-TSS-

Brazil will have to improve a lot if they wish to get past Colombia which at the moment is reducing Uruguay to rubble. I must say that Colombia has undergone quite an image-change in 20 years. They used to be a disgusting puppet of the drag-cartels; the murder of Escobar 20 years ago proved that. Today they are even sympathetic.

Brazil through after a tight match against Chile I must say that I'm a bit puzzled why do people on this site say that they hope Brazil doesn't win and they hope that Germany/Holland will win. I would have thought you would have prefered any team of the American continent over any Europeans.

Perhaps the world cup this year and the olympics in two year's time will prove to be good advertisement for Brazil as a country of tourist-destination. Never been there myself but what I've heard it's a marvellous country but it has a reputation, perhaps a justifiable one, to be a really rough and violent country, which of course does make potential tourists to go elsewhere.

Costa Rica is a Central-American country and their team comes from the same federation as USA and Canada.

The top-half of the draw: Brazil-Chile Colombia-Uruguay France-Nigeria Germany-Algeria The bottom half of the draw: Holland-Mexico Costa Rica-Greece Argentina-Switzerland Belgium-USA Anyone can see that the top half is much tougher. Brazil and Germany are the biggest two favourites but they will meet in the semifinals if they make that far. My estimate is that the South-American spell holds and the title will be won either by Brazil or Argentina.

In 1941-44 yes but in the winter war of 1939-40 no. The tv-commentator's remark was prompted by an earlier interview of the German star Thomas Mûller where he said that they worked very hard to get the victory but all that effort finally paid off.

Here in Finland a TV-commentator described the German win over the USA by saying "arbeit macht frei". Well, even though there was no malicious intent whatsoever it was pretty poor judgment to make such a remark. In Germany or Austria he would be out of the job and perhaps facing prosecution. Such a sensitive issue the holocaust is that even sarcastic humour on it is frowned upon.

My suggestion is that Suarez is allowed to play but on condition that he wears a muzzle.

Suarez's prank seems to have totally hijacked all the attention and overshadowed the crucial fact that Uruguay won and sent Italy packing. However, if Suarez gets banned from next games Uruguay should be rather helpless against Colombia.

Your wish has been granted!

As it is an outdoor game therefore things like heat, humidity, altitude etc can play a major part in the outcome of the matches. If you are unaccustomed to circumstances you are bound to play below your potential. That's why it is not only superstition that a European team can not win in South-America, very unlikely this time either.

I'll take back what I said the other day that there should be more European teams in the world cup. Mexico making minced meat out of Croatia and otherwise too the tournament has been a disaster for Europe when as CONCACAF marches on.

I have a reasonable hunch that the Germans and the US are going to play a tie in the last match.

Damned if you and damned if don't-situation for the USA as if they intervene that is another invasion but if they don't then they will be accused of overlooking a humanitarian catastrophe they may have been able to prevent.

I must say that I envy you Canadians that you have been able to keep this rubbish at bay. I wish we in Europe had the similar resoluteness as you have over the pond.

As for the French: 1994: Total failure, didn't qualify 1998: World champions 2002: Total failure, got stuck in the group 2006: Runners up 2010: Total failure, got stuck in the group 2014: anyone see a pattern?

The match that just finished calls for this performance:

Had it been some Trinidad&Tobago or Jamaica or other tiny nation playing like that against Argentina it would have been considered as a brave fight but Iran just doesn't fall into that category.

I don't. They parked their bus in front of their goal and hoped for a nil-nil. It didn't pay off.

I would still call for the partition of Iraq but according to wiser minds that is out of the question so who am I to make such claims.

Why do you post this drivel on a Canadian forum?

There goes England's last hope as Costa-Rica sensatioanlly beat Italy. Deservedly so. By the way this tournament is going CONCACAF could claim an extra-berth in the next tournament.

Brazil or Italy, the two most successful world cup nations, one of them will win this time too. They may not meet in the final but one of them is going to win. The world cup in Brazil and Brazil not winning? That's just ridiculous, isn't it? However it happened 64 years ago and to some Brazilinians that is still a major sporting-trauma. They will do their utmost for not that to happen again. Even the referees will help them if the need be.

I remember when I was 16 I used to follow politics very closely but it never crossed my mind that I should be able to vote. It just didn't.

Cheer up! Tomorrow Italy will beat Costa-Rica by 1-2 goals, which means they will have to take seriously their final group match against Uruguay and as well win it while England beats Costa-Rica comfortably and there it is for you: A place in the round of 16.