the title once more after beating Czechoslovakia with a score of 3 to 1.

Mexico’s run of bad luck continued in 1966, where the team once again did not make it past the first round. They did manage a 1 to 1 draw against France and a scoreless draw against Urugay, but then lost to England with a score of 2 to 0.

It wasn’t until Mexico hosted the games in 1970 that they finally broke the winless streak. This time, they experienced a 0 to 0 draw against Russia, but they won with a score of 4 to 0 against El Salvador and they also managed a 1 to 0 win against Belgium. Mexico lost its chances of triumph, however, when Italy won with a score of 4 to 1.

In 1974, Mexico failed to qualify after losing out to Haiti. In 1978, Mexico also lost with a score of 3 to 1 against Tunisia, as score of 6 to 0 against West Germany and a score of 3 to 1 against Poland.

Mexico failed to qualify for the tournament in 1982. After this disappointment, the team worked hard to try to improve its performance at the next tournament. Even after experiencing a devastating earthquake, Mexico managed to have a great performancein 1986 and qualified for the quarter-finals. They won over Belgium with a score of 2 to 1, over Iraq with a score of 1 to 1, and a draw against Paraguay. During the second round, they beat Bulgaria with a score of 2 to 0. They then went on to face West Germany, which resulted in a goalless draw and a West Germany victory based on penalties.

In 1986, Mexico managed to take home the trophy after winning with a 3 to 2 score against West Germany. Team Mexico was disqualified in 1990, however, after having an over-age player in a youth game. They did win again in 1994, however, in a Group E competition. Here, they lost against Norway with a score of 1 to 0, but won against the Irish with a score of 2 to 1 and won against Italy with a score of 1 to 1. Unfortunately, they went on to lose when Bulgaria won based on penalties.

During the 1998 tournament, Mexico won a Group E competition against South Korea with a score of 3 to 1. They then experienced a 2 to 2 draw against Belgium, but earned their way into the second round with a 2 to 2 draw against Holland. During the last 16, however, they were knocked out by Germany with a score of 2 to 1.

Mexico once again ran into problems in 2002, where they won Group G and faced the United States. Mexico lost with a score of 2 to 0.

The winning goal was scored by Mohamed Aboutrika after he received a pass from Mohamed Zidan. Zidan managed to get the ball after Rigobert Song of Cameroon made a crucial error.

The Egypt Pharoahs came close to scoring earlier in the game, at about 61 minutes in, when Hosni Abd Rabou hit the post. Ultimately, this miss didn’t matter since the team still pulled out a victory.

This most recent win is the sixth Africa Cup of Nations win for Egypt, which set a new record. In addition, since the team won the last tournament, this win gave them back to back wins of the title. Cameroon was also looking to win the title for its fifth time, but fell short and hardly gave Egypt any problems at all.

The fact that Egypt won the title twice in a row was truly something special for coach Hassan Shehata. With the recent win, he becomes only the second coach to have successfully led his team to successive victories.

Despite the close score, Egypt was clearly the dominant team throughout the event. In fact, they created numerous scoring opportunities during the first half of the game. In addition, they clearly were the fastest and more mobile of the two teams, but it took some time for them to finally make good on their clear superiority. They also managed to take advantage of the act that Cameroon depends solely on its physical power.

Due to its shortfalls in athletic prowess, Cameroon was forced to take a defensive stance throughout the game. As a result, the team was only able to give striker, Samuel Eto’o, a few opportunities to try to score.

Aboutrika did come close to scoring while only 13 minutes into the game. He tool a 35 yard shot, but it was pushed around the post by Carlos Kameni, the goalkeeper for Cameroon. Two minutes after that attack, Cameroon had to make a substitution and replaced Alexandre Song with Gilles Binya. This substitution didn’t come as much of a surprise since Song was still recovering from an injury that he suffered during an earlier game.

Geremi, Cameroon’s defender, forced Essam Al-Hadari to make a save from a free-kick. Egypt then reciprocated by almost taking the lead a few seconds later. Hadari managed to find Emad Moteab, who then took a 15 yard shot. This shot was parried by Kameni, but was shot into the path of Aboutrika who made a shot that was much too high.

With only nine minutes left to go before half-time, the ball found its way over the defence established by Cameroon and made its way to Moteab, who was inside the area. Kameni managed to make a save from this shot, however, and the game remained goalless.

Cameroon then came back with what seemed like renewed purpose. This resulted in a sudden increase in the tempo of the game, but Egypt didn’t allow Cameroon’s rally to last for long. In fact, Kameni made two more outstanding saves. In addition, Amr Zaki took a shot from close-range and punched away a 25 yarder from Abd-Rabou.

From this point on, Egypt continued to put pressure on Cameroon and, with only 13 minutes left, Egypt managed to score its first goal. Robert Song from Cameroon was punished for poor defense and for losing in a tussle with Zidan.

