World Cup 2014 General Chit Chat Thread

[Darkon]

So no world cup matches today

It's already more than halfway through, and only 16 games left!

I'm fearing having to actually talk to the family after 6pm today

[ChesterDave]

Nigeria join the Ghana and Cameroon party in complaining over bonus payments and refused to train on Thursday over a £15,000 disagreement.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28055186

[leftpeg]

So no world cup matches today

Always the most melancholy day of the tournament, this one.

[Darkon]

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/28102841


World Cup 2014: Cameroon investigates match-fixing claims

Cameroon officials are to investigate claims that seven of their players were involved in match-fixing at the World Cup in Brazil.

The ethics committee of the African country's football federation will look at allegations of "fraud" by "seven bad apples" in their three group games.

The allegations have been made in a German news magazine Der Spiegel by a convicted match fixer from Singapore.

Cameroon lost all their Group A games, including a 4-0 defeat by Croatia.

The Indomitable Lions had Alex Song sent off for lashing out at Mario Mandzukic in that game, while team-mates Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Benjamin Moukandjo clashed late on in the game.

A statement from Cameroon's FA read: "Recent allegations of fraud around Cameroon's 2014 Fifa World Cup three preliminary games, especially Cameroon versus Croatia, as well of the 'existence of seven bad apples [in our national team]' do not reflect the values and principles promoted by our administration, in line with Fifa's code of conduct and the ethics of our nation.

"We are strongly committed to employ all means necessary to resolve this disruptive matter in the shortest delays."

Fifa did not comment on whether it was looking into the issue as football's world governing body did not want to "compromise any possible investigations".

It did, however, add: "Speaking generally, the integrity of the game is a top priority for Fifa and as such we take any allegations of match manipulation very seriously."

Cameroon's build up to the tournament in Brazil was marred by the players refusing to board a plane to Brazil until a dispute over bonus payments had been settled.

A financial package was eventually agreed with Cameroon's football federation, Fecafoot, but the squad's journey to the World Cup had been delayed for almost a day.

They started the tournament with a 1-0 defeat by Mexico prior to the loss to Croatia and being beaten 4-1 by hosts Brazil.

"Some players behaved very badly, and that's why we have conceded four goals," Cameroon head coach Volker Finke told French newspaper L'Equipe after the Croatia defeat.

"I know that it is difficult to play with 10 men, but that is not a reason to lose it to this point.

"The game was balanced until the red card. The Croatians were more clinical in front of goal, but Cameroon also had chances to score.

"The behaviour of some of the players is really not satisfactory. Even when we were 11-a-side, it was not acceptable."

[ChesterDave]

Seven bad apples? Out of 23.

[Cormack74]

http://www.marca.com/2014/07/01/en/football/international_football/1404238475.html

At least a thousand newborn babies have been registered in Colombia with the names of several of the national football team's players, such as James Rodríguez, Faryd Mondragón and Jackson Martínez, as well as that of the manager José Pekerman, official sources have announced.

The National Register Office of the Civil State (RNEC), the body in charge of issuing Colombian identity documents, has announced that out of the almost 2,000 births registered in eight of the country's 32 departments in recent months, the most common names are those of the country's footballers.

According to the RNEC, during seven identification campaigns carried out in remote areas and vulnerable communities, such as those of African or indigenous descent, even the name of Falcao (García) is common, despite the fact that he was unable to take part in the tournament due to injury.

The popularity of the 'Cafeteros' has received a notable boost in the country after they classified for the World Cup after a 16-year absence.

Colombia have had a remarkable run in the competition and are through to the quarterfinals for the first time in history, where they will face Brazil on Friday.

[RichC]

Will they investigate fully into this? I doubt it

World Cup 2014: Fifa says no proof of Cameroon match-fixing

Fifa says there has been no evidence of match-fixing at any World Cup match and has called on a German magazine making allegations to provide proof.

Convicted match-fixer Wilson Raj Perumal has denied he correctly predicted Cameroon's result against Croatia before the game.

Der Spiegel magazine, which made the allegations, is standing by its report.

Highlights: Cameroon 0-4 Croatia
Fifa's head of media Delia Fischer said: "So far we have no evidence of any match manipulation."

She added: "We have requested Der Spiegel provide us with all the communications with Perumal and any other material in order to prove the allegations they have made."

Cameroon lost each of their three Group A games, including a 4-0 defeat by Croatia in which midfielder Alex Song was sent off in the 40th minute.

The Croatian FA says it did not have any concerns "during or after the match". A spokesman added: "We feel like we won that match on the field and at this moment it will stay at that."

