World Cup 2010 South Africa
 

Today, 11th June 2010, is the day the world's second biggest sporting event, the FIFA World Cup, will kick off in South Africa today, the first time the event shall be hosted in Africa. The first match today shall be South Africa vs. Mexico.

32 teams from six different continents have entered, amoung them current champions Italy, typical big guns such as Brazil, Argentina, Spain, France (who controversally beat Ireland in their last play-off), six African teams (Algeria, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, The Ivory Coast and of course South Africa), and rare apperances from the likes of New Zealand, Slovenia and North Korea.

Anybody here going to be watching it? I know the majority of people here are based in North America- has their been much in the news about it? It is impossible to avoid here in Europe.
The World Cup was staged in the States in 1994 (Brazil won), but many people remember this hilarious blooper from the opening ceremony: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXjCKwBtG0I
Tommorow, England (not my country BTW) shall play the USA.

I shall watch.

England and Argentina FTW!!!

oh dear, England scored a good gaol against the US within 5 minutes (although a HD channel cut to adverts then cut to the celebration:wiltshock:), but then the English goalkeeper didn't catch the ball very well and it went in!

So far, Netherlands has beat Denmark, Japan have beat Cameroon, and current champions Italy have drawn with Paraguay.

The big talking point of the tournurment has been the vuvuzela, a horn populr in the host country, making a loud, piercing yet monotoned noise, and when 40,000 are used, it sounds like a swarm of angry bees!

Nicholas Cage seems to think so. ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1kXO...eature=related

All the teams have played at least one match now, an the overall standard has been rather disapointing (lowest average number of goals in any WC), but they have been improving in these last two days, especally Argentina vs. South Korea and Greece vs. Nigeria.

In group C, tiny Slovenia have been playing suprising well, beating Algeria and almost defating the States! Although that game ended in a draw. It has, however, been very disapointing so far for England. The media hype and public expetations of the team are huge, but last night couldn't score aganst Algeria. They can still go thorugh if they beat Slovenia, but things are looking shaky.

I realsie many Yanks/Canadians here may not really be interested in football, so here are some great videos perfect for getting into the World Cup mood:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=munMGzeqCQE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDBG9VEHuK8 (great little animation)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PX_tGWyt_g

England'll have a comeback...