Previous World Cup favourites

2006 - Brazil, England
2002 - France, Argentina
1998 - Brazil
1994 - Germany?
1990 - Italy, Netherlands?

Don't really know any of the ones prior to that, perhaps some of the older posters like Axes can help me there.

This year Spain and Brazil are the favourites, but it seems like the favourites rarely win the tournament.

These digs are definitely getting a bit desperate now. No (rational) persons though England were favourites in 2006.

I dont think theres really any correlation. Its just the nature of a knock out tournament - having to win 4 matches straight in a row. Even if the favourites are more likely to do it, its still unlikely.

Last World Cup, EMP thought Brazil had a 50% chance of winning the world cup. Short of Roger Federer at Wimbledon, the likelihood of winning a straight knockout tournament will always be far lower.

I remember a lot of know-nothing commercial types putting England as favourites. But then they had rated Brazil above them as top favourites and no one gave Italy a chance.

Basically everyone turns into Pele when it comes to predicting world cup winners.

Hlebagone wrote:These digs are definitely getting a bit desperate now. No (rational) persons though England were favourites in 2006.

I dont think theres really any correlation. Its just the nature of a knock out tournament - having to win 4 matches straight in a row. Even if the favourites are more likely to do it, its still unlikely.

Last World Cup, EMP thought Brazil had a 50% chance of winning the world cup. Short of Roger Federer at Wimbledon, the likelihood of winning a straight knockout tournament will always be far lower.

I think you're a bit paranoid.

There clearly is correlation, this is undeniable. Perhaps you mean causation?

Don't agree with your reasoning. You say that the favourites are more likely to win 4 KO games in a row, surely that would mean we'd have more favourites winning the cup?

1990 the netherlands were indeed the HUGE favourites as European champions and with the BIG three from Milan in the team.

3 draws and a loss was the result...

Brazil and Italy were also favourites but they got shockingly knocked out in the semis....

scillaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaacci couldn't do it against ze jarmens....

Argentina played unfair (as usual) and drugged the brazilian squad....


1994 Brazil and Argentina (with the new 'coke' free (ahum) Maradona) belonged to the favourites.

Ricardo Wetzel wrote:1990 the netherlands were indeed the HUGE favourites as European champions and with the BIG three from Milan in the team.

3 draws and a loss was the result...

Brazil and Italy were also favourites but they got shockingly knocked out in the semis....

scillaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaacci couldn't do it against ze jarmens....

Argentina played unfair (as usual) and drugged the brazilian squad....


1994 Brazil and Argentina (with the new 'coke' free (ahum) Maradona) belonged to the favourites were favourites...

Thanks Ricardo

From as much as I remember - I guess everyone's idea of favourites is different:

2006 - Brasil
2002 - Argentina / France
1998 - Brasil / France
1994 - Brasil / Italy / Germany
1990 - Italy / Netherlands / Germany
1986 - Brasil / France
1982 - Brasil

But I agree with Bobo real favourites like Spain today hardly win it....

jinx....

In 1994 Italy and Brazil were the favourites I believe, my first WC and my first game was Germany-Bolivia I believe. Fey jr. couldnt believe what he saw, how could a world champion be so bad (I didnt had a clue about this country called germany and thought world champs played good football, I was so innocent back then)

But my youth idols, Romario and Baggio played for Brazil and Italy so they were the favs, Maradonna was over the hill anyway, though I do remember that coke goal of him.

Germany had an awesome squad in 1994 and were one of the favourites indeed. Problem was that while the squad was awesome on paper, the players didn't get along. And there was no charismatic Beckenbauer to keep them in check, but a rather bland Vogts.

Klinsmann often said in interviews that the 1994 WC was the biggest disappointment in his career, knowing how talented the players were, and how they threw it all away.


Germany's 1994 WC squad:

Goalkeepers:
Bodo Illgner, Oliver Kahn, Andreas Köpke

Defenders:
Thomas Berthold, Andreas Brehme, Thomas Helmer, Jürgen Kohler, Lothar Matthäus

Midfielders:
Mario Basler, Guido Buchwald, Stefan Effenberg, Maurizio Gaudino, Thomas Häßler, Andreas Möller, Matthias Sammer, Thomas Strunz, Martin Wagner

Forwards:
Ulf Kirsten, Jürgen Klinsmann, Stefan Kuntz, Karlheinz Riedle, Rudi Völler

So assuming the favourites for this WC are Brazil and Spain, who would you consider being the teams with an outside chance of pipping the favourites?

Its got to be one from - Germany, Argentina, England, Holland, Italy, Portugal and France really...