Zidan managed to push the ball along the box’s edge and put it into the path of Aboutrika. This resulted in a simple finish from 15 yards. Egypt celebrated their success as Song hid his face in his shirt in shame for his mistake. He then headed over the bar in stoppage-time.

Egypt did win the first two times it participated in the tournament, which was in 1957 and 1959. Since the competition is so much tougher now, however, their most recent victories have more significance.

Holland is responsible for introducing a number of truly world class football players, such as:

Dennis Bergkamp
Johan Cruyff
Ruud Gullit
Johan Neeskens
Marco van Basten

Other superstars, such as Arie Haan, the Van Der Kerhofs brothers and Johnny Rep have long been regarded as the best team to never win a World Cup after having been beaten by West Germany in 1974.

In 1930, Holland chose to stay out of the World Cup tournament that was hosted in Uruguay. Holland was not alone, however, as several other European nations chose not to enter the World Cup tournament. In fact, it took another four years before the country would finally rejoin the World Cup tournaments, at which time the team traveled to Italy in order to participate in the finals. They were defeated by Switzerland, however, in the opening knockout round with a final score of 3 - 2.

Four years later, Holland again participated in France. Here, they were knocked out during the first round once again. This time, Czechoslovakia took them out with a score of 3 - 0.

After a 36 year break, the country finally qualified for the World Cup finals once again. Although the country chose not to participate in the early post-war events that took place in 1950 and 1954, they simply weren’t good enough to qualify for the tournaments from 1958 through 1970.

In 1974, when the tournament reached West Germany, Holland finally showed its capabilities as a football nation. At this time, the team was lead by the amazing Cruyff as it followed the “Total Football” approach. With the help of this new mentality, the team managed to reach the final in Munich. The efficiency of the German hosts prevailed, however, as the Germans took the win despite English referee Jack Taylor’s awarding of a first-minute penalty to the Dutch.

Many obstacles have stood in the way of a Dutch win. In 1978, for example, the team struggled when Cruyff decided not to participate due to political protest. Even without Cruyff, the team managed to reach the final again and push the host nation, Argentina, to the brink. Nonetheless, they ultimately lost with a score of 3-1 in extra time.

In the early 1980s, Holland struggled with achieving success at the international level. By the late 1980s, the team started to dominate once again. International success finally arrive for the Netherlands during the 1988 European championships. Led by superb players such as van Basten, Gullit, Ronald Koeman, and Frank Rijkaard, the dutch managed a comprehensive 2-0 win over USSR with Van Basten scoring what must be considered one of the best goals of all time. A sharp volley from an almost impossible angle. As a result of this success, Holland became pre-tournament favorites at Italia 90.

The internal problems within the Holland team caused trouble with the team in the 1990s. Gullit became quite disruptive and caused ongoing disputes within the establishment. Holland just barely managed to get through a group of the Republic of Ireland and England and then took on West Germany. The Germans took them out of the tournament before they went on to beat Argentina with a score of 1-0.

In 1994, Gullit was in international retirement. In addition, van Basten had given in to a long-term injury from which he had suffered. This made it possible for Bergkamp to take on the world stage at the tournament in the United States. While he struggled at the club level while with Inter Milan, he demonstrated his legendary status when the Dutch entered the quarter-finals. Ultimately, they lost to Brazil with a score of 3-2.

Bergkamp showed off his skills four years later when the team went against Argentina. This time, he carried them through the last four in France. Holland was ultimately beat by Brazil, with penalties being their biggest problem, and Brazil ultimately lost to Paris. This loss was the last time Holland was seen in the World Cup finals, though they did try and fail once more in the 2002 tournament in Japan and Korea.

The dutch faired somewhat better in 2006, with a whole host of new stars such as Arjen Robben, Rafael Van Der Vaart and Edwin Van der Saar. However they were again knocked out by Portugal in an ill tempered game.

In 1934, Spain’s quest for World Cup glory began in Italy. At this time, the first World Cup was being held in Europe and there were no group games. Therefore, Spain was able to progress to the quarter finals with the help of a 3-1 win over Brazil. During extra time, however, Spain was defeated by the tournament’s host nation.

In 1938, Spain once again missed out on World Cup glory. This was primarily due to the fact that the country was engaged in a Civil War at this time. Therefore, they didn’t really have another crack at the trophy until 1950 in Brazil. The country hoped to continue the momentum it had started in 1934 and things looked good when they beat England, Chile, and the United States. The four group winners then moved on to the final group stage. The 7 - 1 loss to Brazil, however, laid to rest any hopes that Spain had of winning the tournament. In fact, Spain ended up finishing at the bottom of the group despite being the only side to avoid being beaten by the final ultimate winners, Uruguay. To this day, the 1950 tournament remains the country’s greatest performance.

For the next 12 years, the Spainards experienced heartache after heartache as the country continually failed to qualify for the final tournament. In 1962, however, Spain finally returned, but was eliminated at the group stage. The country once again repeated this abysmal performance in 1966.

