The 2006 World Cup draw will be held in Leipzig, Germany Friday afternoon. The draw will be televised live on ESPN2 at 3:30 PM.

Today, the 8 seeded countries were announced: hosts Germany, Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Italy, France, England, and Mexico. The US just missed out on a seed...

Does that list make anyone else feel sick? The best chance for the US would be against Germany, but as the hosts, they'll likely be more pumped up to play than after travelling halfway around the world to South Korea in 2002. A first round date with Brazil or Argentina can pretty much be penciled in as a loss. A match against England in the first round would be interesting, but with England constantly out to prove they are the world's best, it's a match to be avoided as well. France, Spain, and Italy play styles the US is not very familiar with; also, consider that 1 player in the current talent pool, Greg Vanney, has significant experience in the domestic leagues of any of those countries.

Germany however, the US knows, after facing them in the first round in 1998 and the quarterfinals in 2002. Also, players like Kasey Keller, Steve Cherundolo, and Gregg Berhalter have loads of experience in the German Bundesliga. US captain Claudio Reyna also played in the Bundesliga.

Should be an interesting draw...

Damn, I had a bad feeling the US would miss out on a seeding. Even though we did poorly in Italy '90 and France '98, the US is still one of a few countries to qualify for the finals 5 times in a row. Is there a chance we could be in the same group as Mexico? A non-European team has never won the cup when held in Europe. Germany is going to be tough at home but we showed we could play them in South Korea. I personally think we have a good chance with Spain, France and Italy but I understand your point about their style of play. Spain barely made it and France had to bring back Zizou to qualify. Beating Germany, Brazil, Argentina, or England would be a dream for me. Damn, I wish I were going. A good friend of mine is going to be in Hamburg at the time and is totally rubbing it in my face. What a jerk!
Thanks for the heads up about the TV schedule MM13.

I was wrong, the draw actually begins at 3 PM...

And actually, a non-European team did win the World Cup in Europe once: Brazil, in the 1958 World Cup in Sweden. In fact, Brazil are one of two teams to win the World Cup outside of their home continent (Brazil won in 1958 in Sweden, 1970 in Mexico, 1994 in the US, and 2002 in Japan; Argentina is the other, winning in 1986 in Mexico.)

I wish I had tickets as well. I'll be watching from the comfort of my family room. At least the games will be in the afternoons here, though I must admit, waking up at 2 AM to watch soccer is always fun! But that can wait till the 2007 Women's World Cup in China.

While I am pissed off, but not surprised, that the United States missed out on a top 8 seed, it appears that one other country got screwed even more than the U.S. The Netherlands is the third ranked team in the world, and has been a consistent contender like the U.S. They could end up in a bracket with Brazil or Germany creating a really tough group for anyone else that is stuck there.

Even moreso than the Netherlands, the unseeded team to fear is the Czech Republic. Boasting stars like Pavel Nedved, Milan Baros, and Karel Poborsky, they will play tough against any team they face; they showed that in the 2004 European Championships, where they only lost to Greece in the semis because captain Nedved was injured in the first half, and also over the past year, rising steadily to number 2 in the FIFA World Rankings.

:confused:

[ May 03, 2006, 12:15 PM: Message edited by: simontexas ]

WHAT A DRAW

WOW

Group E-
Italy
Ghana
US
Czech Republic

A VERY difficult draw. The Czech Republic in the first match, followed by Italy, and then Ghana. A tougher group is hard to find, but check out Group C!

Group C-
Argentina
Ivory Coast
Serbia and Montenegro
Netherlands

The US open on June 12, against the Czech Republic. What a match that will be... And after that, the US will face a team from Group F. A second-place finish in Group E and the US will likely face Brazil in the Round of 16. The US couldn't have found a much harder draw.

Tournament opener: Germany vs. Costa Rica

[ December 09, 2005, 01:17 PM: Message edited by: metromathis13 ]

Oh my gosh MM13!
I watched the draw on ESPN2. It was nerve-racking. Our draw is pretty much the worst case scenario discussed earlier in the show. What city are we playing CZR in? Group C is the "group of death" with ours being second toughest. Another interesting match up is England & Sweden in Group B. So why is the reigning champion automatically put in Group F? I know it has something to do with draw match ups but I am unsure. Anyway, Bruce Arena has a tough job ahead of him and hopefully our boys will be up for the challenge come June 12th.

