What worries me there, Diki, is that only a smattering will want to talk smack on the game. A few may point to that freaky U.S. win over England over half a century ago and a few more may brashly predict a repeat this time around. There's probably more basis for that these days as football has come a long way stateside, notwithstanding the number of American players giving a good account of themselves in the English Premier League; but, let's get real here, England will be in the running when it comes down to the final stages. The U.S.? Well, to use an anglo-saxon euphemism, bollocks.

The best team that never won the world cup despite several good efforts since 1974 are the dutch.

Again they have some of the best players in the world... Robben, vd Vaart, Schneider, v Perzie, v. Bommel and such. if the coach can build a good team around those then they might actually win.

I miss Cruyff. I put him at the top of the greatest. Dutch football was beautiful to watch.

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Bo pen nyang.

[This message has been edited by Taike (edited 05-29-2010).]

Dutch football is still beautifull to watch.

FC Barcelona and Bayern M�nchen play a game mostly based on the ideas of Johan Cruijf, so will and should the dutch team at the worldcup.

Let's be fair, 124... USA did pretty well at the last World Cup. But unless there's a big upset with Algeria or Slovenia, both should easily get past the first round. Be interesting to see how far they get again...

Sorry Diki

Slovenia has one of the best teams in Europe right now. They actually could be the biggest surprise of the Worldcup.

Algeria plays on African home soil.

Nothing is ever certain, but USA could just as well be the poule winner as end death last in the group

Absolutely, Diki. That was my point in saying that the U.S. has come a long way in football. They're not the pushover of years past. But I stick by my guns in saying that England will be there or thereabouts when it comes down to the final stages. For one thing, the U.S. have three untried strikers in the squad, and why Brad Friedel was passed over in the goal in beyond my ken.

BTW: I like Dutch football and I hope they do very well, this time around. For all of the above though, I'm still thinking Argentina for the big one.

Hi leezone

I�m in Lisbon. My office is in Picoas near Marqu�s de Pombal.

Just for the sheer beauty of it, I'm hoping that Spain has as great a midfield as they had the last World Cup. Sadly, they lacked a great closer, but their midfield precision and pinpoint passing was one of the highlights for me to watch last time... They are picked highly to go all the way this time, I hope it is with as great a grace as they had last time. But I'm, of course, rooting for England. Why NOT us, why NOT now?!

I'm afraid the odds-makers have Slovenia as third in the first round. I hope they are wrong for your sake, Bachus, but only at the US's expense, anyway! And Algeria are FAR further away from their home country than for instance England playing in France, and NO-ONE would ever claim that England were playing on 'home soil'...! Opposite ends of a gigantic continent hardly qualifies as home turf

With Xavi and Cesc Fabregas out, Spain are missing a couple of key components in midfield. Up front, David Villa will be doing his thing, no doubt, but with Fernando Torres missing, they're not going to be the attacking force they otherwise might be.

England? Nothing would please me more than to see us lift it, but (there's another 'but' ) they seem to have been less than impressive in the friendlies. Two own goals to get a win against Japan? And I still worry about Calamity James in goal.