World Cup Thread Friday 20th June

[cleavers]

It just seems to be the case that it's almost impossible to cross the Atlantic and win the thing. It's only ever been done once, in either direction.

I doubt very much that the Atlantc Ocean is a key factor. Some european teams think that turning up is enough, whilst african and the lesser central ans south american teams are well organised, and up for it too.

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

It just seems to be the case that it's almost impossible to cross the Atlantic and win the thing. It's only ever been done once, in either direction.

I doubt very much that the Atlantc Ocean is a key factor. Some european teams think that turning up is enough, whilst african and the lesser central ans south american teams are well organised, and up for it too.

I'm just using that as shorthand. It's perhaps the change in climate, the change in food, just something intangible about Europe that doesn't suit Latin American teams, and something intangible about Latin America that doesn't suit European teams. The argument about thinking it's enough to turn up can't be valid for every tournament, it seems to me. It also looks doubtful to explain the serial failure of South American teams anywhere other than in South or Central America. Obviously, Brazil won it in Japan, Spain won it in South Africa. Being out of Europe and Lation America seemed to put everyone on a level playing field. But that's pretty much the record, for everyone, since the establishment of the tournament.
It might also have been something to do with different refereeing traditions, at least in the early years. In the sixties and for much of the seventies, the tackle from behind was a perfectly acceptable part of the game in Britain, if the defender won the ball. The Latin Americans were astonished by that, and it led to not a few brawls on the pitch.