Tag Archives: World Cup 2010

World Cup winners

“It now seems normal for nations to obsess about the football World Cup. Yet when the English did so in 1990, Jonathan Wilson notes in his scholarly Anatomy of England, it ‘was unprecedented and unexpected’. Only quite recently have World Cups turned into occasions for countries to debate who they are. Those 11 young men in their team shirts have become the nation made flesh, and the tournament the foremost contest for prestige among countries. Twenty years ago, very few serious studies of football existed. Today there are enough to fill a mid-sized library. The four books under review here build on this body of knowledge, add to the library’s tiny African room, and distil patterns from that knowledge.” (FI – Simon Kuper)

World Cup 2010 – Which Team Wants it the Most?

“I know. Everyone wants to win the World Cup. That’s why they call it the World Cup. But which of the 32 World Cup teams has the biggest reason for wanting to win it? Read on for a list of the 32 teams and my best guess at what’s driving them to victory. Feel free to add/argue different reasons in the comments.” (World Cup Blog)

World Cup Coaches, By Nationality and Numbers

“Below you’ll find a complete list of the 32 coaches at World Cup 2010. You’ll also find their nationality, and their age going into the tournament. Beneath that you’ll find some amateur hour number crunching I did with pen, paper and the calculator on my cell phone to work out a few statistics.” (World Cup Blog)

World Cup Preview: Group G

“The 2010 FIFA World Cup kicks off in just two weeks today, which is so exciting the hair on my legs keeps on spontaneously erupting into flames. By this time next week – when your correspondent Dotmund (to use his Brazilian footballer nickname) completes his guide to the groups – all the final squads will be announced and we’ll be good to go. This is especially useful for him, as he’s just realised he’s not written the preview for Group H yet. Group G, however, is in the can. Let’s suckle at the teat of knowledge and learn about the fortunes of Brazil, North Korea, Ivory Coast and Portugal.” (twohundredpercent)

High-fiving the World Cup

“There’s a brief segment of spring weather in Milwaukee that, while it lasts, can generate more excitement, adrenaline and leap-15-feet-off-the-ground happiness than anything else on Earth. We go about things during that time without the sticky humidity of summer heat and the creeping, buzzing insects that come with it. The temperatures are warm enough to make one start asking businesses whether they have a shirt policy. Right now is that time in Milwaukee, and it’s with that mood-enhancing environment in the background that this week I’ve been imagining high-fiving my bus driver about the World Cup.” (Match Pricks), (Must Read Soccer)

2010 FIFA World Cup: map, with the 32 teams’ home jerseys, and the 32 teams’ World Cup titles and appearances list.

“From World Cup Blog.org: ‘The Final Pre-World Cup Rankings’. Thanks to the contributors to the pages at en.wikipedia.org, National team appearances in the FIFA World Cup. Thanks to World Soccer Shop.com, for some of the jersey photos.” (billsportsmaps)

Is Diego Maradona set to surprise people?

Diego Maradona
“‘Maradona’s crazy! He doesn’t know what he’s doing!’ is the general attitude towards Argentina’s manager since he took over 18 months ago. The first part is undeniably correct – Maradona is crazy. He celebrated a crucial goal late on in qualifying by diving along a rain-sodden pitch, Klinsmann-style, and when Argentina finally secured qualification, he sat down in the post-match press conference in front of the gathered journalists, and immediately declared, ‘You lot take it up the a**e’. He is definitely crazy.” (Zonal Marling)

Spain: La Selección World Cup squad analysis (23 for 2010)

“With the official announcement of the 23-man squad, we are going to take a look and assess everyone that will be competing for Spain at the World Cup finals this summer. The squad has been fairly settled under Vicente del Bosque but there are a few surprises that will get their chance to shine on the biggest stage next month.” (Just Football)

Legacy of South Africa’s World Cup will take many years to measure

“‘Our society,’ said British writer Johann Hari, ‘is very good at some things, generating wealth, say … But we are very bad at meeting a basic human need for shared collective experiences. Our atomized lonely culture can only meet this need at freak flashpoints.’ Or World Cups.” (SI – Tim Vickery)

