| Which is the greatest team sports' event? For | | | | disposal some of the most talented football |
| most US Americans the "Super Bowll" would be | | | | players of the world: Kaka, Adriano, Roberto |
| an easy answer. Others, mostly attracted by | | | | Carlos, Ronaldo and of course Ronaldinho the |
| baseball, basketball, or hockey, would choose | | | | World Player of the Year for the last two |
| one of those sports' finals or all-star | | | | years. |
| games, but this is not the case for the rest | | | | |
| of the world. Outside of the US when people | | | | As strong contenders for the title are |
| say football they refer to the sport that is | | | | considered, by soccer experts and bookmakers, |
| known as soccer in United States and which is | | | | the team of Germany, which will play in front |
| by far the most popular sport in all of the | | | | of its audience as the host-nation, and that |
| five continents. The World Cup that takes | | | | of England, Argentina and Italy. In addition, |
| place over a four-year period is considered | | | | the Brazilians, the French striker Thierry |
| as the most important athletic competition, | | | | Henry, the Ukrainian striker Andriy |
| being more widely-viewed on TV exceeding even | | | | Shevchenko, the English midfielder Frank |
| the Olympic Games. In 2002, when North Korea | | | | Lampard, the German midfielder Michael |
| and Japan co-hosted the World Cup the | | | | Ballack and the new star of the Argentinean |
| cumulative TV audience was estimated to be | | | | football Lionel Messi are players one will |
| 28.8 billion, while 1.1 billion individuals | | | | enjoy watching. |
| watched the final match of the tournament | | | | |
| between Brazil and Germany. | | | | The United States' national team is assigned |
| | | | in the Group E and will face Italy, Ghana and |
| This year the World Cup takes place in | | | | the Czech Republic in the first stage of the |
| Germany with the first mach between Germany | | | | tournament, giving its first game in |
| and Costa Rica being scheduled on 9th of June | | | | Gelsenkirchen on the 12th of June against the |
| and the last one, the final game which is | | | | Czechs. Coach Bruce Arena has his team |
| going to take place one month later on the | | | | believing that their mix of young talents |
| 9th of July in Berlin. Thirty-two national | | | | such as DaMarcus Beasley and Landon Donovan |
| teams are participating in this great "party" | | | | and old campaigners like Claudio Reyna and |
| of world soccer and they will play in a total | | | | Brian McBride could be enough to go further |
| of twelve German cities. Among the national | | | | than the quarter-finals where they reached in |
| teams, which participate 14 come from Europe, | | | | 2002. |
| 5 from Africa, 4 from South America, 4 from | | | | |
| Asia, 4 from North and Central America and 1 | | | | There are many assumptions about soccer's low |
| from Oceania. | | | | popularity in the United States, but the most |
| | | | convincing one seem to be the fact that the |
| Brazil is the defending Word Champion and one | | | | American national team didn't have any |
| of the great favorites of wining the trophy | | | | serious accomplishments during the last years |
| this year. The Brazilians have already won | | | | in order to attract their country's attention |
| the World Cup five times and are the most | | | | and interest. The boys of Bruce Arena will |
| successful team in the competition's history. | | | | have their opportunity now inside the German |
| This year, legendary coach Pareira has at his | | | | stadiums. |