Question: When is it too early to begin getting into a frothy lather about a World Cup?
Obvious answer: What, are you kidding? Never!
The numbers crunchers at FIFA remind us this morning that the world is but 500 days away from its next World Cup. It makes me want a really ginormous advent-type calendar to begin plucking, marking the days.
FIFA.com has crunched some other numbers for us to celebrate the 500-days-out milepost. Among the more interesting ones:
64 … the number of years that have elapsed since the last World Cup in soccer-mad Brazil, back in 1950.
31 … Teams that will join host Brazil. (Remember, it wasn’t so long ago that just 24 teams competed at the World Cup finals. The last 24-team field: World Cup USA in 1994.)
19 … The number of World Cup finals in which Brazil has participated, also known as “all of them.” Brazil is the only nation to have done so.
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Is the Pablo Mastroeni trade another smooth move from that wily Bruce Arena?
Jun 18, 2013, 8:33 PM EDT
The LA Galaxy coach has taken aging players and made them useful parts of the roster before:
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Everyone loves “The Pope”
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Tim Cahill is the first Major League Soccer man to qualify for the World Cup.
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Our weekly re-ordering of Major League Soccer teams, following 16 rounds of play:
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Some of the best U.S. success in the past has come when the United States was backed into a corner. Tonight looks much different:
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There are a few choices to be made ahead of Tuesday’s match in Utah:
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About that brilliant atmosphere last week in Seattle: Rio Tinto Stadium in Utah will rock, too
Jun 18, 2013, 12:30 PM EDT
Unsaid in this narrative is this: most U.S. sites are bright and alive these days.
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Stuart Pearce has been relieved of his duties as manager of England’s U-21 squad.
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Australia join Brazil and Japan as nations that already have booked their place in next summer’s World Cup.
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Talking about what’s ahead, plus more on tonight’s match at Rio Tinto Stadium outside Salt Lake City:
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Scottish football takes another hit as Hearts prepare for administration
Jun 18, 2013, 7:56 AM EDT
Hearts have put the entire squad up for sale to raise the reported £500,000 needed to get the club to the start of the season.
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Big opportunity ahead as United States faces Honduras in World Cup qualifying action
Jun 18, 2013, 6:00 AM EDT
The teams meet tonight outside Salt Lake City as the drive for Brazil 2014 moves forward:
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Huge cost of World Cups: Did we need a protest like Brazil’s to point out the obvious?
Jun 18, 2013, 12:10 AM EDT
Reuters
Brazil has infrastructure concerns. They’ve also spent $3.3 billion on soccer stadia. No surprise, people aren’t happy.
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Christian Eriksen’s potential for Borussia Dortmund a particularly cloudy picture
Jun 17, 2013, 10:43 PM EDT
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The mythology of Ajax, Dutch soccer and one stars’ struggles outside the Dutch league make this potential transfer difficult to evaluate.
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Ancelotti may be impatient, but Real Madrid wait should prove inconsequential
Jun 17, 2013, 8:23 PM EDT
It’s only a matter of time before Ancelotti’s holding pattern’s resolved.
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Early returns from England’s offseason tell a tale of two Manchesters
Jun 17, 2013, 7:39 PM EDT
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It’s early days, but while City close the gap, Manchester United have yet to act.
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This André Villas-Boas to Paris Saint-Germain link makes more sense by the day
Jun 17, 2013, 6:51 PM EDT
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With a buy-out in his contract, Villas-Boas likely will be given a choice between Paris and London.
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Honduran international Maynor Figueroa completes move to Hull City
Jun 17, 2013, 5:59 PM EDT
Reuters
Steve Bruce reunites with a player he brought to Wigan Athletic.
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It’s time FIFA reconsiders the Confederations Cup bid to the Oceania region
Jun 17, 2013, 5:19 PM EDT
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Tahiti are a great story, but nobody wins when small countries get slaughtered by the world’s top teams.
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Vacation up soon for U.S. national team men – but not yet!
Jun 17, 2013, 4:45 PM EDT
A big theme is finishing strong so there’s more enjoyment in those vacations ahead:
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Video: Police clash with protesters in Brazil
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Video: Highlights: Sounders win in final minutes
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Video: Highlights: Revolution dismantle Galaxy
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Video: What does New York FC have to do to succeed?
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Video: The Hype: Bending the screen like Beckham
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Video: Galaxy's Rogers talks about coming out to the public
