World Cup top eight seeds unveiled

[Thunderball]

Originally Posted by Delthefunky

Group B a joke!! are you kidding? That's not exactly a sure shot for England to qualify for the second roun´d... Sweden hasn't lost to England in almost 40 years, and Paraguay isn't a minnow either!!

Sweden and England are practically assured of being the two teams that go through... thats what makes it a joke. Paraguay is a minnow compared to Italy, US and the Czech Republic. They're close to par with Ghana, the team assumed to be the beating boy of group E. Rankings mean very little, especially since both North and South American teams are heavily favored by the way the rankings are tabulated. Even the US... they're good... they're not top 10 good. They're only so high cause they slap around teams like Canada and Trinidad so often in CONCACAF tournaments which are heavily weighted in the ranking formula. Brazil and Argentina are 1 and 4 mostly cause they always win in South America. Are they good teams, sure. How can Czech Republic can be 2nd after being forced to qualification playoff? Meanwhile, Italy sent out a different team every match, and cruised into the WC easily (many games without Totti or Buffon), and yet are 11? This is exactly why the rankings need to be taken with a grain of salt.

[the_only_turek_fan]

I am not a huge soccer fan but I am certainly looking forward to watching one of these games.

I will be in Germany at the same time as the World Cup, and I am currently on the waiting list for tickets.

To be there live would be something eh?

[Jagger]

Originally Posted by Hakan

England is the Toronto Maple Leafs of international soccer.

Crap, I can't believe that I'll be cheering for the Leafs at the World Cup then!

That's just not right...... Actually even though I'm from England originally and obviously will support them I don't disagree with you. The media are ridiculous, the fans are real bandwagoners, not all thugs mind you, and the expectations are always high only for them to falter. I also find it difficult to cheer for any ManU players (Rooney especially even if he is a talent) and the likes of Beckham. BUT it's in my blood and I'll be living and dying with them every second of the way, darnit!

[troutman]

One more chance for tickets:

http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/051210/1/5ojb.html

The third sales period for the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ will begin on 12 December 2005, with 250,000 more tickets going on sale. The page on www.FIFAworldcup.com containing the order form will be re-launched at midday, and tickets will be available for ordering until 15 January 2006. As with the first sales period, the tickets will be distributed after a ballot, since it is assumed that demand will outweigh supply. The order in which the bookings are received will have no bearing on the attribution of the tickets.