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Koen

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VoodooLounge13
I'm sorry, but I have to disagree. I watched their match against Poland, and they looked VERY polished. I hadn't picked them to win the Cup, but I could definitely see why they were a favorite to win it.

Poland isn't playing in the World Cup.

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VoodooLounge13
France is my pick

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Gazza

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cc
Gazza, do you have any why the UK doesn't get a team, rather it's "England"? Doesn't this disappoint the poor Welsh, Scottish, and Northern Irish whose small teams (I assume) wouldn't be able to make the tournament? Always looks a bit medieval and strange when the cross as England's icon...

We do all have our own national teams.

There's no real demand in the UK for an 'all UK team'. Never has been. There also isn't a great deal of footballing unity between the supporters of the four countries. We most definitely see ourselves as separate nations in football terms.

International football isn't specifically designed solely by international frontiers but specifically by each FIFA member natio having it's own football association (who then organise their own 'club' level football).
The four oldest Football Associations in the world are the English FA (1863), followed by the Scottish and then the Irish and Welsh FA's (1880). We've all had our own separate identities long before the sport became a global game and before FIFA was founded. (The FAI (Football Association of Ireland) which represents the Republic of Ireland were formed when they broke away from the IFA in 1922 when Ireland split into two nations)

Northern Ireland have qualified for the World Cup three times (1958,1982 and 1986). On the first two occasions reaching the last 8/12. We were the smallest side ever to qualify until Trinidad & Tobago made it in 2006, so we've done more than OK and are still usually in the top 30-40 in the world. Scotland have qualified for almost every World Cup since 1974. Wales qualified only once (1958) when they reached their quarter finals, but theyve come close on a few occasions since.

Each member country of the UK has its own national league and therefore it's own national team. As long as club football across the UK is organised separately, there's no real logic in having a UK team.

Personally, while I'd support a UK team if it existed, I dont want one. I like the fact that we have our own footballing identity, even if the chances of us doing much damage in world terms these days (despite occasional high profile victories in recent years against the likes of Spain, England, Denmark etc) are few and far between. I'd far rather have that than an all-UK team or (even worse) an all-Ireland team.

I dont see whats so strange about an England team having a cross (of St George, their patron saint) on their national flag. It shouldnt be anything else (and certainly not the Union Flag). Quite a lot of countries of Christian origin have crosses, and Moslem countries tend to have crescent moons on theirs. Religious symbolism on a national flag is no big deal as far as I'm concerned.

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Doxa
Now in the beginning of second round of matches the latin American teams have been very strong. Argentina is as great ¨- or even better - as been expected, but Uruguay and Mexico have really surprised me postively. Very solid performances from both of them.

- Doxa

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marcovandereijk
I am very proud to say I managed to get alongside of Bardo in the pool

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Gazza
>Great explanation Gazza, it's a historically defined 'fact'.

Youre welcome

>Anyway, I would like to see Ireland being unified and having one Irish team.

And like most people who live here, I dont.

>It's also a separate isle.

Sharing the same geographic landmass is irrelevant. Its comprised of two different countries.

>I'm against religious symbols on national flags. State and religion should be separated imo, so that the flag covers the whole (religiously diverse) content (a Dutch saying which seems apt to me in this context)

Its no one else's business but the people who live there.

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Koen
Germany not happy right now...

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Koen
Germany not happy right now...

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Bingo
Adios France...gotta love The Hand of Fate!!!

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andy js
Gutted for the frogs. Not gonna crow too much though in case Le Roast Beef @#$%& it up tomorrow