forgiveness:


Is Alampasu the third choice goalkeeper with a team currently playing in the Portuguese first division? EOD

By sitting in the stands every week.

If Alampasu gets a loan move in January, you will have legs to stand on.

forgiveness:


A first team player is in better position than a third division player.

In this case, Alampasu is in a better position than Uzoho. EOD

Alampasu is in limbo right now.. no league games, no cup games..

What makes him different from Enyeama who is still in Lille by the way..

forgiveness:


Na still third choice. Is Francis Uzoho in a better position than Alex Werner?

Answer simple question.

Yes.

mazimee:


The question shoud be is Echiejile, Akpeyi and their likes "experience" getting us result we need ?

Another question, is the "experienced" players in good form /have a good playing time in their clubs?


Then lastly, do we have potentials for replacement of the tired/aged experienced?

We dey talk of meat wet get flesh rat wan join.. Who dash Akpeyi experience?

Oga, accept you were wrong in your submition that no experienced player qualified us to the WC, then we go yan.

tbaba1234:


Yes.

Ok. Na you be dat.

GROUP D

---

FIFA ranking: 4

The lowdown
La Albiceleste were expected to stroll through qualifying but found life extremely difficult, were managed by three different coaches and eventually only made certain of their place in Russia on the final matchday, winning 3-1 in Ecuador.
Incredibly for a country with countless top-class strikers, they had the second-worst attacking record in South America – and the worst at home with just nine goals in nine matches. It remains to be seen who will partner Lionel Messi at the tournament, but Paulo Dybala is seemingly destined for the bench and Gonzalo Higuain might be discarded altogether.
With question marks hovering over the quality in defence and midfield, hopes are low – but isn't that somewhat reminiscent of Brazil going into the 2002 World Cup?

Key player: Lionel Messi



Simply, Argentina wouldn't have made it to this tournament without the Barcelona superstar. Messi – who temporarily retired from the national team after losing in the 2016 Copa America Final – scored seven goals in the qualifiers, including the crucial hat-trick in Ecuador. This will be a fourth World Cup for the 30-year-old genius – but can he finally win a title for his country? It's the only trinket missing from a glorious career... but a big one.



FIFA ranking: 22

The lowdown
After starring at Euro 2016 and reaching the quarter-finals at the expense of England, Iceland became the smallest country (by population) ever to qualify for the World Cup, finishing top of a tough group ahead of Croatia, Ukraine and Turkey.
Swedish coach Lars Lagerback might have left after the adventure in France, but Heimir Hallgrimsson – who worked alongside him – proved a worthy successor in his own right. There are few big names in the squad, but the team works perfectly as a unit, and their self confidence is sky high. Expect their magnificent fans to make a lot of headlines too.

Key player: Gylfi Sigurdsson


The playmaker is struggling to find his feet at Everton after a big transfer from Swansea, but Icelandic fans hope that he will be in top form come summer. Intelligent, blessed with magnificent vision and a dead-ball specialist, Sigurdsson is the main source of creativity. Iceland wouldn't be the same without him.



FIFA ranking: 17

The lowdown
Not helped by bad blood between fans and FA, and influenced by politics behind the scenes, this talented squad isn't always able to deliver. The Croats only finished second behind Iceland in the group; luckily, they were drawn against Greece in the play-offs and new coach Zlatko Dalic – who has no high-level experience whatsoever – celebrated after the 4-1 aggregate win.
The midfield and attack look fabulous on paper, with Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic, Ivan Perisic and Mario Mandzukic complementing each other well. But there are question marks about the defence, and the pressure might be too much.

Key player: Luka Modric



The 32-year-old veteran has sparkled for Real Madrid in recent seasons – a key midfield performer in a side winning two Champions League trophies in a row. He’s now widely considered one of the best players in the world in his position. Modric isn't always popular in his homeland because of political issues, mind you.



FIFA ranking: 50
The lowdown
The Super Eagles have only missed one World Cup tournament since 1994, and they overcame a very difficult draw on paper to make it through again this time. Eliminating African champions Cameroon and heavily favoured Algeria with ease, the team led by experienced German coach Gernot Rohr could be dangerous opponents in Russia.
The squad should be quite youthful, with rising stars like Kelechi Iheanacho, Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi likely to shine. Players like Ahmed Musa (25) and Victor Moses (26) feel like veterans in comparison. Defence has always been the biggest problem for Nigeria, though, and it looks a bit thin again.

