A True World Cup: 24 teams at England '66

[Chocolate Raines]

Brasil, Dutch, portuguese, England, USA, Belgium, Argentina, and Germany

 

[Yülia]

Australia vs Brazil

Netherlands vs Greece

Columbia vs Portugal

England vs Algeria (on Pens)

United States vs Switzerland

Belgium vs Chile

Argentina vs Italy

Germany vs Scotland

Gotta continue my trend of liking everyone who says Germany will win. And constantly hoping the US loses and England gets upset.

 

[jmmcb94]

Australia, Netherlands, Colombia, Algeria, USA, Belgium, Argentina, Germany

 

[GeorgeUK]

Brazil
Netherlands
Portugal
England
United Stated (#ThingsTimHowardCouldSave)
Belgium
Argentina
Germany

 

[infinitywaves]

Australia

Netherlands

Portugal

England

Switzerland

Belgium

Argentina

Germany

 

[QTXAdsy]

2014 FIFA WORLD CUP
Part 2
​

With he group stages out of the way, it was time for the last sixteen and by this point hosting a World Cup Down Under had proven to be quite a strange experience for those in Europe and South America in which while games in Australia would start at seven or nine in the evening, the timings meant that viewers in Europe would be watching games at round about ten or eleven in the morning while those in South America had the frustration of having to watch games at about five in the morning and this would be the case for Brazil in their round of 16 match with Australia.

While it wasn't the first time that Australia had crossed paths with the South American giants, this was without question the biggest game that they had ever played and with a huge Melbourne crowd roaring them on, some felt that they had a small chance. It wouldn't start off well however as David Luiz scored after just eighteen minutes and from then on the hosts were pretty much on the backfoot throughout the match up until Brazil shot themselves in the foot when they gave away a penalty with nearly twenty minutes to go and the Hosts would equalise thanks to Jedinak and the game would go into Extra-time.

Australian players celebrate after that spot kick
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During extra-time, the game became more even and the Brazilian players begin to show signs of frustration that it wasn't all going well for them though they had no one to blame but themselves for what looked like an easy victory and their failure to get a goal in extra time would come to haunt them as penalties loomed and now anything could happen. What followed would be one of the greatest World Cup shocks in history as the Australians held their nerves to win 4-3 on penalties with Brazilian star Neymar missing the vital kick that saw his country make an embarrassing early exit [1] and much ridicule for Neymar. For Australians, the 'Melbourne Miracle' would go down as one of the great Australian sporting victories of all time and who knows how far they could go on home soil?

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Later that evening as a nation celebrated widely into the night, there was also another game taking place in Gold Coast between the Dutch and the Greeks. After the drama in that last game, this game however would be something on an anti-climax in which from the start right until the end the Dutch would have no trouble taking down a plucky Greek team with two goals from Robben and Van Persie ultimately sealing a 2-0 victory for the Dutch and onwards to the last eight.

Dutch players celebrate after the second goal is scored that pretty much seals the Dutch's rite of passage
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After this victory, there was also the small matter that 2014 also marked the 40th anniversary of the Dutch's sole World Cup victory [2] and there was now serious speculation in the Dutch media that this team might not only make the final but maybe even go all the way...

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The following day would arrive and with it the first game would be between the United States and Switzerland. To many this felt like an even match though some felt that the Swiss might just edge it and from the start of the game that might seemed like a good thing to think about as the American defence proved to be poor were had it not been from the goalkeeping actions of one Tim Howard, the United Sates would have been down 3-0 before the end of the first half at least. However the United States improved at right at the start of the second half, the Americans would get the better of the Swiss to break the deadlock.

Some happy Americans after taking the lead
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The Swiss though didn't give up and the American goalkeeper Tim Howard would not only keep the score down at 1-0 but his actions would make him an internet star [3] and from all this, the United States marched on towards the Quarter Finals. While some would say that the Americans had their backs against the wall, many Americans wouldn't really care for that as their World Cup adventure Down Under went on...

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Later that day would have Belgium take on Chile and despite the South Americans holding their own in the group, very few expected them to get the better of a Belgium team that many felt was one that was going to go on to bigger things. This confidence however would take a shake in which Chile would get the first goal and Chile's work rate would stun the Belgians in which it became clear that the Europeans had underestimated their opponents and this would get worse in Vargas, who scored Chile's opening goal would net a second and suddenly it was looking to be yet another upset.

