by jessexy on Fri Jun 22, 2007 1:06 pm
FIFA has recognizes regions like the NCAA recognizes conferences.
Europe=UEFA, SOuth America=CONMEBOL, NOrth America/Carribean=CONCACAF and they all have regional championships. the tournament is invitational, so some teams tha tare in the region can be left out while guest countries can be invited. UEFA has qualifiers so each country has a chacne to make it. CONCACAF invited the countries in the region, but they have invited Brazil, SOuth AFrica, and others in the past. Guadalupe is in it this year even though they are not recongnized as a soccer nation by FIFA and could never qualify for the WOrld Cup. They are a region of France, just like Hawaii is a State in the USA.
The US wants to win this one to help our ranking in FIFA. we got screwed at the World Cup and drawn into a tough group cuz we were considered the 2nd ranked team in our region for seeding purposes for the 2006 WOrld CUp. we still played like crap, but we couldve been playing against the weaker teams had we gotten a top seed. Doing well in the Copa America will help us too cuz thats CONMEBOL's regional championship
we want to do well there, but dont need to win it. but we really dont wanna lose to Mexico in the Gold Cup final and then go and get creamed in the Copa America. Argentina is good, but we can beat Paraguay and Colombia. Many of you may not remember, but we beat Colombia in the 1994 World Cup in the USA and the player that lost the game for Colombia was later murdered.
I'm sorry, but i love this stuff. they are broadcasting the games on Fox Soccer Channel and Univision.
peace.
jessexy