Puma does the World Cup ad better, with African footballers and fans, Gnarls Barkley and Kehinde Wiley

“Contrast the above (and its soundtrack) with Nike’s bloated ad, which is seasoned with the most tired forms of machismo and sexism. Here there are even a few girls and women, presented not as sex objects or football failures, but as fans and players (asking the boys to give her the ball!). This ad, furthermore, is actually about African soccer.” (From A Left Wing)

Netherlands 2-1 Mexico – Video Highlights and Recap – Friendly – 26 May 2010

“Holland (aka the Netherlands) played their first friendly leading up to the 2010 World Cup with a match against Mexico in Germany. They would be without a few players who were playing in the UEFA Champions League final while Mexico would have all their top players available. Neither team will be focused too much on a result but getting their teams fit and ready for South Africa.” (The 90th Minute)

An old-fashioned 3-5-2 for Uruguay

“The three-man defence may be fairly unpopular throughout Europe at the moment, but it is alive and well in Latin America. With Chile having used a 3-3-1-3 system throughout qualification and Mexico toying with a 3-4-3, Uruguay will join them, with a more traditional 3-5-2 formation.” (Zonal Marking)

Maradona’s management could be a sight for sore eyes

“Following Argentina’s 5-0 demolition of Canada in their final World Cup warm-up match on Monday evening, Diego Maradona conjured up a rather disturbing image while on radio by promising to run around the centre of Buenos Aires naked if his side are victorious in South Africa. Football managers are prone to offering to go naked in public – Martin Allen and Gary Johnson have both made similar commitments in the past. But is it likely that the world will be exposed to Diego’s untoned frame waddling around the Argentinean capital?” (WSC)

How to sound smart at the watercooler

“Everyone isn’t a soccer expert. Yet many of you will be caught in a conversation that veers toward the World Cup at some point in the coming summer. For those of you not inclined to scour Slovenia’s World Cup roster for hidden clues that could help the U.S. gain possession in the middle third, here are a few lines that will help you sound like you know what you’re talking about…” (ESPN)

Mexico’s fluid shape makes them dark horses

“‘There’s a lot of movement arrows on that diagram’, you might be thinking. And you’d be right – there are, for that’s the key to Mexico’s system – movement from almost every player on the pitch and plenty of width when attacking. The 3-1 defeat to England was harsh on Mexico. They dominated possession and created the better chances – a lack of composure in the penalty area was their downfall.” (Zonal Marking)

Tactical analysis of England’s system

“With just a couple of weeks until the World Cup begins, this was a game posing more questions than offering solutions for Fabio Capello. Whilst England recorded a 3-1 win, they were outplayed and outpassed by a technically superior Mexico side for large parts of the game. Few individual performances stood out for England – Glen Johnson was awarded the man-of-the-match award, presumably solely for goal, but this was one of his weaker displays; he looked very uncomfortable up against Mexico’s extremely high winger, and contributed little in attack. That he was England’s best player sums up what a poor show it was.” (Zonal Marking)

Prediction: U.S. Will Beat England In World Cup
“Psychology is not to be underestimated when it comes to sport, especially the World Cup and soccer. In this summer’s clash of the giants between the United States and England, I believe the game will not come down to who is the better team on the day, but will instead focus on which team is more psychologically prepared to overcome its opponent. And for that reason, I predict the United States will defeat England.” (EPL Talk)

England win but Fabio Capello finds more questions than answers
“It would have been more satisfying if this friendly had conformed to the tradition of irrelevance. There was instead a good deal for England to reflect on after a night when the losers showed more polish. The modest satisfaction for the home team lies in the knowledge that they still imposed their will.” (Guardian)

England vs. Mexico
(footytube)

10 World Cup Questions: Algeria

“If you’re unfamiliar with World Cup Blog, then allow me to explain: The blog you’re reading now is the front page, but the core of WCB is the multitude of team specific blogs, including one for each of the World Cup 2010 teams. The authors of these team blogs have forgotten more about their sides than I’ll ever know, so I decided to tap that knowledge by asking each of them a set of 10 questions. Today it’s the turn of Omar from Algeria World Cup Blog. Read on to learn all about Les Fennecs…” (World Cup Blog)

