Quote:
Originally Posted by Pastiche
I'm no Portugal supporter but this statement is dead on.
England are the Toronto Maple Leafs of international soccer. Endlessly overrated, shoved down our throats team that hasn't done ANYTHING since the 60s and routinely chokes on the bone. Guess what? It will be the SAME story again in South Africa.
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I don't think this is true. It's not like they choke and fail to make it past the group stage. They've been to the quarterfinals in each of the last two tournaments. They lost on penalties to Portugal in 2006, when they were down to 10 men, and to a stacked Brazil team in 2002. I would also argue that they kept pace with Brazil until Seaman terribly misplayed that free kick. Both of these England squads weren't expected to go much further than the quaterfinals.
I think Spain and the Netherlands are guiltier of being completely overhyped and then delivering nothing at the tournament. Spain were heavily favoured at both 2002 and 2006 and bowed out in the round of 16 to freaking Korea, and a really old French team respectively.