I can answer a couple of those questions:
1. US plays Czech Republic in Gelsenkirchen (The other games are Italy in Kaiserslautern & Ghana in Nuremberg).
2. Group F was chosen for Brazil because it has the highlight venues (Berlin, Munich, Dortmund), the same reason why Germany was in A.

Boy, did we get screwed on this draw. This was one of the two groups I didn't want to see the US in (obviously the other is Group C). I wouldn't have even minded getting drawn with Brazil, just to avoid having one with the Czechs or Dutch on top of a big seed.

Best case scenario: France & Spain got lucky as hell. Good thing for the Spaniards they'll need it given their history. Germany got a fairly easy one too.

The first match, sadly, is in Gelsenkirchen, in northwest Germany. I say sadly because the Group E opener is being played in Hannover, a city where the US has a chance of drawing more fans. Hannover 96, the club team in Hannover, features US right back Steve Cherundolo as their captain.

If I were Bruce Arena I'd be getting stomach ulcers right about now.

Tell me about it. I think the Czech Republic scares me more than Italy. So, let's hope the Italians have a bad World Cup, and the Americans prove that they truly are a Top 8 team regardless of FIFA's stupid rules.

At least I am pretty sure to get to see the USA play in their second game against the Czechs since it is on a Saturday a noon. Every other game is iffy unless they make it to the quarterfinals on Saturday June 1 or somehow manage to pull through for one of the final four games, both on a weekend - something you guys seem seriously doubtful of.

I think their worst draw would have been F: almost certain losses against Brazil and and a really hungry Wallaby team from Aus. Their love for us politically would do nothing to slack their desire to kick us all over the field if they could in the cup. And Japan would be no pushover for us either.

I think our best Group would have been H. Spain would have been the only probable loss there.

The game I would most like to attend would be if powerhouses France and Spain met in Germany's gay capital Cologne in the second round - a distinct possibility since Spain could dominate H and France could easily pull off at least a second in G. Spain with the most progressive gay rights laws in the world would have my full support in that one as much as I would like to see les bleus recoup some of their old glory.

Overall I would not be the least surprised, or particularly disappointed, to see some real upsets in this one again. Germany v. Costa Rica might well be the first.

[ December 10, 2005, 09:40 AM: Message edited by: sportinlife ]

Consensus here is that England have got a good draw. If we cant beat Paraguay and Trinidad we dont deserve to go through. That leaves Sweden who are our bogey-team - not beaten them since 1968, but with two to qualify that shouldnt matter as long as we win against the other two.

Re the US non-seeding the thing is the pundits on this side of the Atlantic think US and Mexico are always too high in the FIFA rankings because they get too much credit for wins against the other (weak) CONCACAF countries. (Dont shoot the messenger!) Anyway we shall see.

See World Cup 2002, France vs. Senegal.

I would LOVE to see Germany and Mexico knocked out of the tournament early, but Germany has history on their side. Host nations have advanced to the second round in every World Cup tournament.

As for jamesw's comments about the US and Mexico, here's what I have to say to those pundits...
The US made it into the top ten based on their World Cup 2002 results: 3-2 W vs. Portugal, 1-1 D vs. South Korea, 3-1 L vs. Poland, 2-0 W vs. Mexico, 1-0 L vs. Germany. Knocking off a pre-tournament favorite, especially as the number 19 team in the world (the US's ranking prior to the 2002 WC), always earns huge points in the FIFA rankings.
To justify Mexico's place in the top 10, look at their results in the 2005 Confederations Cup, knocking off Brazil 1-0 and playing exciting, attacking soccer all the way through to the third-place match against Germany.

There are some people that have said the United States should have been among the eight seeded teams. I just want to say that the United States does NOT deserve to be seeded. The fact that they're ranked eighth in the world is an absolute insult. Aside from World Cup 2002 when they had a nice little run, what else have they done? All they do is play in a watered down confederation with the only real competition being Mexico. The Mexicans at least have proven time and time again that they can play with the big boys of Europe and South America and are a dominant force that can not be taken lightly.

The United States have come a long way and I definately respect them. But to say they should be seeded in the World Cup is nothing but a joke.

On to my predictions...