Algeria eager to make up for lost time

“England’s World Cup rivals Algeria have one of Africa’s most fascinating footballing histories, packed full, as it is, with passion, pedigree and political intrigue. But it is also irrevocably bound up with France. This complex relationship has, at times, defined Algeria’s independence, while also showing its lack of it. Plenty of Algerian talent has risen through French academies before going on to play for Les Bleus, as best exemplified by the great Zinedine Zidane.” (BBC)

My First World Cup: Daniel Alves

“Brazil defender Daniel Alves has told the BBC his team have the best players ahead of the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa – and that he has not minded having to wait seven years to make his debut in the tournament.” (BBC)

Post-Invictus: South Africa’s Greatest Soccer Moment

“In early 1996, as the above quote emphasizes, it was South Africa’s Bafana Bafana soccer team—not its rugby ‘Springboks’—that captured South Africa’s imagination. Yet, in the run-up to the 2010 World Cup, the American media has constructed a history implying that the most important sports moment in South African history was their victory in the 1995 Rugby World Cup. This construction is thanks largely to Clint Eastwood’s rendition of those events in Invictus (which was released in DVD last week, ensuring further pre-World Cup attention), though ESPN has also chimed in with a documentary entitled The 16th Man. I prefer the ESPN documentary because it includes some genuine South African voices, but I also find it fascinating that in the hype around that Rugby World Cup the media seems to be missing a somewhat analogous soccer moment that came about seven months ‘post-Invictus:’ South Africa’s victory in the 1996 African Cup of Nations.” (Pitch Invasion)

Soccer On the Big Screen: New York Film Festivals & Screenings For the Soccer Obsessed

“Soccer has indeed made tremendous inroads in the United States, moving beyond the field and into the arts. Filmmakers are beginning to make some incredibly dynamic soccer films. Thankfully, we’ve reached a point in the United States where soccer is now inspiring film festivals solely devoted to the game so at least some of us no longer have to sneak around back alleys to find the films we hear so much about. In the build up to the 2010 World Cup, New York-based soccer cinephiles will have the opportunity to spend their afternoons and or evenings endulging in soccer-inspired films at the following festivals…” (Nutmeg Radio)

World Cup Preview – The rest of Group C

“So we’ve had a look at the 3 Lions, but how will the other three teams in Group C do. The USA side have finally hit their potential by making the Confederations Cup final last year. Algeria have surged up the FIFA rankings in recent years, and had a good African Cup of Nations campaign. Slovenia could be a dark-horse in this competition. England better not get overconfident here then.” (Six Pointer)

Jozy Altidore: The Next Haitian Hero of U.S. Soccer?

“The New York Times just published a nice profile of Jozy Altidore — thanks to my friends at Duke’s FHI for a tweet about this! — and, despite the fact that I know seeking historical and social redemption in football matches is a dangerous game, I can’t help dreaming that this summer will bring us a little echo of 1950. In that year, Joe Gaetjens — a Haitian national recruited onto the U.S. team, in the days when FIFA was a rather easy-going about citizenship requirements — brought the U.S. perhaps it’s greatest footballing victory, a story told a few weeks back in a nice Sports Illustrated story, when he scored a goal against the English team.” (Soccer Politics)

South Africa Pushes to Make the Cup Its Own

“The official mascot of Africa’s first World Cup — a stuffed leopard with spiked green hair — was made in China. The official World Cup anthem, “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa),” was written by the Colombian pop star Shakira. The official restaurant? McDonald’s. And with less than three weeks before the world’s most watched sporting event, only 36,000 of the almost three million tickets have been sold in Africa outside of South Africa itself, the host. On a continent whose people mostly live on the wrong side of the digital divide, tickets were mainly marketed online.” (NYT)

Official FIFA 2010 World Cup Song – Wavin’ Flag by K’Naan

“The official song of the FIFA 2010 World Cup, Wavin’ Flag by K’Naan.” (The 90th Minute)

