World Cup mania is here
SANDPOINT — Today at 1 p.m. the 2014 World Cup kicks off as hosts Brazil take on Croatia at Arena Corinthians in São Paulo. The tournament will dominate the world’s attention until its climax on July 13, when a world champion will be crowned.
I was only 9 years-old when the World Cup came to the United States. I had played soccer but didn’t consider myself a soccer player by any means. After going to the Sweden-Romania quarterfinal which ended with the Swedes advancing in penalty kicks I have literally thought about soccer every single day since.
Here are three story lines that might make this year’s World Cup your turning point from occasional player or viewer into full-fledged soccer addict.
• USA USA USA
The US national team has improved immensely since German World Cup winner Jurgen Klinsmann took the reins in 2011. For the first time ever, American players like Michael Bradley, Tim Howard and Clint Dempsey legitimately strike fear into the eyes of the world’s best players and the world is beginning to take us seriously as a threat.
That’s the good news. The bad news? We open with Ghana, who knocked us out of the last two World Cups, followed by Portugal, ranked fourth in the world, and finishing with Germany, second in the world. If we want to be taken seriously, here’s our chance to prove our quality.
• Spanish Domination
Spain’s national team is in the middle of the greatest run ever in international soccer: 2008 European Champions, 2010 World Cup Champions, 2012 European Champions. No other team has ever won three international tournaments in a row. Spain is looking for a fourth this year.
La Roja, as Spain’s national team is known, relies heavily on possession of the ball and boasts the most experienced and technically excellent midfielders in the tournament. Barcelona trio Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets have a telepathic understanding, and Xabi Alonso is one of the world’s best passers to complement their quality.
Spain’s big question mark is who will stick the ball in the back of the net? Legendary goal scorers Fernando Torres and David Villa are past their best. The form choice would be Diego Costa, a Brazillian-born player who switched allegiances to Spain in 2013 after twice representing Brazil in friendly matches. Costa scored 36 goals for Atletico Madrid this season and is Spain’s most prolific scorer on current form but his preference to play on the counterattack into space might not gel with Spain’s slow but sure possession domination.
• Hosts dreaming of redemption
Brazil coach Felipe Scolari accused Costa of “turning his back on the dream of millions” by switching to the defending European and Spanish champions. The dream of winning the World Cup on home soil has eluded Brazil since 1950 when it was upset by Uruguay in front of nearly 200,000 fans in what still remains the highest attendance in a team sports match.
The hopes of the host country rest on the slender shoulders of Neymar, a 22-year-old Barcelona player who may or may not be the most expensive player not he planet: he is currently the subject of an investigation into just how much Barcelona paid for him.
Brazil is young but functional and is the overwhelming favorite to pick up its sixth World Cup.
Can the country rally and exorcise the 64-year-old ghosts of the Maracana stadium?