worldcup Page 96 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights
Nate Silver's Model Gives The USMNT A 39.4 Percent Chance To Advance
When the U.S. drew Germany, Portugal, and Ghana for its 2014 World Cup group, the immediate consensus was that we were totally boned. But is it possible, after rigorous quantitative analysis, that we are less than boned?...
The USMNT Probably Won't Win The World Cup
Going into today's World Cup draw, we already knew just how stacked the 32-team field that make up next year's tournament in Brazil was. Seemingly every perennial superpower—hosts Brazil, Spain, Germany, Argentina, and the Netherlands, Italy—as well as the ridiculous "underclass" of teams like Belgi...
How The World Cup Draw Affected Each Country's Odds To Win
Hot off the presses from online sportsbook Bovada, each country's odds to win the 2014 World Cup, both before and after today's draw....
Here Are The Groups For The 2014 World Cup
As just drawn at a ceremony in Costa Do Sauipe, Brazil:...
What if FIFA Seeded The World Cup The Way Americans Would?
FIFA is so hopelessly corrupt that today's lottery to determine World Cup round robin groups is a necessary evil. If a committee determined the groupings behind closed doors, it would surely result in political enemies being forced to face Brazil in the first round and the country giving Sepp Blatte...
Here Are The Pots For The World Cup Draw
At a press conference in Brazil this morning, FIFA officials announced the pot allocations for next summer's World Cup. The draw will be held on Friday, but it's time to start imagining your groups of death, and how the U.S. is absolutely going to end up in one....
Crane Collapse At Brazil World Cup Stadium Kills 3
A construction accident at a Sao Paolo stadium scheduled to host the opening ceremony of next summer's World Cup killed three workers, according to an official statement, and that number could rise....
Brazil's World Cup Kick-Off Times Are <em>Perfect</em>
The last four World Cups have been nightmares for American television viewers, with games kicking off at sunrise or (in 2002) in the middle of the night, and finishing in the middle of the afternoon. But Brazil's got our backs, and the match times are absolutely ideal for making sure no one gets a d...
ESPN Writer Takes All-Expenses Paid Trip To Qatar, Loves Qatar
All those problems you thought Qatar's World Cup faced—indentured servitude, bribery allegations, unplayable heat, nonexistent infrastructure—it turns out they can all be made to go away with a stay in a nice hotel and a photo op with Alan Shearer. ...
Hear The Insane Portuguese Call Of Cristiano Ronaldo's Hat Trick
Almost singlehandedly, Ronaldo put Portugal through to the World Cup yesterday, scoring thrice against Sweden. Here's how it sounded on Portuguese radio, as called by the delirious and grateful Nuno Matos....
France Make History To Qualify For The World Cup
After France lost to Ukraine on Friday in the first leg of their World Cup playoff 2-0, it seemed their hopes of traveling to Brazil were all but over. After all, no team had ever overcome a 2-0 deficit in the first leg of the playoffs to qualify for the sport's biggest tournament. To advance, Franc...
Ronaldo Scores Three, Feigns Human Emotion; Portugal On To World Cup
The Portugal-Sweden playoff matchup was seen by most as little more than a matchup of Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimović, two of the best players in the world. Portugal won on Friday in Lisbon, 1-0, after a late diving header from Ronaldo. For Sweden to advance, they'd have to win today. That ...
France Need A Miracle To Make The World Cup
France most likely will not qualify for the 2014 Brazil World Cup....
I Can't Stop Looking At This Absolutely Vicious Free Kick
This is just filthy. Uruguay's Edinson Cavani freezes the entire nation of Jordan on this marvelous free kick. Uruguay won the first leg of its World Cup qualifying playoff with Jordan 5-0, but this is the only goal anyone ever needs....
The Portugal-Sweden World Cup Playoff Will Be A Beautiful Tragedy
Two-legged playoffs to decide the final spots for the 2014 World Cup are being played this week and next. We've already seen Uruguay and Mexico more or less punch their tickets with mollywhoppings of, respectively, Jordan and New Zealand. Friday's European playoff matchups will undoubtedly be much m...
Mexico Just Destroyed New Zealand. New Zealand Sucked So Much.
Mexico passed through them. They used long through balls, practically jamming it down the All Whites' throats. They dominated on set pieces. They defended with almost profound ease. They tripled their opponents' possession. And barring one the most unbelievable comebacks in the history of sports, Me...
Mexico Are Definitely Going To The World Cup. Right?
For a few minutes, anyway, Mexico looked to be out of the World Cup. Last month, they lost away to Costa Rica on the final day of World Cup Qualifying, and Panama scored a late goal to take a 2-1 lead over the United States. If scores held, Panama would have moved on to a World Cup playoff. It didn'...
Happy Trails, Zidane Headbutt Statue!
Statue of controversial incident elicits controversy. Who'd a thunk it?...
Here Are The FIFA Rankings That Will Determine The World Cup Draw
FIFA's world rankings are, almost without exception, meaningless. This is that exception. The rankings released today determine the top seeds at next summer's World Cup. That's a valuable reward: they get to avoid each other....