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It’s difficult to win the World Cup. An obvious statement, but facts back it up. Out of eighteen Finals since 1930, there have only been eight winners. Only 81 nations (39 per cent) out of 208 FIFA members have ever qualified. Therefore 61 per cent of the planet has dipped out.
Do appearances help? Generally not looking at the statistics.
By my calculations, eighteen countries have made seven or more appearances in the finals and not won. Even Spain, England, and France have struggled, with thirteen appearances and one win each. Both France and England’s win was on home soil.
So are we “dreaming” about ever winning a World Cup? If so, will we have to wait for the thirteenth appearance like Spain?
Maybe though there is a chance. It’s called home town advantage. The same as England in 1966 and France in 1998.
That’s, of course, if we get the 2022 World Cup. Regardless. I feel we need that length of time to let the football development programs filter through.
Looking at the appearances a little further, all is not lost. As we saw with Uruguay this World Cup, luck and the luck of the draw can play a part. Portugal (2006) with four appearances, Croatia (1998) three appearances and Turkey(2002) two appearances all made the semi-finals.
There are some interesting dynamics taking place at the top of world football. Particularly at club level. We saw dummy spits from the French and an inept display from Italy.
The pressure to perform at club level, particularly in the Champions league, is becoming greater. The professionalism and pressure of top class club football is now greater than the World Cup.
Any country from now on that is technically sound and can mould an International “club” team with mental fortitude and a fighting spirit is in with a shout.
The World Cup, in some senses, is an amateur circus run by the circus ringmaster. Sometimes the balancing elephant on the drum falls on the ringmaster, other times there’s a perfect triple somersault.
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