Can't think of any other team with ANY chance of getting to the final. Ivory Coast possibly if they get through the groups.

in 1994

Germany were not ONE of the favourites

they were

THE ONLY favourite

BAR NONE

LIARS and anti-Germans, all of YOU

blutgraetsche wrote:


Germany's 1994 WC squad:

Goalkeepers:
Bodo Illgner, Oliver Kahn, Andreas Köpke

Defenders:
Thomas Berthold, Andreas Brehme, Thomas Helmer, Jürgen Kohler, Lothar Matthäus

Midfielders:
Mario Basler, Guido Buchwald, Stefan Effenberg, Maurizio Gaudino, Thomas Häßler, Andreas Möller, Matthias Sammer, Thomas Strunz, Martin Wagner

Forwards:
Ulf Kirsten, Jürgen Klinsmann, Stefan Kuntz, Karlheinz Riedle, Rudi Völler

Look at all these c**ts, a team you love to hate. I really hope Germany will be able to field such a team again in the future. Footballing wise not really great or anything, but its just SOOO German! Ballack wouldnt have even made this squad, any player of this team would be captain of the current German team.

Imagine what would happen to Schweini, if he walks into the dressing room of 1994 with his scarf still on!!

Fey wrote:

blutgraetsche wrote:


Germany's 1994 WC squad:

Goalkeepers:
Bodo Illgner, Oliver Kahn, Andreas Köpke

Defenders:
Thomas Berthold, Andreas Brehme, Thomas Helmer, Jürgen Kohler, Lothar Matthäus

Midfielders:
Mario Basler, Guido Buchwald, Stefan Effenberg, Maurizio Gaudino, Thomas Häßler, Andreas Möller, Matthias Sammer, Thomas Strunz, Martin Wagner

Forwards:
Ulf Kirsten, Jürgen Klinsmann, Stefan Kuntz, Karlheinz Riedle, Rudi Völler

Look at all these c**ts, a team you love to hate. I really hope Germany will be able to field such a team again in the future. Footballing wise not really great or anything, but its just SOOO German! Ballack wouldnt have even made this squad, any player of this team would be captain of the current German team.

Imagine what would happen to Schweini, if he walks into the dressing room of 1994 with his scarf still on!!

This wasn't a good footballing team?

Lothar Matthäus,Stefan Effenberg,Andreas Möller,Jürgen Klinsmann

Now from what I have seen in old games these were all good players.

Fey, that was an awesome squad on paper. Some all time greats in it, great defenders and goal keepers, the only Germany squad with both Sammer and Matthäus, Effenberg's only WC for Germany. And then you had creative players like Häßler and Möller and very clinical forwards. If they had gotten along, you could have formed an awesome team out of them. But not Vogts, too many 'alpha males' in that one for an uncharismatic twat like him to handle.

I wish we had a squad like that these days. In future? Maybe, there are a lot of talented players coming through. But so far, I don't see any characters of that calibre. But characters have to grow, you can't expect kids without experience to be like that.

Ä wrote:in 1994

Germany were not ONE of the favourites

they were

THE ONLY favourite

BAR NONE

LIARS and anti-Germans, all of YOU

Yet despatched by Letchkov's bald patch.

That's the beauty of football - all it takes is a follically challenged Bulgarian to make a fool of the favourites tag

blutgraetsche wrote:Fey, that was an awesome squad on paper. Some all time greats in it, great defenders and goal keepers, the only Germany squad with both Sammer and Matthäus, Effenberg's only WC for Germany. And then you had creative players like Häßler and Möller and very clinical forwards. If they had gotten along, you could have formed an awesome team out of them. But not Vogts, too many 'alpha males' in that one for an uncharismatic twat like him to handle.

I wish we had a squad like that these days. In future? Maybe, there are a lot of talented players coming through. But so far, I don't see any characters of that calibre. But characters have to grow, you can't expect kids without experience to be like that.

Die Mannschaft walked on their last feet... Even a schoolkid saw they couldn't bring it anymore...

In 1998 - yes. But not 1994, that's simply wrong Ricardo. The 1994 team failed because they simply were no team. If the Mannschaft 'walked on their last feet', how did a lesser strong squad manage to win the Euros two years later?

blutgraetsche wrote:In 1998 - yes. But not 1994, that's simply wrong Ricardo. The 1994 team failed because they simply were no team. If the Mannschaft 'walked on their last feet', how did a lesser strong squad managed to win the Euros two years later?

Just like thé messiah a real rebirth of matadores....

Well they were awful in 1994 from what I remember that is. Like you say I believe it had too many Alpha males in it. Compare that with the German squad of today! This current German team is so indifferent for me, so bland and if it wasnt for Otto and the German wums I couldnt care less if they went out or not.

