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Why Ronaldinho will win the
World Cup
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It's either Brazil or … Germany. That's right! Only one of these
two will make it. Don't hope for any other team, and don't bet on
them either.
Soccer is an easy game, especially when it comes to World Cups.
The trophy statistically always goes to a team from the continent
the tournament is held on. This time it is in Europe, therefore a
European team will win it. It's as easy as that.
Another World Cup fact is that the host nation is most likely to
make it far in the tournament and possibly win it. This has been
true ever since the very beginning of World Cup history. Uruguay
won in their capital Montevideo back in 1930. Four years later
Italy won the Cup in Rome and so on. In 1938 Italy won in France.
Well, at least rule number one applies here: Italy won on European
soil.
Of course there is always an exception to the rule, but I will
come back to that later.
Soccer is also a terribly unpredictable game. Teams you wouldn't
bet a dime on suddenly surprise everybody and make it to the
final. Like in 1954, when no one had a doubt that Hungary would
win the Cup in Switzerland. But outsider Germany went beyond
everyone's expectations and beat the favorite 3-2 in the final.
This brings us to rule number four. Germany will always be the
team to beat. Three times Champion and seven times a finalist,
Germany always qualified for the final round and always made it
quite far in the course of the tournament — sometimes quite
mysteriously like in 2002. But even if the Teutons lack superb
players they are considered a tournament team that performs
particularly well under tourney conditions — Teamgeist is the key.
The exception to all these rules is Brazil. The Seleçao not only
plays the finest soccer, but they are the most known team in the
world and the only country to have won the World Cup five times —
no matter which continent.
While Germany has Kaiser Franz Beckenbauer, Brazil comes up with
at least three more soccer heroes. Names like Pele, Romario,
Ronaldo and Ronaldinho not only sound good — these players were
and are artists with the ball and entertain the masses.
And while everyone will wonder how Ronaldinho manages to treat the
ball like he comes from another planet, almost forgotten Ronaldo
could steal the show by becoming the most successful World Cup
scorer of all time. Only two more goals in this year's Cup and the
Brazilian takes over the 14-goal record of Germany's Gerd Müller (dating
back from the 70s).
But back to who is going to win the Cup this year. As much as we
would all like to see the Brazilian magic with the ball, see them
dance and celebrate to those sexy samba rhythms, I must disappoint
you. Germany is going to hold the trophy up into the sky on July
9th.
The German team combines the tactical finesse of the French with
the iron will of the English. The rainy German weather will easily
compensate for lack of technical skill and the Brazilians will
freeze.
Take all the above rules and liquidate the exception. What comes
out is Germany. Still not convinced? Then listen to England's Gary
Lineker: "Football is a simple game; 22 men chase a ball for 90
minutes and at the end, the Germans win."
I told you it's a simple game.
Until then get the wieners in.
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FOXSports |
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