Spain then endured another 12 years of failure to qualify and finally reappeared in 1978. They once again were eliminated at the group stage, though the lose was marginal as they lost out by only one point.

Spain then hosted the 1982 tournament, which seemed like it might serve as a turnaround point for the country. This time, they had a 1 - 1 draw with Honduras and then suprisingly lost to Northern Ireland. They went on to win against Yugoslavia, however, which ensured passage into the second round. Here, they were defeated by West Germany and ended up finishing at the bottom of the second round. To the disappointment of their fans, being the host of the tournament still didn’t help the country bring home the trophy.

At the Mexico ’86 tournament, Spain managed to secure revenge over Northern Ireland with a 2 – 1 score. They then managed to progress to the Last 16, where they beat Denmark with an astounding 5 to 1 score. The Danes was led by Michael Laudrup, Morten Olsen, Preben Elkjaer and a whole host of talented players and was considered the dark horse of 86. In the quarter finals, they faced off against Belgium and tied during normal time, but Belgium ultimately won on penalties 5 - 4. Although Spain was certainly disappointed by the loss, it appeared as if the team was finally moving in the right direction.

The Italia ’90 tournament, however, only resulted in more disappointment for the team and its fans. After winning their group, Spain went on to be eliminated by Yugoslavia in the 2nd round with a 2 – 1 scoreline in extra time.

Four years later, Roberto Baggio inflicted Spain with some more heartache. After scoring goals in both halves, Spain ultimately lost with a score of 2 to 1.

At France ’98, Spain experienced even more setbacks that were reminiscent of their earlier attempts. This time, they were eliminated during the first round. This was partially because they did a poor job defending in the opening match against Nigeria. A goalless draw against Paraguay exacerbated their problems. This left Spain uncertain about its qualification hopes. Things started to look up when they won against Bulgaria with a 6 - 1 scoreline, but Paraguay was beating Nigeria – who had already qualified – so Spain was once more eliminated.

Spain took on Paraguay again in 2002 in the group stages. Although they were trailing at half time 1 - 0, they ultimately won with a score of 3 - 1. They then faced the Republic of Ireland, which was settled by a penalty shoot out. Spain’s most recent game, however took place in the quarter final. At this time they lost as a result of penalties from co-host South Korea, though commentators felt the Koreans enjoyed some very generous refereeing.

Brazil did not have a smooth ride to the top. In 1930, they were just like any other team. Beatable, nothing special. They even exited during the first round of the 1930 tournament after they were defeated by Yugoslavia. In 1934, they were just a pebble in Spain’s way to victory, and they were kicked off just as easily as one. But 1938 was a different year for Brazil. It seemed that their flame started to spark, and they entered the semi-finals in the France tournament, thanks to their player Leonidas. They scored goal after goal, and eventually won 6-5 against Poland. It seemed, however, that Brazil became a bit lax during the tournament, and were eventually beaten by Italy during the semi-finals. The loss was an undeserved one, looking at Brazil’s strength and abilities. It was due to a proud decision to let their strongest player sit out the match against Italy so that he could prepare for the final match, and that decision possibly cost them a trophy.

After that, they still had a long way to go before they reached the stage they’re in now. In 1950, they suffered a heavy blow, as hosts of the tournament and eventual losers to Uruguay. The loss affected the Brazilians so much that some of the players even suffered mental trauma from it. In 1954, it was Hungary’s turn to beat them at 4-2 during the quarter finals. In 1958, they still hadn’t recovered, even coming to the tournament with a psychologist. It was then that they started to show a side of the powerful Brazil that we know today. With Pele, at seventeen, and at the start of his legendary football career, Brazil was finally able to come back with a vengeance after their traumatic losses of the past years. They came out the winner after beating Sweden at 5-2, and it was like all the strength they had in store was just beginning to come out. For the first time, Brazilian hands help up the elusive trophy, but it was not to be the last time. Four years later, it was like they wanted more of the sweet victory that they experienced last time, and they wondrously won out over Czechoslovakia at 3-1, even with Pele injured on the sidelines. However, in England, Pele once again got sidelined due to injury, and it seemed that the injury came when he was much needed. Finally, the team had to say goodbye to the trophy as Portugal ended their dreams.

And then the 1970 World Cup tournament came around. It was a tournament that has become very much associated with the names of Gerson, Jairzinho, Rivelino, Pele, and the rest of the Brazilian team, all because of their undeniable dominance throughout the tournament. It seemed that all the players pooled their abilities together, until the trophy was once more undeniably theirs. In the final match against Italy, they dramatically swept the ball throughout their entire team and outsmarting their Italian opponents. The following years far from mirrored the wonder of the 1970 tournament. In 1978, they lost to Argentina through goalkeeper Ramon Quiroga. In 1982 and 1986, they failed twice over to regain the Cup before losing miserably after a strategy adjustment during the 1990 World Cup. The expectations of their nation mounted as years went by and not even a shadow of their former glory showed out. But it took yet some more years before Brazil reclaimed the trophy, and their glory as well. They also had to suffer a devastating and quite embarrasing loss before the 2002 World Cup arrived, renewing the hopes of Brazilians. The embarrasing loss in the tournament before the Japan and Korea World Cup seemed to have fueled their desire to show the world that they can still be champions, and so they did, beating Turkey and finally, Germany, by two goals.

