Village Idiot

Honestly, I fucking love me a World Cup and will watch as many games as humanly possible, but for the most part the football in itself is pretty crap. Sides are usually *very* conservative given the competition format (concede a goal and you could be already out), and international sides aren't as fluid as club sides due to the lack of playing time throughout the season.

Very well to be honest. He hasn't scored too much (and one of the reasons is a surprising lack of selfishness), but his link up game and interplay with the rest of the attacking players has been surprising. He's created a lot (already got 5 assists to his name, third in La Liga) and has easily been one of our best players, despite being a new arrival. Very excited to see him integrate more with the rest of the squad and develop further. Clásico in a couple weeks will be his first big game. Pity Messi has had so many injury problems, seeing both of them on song

I played some Eye-Toy games with Iniesta. That's all I can offer

No on both accounts, the Valdés lookalike is then-reserve keeper Rubén, I think. Found the moment he came on: http://img01.mundodeportivo.com/2012/10/16/El-debut-oficial-de-Leo-Messi-_54353102318_54115221213_490_300.jpg

Today is the 9th anniversary of his senior debut, coming in as a sub against Espanyol. http://media4.fcbarcelona.com/media/asset_publics/resources/000/031/389/size_640x360/2004-10-16_MESSI_01-Optimized.v1364912930.JPG http://media2.fcbarcelona.com/media/asset_publics/resources/000/031/392/size_640x360/2004-10-16_MESSI_04-Optimized.v1364912938.JPG

People in another board telling me Italy won't be seeded? The ratings are released tomorrow, right?

Problem is that I won't know if I'll be there until January, and then it'll probably be too late. I want a stable life (well, I don't).

Much rather have a WC with Mexico than Panama in it, to be frank. Thanks gringos.

Big chance I'll be in America (north side of it though) by the time this rolls in... wonder if it's cheaper to travel from NYC to at least see a game.

I'm moving there soon. Permanently or on loan?

And until we can probe footballers' minds (I'm sure that Costa will come with some pretty convincing language about Spain being the country that gave him a chance as a footballer if he ends up chosing us), we can only set some rules for all. The 5-year rule does a pretty good job of filtering out the most blatant cases, imho, like what used to happen with Qatar.

I don't know? One of my best friends is a Cuban that fled the country when he was 22. He considers himself to be Spanish now, this is the country that welcomed him, that gave him a job, etc... People get too hung up with nationality, imho.

He wasn't a Spanish national then. We'll see what he decides when he gets two call ups next month. Ultimately, I don't think there's anything inherently wrong about a footballer playing for a different country if that's his choice, particularly since FIFA cut the loopholes about dodgy nationalization laws.

He never played professionally in Brazil either, got his break in Portugal then here. He's lived in Spain for 6 years now and to all matters of the law he's as Spanish as I am. Why shouldn't he be able to play for us if he wishes so? It's not like, say, Ibaka in basketball, who got his nationalization fast-tracked just so he could play for the Spanish team and only lived a couple years here ()

Still undecided on him. Way too much trouble when he's on the pitch but can't argue with his performances in 2013. He's topping the goalscoring charts in a league with Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi in it! If he keeps that level that sorts our striker situation for the next two World Cups. Plus we need his kind of aggressiveness upfront.

Will do you lots of good if your media don't go mental overhyping the team, for a change. Remember the first time we won anything (2008) our press wasn't giving us the time of the day before the tournament.

So this is most likely going to be the WC with the most NUFC players in it, and none won't be English. Interesting.

Mata scores with his first touch of the ball.

Diego Costa cleared to play for Spain. Rumor that Brazil will also call him for this November's friendlies.

We need a draw to ensure first spot in our group, and the game's played at Iniesta's boyhood club stadium amidst an homage to him, against a rival that's got nothing to play for. All set for a mighty fall.

Is he ample?

Oh, I forgot to add I played a few times against Raúl Tamudo at FIFA, does that count?

To be honest, we've "been close to signing" him since the summer, seen nothing to suggest the situation's changed. Would love him here though. Reina seems suchs a lazy and short termist option...

Worthy of a thread, in my opinion. Unai Vergara was my classmate; had his career cut short by injuries but played CB for Villarreal in La Liga and got a single cap with Spain. Also won the silver medal in the 2000 Olympics. Also played against Puyol once in the junior leagues (we're the same age). He played as forward and was a right c*** Played against former Barça captain Vicente Sánchez in the Sunday Leagues, he was like 20 years older than all of us and still was the best player in the pitch

Adriano Correia Cani Canales