FIFA 2014 World Cup - Official Discussion Thread

[Tender Branson]

Really depends how Germany plays tomorrow ...

If they have a bad day like against Algeria, they are done.

If they play like Brazil, the will win.

And if they play "normal" it could be a rather boring game (OT or penalties).

[Linus Van Pelt]

Anyways, Germany are favorites in this but Argentina is going to be a very tough nut to crack.

I think this is right.

Many are exaggerating the odds based on a game where Brazil didn't play defense and a game where the Netherlands didn't play offense.

[GMantis]

The referees continue to prop up Brazil even now. Thiago Silva should have been sent of for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity, but I guess a repeat of last match is not wanted now.

[RodPresident]

The referees continue to prop up Brazil even now. Thiago Silva should have been sent of for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity, but I guess a repeat of last match is not wanted now.

And Robben who threw himself?

[GMantis]

The referees continue to prop up Brazil even now. Thiago Silva should have been sent of for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity, but I guess a repeat of last match is not wanted now.

And Robben who threw himself?

Are we talking of the same incident? Because in this one he was clearly held up by Silva.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

lolbrazil

[bore]

Brazil are spectacularly awful.

The referees continue to prop up Brazil even now. Thiago Silva should have been sent of for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity, but I guess a repeat of last match is not wanted now.

And Robben who threw himself?

Are we talking of the same incident? Because in this one he was clearly held up by Silva.

Yeah, definite red card, maybe not a penalty.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

I don't even care that I get no points from this. This is golden.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Brazilians were unhappy enough before this game.

[Lief 🗽]

Really pathetic from the Brazilian players.

[Simfan34]

Current prediction with pretty colors, and based on my view that Belgium/Uruguay/Colombia are overhyped. On the verge of swapping Portugal for USA. Also lol @ the Dutch getting to the finals.



Also, Costa Rica will be my ironic team due entirely to having the worst possible group.

Lol

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

still better than phil's prediction

[Keystone Phil]

Not sure if this stat has been thrown out there: Germany have made the Final of a major tournament every six years since 1990.

'90 - win
'96 - win
'02 - loss
'08 - loss
'14 - ?

[Edu]

Wow, I didn't think FIFA would be so blatant. Congratulations Argentina.

LOL

Anyways, Germany are favorites in this but Argentina is going to be a very tough nut to crack. Tougher than France and our strongest opponent so far. (Note that in the early games, Germany weren't playing at their best with Khedira and Schweinsteiger both still very much recuperating.) And should they win, they will deserve the title.

I enjoyed playing in the contest very much, despite my absolute failure, you did a great work and I hope you will stay even if the WC is over

Argentines tend to be a relatively unfriendly people (sorry Edu)

No need to be sorry since I basically think the same thing. I just hope I didn't came up as unfriendly when we met
Anyway, I'm glad you are rooting for us






Remember when I said I didn’t care about how we end up in the World Cup? Well, I don’t think a lot of people know me here so You probably don’t, but the fact is that I think I said several times that we were going to lose and that there wasn’t much of a point in following the team since they sucked and the government was going to use them as propaganda..

Well, I guess I was wrong. We beat Netherlands in what to most outsiders was a boring dreadful match, but to me as someone who was rooting for one of the teams involved it was a terribly exciting match. Maybe it’s the fact that this is the first time we reach the SF (and then the final) since I can remember or the fact that I was with friends and because of it enjoyed the match more than I would have done being alone, but I think this is awesome.

After much suffering and joy with my friends I walked back home (it was like 10 blocks) and wherever I walked trough there were people celebrating, streets blocked, groups of people singing the national anthem and a lot of other stuff that I never experienced. In fact, 2 blocks from home there were a bunch of people (like 100 or so) celebrating and I joined them for a while.
Actually, I saw the match in the 21st floor of a building and after we had won the PKs you could go out to the balcony and hear, fireworks, chants, horns, and probably everything that could make a loud noise.

For a while I felt really happy about everything. I no longer believe that a World Cup result will help this awful government that much and I think a win that can bring joy is a good thing right now.  

So I fully support my team in the final, we may lose like in 2010, we may lose like Brazil did, but I’m going to watch every single minute of that match and I’m going to enjoy it no matter what. And if we win and someone says we don’t deserve it because we were boring or something, then they can go inks themselves and the thing is that apart from the germans who may beat us, we ended up in a better position than all of the people who may criticize us the most, so I don’t care that much.

I wish luck to the german team and their supporters, I hope it’s a good match


And thanks to Phil for his support, as fellow descendants from southern Italians I'm sure we have much in common

[Tender Branson]

This referee has been one of the biggest jokes I have ever seen on TV ...