Key player: John Obi Mikel



The former Chelsea midfielder is plying his trade in China now, and there’s a feeling that he’s past his best – but that's wrong. For Nigeria he’s not only the captain, but also the main source of improvisation as a playmaker – a role that would have been unthinkable at Stamford Bridge. He is the ultimate leader as well, and at the age of 31 next summer, is still capable of dominating games.

https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/world-cup-2018-group-group-what-you-need-know?page=0%2C1

tbaba1234:


By sitting in the stands every week.

If Alampasu gets a loan move in January, you will have legs to stand on.

So, you do not know Alampasu will be tested in training by better players. Unlike, Uzoho who will be against condemned players in the third tier league.

forgiveness:


So, you do not know Alampasu will be tested in training by better players. Unlike, Uzoho who will be against condemned players in the third tier league.

Uzoho has trained severally with the first team and still gets to play competitively every week. Is Feirense better that Depor?

korlahwarleh:

He sits on a higher bench
He sits on a higher bench

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode][/font]


Hahaha!

forgiveness:


We dey talk of meat wet get flesh rat wan join.. Who dash Akpeyi experience?

Oga, accept you were wrong in your submition that no experienced player qualified us to the WC, then we go yan.

Na waoo, go back to my ealier submitions and see that you may be having a misunderstanding of what I wrote. My point is, Experience Bawo/Fire as far as we are getting Result

Icon79:
Obviously, you're of Sunday Oliseh's school of thoughts: playing in the main league automatically makes you better than those who are playing in the lower division, but I am not buying that. I believe that our best players should be playing for us regardless of where they are fond.

From Reuben Agbola down to Shehu Abbdullahi, we have found some hidden gems in the Super Eagles, who were not luck enough to be playing in the so called top teams or top divisions. Anyway, my bottom line is our best players should be playing for us regardless of where they are found ... even if they are home-based or playing for other African clubsides.


O pari

O pari master do we need to argue this i don't think so,am not disputing seeing rare gem in lower league but a good national team is made up of players playing in quality leagues.

I remember Rueben Agboola very well playing for Swansea in lower league then,hope you remember Emeka Ezeugu who made national team playing in India league,George Abbey playing in league two,Rasheed Yekini making the team playing for African sport,also Thompson Oliha playing in cote d voire for Asec,Gabriel Okolosi with African sport,Efetebore and Sam Sodje doing it in championship.

We have them like that but better to have your players in good league,this is why i always praised Westerhoff for showing Nigeria players way out to better league.He made sure Yekini moved to Europe cos he can't imagine Yekini playing in African league.He assisted players like Tijani to Roda JC,Finidi and Kanu to Ajax,Amokachie to club brugge,Okechukwu to Brondby in Denmark,Ben Iroha to Vitesse Arnhem,Friday Elaho to Brondby and find club for Emeka Ezeugu in Denmark from India.

He did this to boost the quality of his team cos good leagues will boost the national team output.Do you think beating Argentina can be done with bunch of players from lower league.

Kog45:
O pari master do we need to argue this i don't think so,am not disputing seeing rare gem in lower league but a good national team is made up of players playing in quality leagues.

I remember Rueben Agboola very well playing for Swansea in lower league then,hope you remember Emeka Ezeugu who made national team playing in India league,George Abbey playing in league two,Rasheed Yekini making the team playing for African sport,also Thompson Oliha playing in cote d voire for Asec,Gabriel Okolosi with African sport,Efetebore and Sam Sodje doing it in championship.

We have them like that but better to have your players in good league,this is why i always praised Westerhoff for showing Nigeria players way out to better league.He made sure Yekini moved to Europe cos he can't imagine Yekini playing in African league.He assisted players like Tijani to Roda JC,Finidi and Kanu to Ajax,Amokachie to club brugge,Okechukwu to Brondby in Denmark,Ben Iroha to Vitesse Arnhem,Friday Elaho to Brondby and find club for Emeka Ezeugu in Denmark from India.

He did this to boost the quality of his team cos good leagues will boost the national team output.Do you think beating Argentina can be done with bunch of players from lower league.

