Non Europe/SA winning the WC

[Village Idiot]

Is it going to happen in our lifetimes? Who are the most likely?

 

I'd guess the US and West African teams are the ones with more upwards potential, but for some reason I think it's still going to take a lot of time until it happens. African teams in particular seem to increasingly pack some true talent, even starting to move from the "scary big f***er playing DM" cliché, but there are big gaps in their lineups.

 

On paper the US has the most potential. Big economy and population, but football has way too much competition and given how poor the MLS still is, potential world class athletes will go to other sports where wages are better. MLS growth has been steady, but slow.

 

I guess you need a big base of players in the strong European leagues. Argentina and Brazil are great exporters, and one of the things they have going for them is that not only their stars play abroad, even pretty average/developing players ply their trade in mid-table/lowend teams which really gives them a great pool. That doesn't seem to happen with African or Asian nations, where most of their players abroad make up their NTs.

[Fenham Mag]

USA has so much potential to win a WC. But I'm not sure if the collegiate sports way is the way to get the best footballers.

[Disco]

Can't see it myself.

 

Mexico and the Asian teams will always genetics holding them back and African teams will always have lack of infrastructure holding them back.

 

Most likely is the US but it would depend on the MLS growing in standard and them having a good crop of 2 or 3 players coming through all at once that is better than anything they have at the moment.

[Guest firetotheworks]

I think the world would collectively face-palm if the USA won the World Cup tbh. Fifa, sponsors, and advertisers no doubt want it to take off in the US, but I imagine most fans outside the US don't. They certainly have the most potential to succeed though.

[Super Duper Branko Strupar]

I can't imagine anything worse than the Americans winning the 'Soccerball world serie's'.

 

Sorry Mike, Ameritoon, every other sound American on here, but I'm sure you understand.

[Exiled in Texas]

On paper the US has the most potential. Big economy and population, but football has way too much competition and given how poor the MLS still is, potential world class athletes will go to other sports where wages are better. MLS growth has been steady, but slow.

 

VI the US is the lilkely candidate for this reason - Big economy and population - and soccer has a very wide base of players starting off in the sport, but the drop out rate is high and for those that stay, there is the question of how their talent is developed. I suspect that they are developing players to win games at ages 12 or 14 rather than winning WC at 24. The issue is that the clubs are a "pay to play" deal where you want to win now, rather than loose games now but develop as players for later.

 

And it won't be the MLS that hold back the players - the good ones will to Europe, while the average will play MLS. And with TV showing leage games from England, Italy, Spain and Germany there is plenty for fans to watch high-quality soccer, while still going to the odd MLS game for the live game.

 

I'd say that if it were to happen, that the USA would be the one, but being good enough to win it is one thing.....actually winning it is another. So I say no - it won't happen in my lifetime.

[B-more Mag]

I could see a west African country winning sooner than the U.S. For numerous reasons already mentioned here and in other threads, I can't see enough of our cream of the crop athletes focusing on football (soccer) over football (American), baseball, basketball, and hockey at a young enough age to truly compete with countries where football is far and away the sport of choice.

[SEMTEX]

It's not like Ghana were a million miles off getting to the Semi-finals. All that is needed is a competent team, the right draw and some luck, get the right combination of all that hoodoo and any nation could win it.

[Ketsbaia]

I don't see it happening either. USA have the potential but need to make the sport more appealing. Plus the MLS needs sorting out. African sides always have organisational problems and maybe don't have the mental strength, but if they ever get sorted out, maybe they will. Mexicans generally don't like playing abroad, hence they'll not improve themselves.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

It's not like Ghana were a million miles off getting to the Semi-finals. All that is needed is a competent team, the right draw and some luck, get the right combination of all that hoodoo and any nation could win it.

 

Basically this, Ghana could have won it this year, with Essien they might have got even closer.

[ujpest doza]

Is it going to happen in our lifetimes? Who are the most likely?

 

Err, in my lifetime Non European teams have won the WC 6 times.

[Unbelievable]

It's not like Ghana were a million miles off getting to the Semi-finals. All that is needed is a competent team, the right draw and some luck, get the right combination of all that hoodoo and any nation could win it.

 

Basically this, Ghana could have won it this year, with Essien they might have got even closer.

