FIFA World Cup 2014 !

[Storm]

It ended at 0420 here but loved every minute of it.

Masche was immense last night.
Anybody else think that the 3rd place match is a monumental waste of time? I for one have never watched it ever....gonna get drunk (a bit) on saturday to get ready for sunday...might not be in such a celebratory mood if Germany wins

[steveaki13]

Normally the BBC show highlights of every single World Cup match in a special programme. The 3rd placed match is the only one they dont bother with.

So clearly the BBC think it is a waste of time.

I guess it comes from the Olympics. I generally and the fact the early Olympic Football tournaments were considered World Cups and they must have had a 3rd placed match (i.e Bronze medal). So I guess it stuck.

[steveaki13]

Normally the BBC show highlights of every single World Cup match in a special programme. The 3rd placed match is the only one they dont bother with.

So clearly the BBC think it is a waste of time.

I guess it comes from the Olympics. I generally and the fact the early Olympic Football tournaments were considered World Cups and they must have had a 3rd placed match (i.e Bronze medal). So I guess it stuck.

Interestingly the Euro's do not have one. I believe the Copa America does though.

[dj_bytedisaster]

Interestingly the Euro's do not have one. I believe the Copa America does though.

3rd place playoff is just rubbish. The team that wins is third, so the better of the semi-final losers - still losers. And the one that gets beaten again ends the tournament with two losses after making it to the semis. It's basically justb a game for who gets kicked in the family planning the hardest.

[Brown, Jon Brow]

It's a good game for all of FIFAs sponsors.....

[dj_bytedisaster]

BTW, just watched the Neymar presser. What is it with these Brazilians sobbing and weeping all the time? Do those guys have no cojones or anything? Players, spectators - look anywhere they're bawling. Talk about a bunch of people with no self-respect...

[Rollo]

Interestingly the Euro's do not have one. I believe the Copa America does though.

Current 3rd Place reigning champions (?) in Europe are Czechoslovakia who beat Italy in a penalty shoot-out in 1980.
The English FA Cup briefly flirted with a 3rd place match from 1970-74 and that too was abandoned due to lack of interest.

I can understand in say the Olympics, where they issue a bronze medal, the need for a third place playoff but I have no idea why there needs to be one in the World Cup, other than to say that the fixture almost always produces a more entertaining match. I immediately think of 1994 when Sweden beat Bulgaria 4-0 and the final was the most boring boring boring affair; which probably did more to set back US football back a decade than anything else.

[jens]

The Brazilian-German game is one I'll be remembering for a long time. A true sensation. But I have always supported Germany, and hope they win the title finally after a long time. They have been very consistent throughout previous tournaments, but yet to clinch the title with what is a very strong squad. Hopefully they can keep it up for the finals. Sometimes Germany can put in a graet show (like vs Argentina 4:0 in 2010), but could lose the next decisive match. So it is paramount not to lose form this time.

Argentina coming up steadily like your traditional Italian team - 1:0 or 0:0 wins with penalties, strong defence. Such a team could be tricky for Germany. Teams with consistently strong but unspectacular style have won tournaments before too. Like Greece in 2004. Messi is good as always, but always covered by at least 3 defenders, so he hasn't been able to do much. Which is understandable, because you have to defend with at least 3 people against this guy or he'll break through.

Brazil... I guess many things came together in this one shocking match. Not a very strong team this time. Injuries of key players further weakened the team. Game plan, which was way too optimistic given the state of players and their rival (Germany). And home pressure, which doesn't allow Brazil to play ultradefensively, hoping to eek out till penalties. But from strategical point of view this would have been their only hope...

Crazy crazy stuff. Brazilians looked like they were for the first time ever on the pitch. "Er... Wait-wait a moment? What's going on? What should I do?" And these are top professionals, who have played tens and hundreds of games for top clubs and have experienced all kinds of situations, have lives and breathed football all life and know everything about it like the back of their hand. Incredible. But anything can happen in life.

[Storm]

As far as Olympics having 3rd place, many sports there do not have one...boxing comes to mind. Both semi-finalists get a bronze.

[janneppi]

I was a bit sad that Netherland lost, but now I can wear the new orange team track jacket without feeling like a fair weather supporter.

I'm still a bit undecided about GER-ARG, I'd quite like to Messi score a couple of goals and Germany has the same problem as Holland, the Bayern Munchen Dive club players. But come Sunday, I think I'll end up rooting for Germany, like always.