| Although growing in popularity, soccer is still not a big | | | | The top goalscorers in the world will all be there, |
| sport in the United States, I think it's fair to say. | | | | competing on behalf of their teams and competing |
| American sports fans, raised on the fast pace of | | | | with each other to get the coveted Golden Boot |
| Basketball and the excitement of football, find the | | | | award for top goalscorer of the tournament. Michael |
| game too slow. They don't like spending an hour and | | | | Owen of England, Holland's Ruud Van Nistelroy, |
| a half of their time to watch a game that might end | | | | Spain's Fernando Torres, Andriy Shevchenko of |
| 0-0. And American television networks and | | | | Ukraine - strikers of this calibre are guaranteed to |
| broadcasters don't like soccer because there's only | | | | get goals. |
| one break (half-time) where they can show | | | | Not convinced yet ? Still think soccer is boring and |
| advertisements. And what's the point in having big | | | | that you would rather be out fishing or fixing up your |
| audiences unless you can sell them a new car or a | | | | car or even at work ? |
| cable subscription, right ? | | | | OK, how about this. For a soccer player, appearing at |
| Having watched some Major League Soccer (MLS), I | | | | a World Cup Finals is the pinnacle of his career. |
| can see the problem. While there are a few | | | | Everything else - the money, the fame, the lifestyle - |
| outstanding soccer players plying their trade in the | | | | fades into the background. Everyone who has ever |
| MLS (Josh Wolff and Freddy Adu spring to mind), the | | | | played the game dreams of playing at a World Cup |
| overall standard of play is..well, let's just say, that the | | | | and you can see that in the matches themselves. |
| leading European leagues are significantly better. | | | | This is not just another round of games...the World |
| Nevertheless, with the United States qualifying for | | | | Cup means everything to every one of those players |
| the World Cup Finals with ease, this summer is the | | | | and they will all give their best. For the fan - or even |
| time that you...yes, you...should be watching soccer. | | | | the casual observer - this means they will be |
| Held this year in Germany, the World Cup Finals | | | | watching passionate and absorbing matches. In sport, |
| features the best of the best soccer stars | | | | as in life, passion is everything. |
| competing for that sport's ultimate prize. Combine | | | | Even better, the initial group stage has thrown up |
| this with the passion and pride you feel because | | | | some intriguing encounters. One group even has |
| you're backing your own country and the appeal of | | | | three of the best 10 or 12 teams in the world - |
| soccer at this level starts to become clear. | | | | Czech Republic, Italy and, yes, the United States. |
| The level of skill exhibited in the World Cup is far | | | | There's no doubt that these are going to be fiercely |
| above anything you'll see at club level as the likes of | | | | competitive and thrilling matches and it's quite possible |
| Brazil's World Player of the Year - Ronaldinho - will be | | | | that - as they did in the 2002 Finals - the USA will |
| competing with the best defences in soccer. And, | | | | progress to the Round of 16 and further. |
| again, unlike club soccer, there is no real tactical | | | | My tip for the winners this time round is (somewhat |
| advantage to playing safe. If you want to win the | | | | unsurprisingly) the mighty Brazil, but there will be |
| World Cup, you've got to win your games. It's that | | | | some thrills and spills along the way. So, when your |
| simple. | | | | loved ones ask you what you are doing this June, tell |
| This results in exciting, skillful, attacking soccer. Make | | | | them you're going to be watching World Cup soccer. |
| no mistake, these are games that will have goals. | | | | |