Some happy Chileans after their second goal
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Despite being 2-0 down, the Belgians didn't gave and pretty much would dominate the second half yet they could not seem to find a goal up until the 78th minute in which it became a dramatic game in which Belgium looked more likely to score again and maybe win it. However Chile held their nerve and stunned their opponents to dump them out of the World Cup and progress to the next round [4].

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The following day would see another South American nation attempting to try and make it would be Columbia who had gained a few followers thanks to some impressive performances but standing in their way would be Ronaldo's Portugal [5] and thanks to Nani, they would score quite early in the game in which many felt was going to be a victory for them. However not long later, Columbia would get a goal back after just five minutes and another fifteen minutes later would see Columbia turn the game around thanks to Rodriguez and suddenly it wasn't all looking good for Portugal.

It's not all going for well for them...
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During the second half, Portugal looked like a rattled team and even Ronaldo couldn't help them as Columbia seemed to grow further and further into the game and this would all stack up thanks to Rodriguez getting his second and Columbia's third goal in injury time which would be enough to send the Portuguese back home and send the Columbians through. One could see an early lack of European teams in the last eight...

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That evening would see England [6] taking on Algeria, the sole African team left in the World Cup, in Perth. While many had England down to win the match, that was not something to be confident about given the amount of shock results so far and some even thought Algeria had a chance to knock out England. Despite having a large crowd backing England, most of who were English expats living in Perth, England looked poor with Algeria having several chances to try and win the game but yet failed to do so throughout ninety minutes and the game would thus move into extra-time. A horrible thing to happen as just two minutes from the start of extra-time, Rooney popped up to put a ropey England in front.

Hard luck story of Algeria after going behind England in Extra-time
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Algeria tried everything they could to find another goal yet England held on right at the death with not much to play for, England scored again thanks to Sterling and many would agree it was a score that didn't reflect on how the game had gone. Algeria would though get a goal back with not much to play for though did deserve it and with that the English sneaked through [7] though many would agree that England didn't deserve the victory...

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The final day of the round of sixteen would bring about rivals Argentina and Italy together [8]. The Italians had squeezed their way through [9] while the Argentines had stormed through their group and some felt that this would be a victory for Argentina. However the game itself would be a tense affair in which the game would be end-to-end in which at one point Argentina or Italy could have been 2-0 had either been better in front of goal. Great for the neutrals but sure as hell far from easy viewer if you were either Italian or Argentinean.

Messi in action with Italy
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The game became something of a rubbish game of football in which neither side wanted to lose and the 0-0 score pretty much told everyone what to expect. However just as the game was about to go to a shootout, Di Maria would score for Argentina with a few minutes left in extra-time which crushed Italian hearts and to add more salt to the wound, Messi scored in injury time to give Argentina victory. It was far from a good game and not man gave the Argentines much of a chance...

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The final match of the round of sixteen would be Germany vs Scotland in which no one gave Scotland a chance to pull of a shock victory. Despite holding the Germans at bay for nearly twenty minutes of the first half, the Germans would score first though there would be an unlikely equaliser for Scotland thanks to an own goal from Hummels. Germany however would get back in front in the 34th minute but not before Scotland stunned the Germans again with a goal before the break with the game poised at 2-2 and who knows what might happen next?

Germany vs Scotland in the Round of 16

Throughout the second half though, Germany would get back to their game plan and pretty much be very much in front of the Scots and the Germans scoring for a third time in the 54th minute which ultimately put an end to the Scots' World Cup hopes and in front of a large expat Scottish crowd in Geelong. With that though was the end of the round of sixteen and soon the Quarter-finals would begin that stared quite a number of unlikely suspects...

Final results of the 2014 Round of Sixteen
​

• [1] Like IOTL, Brazil are in a shootout in the Ro16 but lose here which butterflies away that game...not sure what TL goes better for Brazil here TBH...​
• [2] ITTL at least.​
• [3] Yes, those memes about him still happen like with OTL, because why not?​
• [4] Compared to OTL in which Chile I felt were unlucky to lose to Brazil and should've been in the last eight at least. They get it here though...​
• [5] They've done a wee bit better here as IOTL they went out in the first round.​
• [6] England like Portugal have done a little bit better here.​
• [7] The game is pretty much like OTL's Germany vs Algeria game except have England in Germany's place here.​
• [8] Given the amount of times that they have faced each other at the WC ITTL that's likely to happen. ​
• [9] As with Portugal and England, Italy do a little better here too.​

So here we are at last. Not sure if I've got the times right if a World Cup was hosted in Australia unless someone could correct me if I've got them right. Anyway a few shock results there and as always, here is the Quarter-finals.
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Australia vs Netherlands

Columbia vs England

United States vs Chile

Germany vs Argentina
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So who will go through and what has been the biggest shock result so far here? Until then, stay tuned for more!

