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The Beautiful Game’s Russian Blemish?
(The official poster for the 2018 World Cup in Russia spotlights former Soviet goalie and esteemed Ballon d’Or winner Lev Yashin, courtesy of FIFA World Cup’s Facebook page)
And the 2018 World Cup groupings are…
- Group A: Egypt, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
- Group B: Iran, Morocco, Portugal, Spain
- Group C: Australia, Denmark, France, Peru
- Group D: Argentina, Croatia, Iceland, Nigeria
- Group E: Brazil, Costa Rica, Serbia, Switzerland
- Group F: Germany, Mexico, South Korea, Sweden
- Group G: Belgium, England, Panama, Tunisia
- Group H: Colombia, Japan, Poland, Senegal
Way Too Early Predictions of the Group Winner & Runner-Up are in bold.
Instant Reaction: There’s no “Group of Death” and the 2018 World Cup in Russia will showcase a seemingly underwhelming collection of the (supposedly) best 32 national soccer teams in the world. Without any matches even occurring, one of the major stories related to next summer’s competition is the group of prominent nations that won’t stepping onto soccer’s biggest, brightest stage.
Slightly Longer Reaction: Despite some of soccer’s most notable nations and their leading star players and, in some cases, burgeoning international soccer brands noticeably absent (the United States with Christian Pulisic, Italy with Gianluigi Buffon, Netherlands with Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder, Chile with Arturo Vidal and Alexis Sánchez, Austria with David Alaba and Wales with Gareth Bale), a World Cup provides the ideal opportunity to elevate the sport’s next big name who presently flies beneath the radar focused almost exclusively on Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Manuel Neuer. Think back to 2010 and 2014 with Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben of the Dutch and Uruguay’s sniper and FIFA’s 2010 World Cup Golden Ball winner (tournament’s best player) Diego Forlán.
Who’s going to deliver a World Cup performance akin to Diego Forlán or Arjen Robben? Watch out for Poland’s Robert Lewandowski, France’s tank Paul Pogba and its talented youth movement, Argentina’s Paulo Dybala, Brazil’s speedster on the flank Douglas Costa and Germany’s Joshua Kimmich and Thomas Müller, for starters.
*Also, keep an eye on the fundamentally sound players for Japan regarding ball control. Trust me.
Insanely Early World Cup Final Prediction: How about Germany vs. Argentina, a repeat of the 2014 World Cup Final that so the Germans lift soccer’s greatest trophy? I may go back-and-forth several times in the next few months for giving Germany or France the advantage in a potential game to reach the final that would be determined by a razor-thin margin, as of right now.
When was the last time a World Cup Final featured the same two national teams in consecutive cycles? Glad you asked. It was 1986 and 1990 between, that’s right, Argentina and West Germany. Argentina won in 1986 and West Germany hoisted the golden trophy to the soccer gods in 1990. Furthermore, West Germany was the runner-up to Itlay in the 1982 World Cup.
Crazy Early and Stressful World Cup Champions Prediction: Argentina (see paragraph above for intriguing precedent occurring again)
More importantly, this could be Messi’s last best chance to win a World Cup for his legacy (he’s 30-years-old), which could be the special “it” factor for Argentina against its toughest opponents in Russia next summer. Cristiano Ronaldo (will be 33-years-old next summer) has that incentive too, but Portugal’s squad may or may not be equipped to string together a magical World Cup title run.
We’re only a couple weeks six-and-a-half months from the thrilling, world-class opening June 14 match of the 2018 World Cup in Russia that will feature global superpowers host Russia and Saudi Arabia. Remember that slightly underwhelming dynamic surrounding this World Cup mentioned earlier in this blog post?
There’s just no concealing it.
The Crew Had One Goal for Tonight
All they needed was one, just one goal.
Columbus Crew SC fell 1-nil to Toronto FC in Canada tonight in the second (and decisive) leg of the 2017 MLS Eastern Conference Final, thereby preventing the black & gold from hosting an MLS Cup for the ages. Admittedly, as a Crew fan from the beginning, it’s difficult to find the words in this trying moment. The chances were there for that critical one away goal, but Justin Meram and Ola Kamara couldn’t place the ball in the back of the net.
That one goal was right there…
By the way, huge props to the next USMNT goalkeeper Zack Steffen for another fantastic penalty kick save in the 26th minute.
And in predictable snake-like behavior, MLS Commissioner Don Garber claimed he was “stuck in traffic” so he didn’t have to answer questions live on FS1 regarding his active participation in the deception, sabotage and attempted removal of the Crew from Columbus. Without diving deep tonight into the ongoing shameful acts by Crew SC owner Anthony Precourt, Crew SC President of Business Operations Andy Loughnane, Precourt Sports Ventures President Dave Greeley and MLS Commissioner Don Garber, I have just one thing to say right now:
The #SaveTheCrew movement is not over and will continue far beyond this MLS post-season. The efforts behind the rallying cry “We’re not done yet” will not yield because if Columbus ceases to be home to a professional soccer club, then so goes the identity and beating heart of American soccer in its capital city.
Pop-Up Crooks
The Crew Wars is about to add its next episode on the pitch…
Columbus Crew SC will battle Supporters’ Shield winner and MLS heavyweight Toronto FC tomorrow night in Canada in the second leg of the 2017 MLS Eastern Conference Final at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1. And the stakes for this match aren’t just for a spot in MLS Cup but the opportunity to host MLS Cup. This massive game awaits the Crew and its vocal #SaveTheCrew movement (The Resistance) in the stands and here in Columbus whereby a victory could be the best-televised PR moment for Columbus this season, as well as simultaneously being the worst televised PR moment for the Empire (snakes Crew SC owner Anthony Precourt, Crew SC President of Business Operations Andy Loughnane, Precourt Sports Ventures President Dave Greeley and MLS Commissioner Don Garber).
More #SaveTheCrew analysis will come this week as details confirming that Empire representatives Mr. Precourt and Mr. Garber told Resistance forces Columbus Mayor Ginther and Columbus Partnership President & CEO Alex Fischer that they could pay the $5 million fee to apply for an expansion team in the future (FOR THE TEAM THAT’S ALREADY HERE!) during their closed-door New York meeting. Plus, there have been back-and-forth reports involving land being offered for a proposed Crew stadium in downtown Columbus in recent days.
For today, however, before this soccer storm returns to our television screens via the pivotal second leg of the Eastern Conference Final, this blog post is being written with my nieces and nephews in mind.
Paddington, the live-action film with a CGI bear that was a box office hit with rave reviews from 2014 has received the sequel treatment. Accordingly, this fun, heartwarming story that’s been beautifully produced for the silver screen released its first full U.S. trailer via Warner Bros. Pictures earlier today.
If you can’t bear to wait, no worries, as you can enjoy the rambunctious Paddington 2 starting January 12, 2018.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 