WC Quarterfinals - The Usual Suspects

[Sadat X]

6 European teams, Argentina and Brazil. The only surprise (if you want to call it that) is Ukraine. Let's get some thoughts on the upcoming matches.

[lastchance]

God, 3 great matchups, Argentina vs. Germany, one of the best sides in the world vs. the home team. Brazil vs. France, the two teams with the greatest star power, two aging legends and two current best players in the world. And England vs. Portugal will be an excellent game between two quality sides.

And then we come to Italy vs. Ukraine. If Ukraine doesn't come on to the board early, I think we will see a truly terrible game, like Ukraine vs Switzerland that last round.

[Sadat X]

Brazil-France should be a great game. Why is Zidane retiring? He looks like he's got at least another year or two left in the tank. I'll be rooting for France, probably the sentimental favorite at this point.

[THAY3R]

He's retiring from International play. year or 2 != 4 years.

[fyodor]

Is it possible for both France and Brazil to lose? That would be sweet.

It would also be the nuts if Ukraine came to life and demolished Italy.

Germany/Argentina I really don't care. I don't like either of them (although they are both good) Probably the home team wins.

England all the way baby!!!!

[Rolen]

Zidane is not retiring from internationals, he is retiring period.

[THAY3R]

I did not know that, crazy.

[kolotoure]

I think my nation is the most hated in world soccer

[cognito20]

[ QUOTE ]
He's retiring from International play. year or 2 != 4 years.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, he'd probably still be able to play at a high level at Euro 2008, but even if they can get him to come back for that that will -certainly- be his last major international tournament. And I wouldn't be surprised, even if they can get him to come back for the finals in Austria/Switzerland, if he didn't play in any of the qualifiers.

Edit: If he truly is retiring, period, this will obviously not happen. With Dellacamera constantly moaning about how "this might be the last time we'll see Zidane", it probably is complete retirement, since Dellacamera otherwise would see him about 2,257 times in the next few months when ESPN2 does its usual "let's show every single Real Madrid match in the Champions League" routine at the expense of all the other teams.

[talentdeficit]

i can't believe that not only are both brasil and france in one of the seven remaining games, but that one of the two is guaranteed to be in at least one more game. how much better would spain/ghana be?

also, the italy/ukraine game is going to be unwatchable. i hope ukraine somehow goes through, as they are slightly less likely to be completely unwatchable in the semis and almost guaranteed not to make the finals to be unwatchable there.

go england and argentina, the only teams i can stomach winning this (apart from ukraine, who just won't).