 

[GeorgeUK]

Australia
Colombia
United States
Germany

 

[MatthewFirth]

Australia vs Netherlands

Columbia vs England

United States vs Chile

Germany vs Argentina

 

[Chocolate Raines]

Dutch, England, USA, and German final four

 

[jmmcb94]

Netherlands, Colombia, USA and Germany to win.

 

[QTXAdsy]

2014 FIFA WORLD CUP
Part 3
​

Although for the host nation this was not the first time that they had ever been in the last eight, the hype going into this game made this game was the most important that providing everything went well in their favour against the Dutch then Australia could be within sight of the last four for the first time on home soil. With a huge TV audience and a partisan crowd in Melbourne backing the team, Australia did well and were quite unlucky not to be in front though it did look clear that the Dutch hadn't turned up during the first twenty minutes of the game.

Australia vs the Netherlands in the last eight
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The Dutch would though start to play well and the game throughout the first half be a truly open game in which either side could have been 2-0 up given how even things were. However the second half would end up being more in the Dutch's favour as they began to pile pressure on the Australians in their hunt for the breakthrough yet tough Aussie defending stopped that from happening and the game went into extra time.

As Extra-time would progress and the Dutch grew more and more into the game, it became clear that Australia's attacking style of football had gone and that they were clearly playing for penalties and that idea might have done had it not been in the last minute of the game in which from a free kick, Van Perise would get his head onto the ball and score to send his country into the last four and break Australian hearts everywhere.

Contrasting emotions after the final whistle
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For the Netherlands, the dream of reaching their first final and getting their hands on the cup for the first time since 1974 [1] were now looking like a real possibility while for the Australians, it would be a case of 'what might have been' had they either held on long enough to the end or had taken their chances in the first half. For the host nation, their dreams of glory on home soil were gone.

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After the nail biting tension of that last game, many didn't know what to think when Columbia and England prepared to face off each other in Sydney. That all said those in the know felt that this England team wasn't that good [2] and in turn the Columbia team looked like a team that would cause damage to England and that was what happened. Despite the large support England had with then Down Under, this Columbian would take the lead after just 24 minutes and the English were getting pulled apart as the South Americans tried but oddly failed to find another goal in the first half.

Some happy Columbians after taking the lead on England

Columbian good luck would take effect in the second half in which they would add to their lead with two more goals while England failed to cause much problems for the South Americans not being able to find the back of the net and it would be a game to forget about as Columbia would run out as 3-0 victors and would progress to the last four for the first time in their history [3].

England are going home after a 3-0 humbling at the hands of Columbia
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It has to be said that Columbia had become the team that everyone wanted to win due to how well they seemed to play and even some began to think that just maybe a new name would be on the trophy this year...

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The following day would see an unlikely match up with the United States taking on Chile, both of whom were hoping to make it to the last four for the first time since 1930 and 1962 respectably [4]. The game is more remember for the Chilean media in the build up in which they brought up the 1973 Chilean coup d'état in which had been allegedly supported by the United States which added to a degree of tension to the game which with hindsight was probably was a mistake to make to stoke up Chilean support [5].

The American team prior to the match with Chile

It would be a game that from the get go, Chile were by far the better team and this was evident as by the end of the first half they were already up by two goals to nil and there didn't seem anyway back for the Americans. That all said during the open part of the second half, the United States did get a goal back and the game did look like it might have a further twist in the tale.

In the end however with less that twenty minutes to do, the Chileans add a third to their tally and ultimately would dump the United States out of the World Cup. For a nation celebrating their first appearance in the last four for the first time in 54 years and the media build up to the game, the country would celebrate like crazy and their dreams of World Cup glory were now not a pipe dream.

One very happy Chilean team on reaching the last four​

For the United States, their long wait for an appearance in the last four of a World Cup goes on...