Group A: Germany, Poland
While Costa Rica is certainly no pushover, the two European sides should have no problem in the group. Germany will finish first while Poland second.

Group B: England, Paraguay
There will be some good matchups in this group and for some reason I've always been a bit of a fan of Paraguay. They play good soccer and can be very dangerous in major tournaments. This could be England's year to go pretty far in the World Cup and for that I feel they'll finish first. Paraguay should come second with Sweden a close third.

Group C: Serbia & Montenegro, Argentina
Poor Ivory Coast...I'd seriously just throw in the white towel. This group is an absolute toss up with so many possibilities. It truly will come down to who's hot come June. Everyone has been making a big deal about the Dutch, who are a very good team. I'll most likely be wrong in this prediction, but watch for a big upset in Serbia & Montenegro squeaking out a first place finish with Argentina in second place. This is one of those groups where goal differential will be very important.

Group D: Portugal, Mexico
My first reaction to this group is to laugh. My Portuguese are gonna run all over Angola and Iran. Then again, I'm reminded of World Cup 2002....losing to USA and South Korea. None the less, we have a good coach and we will finish first. I'm very much looking forward to the game against Mexico...it'll be football at its finest.

Group E: Czech Republic, Italy
Another interesting group. I'm still not sold on the United States even though I respect them for being one of those teams that can surprise you. The Czech's, if they get on a roll, could be a dark horse in this competition. The Azzuri will finish second after a loss to the Czechs. I'm curious about Italy v USA for some reason...could be an upset though that would be a major slap in the face to Italy if that happened...similar to 02 when we lost to the USA.

Group F: Brazil, Australia
There's no question Brazil will finish first in this group. The battle for second becomes interesting but I'll give the nod to Australia simply because they do have some great players on their squad, and have a sensational coach in Guus Hiddink. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Mr. Hiddink and his work will once again be noticed. The Socceroos will finish second.

Group G: France, Switzerland
I'll admit, I dont know much about Togo...none the less it's a safe bet to say they wont advance. Since losing Hiddink, South Korea will not do anything. Remember, they're in one of the weaker confederations so it's no surprise that they qualified. France and Switzerland are off to the Round of 16.

Group H: Ukraine, Spain
Yawn...this group is the least interesting in my opinion...well it's a tie with Group G. Spain likes to choke in big tournaments which is why I'm placing them second behind Team Andrei Schevchenko..err...Ukraine.

Oops, I guess matches in the Confederations Cup against Turkey (coming off a third place finish in at the 2002 WC) and Brazil, along with Argentina in a friendly and Brazil again in the Gold Cup don't really matter. And the friendly earlier this year against England...

And if the US didn't deserve to be seeded, then England certainly as hell doesn't deserve to either. The US lost once in 18 World Cup qualifiers, to the number two team in CONCACAF, Mexico. England, with no other teams in the top 10, finished 8-1-1 and lost to Northern Ireland.

And OBVIOUSLY the US was in contention for a seed, falling 1 point short of a seed, with 42 points to Italy's 43. Frankly, look at any of the seeded team's qualifying records and World Cup records and you could say that they didn't deserve a seed. But, on the other hand, looking at the US's qualifying record and 2002 results, the US got screwed.

That came to mind when I first saw that Togo and France were in the same group. And I have read some speculation about pulling the same stunt. But I am not sure that Togo's players have as much experience in Europe as the Senegalese had. Emmanuel Adebayor who played in Manaco may be more of an exception than a rule for a young Togo team. Though that doesn't necessarily make an upset less likely. The African's tend toward an inspired but erratic type of football.

The one thing that all the other coaches in Group G seem to agree on is that Togo is the least known. The Swiss coach has the best advice which is to see how they do in the Africa Nation's Cup which takes place in Egypt in 2006.

As for Germany v Costa Rica: See the drubbing they gave the USA to qualify this year. Even though the USA did not need that game to qualify for 2006, that was the second time running that Costa Rica has beaten us when they needed to, to qualify for the Cup. And they were not playing our second team. The German's are meticulous and consistent in their game and preparation. But that may not matter in a single game with a pumped up CR team.