It is so bland because Löw wants it to be that way. A bland coach who can't handle slightest opposition / dissent of any kind.

blutgraetsche wrote:Germany had an awesome squad in 1994 and were one of the favourites indeed. Problem was that while the squad was awesome on paper, the players didn't get along. And there was no charismatic Beckenbauer to keep them in check, but a rather bland Vogts.

Klinsmann often said in interviews that the 1994 WC was the biggest disappointment in his career, knowing how talented the players were, and how they threw it all away.


Germany's 1994 WC squad:

Goalkeepers:
Bodo Illgner, Oliver Kahn, Andreas Köpke

Defenders:
Thomas Berthold, Andreas Brehme, Thomas Helmer, Jürgen Kohler, Lothar Matthäus

Midfielders:
Mario Basler, Guido Buchwald, Stefan Effenberg, Maurizio Gaudino, Thomas Häßler, Andreas Möller, Matthias Sammer, Thomas Strunz, Martin Wagner

Forwards:
Ulf Kirsten, Jürgen Klinsmann, Stefan Kuntz, Karlheinz Riedle, Rudi Völler

Awesome squad

I clearly remember Germany as a fav in 1994, along with Brasil & Italy.

Ricardo Wetzel wrote:But I agree with Bobo real favourites like Spain today hardly win it....

jinx....

I think in the 90s, all 3 WC winners were among the pre-tournament favourites..... the last 2 WCs, not so much...

Fey wrote: This current German team is so indifferent for me, so bland and if it wasnt for Otto and the German wums I couldnt care less if they went out or not.

even I cannot be bothered to CARE about the current Mannschaft

ZERO personality squad

bores me to death

the idea of LAHM being Captain ACTIVELY

REVOLTS me

a SHADOW has more PRESENCE than Lahm

----------

the truth though is that we COULD still field a team that captures the imagination

Wiese or Lehmann would be in goal

Jansen, Poldi, Schweini, Ballack, Kuranyi, Borowski, Jones, Frings, Hummels, Huth ( ), Franz, Rost, Weidenfeller

and a few others could make up the squad

the next generation is also VERY boring

but the likes of REUS, Grosskreutz, Neuer and J Boateng all have potential and CHARACTER

as long as German society become more FEMININE, the trend to more banal and bland players will continue unabated

The problem is NOT Low, Blut.

It's Germans like Otto, who are the main problem.

According to him, he is basically the only REAL German male left, yet he swallows mackeral pills cause he is worried about his Omega3 level!

And then you think it's odd you have a coach who is more worried about the pH of his skin rather then the current score of his team!

A better German team starts with yourselves! A weak society creates weak characters!

Wahre G.

Colombia were supposed to be one of the 'new' favourites ahead of the 1994 WC. Especially after they thrashed Argentina in Buenos Aires. Pele said they would win it blah blah blah. Epic fail though.

That's way too far fetched, and even if it's true, it's far from being solely a German problem - at least most of the European societies are very similar.

Sammer is right when he says that when it comes to education of our footballers, character building and teaching 'winning mentality' have to be more in the focus, the mental aspect of the game, not just the footballing abilities. Fortunately, being the DFB sporting director, that's exactly what he is pushing forward.

I'm a lot less concerned about the future. The problem is that in the present, you can't expect a U21 side to show the same maturity and 'character' as an experienced one. For many of those youngsters, this WC may come too early.

Fey wrote:

It's Germans like Otto, who are the main problem.

According to him, he is basically the only REAL German male left, yet he swallows mackeral pills cause he is worried about his Omega3 level!


Wahre G.

you DUTCH c**t will apologize IMMEDIATELY

for insulting a "deutscher PATRIOT"

OR

I will declare a TOTALER KRIEG on YOU



may I remind you that I tend to eat proper HERINGE

der rohen Sorte

often take COLD showers

and do not own a SINGLE REAL SCARF

(other than my old College scarf, which I would be too embarrassed to wear)

only recently, did I suffer from a severe "VIRAL INFECTION"

YET

I still walked up the Wallberg near Tegernsee

overtaking MANY climbers in their full mountain gear

FEY

YOU have CROSSED the line

und dafür musst DU büssen

traurige Geschichte, die in einem Blutbad enden wird

Blut, its true that its a problem for many countries, but you don't see it so obviously as with Germany. Latin countries have always been FEMININE.

If Germany doesnt change now, I'm sure the DFB will think about mixed gender teams at the WC just to reach an even bigger audiance!!

The only way Germany can be saved is, if Otto is gonna stop swallowing mackeral pills and is gonna take viagra instead. Cause he has to make every German female pregnant!

This way, we will have German players with CHARACTER in the future again!

Sehr geile Geschichte!

Fey wrote:
If Germany doesnt change now, I'm sure the DFB will think about mixed gender teams at the WC

Don't give 'm any ideas !

Birgit Prinz > any of their current strikers

WG