The Map of the Road of the Future

“The day of the Champions League final is, as they say, finally upon us, which means it’s time for a couple of announcements in the way-of-the-future vein. Like, what are we going to do about it, and what to expect for this little festival of truces they’ve got set up in South Africa this summer.” (Run of Play)

Argentina coach Diego Maradona interviewed

“World Soccer: How different is the feeling of going to the World Cup as a player before and now as a coach?
Diego Maradona: It’s been so long ago that I can’t remember, but I feel proud when I see my players killing themselves on the field to gain a place. They are the ones who translate their excitement to me. But of course it was easier as a player. I only thought of getting the ball and having fun. Now I have to control 20-odd players. The other day in training a shot bounced off the crossbar to me and I took a shot at goal. Some must have noticed from my happy face that the player in me came out!” (World Soccer)

What Blogs Should I Read For the World Cup?

Cape Town
“This is the first part of a group of recommended blogs (in no particular order) that I will be introducing non-regular soccer readers to in the weeks before the World Cup. While long-time blog readers might sort of chuckle at themselves softly in the deep recesses of their suburban basements, old Leeds matches from the early seventies playing on a VHS loop on a lonely TV in the corner, this is really meant for the johnny-come-latelies who might not want all their World Cup info coming from John Molinaro. Or anybody attached to Sports Illustrated with the exception of Grant Wahl.” (A More Splendid Life – Part 1: Futfanatico), (Part 2: Treasons, Strategems & Spoils), (Part 3: The Run of Play)

Book Review: Soccer, Passion, Politics and the First World Cup in Africa

“Ahead of the World Cup in South Africa, a spate of books on African football was to be expected. Africa, after all, has traditionally been underserved as far as football writing goes. Until last year, the genre could more or less be summed up in three books: Peter auf der Heyde’s Has Anybody Got a Whistle?, Filippo Ricci’s Elephants, Lions and Eagles, and a brilliant chapter by David Goldblatt in his magisterial The Ball is Round.” (Pitch Invasion)

World Cup Preview: Group F

“The 2010 World Cup kicks off in just three weeks time, so by this point the majority of football fans everywhere are only using products made by official tournament sponsors and eating impala for breakfast. Our intrepid Wikipedia monkey Dotmund has once again put his vuvuzela aside for just long enough to take a look at another of this summer’s groups. Today we find out about the reigning champions, a South American dark horse, a team from a very long way away and a European team who have only ever been in the World Cup before in disguise.” (twohundredpercent)

32 Teams: One Dream

The Joy of Six: Things we miss about the World Cup

“The Goddess of Victory. There’s nothing particularly wrong with the Fifa World Cup Trophy. As five-kilo dods of solid 18-carat gold with two malachite layers go, it’s as serviceable as they come. But just look at the name of it again. The Fifa World Cup Trophy. A functional and corporate monicker betraying a complete lack of invaluable – and dear God how they’d love to buy some of this – old-school glamour.” (Guardian)

Indy to join with Carolina RailHawks in celebrating soccer with new and classic films

“We’re just three weeks away from the start of a little soccer competition in South Africa. The 2010 FIFA World Cup begins June 11, and to mark the month-long occasion, the Independent Weekly and the Carolina RailHawks will partner to sponsor a series of soccer-themed films.” (IndyWeek)

England coach Fabio Capello interviewed

“World Soccer: You have experienced everything in your career as player and manager but never as coach at a World Cup. How are you approaching that? Fabio Capello: Of course a World Cup itself is not a new experience because I was there as a player. Right now we are preparing everything, studying all the different situations which will arise between here and South Africa including during our training camp in Austria. We are working very hard together – not only the players but also everybody else who has to work for us with the media, with the kit, the travel, the logistics, the accommodation and so do.” (World Soccer)

23 for 2010 – Italy: World Cup squad analysis

“Italian head coach Marcello Lippi has named his 28-man provisional squad for this summer’s World Cup in South Africa, with some surprise omissions (Totti, Cassano, Balotelli) and some not so surprise omissions. Let’s dissect Lippi’s selection and predict the 23 that will board the plane for Cape Town in June.” (Just Football)