Brazil’s track record in the finals is plagued with embarrasing losses and winning draughts. But when Brazil won, they do so in style and with so much intensity that no other team could have invoked in the audience that reminiscent football feeling that Brazil, especially during the 1970’s, had.

The 1982 World Cup also showcased a lot of fantastic players. Northern Ireland particularly prided themselves on their more than reliable players Pat Jennings and Gerry Armstrong. Pat Jennings has earned a highly revered reputation as being one of the best goalkeepers football has ever had. Gerry Armstrong, on the other hand, led the team to a victory against host nation Spain by playing at his full brilliance. And with the valuable contribution of Norman Whiteside, the youngest player of the team and of the entire history of World Cup finals at just seventeen, the team indeed boasted an exceptional team. During the second round, Northern Ireland continued on to become one of the most memorable teams that year, when Billy Hamilton scored both opener and equaliser and leading the team within an inch of defeating Austria. England also laid claim to a stirring match against France with the help of Bryan Robson, known for his many achievements as a midfield dynamo, and for scoring the fastest World Cup goal ever.

As the second group stage rolled along, the same intensity called for international attention, not only for the World Cup as a whole, but for the various players who had the chance to be noticed by the entire world. One of them was the Polish superstar Boniek, leading his team to a dramatic victory and an appearance at the finals by winning a remarkable match against Belgium. His reward was eventually a place at Serie A side AS Roma, and eventually playing alongside the brilliant French midfielder Michel Platini at Juventus. Moving on, the semi-finals came along, and Italy more than made sure that they were going for the gold. After Italy came West Germany and France, between which sparked an intense competition because they were practically of equal magnificence. Their competition was finally ended with a huge, resounding bang, in a game that was made for the likes of epics and great sports stories. West Germany showed their prowess under the hands of excellent players such as Pierre Littbarski. However, France roared back with equal strength because of Platini. Their match eventually became one of the most remembered matches in the World Cup when Battison, France’s defender, was taken out of the match unconscious because of a blow from Schumacher, the opposing team’s goalkeeper. It is still remembered that such an assault actually went unjustifiably punished when France was simply granted a free kick. This seemed to bolster France’s desire for victory, but they failed to claim it by the end of the normal game time. The match went into extra time, and France took their chance, with Tresor and Giresse leading the team. However, West Germany was just as driven, and they had excellent players such as Fischer and Rummenige. At the end, West Germany won the match and went on to face Italy.

Brazil, on the other hand, was less noticed but just as exceptional as the rest of the teams. Brazil had memorable players such as Socrates, with his elegant moves, and Zico, who was at his peak during the ’82 tournament. Brazil, at a match against Soviet Union, went on a series of strikes that led them to an uncontested victory. They also went on to face Scotland, New Zealand, and then champions Argentina, winning with the same display of samba technique and prowess. Argentina’s star, Diego Maradona, was actually remembered to have been so frustrated that he foolishly kicked a Brazilian player. Brazil, at their best, faced Italy, and through a breathtaking and disappointing match for Brazil’s fans, was led out of the tournament without the Cup in their hands.

It seems that 1982 was a memorable year in the history of the World Cup. Even if only a single winner emerged victorious, all the teams played splendidly and gained the credit that they deserved.

When the Premier league took over, the standards of English football considerably rose. The Premier league now belongs to the top ranks. However, the arrival of the Premier team led, not only to advantages, but to disadvantages as well. A lot of people believe that even as the Premier league led English football to the top, the talents of the English are significantly wasted. The players, on the other hand, who still managed to shine, have shown significant improvements. Due to their individual strengths, England’s team is made up of quite impressive players in their entire history. They managed to assemble a team that can compete with the rest of the football giants. Their reserve players are far from mediocre, with Michael Carrick, Peter Crouch, Frank Lampard, Jamie Carragher, and Wayne Bridge.

It is, however, the Under 21’s that is considered as the ultimate test of how the English talents have been affected by the foreign invasion. The performance of England’s Under 21 team in Holland was admirable. Some players from that team also perform on a weekly basis on “the best league in the world”, as accordingly labeled by Sky’s Marketing Department. They maintain a 100% record and have beaten the likes of Ireland’s Under 21’s at 3-0.