Asked if he had seen any evidence or had suspicions of match-fixing at the World Cup, former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier - a member of Fifa's technical support group - said: "No, not at all."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28132691

[Paddy]

https://twitter.com/lowelsreeldin/status/484765760339070976/photo/1

Built for the World Cup too...

[dom9]

Will they investigate fully into this? I doubt it



http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28132691

If it was the British press making the allegations, I can image the hostile denials coming from FIFA.

[Cormack74]

http://www.marca.com/2014/07/03/en/football/international_football/1404406378.html

David Luiz, the Brazilian defender, has knocked Colombia's James Rodríguez off the top of the Castrol Index for the best players in the World Cup, which measures the performance of players and is officially published after each round.

The defender, who will play for PSG next season, has a score of 9.79, compared to 9.74 for James Rodríguez. Despite criticism of their back line, two Brazilian defenders are amongst the top 10 players in the ranking, with Thiago Silva in seventh place.

Even though he put in a cracking performance against Uruguay, James Rodríguez drops down one spot into second place. The Colombian is the first man to score in each of the first four games since the 2002 South Korea and Japan World Cup, when the Brazilians Ronaldo and Rivaldo achieved the feat.

Benzema failed to score against Nigeria, but his four shots on goal maintained his position as the player with the most shots on target (19), putting him third in the index.

Robben, in fourth place, was a key part of Holland's hard-fought victory over Mexico and is the man who has made the most solo runs into the area (10). Despite his four man-of-the-match trophies, Argentina's Lionel Messi is eleventh in the table.

Chile's Claudio Bravo is highest rated goalkeeper, in 20th place, ahead of Belgium's Thibaut Courtois and Costa Rica's Keylor Navas.

Ranking after the round of 16:

1. David Luiz (BRA) 9.79
2. James Rodríguez (COL) 9.74
3. Karim Benzema (FRA) 9.70
4. Arjen Robben (NED) 9.66
5. Jan Vertonghen (BEL) 9.62
6. Neymar (BRA) 9.59
7. Thiago Silva (BRA) 9.56
8. Ivan Perisic (CRO) 9.53
9. Johan Djorou (SWI) 9.50
10. Thomas Mueller (GER) 9.48
11. Lionel Messi (ARG) 9.45
...
20. Claudio Bravo (CHI) 9.26

[Kenneth]

[The Reverend]

http://www.marca.com/2014/07/03/en/f...404406378.html

David Luiz, the Brazilian defender, has knocked Colombia's James Rodríguez off the top of the Castrol Index for the best players in the World Cup, which measures the performance of players and is officially published after each round.

The defender, who will play for PSG next season, has a score of 9.79, compared to 9.74 for James Rodríguez. Despite criticism of their back line, two Brazilian defenders are amongst the top 10 players in the ranking, with Thiago Silva in seventh place.

Even though he put in a cracking performance against Uruguay, James Rodríguez drops down one spot into second place. The Colombian is the first man to score in each of the first four games since the 2002 South Korea and Japan World Cup, when the Brazilians Ronaldo and Rivaldo achieved the feat.

Benzema failed to score against Nigeria, but his four shots on goal maintained his position as the player with the most shots on target (19), putting him third in the index.

Robben, in fourth place, was a key part of Holland's hard-fought victory over Mexico and is the man who has made the most solo runs into the area (10). Despite his four man-of-the-match trophies, Argentina's Lionel Messi is eleventh in the table.

Chile's Claudio Bravo is highest rated goalkeeper, in 20th place, ahead of Belgium's Thibaut Courtois and Costa Rica's Keylor Navas.

Ranking after the round of 16:

1. David Luiz (BRA) 9.79
2. James Rodríguez (COL) 9.74
3. Karim Benzema (FRA) 9.70
4. Arjen Robben (NED) 9.66
5. Jan Vertonghen (BEL) 9.62
6. Neymar (BRA) 9.59
7. Thiago Silva (BRA) 9.56
8. Ivan Perisic (CRO) 9.53
9. Johan Djorou (SWI) 9.50
10. Thomas Mueller (GER) 9.48
11. Lionel Messi (ARG) 9.45
...
20. Claudio Bravo (CHI) 9.26

**** me these guys must be watching a different game from everybody else in the universe

[RichC]

Luiz first and Vertonghen 5th; makes sense

[ChesterDave]

A goal for Luiz. He'll be upgraded to the greatest human being that has ever lived.

[dom9]

A goal for Luiz. He'll be upgraded to the greatest human being that has ever lived.

Candle for Phil Jones.

Someone should do one of those face swaps on those two.