Iconic Grosso bows out with fistful of heaven

Fabio Grosso
“The naming and subsequent pruning of provisional World Cup squads in recent days has yielded a number of high-profile casualties, among them Ronaldinho, Francesco Totti, Antonio Cassano, Esteban Cambiasso, Javier Zanetti and Karim Benzema, and the tournament will undoubtedly be poorer for their absences. Young stars including Italy’s Mario Balotelli and the extravagantly gifted Brazilian pair of Neymar and Paulo Henrique Ganso have also missed out on the call-ups that many purists had hoped they might receive.” (Football Further)

Creative Feet of Texas Key for U.S. in S. Africa

“He prefers bass fishing in the United States to carp fishing in England. Otherwise, Clint Dempsey, a young man from East Texas, is quite comfortable in southwest London. A season at Fulham that included an injury scare ended with an embrace, not a knee brace, as Dempsey delivered one of the Premier League team’s most celebrated goals and became the first American to play in a European club soccer championship.” (NYT)

A World Cup Miscellany: Group B

“In trying to think through the nations and the teams of Group B, I could not shake from my mind the word diabolical. And I mean that in the best possible way. Argentina with its strangely alluring combination of Latin style and ruthlessness; its claim to having hosted perhaps the most politically dubious World Cup of them all in 1978. Nigeria with its 4-1-9 scammers and its prize winning writers; its enigmatic and brilliant Super Eagles dominating FIFA age-group competitions with players of uncertain age. Greece with its recent protests for the workers of a bankrupt state; its cynical and magnificent 2004 European Championship on the back of 7 goals in 6 games. South Korea…well, they seem ok. It is a “random draw” after all. But I admire them each in their ways.” (Pitch Invasion)

World Cup Preview – England

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“44 years of hurt now and it’s made England the laughing stock of world football. Several world-class teams and managers have passed by. But now under Fabio Capello, the ingrained pre-tournament hype has resurfaced again:England will do it this time.” (Six Pointer)

Brazil’s Dunga unfazed by critics

Simone Martini
“Abroad, the focus on Brazil’s World Cup squad fell on the absences of Ronaldinho and Alexandre Pato. In Brazil, this raised barely a murmur. No one expected Pato to be in and few held out hope for Ronaldinho. The Brazilian media had campaigned for his inclusion earlier in the year, but as his form dipped they largely gave up on him — and instead switched generations.” (SI – Tim Vickery)

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque interviewed

“World Soccer: Are Spain favourites for the World Cup? Vicente del Bosque: Being favourites is a terrible trap. Spain are definitely amongst the group of countries that can be considered favourites but the risk is creating a dichotomy in which you either win the World Cup or you’re a failure. It should not be seen as an obligation for us to win the tournament. The Confederations Cup is a good example: we were favourites there and one bad game saw us get knocked out.” (World Soccer)

Real Films Meet Reel Football

“Abas Suan’s life straddles two worlds that seem inexorably locked in eternal conflict. Suan is an Arab citizen of the state of Israel, one of 1.4 million Muslim citizens of the Jewish state. Suan is a hero to the people who support his hometown club team, Bnei Sakhnin. Suan is also a beguiling figure among Israelis — an Arab who played on the country’s national soccer team and scored a crucial goal in a World Cup qualifying match against Ireland in the country’s abortive attempt to advance to the 2006 World Cup in Germany.” (NYT)

South American trio count down to World Cup

“Four years ago, in the build-up to the World Cup in Germany in 2006, there was a real buzz about South America’s big two. Brazil could boast a dazzling collection of individual talent. Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira had such riches at his disposal that, as he later confessed, he felt obliged to go against his own principles and select a team that was almost a throwback to 4-2-4.” (BBC – Tim Vickery)

23 for 2010 – Holland: World Cup squad analysis Pt.1 (Keepers & Defenders)