Despite the sharp decline in the number of English players, the remaining number still shows much promise. It is expected that the English team will be able to gather together a band of strong players within seven years. Some players also stand out, such as David Bentley, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Nigel Reo-Coker, Marc Noble, Giles Barnes, Steven Taylor, Leighton Baines, James Milner, and Matt Derbyshire. These players already perform in the Premiership on a weekly basis and in some European matches as well. Although some of these players may not necessarily make international star status in world football, they display much potential when it comes to securing a competitive standing for England’s team in the coming years.

Another promising figure in the sphere of English football is Theo Walcott. His stint in football has so far shown that he is a young man in the makings of becoming a big player in the game. Because of this, the expectations that he carries on his shoulders are also quite heavy. The exposure to all the excitement built up during the previous World Cup tournament also gave him an additional edge. To add to that, he is now growing into the able player that he shows much promise to become under Arsene Wenger’s equally able hands when it comes to coaching. In the three or four World Cup tournaments, he is expected to stage quite a show and make a name for himself in the world of football.

Aside from Walcott, yet another promising player is Tom Huddlestone, although he shows less consistency in his game than Walcott. Despite this, there is no doubt that he, as a young budding talent, holds much of the requirements to become a player of international status. His potential is practically seen even from his physique alone. Aside from that, he also shows an impressive passing stance, and passes with unquestionable force. It seems that he, as a player and on the whole, is a force to reckon with. He just has to learn how to maximize his potential as a player and play it right so that he can stay in England’s team for as long as it takes to make him a star.

Some other Under 21’s talents of England include Ashley Young, Wayne Rooney, Aaron Lennon, and Micah Richards. Looking at the Under 21’s, it is safe to say that England still managed to produce players that can bring them a bright future in the World Cup someday, and rightly so. Given all the intrigues that surround England’s senior team nowadays, it’s good to know that the future still looks bright enough, thanks to such raw and budding talents that are now being enhanced and nurtured. Although the recent invasion of foreign elements occurred, it is showing fewer effects in the Under 21’s, which, in the long run, matters a lot. All in all, the Under 21 team is now showing the right mix of abilities and enough promise that they might even challenge the senior players. It seems that though the effects were somewhat negative for the senior team, the Under 21’s are taking advantage of the situation to push their limits even more.

In 2006, Argentina appeared in the World Cup finals tournament for the 14th time out of a supposed 18. In the years 1938, 1950, and 1954, they intentionally withdrew from the finals tournaments. Aside from that, they also bore three embarrassing exits during the first round of games in the 1934, 1958, and 1962 tournaments. It was only during the 1970 World Cup tournament that they weren’t able to make it to the finals at all.

The Argentinian spell in the World Cup finals tournament was also full of attention-getting events. Argentina, unfortunately, is responsible for a memorable game when, in the 1966 games, they were eliminated when their then captain, Antonio Rattin, refused to leave the field despite having been flashed the red card. This incident was said to have been the root of the long-standing rivalry between Argentina and England. Despite their notoriety, however, because of the 1966 incident, Argentina still managed to redeem themselves by successfully inching ahead of England, much to the dismay of English fans. Argentina indeed redeemed itself before the world’s prying eyes, but never in England’s eyes.

As mentioned earlier, they failed to get into the finals tournament in 1970, which is considered as the lowest point in the World Cup history. It’s a good thing that they bounced back immediately in 1974 at West Germany. Although the results were hardly a victorious one, for a team who had just recovered from an all-time low, it was not bad to finish fourth after Brazil, East Germany, and Holland. Four more years after, however, the stage was quite different. They finally got what they were waiting for. They were finally the hosts of the World Cup tournament, and this seemed to play a part in their notoriety turning from negative to positive. They won against the Dutch through the celebrated skills of players such as Cesar Luis Menotti, Daniel Bertoni, Daniel Passarella, and a lot others. The entire nation celebrated the much sought-after victory that was now theirs.

In the spirit of all the other impressive players who have played roles in Argentina’s World Cup history came Diego Maradona. They were at the defensive side of the title, back in 1982, four years after their loud victory, and the nation had high hopes for Maradona’s performance. He seemed to possess striking abilities that excited everyone, and all was convinced that Argentina was off to a good year. However, as the spectators held their breaths in anticipation of how the champions will defend their titles, Maradona was harshly dismissed from the field by a red card, bringing back Rattin memories, during a match with Brazil.

Four years later, however, they once again redeemed themselves just as Maradona redeemed himself quite impressively. Seemingly with more maturity in his head and as if fueled by a desire to bounce back from embarrassment four years ago, he successfully led the team to an uncontested victory, the nations’ second. Maradona was nothing short of impressive as he dodged opponents going after the title that he seemed to have already claimed as theirs. His energetic stance got him a few scores and paved the way for more scores to be made by his team. However, he didn’t let the game end without a brilliant exhibition of his prowess that brought back the nation’s faith in his striking abilities.