[Franzl]

Wow, I didn't think FIFA would be so blatant. Congratulations Argentina.

LOL

Anyways, Germany are favorites in this but Argentina is going to be a very tough nut to crack. Tougher than France and our strongest opponent so far. (Note that in the early games, Germany weren't playing at their best with Khedira and Schweinsteiger both still very much recuperating.) And should they win, they will deserve the title.

I enjoyed playing in the contest very much, despite my absolute failure, you did a great work and I hope you will stay even if the WC is over

Argentines tend to be a relatively unfriendly people (sorry Edu)

No need to be sorry since I basically think the same thing. I just hope I didn't came up as unfriendly when we met
Anyway, I'm glad you are rooting for us






Remember when I said I didn’t care about how we end up in the World Cup? Well, I don’t think a lot of people know me here so You probably don’t, but the fact is that I think I said several times that we were going to lose and that there wasn’t much of a point in following the team since they sucked and the government was going to use them as propaganda..

Well, I guess I was wrong. We beat Netherlands in what to most outsiders was a boring dreadful match, but to me as someone who was rooting for one of the teams involved it was a terribly exciting match. Maybe it’s the fact that this is the first time we reach the SF (and then the final) since I can remember or the fact that I was with friends and because of it enjoyed the match more than I would have done being alone, but I think this is awesome.

After much suffering and joy with my friends I walked back home (it was like 10 blocks) and wherever I walked trough there were people celebrating, streets blocked, groups of people singing the national anthem and a lot of other stuff that I never experienced. In fact, 2 blocks from home there were a bunch of people (like 100 or so) celebrating and I joined them for a while.
Actually, I saw the match in the 21st floor of a building and after we had won the PKs you could go out to the balcony and hear, fireworks, chants, horns, and probably everything that could make a loud noise.

For a while I felt really happy about everything. I no longer believe that a World Cup result will help this awful government that much and I think a win that can bring joy is a good thing right now.  

So I fully support my team in the final, we may lose like in 2010, we may lose like Brazil did, but I’m going to watch every single minute of that match and I’m going to enjoy it no matter what. And if we win and someone says we don’t deserve it because we were boring or something, then they can go inks themselves and the thing is that apart from the germans who may beat us, we ended up in a better position than all of the people who may criticize us the most, so I don’t care that much.

I wish luck to the german team and their supporters, I hope it’s a good match


And thanks to Phil for his support, as fellow descendants from southern Italians I'm sure we have much in common

Good luck to you too, Edu...and I also hope for a good match.

Obviously, I'm hoping and praying for a German victory...as I also want to party in the streets tonight, so I can appreciate what you wrote about the joy you witnessed after your semi-final.

But only one can win at all...and if it's not us, I'd much rather lose to you than the Dutch

[Platypus]

Most Argentians I actually met were very welcoming, including yourself Edu. More about the incidental friendliness, like at a shop or whatever. In Chile, if my Spanish was off, I'd get a friendly laugh; in Uruguay, I'd get an attempt to help... in Argentina I was usually seen as a nuisance

There were exceptions to the rule, of course, but that was the general difference, and was particularly the case in Buenos Aires, where I suppose tourists are less of an oddity. That said, Corrientes is hardly a touristic city and was full of scowls, Gualeguaychu even less so, and even less friendly... I do love Argentina, and I can't wait to return, but if it came to living in South America I'd head for Chile or Uruguay, and I'm still vaguely disappointed they're not in the final

[Unimog]

And just a reminder (Italy's feelings about Argentines and Germans in general aside, Serie A representation in both squads:
Germany: 2
Argentina: 7

it's not so impressive if you look which players actually take part in the game.

it is germany 1; argentina 2

[Tender Branson]

Now making myself a good cup of coffee so that I don't take a nap at some point during the game.

[Tender Branson]

Live stream with German commentary (from ARD, one of Germany's main TV channels - the stream should work everywhere and it has good quality):

Link

PS: You need to click on the "play"-button for the stream to play.

[Tender Branson]

Live stream with German commentary (from ARD, one of Germany's main TV channels - the stream should work everywhere and it has good quality):

Link

PS: You need to click on the "play"-button for the stream to play.

Coverage starts now.

[Tender Branson]

It is estimated that 35-40 Mio. Germans will watch this game on TV today (not to mention all the people in public viewing places, online streams, etc.)

The semi-final was watched by 33 Mio. people.

[Tender Branson]

Merkel already in da house:

[Antonio the Sixth]

Deutschland Über Alles!

[Tender Branson]

Khedira out (foot pain). Kramer in (needs to deal with Messi).