“Much has changed in the Dutch national team since Euro 2008. Marco van Basten is gone as national coach and after a failed stint at Ajax all but forgotten. His successor, Bert van Marwijk, is probably best known for managing Feyenoord (with whom he won the UEFA Cup in 2002) and Borussia Dortmund, and is a more conservative manager than Van Basten in that he is far less inclined to experiment with tactical formations and his selection of players.” (Just Football: Pt. 1 – Keepers & Defenders), (Pt.2 – Midfielders & Strikers)

Team USA and the State of the (Soccer) Nation

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“Among the many common critiques of American soccer is the idea that we’ve managed to invert the traditional roots of the game: in most parts of the world football is a diverse sport of the people, but in the US soccer is a homogenous ‘country club’ sport for the suburban elite. The US soccer system, according to this popular narrative, restricts the sport’s power structures in ways that exclude our best ‘athletes’ (which is often code for low-income minorities). I’d like to suggest, however, that after carefully considering the US’s preliminary World Cup roster—the 30 men that ostensibly best ‘represent’ the American system—the actual story is a bit more complicated.” (Pitch Invasion)

Defending champs draw soft group

“No group in the World Cup is easy. But if Group G, which we’ll tackle next week, is the Group of Death, Group F might be as well be the Group of Life. Indeed, as far as SPI is concerned, this is about the weakest possible permutation of teams that might have been drawn into competition together.” (ESPN)

Spain’s World Cup selection dilemma

“Spain coach Vicente del Bosque doesn’t have many tough squad choices to make going into this summer’s World Cup. Even casual fans can guess the outline of his ideal team, which includes such outstanding talents as Xavi Hernández, Cesc Fábregas, Fernando Torres and David Villa. Only one decision has threatened to undermine Spain’s unity of purpose ahead of a promising summer campaign – who will be called up as third goalkeeper?” (WSC)

The Power Of The Premier League

“I am not going to pass any moral judgment on the grubby Melissa Jacobs, who secretly recorded a private conversation with the now ex-FA independent chairman, in order to make him the ex-FA independent chairman. I’m sure she had her reasons – quite possibly tens of thousands of them. Nor am I going to pass any moral judgment on the Mail on Sunday newspaper, which facilitated that recording and published the results. I’m sure there is some philosophical argument that moral judgment cannot be passed on something without morals.” (twohundredpercent)

Five Reasons Why Brazil Won’t Win the World Cup and Five Reasons Why England Could

“Predictions, right or wrong go hand in hand with the World Cup like some beautifully ironic couple you see walking down the street. At first glance, the awkwardly short man who’s pulled a 5′8 blond model strikes a questionable chord with your intellect. You immediately resort to predicting and analyzing (if you’re honest with yourself) how you can land said women and how short man has figured out the secret. Your thoughts escape all rationality as you assume he’s either A. loaded and she’s with him for his money, or B. he’s loaded somewhere else.” (EPL Talk)

France coach Raymond Domenech interviewed

“World Soccer: Do you think that France’s difficult World Cup qualification campaign – including the infamous play-off against Ireland – has helped make the French squad and technical staff a more united group? Raymond Domenech: The qualification a bit tense from France for the World Cup 2010 has been much ink. What do you remember this qualifier and do the problems you have discussed the close-knit staff and staff alike?” (World Soccer – Part 1), (Part 2)

A World Cup Miscellany: Group A

“Back in October of 2009 when Egypt was hosting the U-20 World Cup I wrote a somewhat esoteric preview of the countries in the competition oriented by one of my favorite soccer quotes (from Eric Hobsbawn): ‘The imagined community of millions seems more real as a team of eleven named people.’ It was the start of the ‘Year of African Soccer,’ to be followed closely by the U-17 World Cup in Nigeria, the African Cup of Nations in Angola, and soon the mega event of them all: the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Drawing inspiration from my all-time favorite World Cup preview, Matt Weiland and Sean Wilsey’s excellent edited collection of essays and miscellany related to the participants in the 2006 World Cup, the shared goal was ‘to use soccer as a lens and an excuse to learn something about the wider world’.” (Pitch Invasion)

There is a world of difference in how football is played

“On Wednesday nights I play bad football with some other old blokes in Paris. I spend the game shouting instructions at my team-mates in bad French. They don’t listen. What is going on here is a clash of football cultures. I grew up in the Netherlands, where football is a sort of debating society. In France, as far as I can gather, talking during football is rude.” (FI – Simon Kuper)

