I filled out my World Cup bracket last night after some deliberation.
I do have the United States coming out of the widely panned Group C, along with England. Brazil and Portugal come out of Group G, the “Group of Death,” though it was really hard to leave Ivory Coast out. African teams will probably receive an intangible boost from the first African World Cup ever, but I could only advance Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon with any clear conscience.
Ghana plays the U.S. in my second round, and beats my home country. Technically, that may be construed as an upset, but it’s really my only one. In the end, I have France, Brazil, England (a very tough call over Argentina) and Portugal in the final four. Portugal and Brazil takes care of business, with the world’s No. 1-ranked team winning the World Cup.
Unoriginal, I know. But certainly not implausible.
Cut me a little slack. I do not follow soccer regularly. I have no favorite European club. Transfer rules still confound me. On June 11, however, I am committing myself to a head-first education of soccer. I am excited about the World Cup, and I look forward to absorbing as much knowledge as I can.
Friends of mine have been telling me this may be one of the best seasons for professional soccer in 10 years, 15 years, 20 years, maybe even longer. Looking through the standings, reading up on the headlines, it seems they may be right.
One big reason why it’s a great time to be a soccer fan: Competition. Each of the top European leagues crowned regular-season champions by five points — not quite two wins — or less.
The English Premier League, arguably the most popular pro soccer league on this campus, saw its championship come down to the final day. Chelsea squeaked by longtime powerhouse Manchester United with 89 points to Man U.’s 88. Spain’s La Liga came down to three points, with Barcelona (99) prevailing over Real Madrid (96). In Italy’s Serie A, Inter Milan squeaked by AS Roma, 82 points to 80. Inter Milan took it a step further this season with a dramatic run through the UEFA Champions League, culminating in a 2-0 win over German powerhouse Bayern Munich. The championship was Inter Milan’s first since 1965.
On a local level, Major League Soccer fever has swept the Northwest. The Seattle Sounders opened play last season to great fanfare and profitability — according to the SportsBusiness Journal, the Sounders accounted for one-quarter of all league merchandise sales. The Portland Timbers and arch-rival Vancouver Whitecaps will upgrade from the United Soccer League to MLS in 2011, with great local support. French star Thierry Henry is working on a contract to join the New York Red Bulls, where he will become the most popular MLS player since David Beckham signed with the Los Angeles Galaxy.
MLS has long been the punchline when one soccer fan asks another, “You want to hear a funny joke?” Perhaps U.S. soccer fans will come around to it in future years, even if the quality of play has a ways to go.
And, of course, the biggest stage in the sport is treated to some creative advertising, which has gotten soccer neophytes like myself talking about the sport. I cannot help but hum U2’s “City of Blinding Lights” after listening to ESPN’s promotional commercials. And I cannot help but watch Nike’s new, three-minute-long “Write the Future” commercial, showcasing stars such as Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, again and again. The Nike ad, twisting the notion of consequences to actions on a soccer field in an important event, has been proclaimed by some executives as the best the company has ever done, a statement not taken lightly by any stretch.
All told, the excitement for the World Cup has been building at a steady pace, and I am willing to be swept up in the current of quality soccer and national pride.
I would appreciate, however, if the teams in my bracket would win and lose as they are supposed to. I have $10 riding on it, with Brazil taking all.
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