His impressive handling of the team was again seen in Italy, during the 1990 World Cup. However, this time around, the stage was different, and playing in an unfamiliar territory, they seemed to have lost their magic and encountered several embarrassments before they eventually lost. The loss seemed to have taken its toll as Maradona showed the public the less glorified side of himself. After a much-publicized controversy over drug use, he was removed from the 1994 tournament, ending his exciting career in a most regrettable manner. The Argentine team seemed to have lost their leader, which left them in a traumatized state. This was evident when they were beaten by Romania and had no chance whatsoever to stop Brazil from championing for the fourth time.

In 1998, they bounced back with a vengeance, seemingly to cause the English a headache as they battled with David Beckham and his team until they finally made it to the quarter-finals. It was there that they met their end, but only in the 1998 tournament, when they faced off with Holland and its Dennis Bergkamp.

Its most recent appearance in the finals ended disastrously. In recent years, Argentina seemed unable to bring back its old glory. But it seems that Argentina had their way of recovering and bouncing back, and now, several years after their second and last victory, the world anticipates the direction they are to go.

The two rival teams met again in Mexico during the World Cup tournament in 1986, several years after the memorable first clash. Their reunion produced a game of unmatched proportions when it comes to excitement and thrill. It was a most memorable game that made its mark, not only on that year’s tournament, but on the history of the World Cup tournaments as a whole. The match left the audience breathless, and can be summarized in such a way: France tried their hardest to suppress the Brazilian prowess that threatened to overflow and conquer them. And the French team, fortunately, did quite well, as evident in their eventual victory. Less than fifteen minutes before the game ended, there was much skirmish that led to Zico being penalized, and Brazilian keeper getting away with pushing the French Bellone off the ball. Although no penalty occurred when there was supposed to, the game plowed on. Thanks to the player Platini, the French team finally found its rhythm and Brazil’s once-flourishing power was ultimately contained and they were overtaken. 1986 was payback year, it seems, for the former losers that now held the title and the trophy in their triumphant hands.
Their next reunion came several years after, during the 1998 World Cup tournament, in the French team’s own soil. Their 1998 bout proved to be one of the most unforgettable incidents in the history of the World Cup tournament. This was fueled by the mystery that surrounded Brazil’s player Ronaldo’s health, which seemed to slow him down and hold back the prowess that he once had. On the other hand, France rode to victory at the able hands of Zidane, Petit, and other impressive players. Zidane landed two goals, and Petit topped it with a third goal just before the final whistle. France claimed the victory once more.

The France-Brazil rivalry, as strong and controversial as it was, even went outside the World Cup tournaments and continued in non-World Cup tournaments. In 1997, just one year before the 1998 World Cup, the two teams also battled at a tournament called “Le Tournoi”, a four-team tournament hosted by none other but France. The tournament was eventually won by England, but it was the France-Brazil match that got people on their feet, as expected. Just twenty-one minutes into the game, Roberto Carlos showed the world why his name deserved remembrance and reverence with a spectacular free kick. Everyone was baffled and amazed. Up until now, when memories of the extraordinary kick are recalled, fans and experts both are still mesmerized. The opposing team’s Fabien Barthez seemed thunderstruck himself, and seemed unable to comprehend that such a shot was even possible. Even Roberto Carlos himself seemed a bit baffled, and for the next decade, he apparently spent time and effort trying to kick the exact same way once more. His efforts did pay off and people were impressed, but it was that one huge hit that propelled him to an unrivalled status all over the world.

The Brazil and France matches are still unmatched in their ability to trigger much suspense and anticipation from the spectators. With Barthez, Zidane, Vieira, and Thuram on one side, and Ronaldo, Cafu, and Carlos on the other, there is no doubt that no other two battling giants can surpass the reputation earned by the phenomenal battles of Brazil and France.

Rolling back the reel, it is easy to say that France had been on a roll back then. An unstoppable one, too. The team moved towards the top slowly but surely. In 1958, extraordinary players, namely Raymond Kopa and Just Fontaine, led their team to an impressive semi-finals. After Kopa’s reign, the 1980’s was also a good year for France. Led by three top-form players such as Platini, Tigara, and Giresse, the team inched closer to claiming the elusive victory. It also helped a lot that Platini was a great passer, and was reputed to be the best passer in the history of the game. But even after Platini, French’s roll continued until they reached the top. They soared to victory at the capable hands of class A players such as Zidane, Petit, and Blanc, among any others. Despite the skepticism that surrounded the French team, there is no doubt that their history is dotted with one too many outstanding players.

More than that, France’s victories are made even sweeter by the racist controversies that they managed to overcome. The controversies plagued their team, given the high level of attention they attracted because of their unpredictable status. It is noticeable how a number of players that played for France during their glory days, including members of the victorious 1998 roster, seemed to be of different race mixes or was born and raised in other countries. For instance, Just Fontaine happened to have been born in Morocco, while the 1998 team was made up of French players with different backgrounds.