You guys have a funny thought process. Last two season, an unknown Leicester City came all the way from a lower League and broke the big teams in the EPL like they are nothing and won the Premier League like a boss.

If that is isn't a good lesson to you and the people from the same school of thought like yours that some Leagues maybe bigger than others, but quality players and a better team work is all you need to win, then I am afraid you are terribly bad with analysis.

Thanks for taking us down memory lane again. Quite refreshing


But, abeg, don't mention Efetebore and Sam Sodje again .... some of us know how Efe Sodjie made the National team under Pa Onigbinde. I don't wanna go into a full expose but let's just say that they are amongst the folks I nicknamed "$10,000 per junk player". I am pretty sure you'll understand



O pari

Kog45:
O pari master do we need to argue this i don't think so,am not disputing seeing rare gem in lower league but a good national team is made up of players playing in quality leagues.

I remember Rueben Agboola very well playing for Swansea in lower league then,hope you remember Emeka Ezeugu who made national team playing in India league,George Abbey playing in league two,Rasheed Yekini making the team playing for African sport,also Thompson Oliha playing in cote d voire for Asec,Gabriel Okolosi with African sport,Efetebore and Sam Sodje doing it in championship.

We have them like that but better to have your players in good league,this is why i always praised Westerhoff for showing Nigeria players way out to better league.He made sure Yekini moved to Europe cos he can't imagine Yekini playing in African league.He assisted players like Tijani to Roda JC,Finidi and Kanu to Ajax,Amokachie to club brugge,Okechukwu to Brondby in Denmark,Ben Iroha to Vitesse Arnhem,Friday Elaho to Brondby and find club for Emeka Ezeugu in Denmark from India.

He did this to boost the quality of his team cos good leagues will boost the national team output.Do you think beating Argentina can be done with bunch of players from lower league.

SerVik:
GROUP D

---

FIFA ranking: 4

The lowdown
La Albiceleste were expected to stroll through qualifying but found life extremely difficult, were managed by three different coaches and eventually only made certain of their place in Russia on the final matchday, winning 3-1 in Ecuador.
Incredibly for a country with countless top-class strikers, they had the second-worst attacking record in South America – and the worst at home with just nine goals in nine matches. It remains to be seen who will partner Lionel Messi at the tournament, but Paulo Dybala is seemingly destined for the bench and Gonzalo Higuain might be discarded altogether.
With question marks hovering over the quality in defence and midfield, hopes are low – but isn't that somewhat reminiscent of Brazil going into the 2002 World Cup?

Key player: Lionel Messi



Simply, Argentina wouldn't have made it to this tournament without the Barcelona superstar. Messi – who temporarily retired from the national team after losing in the 2016 Copa America Final – scored seven goals in the qualifiers, including the crucial hat-trick in Ecuador. This will be a fourth World Cup for the 30-year-old genius – but can he finally win a title for his country? It's the only trinket missing from a glorious career... but a big one.



FIFA ranking: 22

The lowdown
After starring at Euro 2016 and reaching the quarter-finals at the expense of England, Iceland became the smallest country (by population) ever to qualify for the World Cup, finishing top of a tough group ahead of Croatia, Ukraine and Turkey.
Swedish coach Lars Lagerback might have left after the adventure in France, but Heimir Hallgrimsson – who worked alongside him – proved a worthy successor in his own right. There are few big names in the squad, but the team works perfectly as a unit, and their self confidence is sky high. Expect their magnificent fans to make a lot of headlines too.

Key player: Gylfi Sigurdsson


The playmaker is struggling to find his feet at Everton after a big transfer from Swansea, but Icelandic fans hope that he will be in top form come summer. Intelligent, blessed with magnificent vision and a dead-ball specialist, Sigurdsson is the main source of creativity. Iceland wouldn't be the same without him.



FIFA ranking: 17

The lowdown
Not helped by bad blood between fans and FA, and influenced by politics behind the scenes, this talented squad isn't always able to deliver. The Croats only finished second behind Iceland in the group; luckily, they were drawn against Greece in the play-offs and new coach Zlatko Dalic – who has no high-level experience whatsoever – celebrated after the 4-1 aggregate win.
The midfield and attack look fabulous on paper, with Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic, Ivan Perisic and Mario Mandzukic complementing each other well. But there are question marks about the defence, and the pressure might be too much.

