All Whites: What a story!

Knuckle head you may actually want to read what is actually written instead of making up such flamboyant lies. I never said Rugby wasn't the most popular sport overall what I said was Football in NZ is the most popular sport by player numbers up until the High School years where they tend to gravitate to other codes. But sadly your mind is about as deluded as your totally off the wall and mis informed rant

I would suggest you go and do your flippin homework before you come in here sounding off like a hero. Soccer is the most popular sport in New Zealand by participation numbers in any of the football codes up until the ages of 14-16 But of course your pig headed rant chooses to ignore facts. What I clearly stated is that once kids get to this age they tend to drop football and take up other codes. But oh no you obviously can't read and are totally ignorant of this fact. Do show me where I said NZ wasn't a rugby nation and also show me where I said it wasn't the most popular sport What I said in regards to player numbers it (football) is the most popular sport up until high school age, that is a glaringly obvious difference to saying it is the most popular sport out right. Stop making up utter BS and actually read what is written instead of making up garbage. The audacity you have to even try to incinuate such utter filth is astounding, thankfully most people here at the roar can read what is actually written not what you are pretending was written.

good on bro....

No worries knuckles. I'll be cheering on the All Whites against Paraguay. Good luck to the Aussies and the Kiwis this week to make history.

when i say in the world i mean in NZ 'Sorry'

I don't remember me saying in the world, i clearly said NZ. Yes sure soccer is probably the most popular sport in the world but in NZ man.... It's NOT.. HAHAH... Even the All Whites achievements will be only temporary (Even though i support them and want them to go far) But in NZ the Rugby World Cup will be on next year and im sure that NZ will be tuned into that and not some soccer match... Theres NO way on earth Soccer will run rugby... NO WAY... So what's your point??

Rugby is popular knuckles, but how is it the "most popular sport in the world"?

ps: Socoboy... You have no idea what your stating here about Soccer being the most popular sport in NZ...??!! No you don't obviously... Rugby will be and is the most popular sport in the world! Especially next year when the RUGBY WORLD CUP IS GOING TO BE HELD THEIR Yes sure, I'm a NZ and i approve of the All Whites like any true Kiwi but we all know when that's all said and done NZ will always be a rugby nation regardless of the out come... Believe me. At the end All Whites will be remembered but not until another World Cup, in NZ.

NZ Chances of winning are 2000 to 1.. Compare that to Italy who's chances are 9-1... New Zealand actually might win against Paraguay and i believe that NZ is a team that distracts many teams from playing their hard ball game, Italy couldn't get passed NZ so they changed tactics and that didn't work. NZ is so foreign to this game that many teams don't know how to approach them. I hope NZ do well...

Lets not start any more "soccer is going to take over" arguments. This is a fantastic achievement for the Alll Whites and NZ football, but all sports have their place and historical context in NZ - its a great boost for NZ football but rugby is still a very popular sport. Congratulations to the all right All Whites - NZ bloggers are more than welcome on the Roar. Forget the comments of a few - the vast majority of Aussies support the Kiwis as their second team in the world cup and it will be great if we both can progress to the next round. Its no easy task to beat Paraguay or Serbia but the true ANZAC fighting spirit will come out and if we fail to progress, it won't be through lack of trying without a fight.

I wouldn't be surprised Chris but it will be an even tougher hill to climb, but the All Whites have shown anything is possible. As it stands soccer is the most popular sport in New Zealand in regards to player numbers. The problem being is once the Kids get to High School age they tend to drop soccer and take up another sport. Maybe this will help soccer to retain players!

Don't believe everything you read.

Read in the media that Soccer will over take Rugby in New Zealand for crowdsand tv ratings.

hi guys ... I wrote the main article, but I can't believe what I'm reading in the exchange of words between socboy and andyroo. I wasn't being demeaning by calling the NZ team a bunch of mostly part-timers, can't you guys see it comes from the main article? - I apologise profusely if I offended anyone with the term part-timers. The in-studio presenters on tv used the term and thought it would further boost my take on things, but misjudged that some of you might think it would take something away from New Zealand's performance. Nelsen is obviously not a part-timer! Of course New Zealand deserve their 'victory' over more illustrious opponents - there's a lot of talent there for the Kiwis to go even further. I just think that tirade between socboy and andyroo is a waste of space and a waste of time - and certainly does damage to what the All Whites achieved - as far as this forum is concerned! Nowhere did socboy say Ryan Nelsen was a part-timer. C'mon guys let's celebrate New Zeland's All Whites and dispense with the pettiness.

Paston was Ok but not flash. He did what was required, but he wasn't extraordinary.

Two comments I would like to make. First, fantastic result for New Zealand, standing tall against the current champions. Second, the officiating in South Africa is a joke and a blight on the persons responsible for administering the game.

NZ media reports that Italy has 3500 registered professional players, NZ has 25. 20 of these are in the squad, the other three are semi-semi-pro. Surely one of the greatest sporting achievements?

Cool. My incomplete understanding of the rules is that the whistle is blown when the offside player has interfered with the play e.g. either touching it himself or obstructing other players etc I doubt Reid intended his header as a pass (not that that matters) and do agree that luck had a lot to do with the goal. And I believe the ref didn't make the wrong decision. Bring on Paraguay! (And down with Serbia FTW!!!)

The whole debate was whether the ball hit Winston Reid or not. In my mind he did flicked on the ball with a header. If the ball went straight from the free kick taker to Cannavaro then the goal was perfectly legal as Smeltz was in an onside position when the kick was taken and we can just treat it in the same way as we treat a faulty back pass. However when Winston reid flicked the ball, Smeltz was in an offside position and gained an advantage in that position. The fact that the ball hit cannavaro on the way to smeltz doesn't change the fact that Smeltz was offside at the moment Reid flicked the ball

Can I please say one more thing and then I will leave you experts to your roond ball pontifications - The game of Soccer is painstakingly low scoring which can be construed as a positive facet to the code, resulting in tightly contested games that anyone could win on any given occassion, despite the existing disparity between contesting teams. The negative facet of this code is that it does not reward, nearly enough, the more skilled and dominant sides of any given contest which for my money is why their exists so much angst amongst its many devoted supporters. Enjoy!