Dunga and Diego are at it again

“Bizarre inclusions? Check. Big name exclusions? Check. Wringing of hands, tearing of clothes and gnashing of teeth (largely metaphorically)? Check. Señores y señoras, it’s World Cup preliminary squad announcement time! And while there won’t be many chairs thrown through windows in rage at the choices made by the managers of Paraguay, Uruguay and Chile, South America’s two giants are grabbing the headlines. Well, what did you expect?” (ESPN)

Is Capello set to switch to a three-man defence?

“There are strong rumours this morning that, in Gareth Barry’s absence, Fabio Capello is considering switching to a system featuring three centre-backs for the World Cup. It would unquestionably be a risky move, completely changing England’s shape that was so successful in qualifying, and installing a three-man defence that hasn’t been used effectively by England for twenty years. The BBC report states that ‘A switch in formation would be a major change for the Italian, who has demonstrated his preference for 4-4-2 throughout his coaching career’, which is certainly true, but a three-man defence has not been alien to him.” (Zonal Marking)

Rewarding Dedication With A World Cup: Randomness, Awesomeness and Identity In Africa

“Rewarding love is a worthwhile endeavor. A reward signifies acknowledgment that the recipient is seen and appreciated. The South African World Cup is an exciting time for South Africans who have been loving soccer for decades. But if you look closely at how Africa has reacted since 2004 when South Africa was awarded the World Cup, you will notice that much of Africa has been acting as if they are co-hosts, as if this is the first communally-hosted World Cup.” (Nutmeg Radio)

In the shadow of the World Cup: ESPN covers the rape of South African soccer players

“ESPN has done a story on the frequency with which South African women soccer players are raped, targeted as lesbians. (Female athletes often targets for rape) It is a good thing that a media outlet with ESPN’s resources decided to cover this story. But there are a couple of dots ESPN avoided connecting. This comes two years after the murder of former national team player, Eudy Simelane. (See On the murder of Eudy Simelane and Girlie ‘S’Gelane’ Nkosi, Eudy Simelane’s teammate and lesbian activist, murdered). The timing of this story implicitly links to the opening of the World Cup next month.” (From A Left Wing)

World Cup Preview: Group E

“With the 2010 FIFA World Cup now just four weeks away, you should by now be able to visualise those wretched pull-out ‘Come On England’ St. George’s flags which come free with The Sun, slowly yellowing at the edges in living room windows up and down the land until mid-September. Nevertheless, we at Twohundredpercent will instead continue to focus on the football. With that in mind, we sent Dotmund on another fact-finding mission with little else than a media badge from the 2006 World Club Championship in his pocket and a dream. Today, he looks at the colourful and exciting Group E.” (twohundredpercent)

World Cup scouting: Antonio Di Natale (Italy)

“The express purpose of the World Cup scouting feature is to shed light on up-and-coming young players to look out for in South Africa, but this week Football Further is focusing on a more established player who tends not to receive the attention his ability richly deserves. Antonio Di Natale was this week named in Italy’s provisional 30-man World Cup squad and if, as expected, he retains his place when Marcello Lippi whittles his group down to 23, it will be the first time that the 32-year-old Udinese captain has been selected for football’s showpiece event.” (Football Further )

Authors take hard look at soccer, make predictions

“Does soccer have an impact on suicide rates? What strategy should a goalie use during penalty-kick situations? Which country has the most passionate soccer fans? Using robust data and insightful analysis, Financial Times journalist Simon Kuper and leading sports economist Stefan Szymanski provide answers to such questions in their highly entertaining book, ‘Soccernomics’.” (BNET)

England remain a World Cup long shot

“Most bookmakers have England as third favourites to win the World Cup this summer. Their odds are always fanciful – driven down by patriotic bets made more in hope than belief. But a cursory glance around the competing squads should discourage any drunken wagering. It is not so much the players in the opposing squads that should deter potential gamblers, but who they can afford to leave out.” (WSC)