Hey guys,
Here's a link to a printable match schedule. Page 1 is sorted by city/date and page 2 by match/date.
Germany 2006 World Cup Schedule
:cool:

I should know which games I will be attending in the next few days. I am waiting to hear back from one of my cousins in Austria that put in my ticket requests. My Dad is flying over first, and I will be joining him mid way through. Lucky Batsard he is going to be there the entire time. Anyone else going to be attending? I am doing 7-10 days in Germany for the cup, one week at our place in Tenerife, and one week in Hungary and Romania as my vacation this year. Would be fun to potentially have an outsports hook up in Europe this summer.

Shorejim, you're the lucky bastard! I guess you are the only outsporter to be going to the World Cup. I personally am expecting daily reports. Have you heard yet which matches you'll be attending? Nearly a month in Europe - of the other places only Spain is in the WC. It should be mad there. When it gets closer to your time to leave, we can set up a new post called Shorejim's World Cup Report or something funnier. Maybe you can post digi-pics of the madness and of course, a hott guy or two. LMK if you are willing to do that. I know I said I was expecting daily reports but I was just excited for you. If you can't do it until you come back, that's ok. I am so very interested in hearing about your adventures at the WC in Germany.

If you're willing to do it shorejim, I second this plan! World Cup madness + hot guys = happy fellow Outsporters

K we got tickets for....

USA 16th
USA 8th
USA quarters
USA semi's

so lets hope we get to use them all... I am hoping this is accurate my dad relayed this info after 2 martinis before dinner the other nite while out with friends.

Well Togo will soon get (has gotten?) its first test today in Group B of the African Cup of Nations 2006 in Egypt.

Ivory Coast player Aruna Didane's misfortune may have helped hosts Egypt who have already won their first match against Libya.

Tough break for Didane, and Ivory Coast since he's been critical to them leading up to the ACN. I suspect Didier Drogba will have to step up, risking injury in a non-Chelsea game.

BBC Sports 2006 World Cup Wallchart
:cool:
Here's a handy-dandy chart.
FYI You have to fit to page for printing to adjust the "British letter size".

Leave it to the good folks at BBC to come up such a good chart. Thanks simontexas.

My software fitted it automatically to the page.

Invasion of prostitutes expected at the World Cup and poor Jeff Garcia stuck here in Philly.

And where are the male prostitutes for those supposed gay German soccer players recently speculated about? Something tells me I'm gonna regret asking that one. Uranians unite - demand your rights!

I dont know about you guys but I am STOKED about the World Cup...I can hardly contain myself lol

I'm right there with you Enigma. I’m completely altering my schedule to accommodate all the matches I want to see plus I’ve already been trying to convince a few gay bars to open in the morning. Most said I would have to bring at least 50 guys with me but luckily I found a dive that already opens at 7AM everyday – complete with 19-inch television. Woo hoo - 19 inches. The British pub that shows all the matches, EPL, MLS, Euro, etc. will definitely be open but is kinda far from where I live plus they may charge a cover. But since all the matches wll be on ABC & ESPN maybe they won’t. I’ve also seen nearly all the World Cup team/city preview shows on Fox Soccer Channel for the past few weeks.

If I recall correctly, Enigma, you are going with Portugal all the way. Portugal v. Mexico is one of the matches I’ll be watching, June 21st; that's a great day because right after is Netherlands v. Argentina.

What other teams will you be watching?

Oh freaking a, I am too! I think about it and it makes me shudder with excitement. Monday June 10 will be marked with a party at my house for sure- you guys are invited lol...

And there are so many good matches. I want to see England's and Brazil's matches. They both look like very strong teams. And of course I'll be watching Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal... Oh god I got myself all excited again!

Just to let you guys know that we will be having caps on all 32 teams (plus our hot player for each team). During the tournament, we will lean on you in this thread to post notes from games that we can use in a roundup. We are not soccer experts.

Sounds good...you might also want to check out the official World Cup website (fifaworldcup.com) for information. I'm sure we'll all have plenty to say about the matches, especially the sure-to-come upsets...

What we will be looking for from you all are good opinions and analysis on this thread. Thanks!

I'll call dibs on Portugal...I follow them religously...been doing it since I can remember. Of course it helps considering some of my family played pro back in the home country.

I'll leave the stats to you guys with deeper knowledge and spend most of my time looking for things like Brazil's Robinho goofing around during a commercial and Steve Cherundulo just looking ridiculously cute, to post in the Hot Jocks threads. Yes I know, silly fluff. But what the heck. Someone has to do it.