Despite the controversies, the French team jumped over hurdle after hurdle from 1982 until 1998 just to win the elusive Cup. So when they finally won, the stakes was raised and expectations rose to great heights. Sadly, four years later the much-coveted victory that finally dawned on the team, they lost it again. Not only that. If they rolled slowly to the top, they rolled downhill fast enough. They went on a series of embarrassing defeats to teams such as Senegal, Uruguay, and Denmark. The former champions met a grave fate.

As the World Cup once again rolls over, a lot of people are nursing mixed emotions about France. However, the country’s expectations have waned, and majority of their followers are indifferent. Despite the impressive roster of players that belong to France, it seems that their luck has run out. Is France on a downhill slope? Or have they reached rock bottom that there’s no other way to go but up?

Their impressive successes in the 1930’s set up a rather high stage for the team. During that time, Italian dictator Mussolini was placing intense pressure on his home team to win the World Cup, as part of his political aspirations and propaganda. Thus, the two consecutive Italian victories during the 1930’s were plagued with rumors that there was politics involved in the backstage. There were also speculations that Italy was at a better stance, given that the South American teams forfeited because the Cup was held in European soil. However, with outstanding players like Piola and Meazza, Italy still managed to maintain their credibility that their victories were well-deserved. Indeed, they were pressured by their nation’s leader to win, and it seems safe to assume that Italy worked well under pressure. They came out victorious over Spain and Austria, even after enduring an over-stretched draw and a rather tense match. The second 1930 victory was once more held in Europe. The team seemed to have had no difficulties in beating out its competitors such as France, Brazil, and Hungary. Back then, Italy was easily the crowd favorite.

It seemed, however, that their ride to success was a short one. In 1966, they suffered a sharp defeat from North Korea. The embarrassment that sprang from the loss may have been too much for them to take, that as the World Cup once more rolled over four years later, they sprang right back with a vengeance. After getting tackled by Sweden at 1-0, they failed to score against Uruguay. Not taunted, they moved on and finally beat Mexico at 4-1, and Germany, in a well-remembered game in World Cup history, at 4-3. Their only failure, however, was not managing to overpower the new crowd favorite, Brazil.

After the winning streak, they sank into the background for over a decade, before coming back out during the 1982 World Cup. The 1982 Cup was a troubled year for Italy, given the controversies that surrounded some of their players, which even led to suspensions. Luckily, they got through the tough Cup and won against Argentina, Poland, and West Germany in one sweep.

As the 90’s rolled by, they breezed through the World Cup and very confidently entered the finals. The result was a third-place rank, however, that was caused by penalties. It was at this point that their downhill slip started. It seems that bad habits die hard for the Italians. In 1994, they lost to Brazil due, once again, to penalties. In 1998, they suffered yet another penalty loss to France. The Italians probably needed to learn from their mistakes, which they still didn’t do when they lost to South Korea during the 2002 World Cup.

And now, what does the future hold for Italy? Will the team be able to reclaim all or even just some of its previous glory? Maybe some stress has to be put on the team, because as history shows, the Italian team strikes with a punch when placed under pressure.

National team mainstay for the past several years, Kristine Lilly is nowhere near slowing down. Holding an impressive position as the most capped player in the history of both men’s and women’s international football, her long history in the game has led her to a revered position that most players could only hope for. In total, she has made almost 330 appearances for the U.S. national team. She has played starting roles, and as a midfielder, before she finally became a forward after Mia Hamm’s retirement and after Greg Ryan became head coach. The decision to name her as a forward was infallible. She proved to be made for the role. Her track record now boasts of thirteen goals in twenty in 2006, which won her the title as second FIFA Player of the Year. Despite her 36 years of age, Lilly is still in top shape, and is performing better than ever. Ironically, Lilly’s football career in the U.S. national team started in 1987, a year after her young World Cup teammate Stephanie Lopez was born. In July of this year, Lilly has so far scored seven out of ten goals. Her expertise includes direct scoring, free kicks, and penalty kicks. For valid reasons, Lilly has been the captain of every game she has played during the past three years.

Closely following Lilly’s footsteps is dominant scorer Abby Wambach, a physically imposing but surprisingly nimble player with an unrelenting energy and a fearless stride even in the midst of opposing defenders. Most people would agree that she is now the most dominant player in the World Cup lineup. Even her team is aware of this. When a score is needed, they rely on Wambach’s magic. Given her size, smaller opponents can only hope to slow her down. Following her recent goal during the game against Japan, she ascended to the ranks equal to that of Cindy Parlow. She is now the fifth all-time American player with 75 goals in if she will be given the chance to exhibit her expertise at the World Cup tournament in China.

