All hail the Americas in sensational World Cup

Not in Brazil. It's just a generic term for foreigners. In the Spanish-speaking parts of Latin America, it sure is pejoritive.

I wasn't playing the ranking game, you were. However the US had German & Portugal, who were both ranked 2nd & 4th respectively. Both higher seeded , than any team in Costa Rica's group. And a Ghana team more talented than half of the teams in Costa Rica's group. Which tied a German team,and possibly could have won that game.The only person using Fifa Rankings, to try to prove his point, is you. Do you really think England is a top ten team? Or what about Uruguay,who struggled to get into the world cup, are they a top ten team? What have both of these teams accomplish,which would place them both higher than Ghana & the US? The answer is nothing. Which is why no knowledgeable football fan, use's FIFA rankings to justify his/her claims. Ghana collectively has more talent on their roster,then both England and Uruguay.If you go by performance at the the WC, group G was better. I can claim this by looking at the results at the WC, not by using FIFA rankings. Costa Rica was considered underdogs in their group,not because of their FIFA ranking,but because of the region they play.As well as the Bookies looking at the difference in quality, of the players on the opposite teams. A little dose of realism is exactly what you need,when you think two teams who failed to make the round of 16 last time, and another team who consistently underachieves at the WC, is better than group G. The US would still have qualified, even if Ronaldo had scored 2 more goals. Portugal had to make up a four goal difference, which wasn't going to happen. The fact every thing came down to the last day,proves my point that the US group, was the real group of death I think I already mention Australia's group as being one of the only two, true group of deaths, with the US group being the other. However Australia finished with zero points, had only have moral victories to take away from this WC. While teams like the US, are threw to the next round. Greece is known to not be the best worst team in the world. They are not comfortable in having possession, they are better at defending. Even with 10 men,they stilll looked uncomfortable in possession. This is the Greek idenity,which every true football knows about. Which is why in Europe, they are known for their ability to win 1-0. Rarely would a greek team score 2 goals. To claim Greece is on the same level as a Belgium team, which top to bottom is one of the best teams in Europe, is only made by someone with no understanding of football. Belgium beat South Korea, with only ten men on the pitch. If Costa Rica was down ten men to Belgium, that game doesn't go to penalties. A keen football observer, would not use footabll rankings. A keen football observer would also understand CONCACAF has historically sent more teams to the knock out rounds, then both Asia & Africa. A keen football observer wouldn't claim Manaus and a less day of rest, doesn't effect team play. Only an idiot would make such claims.

Yeah.. But no. You're way off track. I'm starting to think you're not even a true football fan!

Now you're just repeating yourself. But if you do wish to play the rankings game.. Let's look at it simplistically. If you were to add the rankings of the 3 opponents that the US and Costa Rica played in their groups, to get a collective figure, the lowest number by rights should indicate a more difficult group. So.. The US who are ranked 13th had to play against a collective with a number totalling 43. Costa Rica, ranked 28th played a collective with a total of 26. A considerable difference in both the collective rankings, and the ranking of US and CRC means that CRC's achievement, by numbers, is significantly greater. If you believe that the entire group G could have and would have beaten the whole of group D apart from Costa Rica then I'm sorry but I think you've rocks in your head buddy. Too many variables in the game to consider. I understand you're rather parochial, but a little dose of realism is necessary I reckon. + the US wouldn't have qualified if Ronaldo hadn't botched his half a dozen chances in that game. But if you don't like to pay attention to the rankings, how about the pre-tournament odds? Surely they are a good guide to who does and doesn't stand a chance. Bookies tend to look at a lot of different variables.. Do true football fans ever gamble? If so, to further make my point, the bookies had all of CRC opponents at 25-1 or shorter. The USA opponents out as far as 200-1 (for Ghana). For the record, Australia had to play against a collective totalling 30, with odds at 40-1 or shorter, so there's little wonder that the odds were stacked against them getting out of their group. If you think playing a team like Greece with 10 men for 50 minutes and slotting 5 straight penalties after holding them out isn't as good as or better than playing an opponent like Belgium, then it is you sir, who suffers from idiocy.. I'm of the opinion, as a keen football observer, that the concacaf teams have run their race. Valiant effort, but a few gears short. Just don't blame Manaus! Each to their own though kid.. Good luck to you and yours.

The Americas got 8/10 through to the last 16 by my count. Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Argentina, USA all through, with Ecuador and Honduras missing out Africa 2/5 throgh to last 16 (both now gone) and Asia 0/4. Europe only 6/13, which is a pretty ordinary strike rate for that continent. Spain, Portugal, Italy, England, Croatia, Russia and Bosnia all out, with the first four of those particularly poor. Of the European teams left, only France, Germany and Holland really have a chance,with Belgium the dark horse.

Super Frank to Melbourne . (http://www.news.com.au/sport/chelsea-legend-frank-lampard-reportedly-set-to-join-david-villa-in-aleague-with-melbourne-city/story-fnaqgujp-1226973221744) .