Key player: Luka Modric



The 32-year-old veteran has sparkled for Real Madrid in recent seasons – a key midfield performer in a side winning two Champions League trophies in a row. He’s now widely considered one of the best players in the world in his position. Modric isn't always popular in his homeland because of political issues, mind you.



FIFA ranking: 50
The lowdown
The Super Eagles have only missed one World Cup tournament since 1994, and they overcame a very difficult draw on paper to make it through again this time. Eliminating African champions Cameroon and heavily favoured Algeria with ease, the team led by experienced German coach Gernot Rohr could be dangerous opponents in Russia.
The squad should be quite youthful, with rising stars like Kelechi Iheanacho, Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi likely to shine. Players like Ahmed Musa (25) and Victor Moses (26) feel like veterans in comparison. Defence has always been the biggest problem for Nigeria, though, and it looks a bit thin again.

Key player: John Obi Mikel



The former Chelsea midfielder is plying his trade in China now, and there’s a feeling that he’s past his best – but that's wrong. For Nigeria he’s not only the captain, but also the main source of improvisation as a playmaker – a role that would have been unthinkable at Stamford Bridge. He is the ultimate leader as well, and at the age of 31 next summer, is still capable of dominating games.

https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/world-cup-2018-group-group-what-you-need-know?page=0%2C1

Dear ignorant Europeans and other white people,

Please, if you do not have full information on the status of African teams, kindly exclude us from your analysis.

These half-baked, ill-informed analysis is getting annoying to read.

If there is any part of the Nigerian team that is thin, it is certainly not the defence, which is brimming with a host of options. if we could, we would take 12 defenders to Russia....that is how ROBUST our defence is


I implore you press men and women of Britain and its environs who I once thought knew their onions, to please, make a balanced research of the African teams before these analysis, or keep our names out your write-ups.

Yours Gratefully,
Annoyed Nigerian

mazimee:


You guys have a funny thought process. Last too season, an unknown Leicester City came all the way from a lower League and broke the big teams in the EPL like they are nothing and won the Premier League.

If that is isn't a good lesson to you and the people from the same school of thought like yours that some Leagues maybe bigger than others, but quality players and a better team work is all you need to win, then I am afraid you a bad with analysis.

Pls read my post very well before you comment.

Pls what is bad in my analysis cos sometimes i keep on wondering why some don't read and get it simple or do you think i just came into football talks yesterday.

My point is so simple that guys who know football very well w comprehend very fast and understand my angle of discussion and mind you is not compulsory we should agreed.

If i may ask did you really know what we are talking about cos your submission lacks it.Pls better for you to go back how it all started or ask icons79 what was our discussion about.

My point is simple better to have national team players in good league (YES or NO) or did you see me condemning guys playing in lower leagues,i said we can find them but on rare occasion just like having Shehu Abdullahi now playing in Cyprus but Shehu turning good doesn't mean we should now focus our attention on lower leagues when we have guys doing it in better league.

Oh Leicester coming to EPL and won league, pls can you tell me how many modelrate clubs that did what Leicester did in the last 20 years and what has it got to do with our discussion.


Did you know how many years he took us to qualify for WC despite having great talents.This was a period Cameroon, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt are serious threat just cos they have players doing it in Europe while ours are majorly in local league except Richard Owubokiri, Sylvanus Okpala who are based in Brazil and Portugal until Keshi joined in mid 80s.

Hope my point is clearer now better to have them in better league like LA liga, EPL,Bundesliga, serial A,French league, Belgium league,Dutch league,Portuguese league than playing in any second tier in Europe or obscure league in Hungary, Bulgaria, Norway, Sweden, Cyprus, mind you we can see good players from this league but must be extremely good and hardworking like Shehu to break into Super eagles team.

Icon79:
Thanks for taking us down the memory lane again. Quite refreshing


But, abeg, don't mention Efetebore and Sam Sodje again .... some of us know how Efe Sodjie made the National team under Pa Onigbinde. I don't wanna go into a full expose but let's just say that they are amongst the folks I nicknamed "$10,000 per junk player". I am pretty sure you'll understand



O pari

$10k?i don't think so cos a friend made the team without paying a kobo

tbaba1234:


Uzoho has trained severally with the first team and still gets to play competitively every week. Is Feirense better that Depor?