The third forward is Lindsay Tarpley, former star of the University of North Carolina. She is also a finalist for the Hermann trophy. Even if she is not immediately elevated into star status among the national team players, Tarpley is exhibiting an impressive display of energy and skill at the game that she is now considered as an important role player for the team. Her wide range of abilities and expertise allows her to wonderfully complement the bigger stars such as Lilly and Wambach. She is a versatile forward who is known for creating chances for her teammates during the run of the play. At such a young age of 23, Tarpley’s achievement in the world of football is indeed notable. She has proven herself to be reliable in pressured situations, which can be seen in her impressive scoring during the U-19 World Championship game against Brazil in 2002 and the 2004 Olympics. In China, head coach Greg Ryan is expected to use his versatile player to strengthen their chances.

Natasha Kai is yet another gem in the U.S. national team. Despite the intrigues surrounding her entrance into the national team for the World Cup, Kai indeed has the potential needed to add a little spark to the national team. Although she is also critiqued for her occasional defensive lapses, her aggressive moves have indeed scored her six impressive goals within 702 minutes in 2006. Many people are claiming this to be the reason for head coach Ryan’s decision to include her in the team that will advance to the World Cup. It may just be the training and exposure that the young, spirited, and aggressive forward needs.

The last but not the least in the ranks, forward Heather O’Reilly is the youngest player on the World Cup squad who has a double-digit career goal. O’Reilly, with a record that can be likened to Wambach and Lilly’s earlier records, is now gathering experience and exhibiting a striking potential as a player. Although she passed up the chance to play with the national team as it prepared for the Gold Cup, she did successfully lead a relatively young team through a tournament, which gave her the experience she needed to boost her track record. As she now returns to the national team, she is expected to occupy a significant role in the World Cup. As a promising reserve, she holds much potential and, if given the right chances, may just lead the team to victory.

With an impressive roster of forwards, the U.S. national team is undoubtedly ready for a challenging tournament.

A perfect example of a rising star in the roster of national team midfielders is Carli Lloyd. A former player at Rutgers in college, Lloyd’s skill has flourished greatly under the training of national team head coach Greg Ryan. She is continuously unpredictable, and her creativity on the field is one of her strongest suits. Ryan has also managed to tone down her somewhat surprising aggressiveness and made her out to be a balanced player who exhibits brilliant but grounded moves. Her title as a “rising star” was further engraved in the minds of the public through a breakthrough performance at the annual Algarve, wherein she scored four goals in four games. A lot of people already expected her to be part of the roster, since she has been a constant presence in the team’s 2006 games.

Yet another rising star is Shannon Boxx. Four years ago, Boxx was considered a newcomer as she earned a spot in a World Cup roster with an uncapped record. Now, however, Boxx is now regarded as a veteran player after exhibiting an impressive game display that somehow made her reliable and promising in Ryan’s eyes. Indeed, the potential that Ryan saw in her eventually landed her the role of holding midfielder in this year’s World Cup. Even after taking a break to recover from a torn ACL, Boxx has proven that she belongs to the team and is intending to stay for a long time still.

A reliable source of scoring opportunities such as Lori Chalupny is just what Ryan needs to further strengthen his team. Returning to an attacking role with a vengeance, Chalupny has proven her worth in both an attacking position and an outside back role. It is her persistent energy that sets her apart from her teammates, and also makes the national team stand out from its opponents. Indeed, Chalupny is providing the team a spirit that no other player does.

If Ryan’s team is full of celebrated stars, he’s also got some unspoken talents in his roster. Formerly just a hopeful for the World Cup, Leslie Osbourne has now earned a sure spot in the roster. What is special about Osbourne was that she was not afraid to step up and grab her rightful spot on the lineup for the 2007 World Cup. She rightfully earned this spot despite challenges such as a recent ankle surgery, and a substitute stint. From a mere hopeful and a mere fill-in, she is now headed to a bright and promising career in women’s football.

With a challenge ahead of them, the U.S. national team is also equipped with players who are up for the challenge. One such example is Aly Wagner, who finally made it to the World Cup roster, after missing the same opportunity in 1999 as an 18-year-old player. Known for her excellent passes, Wagner has some valuable contributions to make to the team, even after a mediocre stint performance during the past year. Despite the injuries she had to face, what eventually landed her the coveted role in the World Cup lineup was her vision to get into the roster as well as her vision while playing on the field.

As if these powerful midfielders are not enough, Greg Ryan still has a couple of cards left. One of his worthy reserves is Angela Hucles. Already considered a veteran due to her presence in the 2003 World Cup and the 2004 Olympics, Hucles has proven her worth and is probably part of the reason why Ryan’s team is definitely unstoppable. No matter what happens, Ryan can definitely count on Hucles, with her skills and experience, to step in quite impressively when she needs to.

If Ryan has a worthy reserve, he’s also got someone who can protect his lead late in the game when necessary. Boasting of an intelligent presence on the field, Marci Jobson is an essential part of the national team. She has been a regular part of Ryan’s team, and is currently the head coach of the Northern Illinois women’s team. Her strong defense will definitely give Ryan the protection that he needs for his scores.

With this all-star roster, the U.S. national team is definitely in for a bright run at the 2007 World Cup.