 

Agreed, also who knows what Ivory Coast could have done with a fitter Drogba and somebody like Hiddink managing them (which was close to happening). Teams like Ghana and IC could be contenders, but they will also need huge amounts of luck (injuries, refereeing decisions) to get there..

[Unbelievable]

Is it going to happen in our lifetimes? Who are the most likely?

 

Err, in my lifetime Non European teams have won the WC 6 times.

 

You missed "SA" in the thread title?

[summerof69]

Is it going to happen in our lifetimes? Who are the most likely?

 

Err, in my lifetime Non European teams have won the WC 6 times.

 

 

Yeah but they were South American.

[cubaricho]

Like has been stated before, the US does really seem to have the most potential to be a dark horse to win the WC.  It's the most popular sport under the age of 16 in the US but that is when everyone starts to drop out of playing because they don't see a future in it with big bucks like they do in baseball/football/basketball.  A lot of kids in America will play two or three sports regularly (and in leagues) growing up but in high-school choose which one they will focus on and unfortunately it's not soccer as often as others.  We also only have one great academy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMG_Soccer_Academy) in America while a large percentage of players who make it to the top flight of soccer in America spend their most developmental years (18-20something) at College rather than playing their trade at club level getting the proper kind of training.

 

If the US could restructure how kids and young adults are trained and play soccer in the US we could really be a forced to be reckoned with.  It's only a matter of time but may still take upwards of 50-100+ years.

[CaliMag]

By the time the US win the WC (20 to 50 years in the future), they will no longer be the largest economy, largest military or the most culturally relevant so that will probably make it less irksome to the world. [/Parky]

 

I'd love to see Mexico win it but they have many larger societal problems holding them back which affects the football (la mordida).

[Shayno]

Alot of African/ Asian countries struggle with depth. I really thought the Ivory Coast team was going to ruffle some feathers this world cup but it wasn't meant to be.

[ujpest doza]

Is it going to happen in our lifetimes? Who are the most likely?

 

Err, in my lifetime Non European teams have won the WC 6 times.

 

You missed "SA" in the thread title?

South African?

[Dave]

Is it going to happen in our lifetimes? Who are the most likely?

 

Err, in my lifetime Non European teams have won the WC 6 times.

 

You missed "SA" in the thread title?

South African?

 

When did a South African team win it?

[Kaizero]

I'd love the US to win it. Love it.

[thewellander]

Is it going to happen in our lifetimes? Who are the most likely?

 

Err, in my lifetime Non European teams have won the WC 6 times.

 

You missed "SA" in the thread title?

South African?

 

When did a South African team win it?

 

Sure it means South American.

[James]

I think several African clubs have the potential to do it but they need to build up their coaches and organisation. They are at the stage where the missionaries visited South America at the moment, and it did take a few decades for South America to develop.

 

Many teams can do it though, they just need to find their once in a lifetime player, e.g. Puskas and Hungary.

[Dave]

Is it going to happen in our lifetimes? Who are the most likely?

 

Err, in my lifetime Non European teams have won the WC 6 times.

 

You missed "SA" in the thread title?

South African?

 

When did a South African team win it?

 

Sure it means South American.

 

I know man.

[Mr. Snrub]

I think several African clubs have the potential to do it but they need to build up their coaches and organisation. They are at the stage where the missionaries visited South America at the moment, and it did take a few decades for South America to develop.

 

Many teams can do it though, they just need to find their once in a lifetime player, e.g. Puskas and Hungary.

 

African teams will always fizzle out by the quarter finals stage, you can't expect a bunch of 40+ year olds to keep up that pace for the entire tournament.

[gazza ladra]

Mexico will be first.

 

They've been hampered in the past by their insularity. Until fairly recently the national squad was drawn from a group of players that had played exclusively in Mexico. Now younger players are pursuing careers in Europe and that is going to be important for them. They've always been pretty predictable; we (the US) have been able to beat them pretty consistently over the past 20 years now (away from Azteca) because we know the Mexican game and know better than to let them "play".  In the future I don't think they're going to be so predictable.

 

I think they've progressed into the second round in each of the past five World Cups (94-2010). They progressed in 86 as well; who knows how they would've done in 90 but were disqualified from Italy. They keep getting knocked out by the likes of Argentina or Germany. Or losing on penalties. Or losing on penalties to Germany. That's pretty consistent and impressive.