Thank god the game I'm too dumb to understand is over with.

 

FIFY.

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There are a couple of kids (literally kids, 12-13 years old) playing in the Barcelona and Real Madrid academies.

Every country has a few of those in academies with English, or Spanish teams. Sadly, most don't make it.

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I think you just have to say that the top two European sides (and you could add France and Belgium) are once again very good sides


Some big European nations (Spain, Portugal, Italy) failed to live up to expectations this time around, but the numbers in the knockout rounds were made up by surprise packages like Greece and Switzerland.


To be honest I thought only four European teams would make it through to the knockout stages, but it's always nice to be surprised !


And does the balance of power still rest with Europe ? I think the answer has to be "yes".

 

I think the ordering of the final four (Europe 1 & 3, America 2 & 4) reflects the current state of affairs quite nicely. The very best of Europe (Germany & the Netherlands) is better than the very best of America (Brazil & Argentina) which is second. The good of Europe (Belgium, France, possibly Spain & Italy) is better than the good of America (Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay & USA). Below that it's really mixed up with no clear best of the rest confederation.

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Every country has a few of those in academies with English, or Spanish teams. Sadly, most don't make it.

 

The 12 year old in the Madrid academy is the first American kid to ever enter their academy.

 

http://www.mercurynews.com/sports/ci_240...can-player

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The 12 year old in the Madrid academy is the first American kid to ever enter their academy.

 

http://www.mercurynews.com/sports/ci_240...can-player

That's nice, but there are hunderds of kids in these programs. And like the high school to college to pros system in America; most never make it to the big leagues. Ajax alone has 13 youth squads in their academy. At roughly 16 players per squad that's 208 players. And 16 per squad is probably a low number as well. 

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That's nice, but there are hunderds of kids in these programs. And like the high school to college to pros system in America; most never make it to the big leagues. Ajax alone has 13 youth squads in their academy. At roughly 16 players per squad that's 208 players. And 16 per squad is probably a low number as well. 

 

Ours will make it, want to know why...?  'Murica.

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