Uzoho is a reserve player while Alampasu is a first team member.

Deportivo has been poo for the past 5 seasons. They have been relegation contenders for the past 5 seasons, always finished 15th and 16th hence Feirense is better.

forgiveness:



Uzoho is a reserve player while Alampasu is a first team member.

Deportivo has been poo for the past 5 seasons. They have been relegation contenders for the past 5 seasons, always finished 15th and 16th hence Feirense is better.

Lol, chai... ok..

forgiveness:


We dey talk of meat wet get flesh rat wan join.. Who dash Akpeyi experience?

Oga, accept you were wrong in your submition that no experienced player qualified us to the WC, then we go yan.

good you know this....then Martins too should be ignored just like akpeyi

safarigirl:


Dear ignorant Europeans and other white people,

Please, if you do not have full information on the status of African teams, kindly exclude us from your analysis.

These half-baked, ill-informed analysis is getting annoying to read.

If there is any part of the Nigerian team that is thin, it is certainly not the defence, which is brimming with a host of options. if we could, we would take 12 defenders to Russia....that is how ROBUST our defence is


I implore you press men and women of Britain and its environs who I once thought knew their onions, to please, make a balanced research of the African teams before these analysis, or keep our names out your write-ups.

Yours Gratefully,
Annoyed Nigerian

The writer probably watched our game against Argentina and came to that conclusion. In the qualifiers, we only conceded 2goals from open play.

But you have to agree that balogun needs to get in shape before the world cup. He's been suspect lately.

PDPGuy:
Random fun fact:
Russia has ELEVEN time zones

Damn, I once heard it was 9.

Humility017:

good you know this....then Martins too should be ignored just like akpeyi

Which good?

Akpeyi no get single experience but Martins got hence the need to look Martin's way based on experience plus performance.

SerVik:

The writer probably watched our game against Argentina and came to that conclusion. In the qualifiers, we only conceded 2goals from open play.

But you have to agree that balogun needs to get in shape before the world cup. He's been suspect lately.

Balogun is one of about seven defenders we will be taking to Russia, he should not be the reason the defence will be referred to as 'thin'....

FCA Croatian Coach: Nigeria Are No Longer The African Brazil, Praises Moses But Writes Off Mikel & Iwobi

Croatian coach Boris Pučić, who has close links to Football College Abuja, has provided vital information about the Nigerian national team that might come in handy to Croatian manager Zlatko Dalić ahead of the 2018 World Cup.
Pučić revealed that Chelsea's Victor Moses is the only star player on the Nigeria team, and the present squad cannot be compared to the USA 1994 and 1998 teams which paraded the likes of Nwankwo Kanu and Austin Okocha.
''They are not very pleased with the fact that they have drawn Croatia, but who would be. However, they are hoping that Nigeria will win, but I'm just waiting for a day to celebrate, I think we have no reason to be afraid,'' said Pučić to
sportske.jutarnji.hr.
''Obi Mikel plays in China, Moses has been injured for some time and has just returned to Chelsea's first team, while others are all in some side-tiers.
''Iheanacho and Musa are in reserve in Leicester, Iwobi for Arsenal plays a bit more, but Nigeria is not the shadow of the national team that they once called 'African Brazil.
''Simply, there is no star player besides Moses in Chelsea and the team is not close to what we remember from the World Cup in the United States or France that played really well.''
Nigeria and Croatia will face off at the Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad on June 16, 2018 in both countries Group D opener.
Ifeanyi Emmanuel

http://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=25695

................................
I don't blame this guy. We couldn't even qualify for 2 AFCONs in a row. We are going into this mundial as massive under dogs. Only a deluded or dishonest person will think otherwise.