Is Ghana better than Uraguay, Italy & England? I think any one who has watched the WC to this point, would have to say yes. Is the US, Germany & Portugal better than the teams I mention, again any one who has watched the WC to this point, would have to say yes. Not base on their FIFA rankings, but base on the way these teams played during the group stages. This does not take anything away from Costa Rica. Costa Rica made it out of a tough group, against 3 former WC champions. However while these teams may have been former WC champions, two out of the 3 teams, did poorly last WC. With only Uraguay making it to the quarter finals & beyond. Any one who watches International soccer, knows England does poorly on the big stage. Costa Rica did well, however these teams were not on the same level as the teams in the US group. Again I'm part Costa rican, so I love what costa Rica is doing. However along with Spain's group, the US group was the true group of death.

@Albatross You do know in 2010, the US won their group? The same group England was in. England invented the game, they should have a better record then CONCACAF. That doesn't change the fact CONCACAF is third behind Europe and South America, in sending teams to the group stage. CONCACAF is better then Asia, and should get another spot. Australia would still be able to qualify, we have one of the top leagues in Asia, plus players in Europe. However CONCACAF is better and will only continue to get stronger. England have had terrible world cups for decades.This is not me judeging them on one month of failure, but a long history of failure.

Iike I said before, no real football fans uses Fifa football rankings. How ever if you want to play that game, The US was ranked number 13, Portugal was ranked number 4 & Germany was ranked number 2 in the world. And while Ghana wasn’t ranked that high, most of their players play on big clubs in Europe. All of these teams were ranked very high. In the Ghana game, the US scored early & saw their target forward get hurt, which changed the game. Once Ghana scored, the US were able to get more possession in Ghana’s half, which lead to the corner, which lead to the goal. This is the same Ghana team that almost beat Germany, which no one will argue is better then Italy, England & Uraguay. The US may have drawn Portugal, however any one watching that game saw a the US dominate a team, ranked number four in the world. The Germany vs US game, saw a tired US team in the second half, who have just finished playing in manaus on 3 days of rest. While Germany had an extra day of rest. Its a reason, teams who had played in manaus, lost their next game. If the US loses to Belgium, their achievements will still not pale in comparison to Costa Rica’s. Any one who thinks Greece and Belgium are on the same level, is an idiot.

Iike I said before, no real football fans uses Fifa football rankings. How ever if you want to play that game, The US was ranked number 13, Portugal was ranked number 4 & Germany was ranked number 2 in the world. And while Ghana wasn't ranked that high, most of their players play on big clubs in Europe. All of these teams were ranked very high. In the Ghana game, the US scored early & saw their target forward get hurt, which changed the game. Once Ghana scored, the US were able to get more possession in Ghana's half, which lead to the corner, which lead to the goal. This is the same Ghana team that almost beat Germany, which no one will argue is better then Italy, England & Uraguay. The US may have drawn Portugal, however any one watching that game saw a the US dominate a team, ranked number four in the world. The Germany vs US game, saw a tired US team in the second half, who have just finished playing in manaus on 3 days of rest. While Germany had an extra day of rest. Its a reason, teams who had played in manaus, lost their next game. If the US loses to Belgium, their achievements will still not pale in comparison to Costa Rica's. Any one who thinks Greece and Belgium are on the same level, is an idiot.

I love your comment "Any one with eyes, could tell Ghana would beat Italy, England & Urguay. And so could Germany & the US. Even Portugal would get second in that group." Had me roaring with laughter for quite a while. Cheers for that king. Love your passion.

Footy king, if you believe that the 13th ranked team losing to Germany, drawing with Portugal and narrowly beating Ghana at the death is a better achievement than the 28th ranked team beating Uruguay convincingly, beating Italy and drawing with England having already qualified for the knockout stages, then you are clearly a little deluded. No real football fan could come to that conclusion. The US has done well, but their achievements will pale in comparison to Costa Rica, particularly if they fail to get past de Rode Duivels.

I fail to see your point footy king. If you think England suck at football, you are displaying a tiny bit of footballing ignorance.. Which no real football fan would ever really want to do. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't England have a better record at World Cups than the entire concacaf division? Or don't real football fans look back more than 1 month?. You tell me.

Good to see things mixed up a bit Worth considering the European countries rather famously have not won a World Cup on South American soil, so personally I was always half expecting the American nations to perform well and the Europeans below par for my part and none of this is particularly surprising This is what's good about having the World Cup move around, expect the Europeans to come back with a vengeance at Russia 2018 though Was dissapointed Chile didn't get past Brazil. I am liking the look of Colombia though and are hoping for them to win it in an underdog kind of way. Brazil haven't been convincing at all

Enjoyed your article and enjoying a nice tipple. Yes, it has truly been the Americas' Cup, but is there a compelling reason why, beyond geography, which didn't seem to aid the African teams in 2010?

You don't rate the Dutch, WB? I would not be surprised to see them make the semis now, and from there it's anyone's game! Agree that Columbia has looked very good so far, they are definitely a solid chance to beat Brazil. I like Costa Rica's efforts, but I do think they will be undone by the Dutch. Also, I rate Cahill & James's goals equally, with van Persie's header just shading them. My pick for semi-finalists- Holland v Argentina and France v Colombia. Final- Holland v Colombia, Dutch to win. There may be a tiny element of wishful thinking in there, allegedly...

James's goal is the best but also his deft little chip over the keeper in the group is superior to Cahill's flukey but good effort.

Sure is 13 from Europe, I sure feel foolish... NCB619 good call.