They've had three top 10 teams already knocked out of this year's
World Cup and the fourth best team in the world is currently hanging on
for dear life at the bottom of Group G, so the question on everyone's
mind is: "What's wrong with European teams this time around?"
While Latin American countries are thriving at home, European
teams have performed considerably below expectation so far this World
Cup.
Spain (1), Italy (9) and England (10) rate highly in the
world rankings but are all out of the running before the business end of
the tournament.
Between the three countries, in nine games they've notched up just
two wins and funnily enough, the one win came when Italy defeated
England 2-1 in their first match.
Spain became the first reigning champions to lose their first
two games of the following World Cup and in the process were the third
consecutive European winning team to bow out in the group stages four
years after winning a title, after France's goal-less effort in 2002 and
Italy's humiliating showing in 2010.
Meanwhile, fourth-ranked Portugal face an uphill battle to qualify when they take on Ghana in their last match.
If Germany win their final group game, Portugal would need to
win and overturn a goal difference of five with the United States. If
the USA win, Portugal need to make inroads on an eight goal difference
with Germany to pip them - an unlikely scenario.
If it weren't for a sublime Cristiano Ronaldo cross to the
waiting head of Silvestre Varela against USA in the dying seconds of
extra time, Portugal would be on the next flight home with their other
under-performing European pals.
Of the eight teams to qualify for the round of 16 already,
three-quarters are South Ameircan/Latin American sides (Brazil, Mexico,
Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica and Uruguay) compared to the other quarter
which comprises Netherlands and Greece, who scraped in on the back of a
questionable refereeing decision in the dying minutes of their game
against Ivory Coast this morning.
If you're thinking of backing a European team to go all the
way in Brazil, history would suggest you're better offloading your
pennies elsewhere.
Despite winning 10 of 19 World Cups overall, no European team
has ever won in South America/Latin America from six attempts, with
Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina all victorious twice in their home
continent.
The beauty of the World Cup is the surprise packets that
emerge during the group stages and we've certainly seen our fair share
thus far.
Colombia's clinical performances in Group C reflect their
ranking of eighth in the world, but it's Costa Rica's showing in Group D
which has the football community singing their praises.
A shock 3-1 win over a Luis Suarez-depleted Uruguayan outfit
was one thing, but to sneak a goal past Italy and notch up a 1-0 victory
was an astounding effort in a supposed "group of death".
Costa Rica play Greece on Monday morning for a place in the
quarter-finals and have been backed as slight favourites over their
European rivals despite starting the tournament at the long odds of 1000
to 1.
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