Napoleon55:
” I am happy it wasn’t a group where we had to play against African teams like Nigeria. They run a lot and are very physical in their approach. We are no doubt still up against strong sides at the World Cup “
--NEYMAR J

What's with them and our physicality,have they built an alibi to discredit our quality and class,hard work and effort in case we win.
who are those physical players in our team?
is it Ebuehi,Iheanacho or Iwobi.
Balogun an Ekon are not even pure African,Ndidi plays normal football without much on physicality.
na wa for all these Oyibos

subtle negative profiling of our team has begun. Everybody stresses our physicality without laying equal stress on our finesse, our efficiency and fluidity. They want this stereotype to seep into the subconscious of the Referees and influence them to hand negative decisions against us.

goldfish80:
FCA Croatian Coach: Nigeria Are No Longer The African Brazil, Praises Moses But Writes Off Mikel & Iwobi

Croatian coach Boris Pučić, who has close links to Football College Abuja, has provided vital information about the Nigerian national team that might come in handy to Croatian manager Zlatko Dalić ahead of the 2018 World Cup.
Pučić revealed that Chelsea's Victor Moses is the only star player on the Nigeria team, and the present squad cannot be compared to the USA 1994 and 1998 teams which paraded the likes of Nwankwo Kanu and Austin Okocha.
''They are not very pleased with the fact that they have drawn Croatia, but who would be. However, they are hoping that Nigeria will win, but I'm just waiting for a day to celebrate, I think we have no reason to be afraid,'' said Pučić to
sportske.jutarnji.hr.
''Obi Mikel plays in China, Moses has been injured for some time and has just returned to Chelsea's first team, while others are all in some side-tiers.
''Iheanacho and Musa are in reserve in Leicester, Iwobi for Arsenal plays a bit more, but Nigeria is not the shadow of the national team that they once called 'African Brazil.
''Simply, there is no star player besides Moses in Chelsea and the team is not close to what we remember from the World Cup in the United States or France that played really well.''
Nigeria and Croatia will face off at the Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad on June 16, 2018 in both countries Group D opener.
Ifeanyi Emmanuel

http://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=25695

................................
I don't blame this guy. We couldn't even qualify for 2 AFCONs in a row. We are going into this mundial as massive under dogs. Only a deluded or dishonest person will think otherwise.

we couldn't qualify for two AFCONS, but the last two winners of AFCON couldn't qualify for the World Cup....who AFCON don epp? The most recent winner sef, na we mutilate them with 5-1 aggregate

Fire on coachee!! Make everybody just dey underrate us like this, it will really help us

tbaba1234:

Lol, chai... ok..

thank God rohr thinks differently.

safarigirl:
we couldn't qualify for two AFCONS, but the last two winners of AFCON couldn't qualify for the World Cup....who AFCON don epp? The most recent winner sef, na we mutilate them with 5-1 aggregate

Fire on coachee!! Make everybody just dey underrate us like this, it will really help us

Chile won back to back Copa America championship yet they won't be in Russia. Being continental Kings is a record any country will want in their archives.
I'd rather win the afcon than make a second round exit at the world cup.

safarigirl:
we couldn't qualify for two AFCONS, but the last two winners of AFCON couldn't qualify for the World Cup....who AFCON don epp? The most recent winner sef, na we mutilate them with 5-1 aggregate

Fire on coachee!! Make everybody just dey underrate us like this, it will really help us

I really wish this team will be disgraced more than the disgrace Argentina got from us. Their arrogance is something else , from the Coach to the fans.

komekn:


That to me is evasive rhetoric without any substance.

Using your rational we should go and pick somebody playing non league in Siberia because that person plays like Messi. If you are playing half of Messi you will not be in the backwater leagues of Europe.


Get this clear if this guy had and depth of quality he would not be playing in one of the worst teams in the Norwegian league.

He has had two seasons in that backwater league and Rosenburg or Mold the top teams in Norway did not see him but our scouting crew did.

That's a nursery rhyme to be given to toddler's.

oga don't you think same apply to Martins....if he is really a player so much quality....why is he doing in China?

Humility017:


oga don't you think same apply to Martins....if he is really a player so much quality....why is he doing in China?

Martins is well paid in China. As a matter of fact, he earns more(after tax) than 80% Epl players. The Chinese are not messing around.
Epl top scorer Diego Costa packed his bags and suitcases when the Chinese called.

goldfish80:


Chile won back to back Copa America championship yet they won't be in Russia. Being continental Kings is a record any country will want in their archives.
I'd rather win the afcon than make a second round exit at the world cup.

People celebrate just qualifying for the WC more than winning continental cups.