I want to marry Steve Cherundolo. He plays the position I used to play (right-back), and he's been amazing over the past two years for the US. Plus, as this picture shows, he's just stunning...

Yesterday marked the 2 months till World Cup 2006 mark

That's going to be an awesome week...my graduation is on the 6th, and then the World Cup starts on the 8th...I'm so excited!

High School or College amigo?

High school lol...I'm a youngster

Sweet deal...this is my five year anniversary from graduating from high school...

Back to the World Cup....

I'm surprised to see Mr Egomaniac, Oliver Kahn, decide to stay with the team despite his demotion

Definitely. I was surprised to hear that Jens Lehmann is getting the starting nod; he has been playing well for Arsenal this year though (at least in the Champions' League). Kahn is past his prime, but still looked excellent against the US earlier this year. We'll see if Jurgen Klinsmann, Germany's coach, made the right choice...

Germany made the right move in leaving Kahn on the bench. Kahn is old, and while he can still pull out a great game, it's time to move in a different direction.

Probably. I think Klinsmann knows that Kahn can still play a good game, but I think he also knows that playing 6 straight phenomenal games like he did in 2002 is highly unlikely. I'm eager to see how Lehmann does.

Don't forget about the U.S.'s match against Jamaica tonight. We should see veteran Tony Meola get his 100th cap (appearance) for the U.S., as well as the return of John O'Brien in the U.S.A. midfield. O'Brien scored the first goal against Portugal in 2002, but has played only 7 matches for the U.S. since then, 6 of them coming in last year's Gold Cup. All that and more at 7 PM Eastern on ESPN2.

You just had to bring up that Portugal goal didnt you... frown

[ April 11, 2006, 03:38 PM: Message edited by: Enigma ]

World Cup 2006 profile [culled from SI.com]
Americans' Best Chance for Legitimacy is Right Now

Excerpt:
Whether they like it or not, Germany '06 will be one of the Yanks' few chances to validate their '02 quarterfinal run on the international stage. Not even the Americans believe they're really the world's fifth-best team (their current standing in the FIFA rankings), but proving they're among the planet's top 10 teams will require going toe to toe with the Czechs and Italians. One thing's for sure: We'll get to gauge how much the U.S. has improved since 1990, when Czechoslovakia and Italy beat the Yanks convincingly in World Cup group play.

Oddsmakers' line: 96-1. eek!

I've been saying it for years...the United States have come a long way in the sport of soccer since hosting the 1994 World Cup. With that being said, there is no way that they should be in the top ten.

Granted, if they prove themselves at this World Cup, I'll eat my words...but unless they see the quarter-finals, they are certainly not a top 10 team, let alone top 5

Depends on what your basis for ranking teams is. If you're ranking based on historical results, then they are surely not in the top 10. But I don't rank teams that way- the games a team played last year are hardly an indicator of their potential strength at the World Cup, let alone games played 20 years ago. I prefer to emphasize recent results when I look at rankings. For example, the U.S. has done excellently this year, losing only to Germany in the first 4 months of the year. That puts them among the cream of the crop in the rankings for this year, partially because teams like Brazil and Argentina and England are playing fewer games than the U.S.

But now that I've bored everyone silly, my summary: it's possible that the U.S. could be a top ten team, but it's also possible that they couldn't be. A lot of that hinges on their performance at the World Cup this year.

OK, I logged on this morning to OS Soccer thinking the message boards would be all a-twitter with messages of the final roster selection. What's going on? I'm surprised I'm the one posting this list. OK, should we start a new thread for the World Cup or is it too early? I'll let y'all decide.

Well, let me just say that I am glad we are at a point where the US has many quality players as alternates. I guess the biggest surprise is Taylor Twellman and then veteran Steve Ralston. On the flipside, someone will have to explain to me the selction of Bobby Convey. I know he's fast but I can't remember anything that stood out during qualifying and unfortunately I don't keep up with Reading. He's probably an outstanding player / playmaker with his club. I'm not saying he shouldn't be there I just haven't seen him play well in the few matches I've seen him. In Bruce I trust. I am proud of this team and the alternates.

