Is the World Cup still the ultimate prize in football ?

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Puff Daddy
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Is the World Cup still the ultimate prize in football ?

Post by Puff Daddy »

There is a convincing article on http://www.msn.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; which makes a very thought provoking case that perhaps it no longer is.Yes the winner can make a genuine claim to be World champions and therefore, the best team in the world, but are they really? Maybe the Champions League winners can stake a more convincing claim ? Take a look for yourselves and see if you agree?
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Re: Is the World Cup still the ultimate prize in football ?

Post by DasNutNock »

World Cup > FA Cup >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> CL > PL
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Re: Is the World Cup still the ultimate prize in football ?

Post by fmgod »

I would still say it is, it's a competition with a level playing field in essence ie no money or transfer involved although I'm not a fan of the likes of Costa playing for Spain etc
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Re: Is the World Cup still the ultimate prize in football ?

Post by Puff Daddy »

In the article it makes a mention of Tunisia, who with no internationally renowned players, Japan too, who through organisation, good team management and no little skill either, can make life very awkward for teams with Champions League superstars. It also mentions how and Portugal and Aregentina immediately come to mind, have only a couple of truly World class players, come unstuck against far lesser teams because their superstars are playing with less gifted players at international level than they do for their clubs and now, compared to 30 years ago, when we did not have Sky TV and weekly coverage of La Liga , we are far more alert to international players and see them on our TV screens every week, whereas in the 90's we only got a glimpse of them once every 4 years
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Re: Is the World Cup still the ultimate prize in football ?

Post by Loftyhammer »

Your original question and the question of who’s the best team are different IMO

Is the World Cup still the ultimate prize? Without doubt absolutely....again in my opinion

That doesn’t necessarily mean the team that wins it have the best team in the entire world. Just in that tournament... I’d say Barca at least would have a very good chance of beating most if not all the teams in this WC
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Re: Is the World Cup still the ultimate prize in football ?

Post by DasNutNock »

In the old days, the idea that you could form a team of the best 11 players from a country - money no object - suggested a real lineup of stars. Thing is, money really is no object to some clubs, so they can effectively pick whoever they want from the entire world. And they train together 10 months a year, unlike national teams who train a few weeks per year.

Most of the top European League clubs would trample all over the best international sides. But the world cup means that an entire country celebrates, not just the fans of a single club.
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Re: Is the World Cup still the ultimate prize in football ?

Post by sendô »

The best national teams might not be the best teams in the world any more, but the world cup is still the single most difficult trophy to win and remains the pinnacle of achievement within the game, by virtue of the fact that a) it is only every 4 years, b) every single player in the world is competing to win it, c) you can only win it with your country, and cannot simply transfer to a top country with lots of cash, and d) even the very best players will normally only get 2 or 3 attempts at it.
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Re: Is the World Cup still the ultimate prize in football ?

Post by Tristan Shout »

For me in order I would like to see
1. West ham win the FA cup
2. West ham win the league
3. West ham win a European cup
4. England win the World Cup with at least two West ham home grown players
5. West ham win the league cup
6. England win the euros with at least two West ham home grown players
7. England win the World cup
8. England win the euros
9. West ham player winning golden boot
10. Tottenham, arsenal, man u and Liverpool all relegated
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Re: Is the World Cup still the ultimate prize in football ?

Post by carnage »

Yes, look at how it affects a nation. Look at the celebrating by the players and subs when late goals are scored.
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Re: Is the World Cup still the ultimate prize in football ?

Post by James P »

sendô wrote:The best national teams might not be the best teams in the world any more, but the world cup is still the single most difficult trophy to win and remains the pinnacle of achievement within the game, by virtue of the fact that a) it is only every 4 years, b) every single player in the world is competing to win it, c) you can only win it with your country, and cannot simply transfer to a top country with lots of cash, and d) even the very best players will normally only get 2 or 3 attempts at it.
Agree with all this
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Re: Is the World Cup still the ultimate prize in football ?

Post by Samba »

To answer Puff's question, imo yes.
There is no higher level in world football. The world stage, a world audience.
Champions League is just club football. Yes, possibly a CL winner might beat a WC winning team but that isn't really the question.
Ask a player who's won both. I'd bet that gold World Cup winners medal is more prized, to them.
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Re: Is the World Cup still the ultimate prize in football ?

Post by WCpete »

Agree w/ Samba. For the most part top CL sides are world all star sides. Some of the national sides have the same talent level as the top CL sides. Most aren't remotely close. But no CL side has the weight of an entire country on their shoulders, where entire nations stop whatever their doing to watch their side play in the World Cup. World Cup eclipses CL.
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Re: Is the World Cup still the ultimate prize in football ?

Post by sendô »

WCpete wrote:where entire nations stop whatever their doing to watch their side play in the World Cup.
I think that's the difference.

At the world cup, even women who usually hate football go out of their way to watch the game, and become emotionally invested in the result.

That simply does not happen with club football to anywhere near the same extent, much less numbers wise.

I seem to remember seeing for the Columbia game whoever it was showing it had something like 89% tv audience share. I bet Liverpool didn't get remotely close to that in the CL final.
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Re: Is the World Cup still the ultimate prize in football ?

Post by pablo jaye »

I think Sendo has it spot on - the fact that it only happens once every 4 years, and the fact that countries have to make do with whoever’s born there.
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Re: Is the World Cup still the ultimate prize in football ?

Post by carnage »

sendô wrote: At the world cup, even women who usually hate football go out of their way to watch.

Indeed, and they normally end up in mine.
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Re: Is the World Cup still the ultimate prize in football ?

Post by Denzil »

Ask any player what trophy they would most like to win and I would imagine 99% would say the World Cup.

For me there is no bigger prize in football.
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