Eleven MLS players called to U.S. team
Excerpt: U.S. national team manager Bruce Arena named his 23-man FIFA World Cup squad Tuesday, and 11 MLS players are due to make the trip to Germany the world's biggest sporting event next month. "Today, a new journey begins as we start final preparations for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. As usual, we will not make any bold statements or predictions. However, I can assure everyone that the team that steps on the field on June 12 against the Czech Republic will be a team that all Americans will be proud of. We look forward to preparing for an exciting and demanding challenge, and we appreciate the support of all Americans." The U.S. squad will report to training camp in Cary, N.C. on May 10 and will prepare for the World Cup with a three-game "Send-off Series." The side will face Morocco on May 23, Venezuela on May 26 and Latvia on May 28. The team will fly to Germany on June 1 and open the group stage against the Czech Republic on June 12. The U.S. will then play Italy on June 17 and Ghana on June 22.

Forwards
Eddie Johnson
Josh Wolff
Brian Ching
Brian McBride

Midfielders
Landon Donovan
Pablo Mastroeni
John O'Brien
Clint Dempsey
Ben Olsen
Bobby Convey
DaMarcus Beasley
Claudio Reyna (US Captain)

Defenders
Frankie Hejduk
Eddie Pope
Jimmy Conrad
Eddie Lewis
Carlos Bocanegra
Cory Gibbs
Oguchi Onyewu
Steve Cherundolo

Goalkeepers
Kasey Keller
Tim Howard
Marcus Hahnemann

Alternates
Tony Meola GK
Matt Reis GK
Chris Albright D
Todd Dunivant D
Greg Berhalter D
Taylor Twellman F
Chris Rolfe F
Conor Casey F
Chris Armas M
Chris Klein M
Pat Noonan M
Steve Ralston M
Kerry Zavagnin M

News Flash!
Defender Chris Albright is the first alternate to move up to the USMNT replacing Frankie Hejduk after a torn knee ligament injury.
Full Story

Here's what I think...

My first thought when Bruce announced the roster was "Why Brian Ching?". Well, I got an answer from a video at ussoccer.com and an article on ESPN's website...Ching's style of play is similar to Brian McBride's. Thus, if McBride is injured, Bruce can fit Ching into his role (a big target player who can hold the ball well) more easily than Twellman. Plus, Ching has great chemistry with Donovan.

Second thought, why no Chris Albright? I thought Albright played well...he had some average performances, but I thought he was improving. Sadly, I got my wish, at the cost of veteran Hejduk. It's very sad that he was injured, he's a great player and a nice guy.

Simontexas, Convey has done excellently this season with Reading. FourFourTwo, a soccer magazine in England, put out a list of the 50 best League players (or w/e the heck the division below the Premiership is called now), and Convey was number 12, I believe. Goalkeeper Marcus Hahnneman was on the list as well- he's Reading's starting keeper.

Convey had a couple good performances in qualifiers. I seem to remember a good showing against Trinidad and Togabo last August. He has shown a lot of confidence this year. He was impressive against Poland and Germany. Also, now that Eddie Lewis has been converted to a defender and without Steve Ralston, he could be the U.S.'s best option on the left side of midfield (with DaMarcus Beasley playing on the right side).

How about Jimmy Conrad being selected over Gregg Berhalter? I think that was the biggest surprise of the roster. Conrad is a good player, but the Germany match doomed him, I thought. Apparantly, not so much... Berhalter is an experienced defender...and if you'll remember, it was his volley that German player Torsten Frings handballed out of the net in the 2002 World Cup.

Steve Ralston might have made this roster if his performances hadn't been so streaky. His goal against Mexico, though it sent us to the World Cup, was a little lucky. He's very consistent with the Revs, not so much so with the National Team. I'm glad Ben Olsen got a chance on this roster- I detest him in MLS because he's excellent at frustrating opposing teams with his work rate. And as he showed against Guatemala earlier this year, he can score a real cracker of a goal!

Don't forget about the U.S. pre-World Cup matches. They play in Tennessee, then come up here to Cleveland, then finish off in Connecticut before they head off to the World Cup. I'm very excited to see Steve Cherundolo and Oguchi Onyewu play. I want to propose to Cherundolo, and Onyewu is definitely a player who could be a superstar. He's so big and physical, qualities that will come into play against the Czech Republic and Italy for sure.

I'm so freaking excited for the Czech Republic match! I can't wait!