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The final Quarter-final would be contested between Germany and Argentina, curiously the only two teams left in the tournament that had multiply World Cups to their name. It was stated that the Germans were slight favourites having play no extra-time compared to the Argentines who had barely scraped past Italy with two very late goals which many felt that they were very lucky to do so.

Argentina​

vs Germany in the last eight
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The game was pretty even for the first part of the game, however a rare mistake from Kroos for a misplaced header would have Higuaín make the most of it and fire it into the top left of the net to give Argentina the lead [6]. Germany were left rocked by this early set back and tried to get back into the game but this would only get worse right at the start of the second half in which Messi would add to Argentina's lead [7] and in the end the Germans despite being what some felt as the better team would make an exit and Argentina would go through.

It was a horrible result for the Germans who felt that their team was by far a better squad and that some rare mistakes from them had ultimately caused their downfall to put an end to their Australian adventure. For Argentina, it was another return to the last four and with the rest of the teams left in the tournament, it seemed like this was their World Cup to lose now.

And that face tells you what you need to know

With that game over, it now looked to be one of the most unlikely last four World Cup semis ever with three South American nations and only one European team. Would Europe's grip on the cup be finally lifted and the cup be on it's way to South America at long last? Time would tell this in this truly upside down World Cup in more ways than one...

Final results of the Quarter-Finals at the 2014 World Cup
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• [1] ITTL as you should know by now.​
• [2] They are slightly better than OTL's 2014 team but not by much...​
• [3] Always felt that they deserved to be in the last four compared to Brazil, here they do so here.​
• [4] As with OTL.​
• [5] Yes, this might be crazy but given how some newspapers and media always does something stupid in the build up of a certain game E.G England/Argentina Falklands War, then it's likely you'd see something here.​
• [6] Probably the only ASB thing about this...Higuaín doesn't have the aim of a stormtrooper! ​
• [7] As he almost did in OTL.​

Well then, what a strange last four that is. It's quite strange that once this WC is over, we have only to do and thus, the TL will go on hiatus until 2022...anyway here is the last four fixtures:
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Netherlands vs Columbia

Chile vs Argentina
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Who will be in the final then? Until then...see you all soon!

 

[Yülia]

Chile

Whoever the Argentines will lose to.

Can't believe someone like Kroos would make that kind of error. He needs to make less mistakes and be more like Schweinsteiger.

 

[MatthewFirth]

Netherlands vs Columbia

Chile vs Argentina

 

[Chocolate Raines]

Argentine-Dutch final

 

[jmmcb94]

The Netherlands and Argentina to win.

 

[QTXAdsy]

2014 FIFA WORLD CUP
Part 4
​

To say that the last four for this year's World Cup was quite an unlikely one that many weren't expecting would be an understatement. Though there were two former World Cup winners there such as Argentina and the Netherlands, there was also the surprise appearance of Columbia and Chile in which while the former had never been this far before in the tournament, it was it fact the first time Chile had been in this position since they hosted the World Cup in their own backyard in 1962 [1].

The first of these games would between the Dutch and Columbia in Sydney on a chilly evening though it would be the South Americans getting first blood in the game after just ten minutes though the Dutch would respond about fifteen minutes later in which that would that as half time came around with the score level at 1-1. No one really knew how the game was going to go...

Netherlands vs Columbia in the first half during the Semi Final
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During the early exchanges in the second half, Columbia looked more up for it and would be awarded for their efforts when Quintero scored from a corner kick in which he headed it home in the box and the feeling that Columbia were going to make it to the final were starting to look like a promising reality. However Van Perise would get his country back on level terms with a free kick and it was starting to look like that the game was going to go to extra time...a crazy game.

It would be that man again who would come up on top to header in a last minute winner before injury time and that well and truly broke Columbian hearts in which they couldn't respond and the Dutch would seal their place in only their second ever final, their first since 1974 [2]. Across the Netherlands there would be massive street parties for this victory though many Columbians felt that they were robbed of victory.

One happy Dutch team as they make it to the final
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Whatever who was on who's side, there was no doubt that for the Dutch it was a long time coming for them to make a long awaited appearance in a final which had been too long. Now the question was who would be the team they'd face in the final...?

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The following evening in Perth, it would be an all South American affair as Chile prepared to take on Argentina for a place in the final. Much like the first final it would be a manic game in which Messi would open the scoring for his team only for then for Chile to cancel out that lead in which the first half ended with the score at 1-1. It would be Chile however that would find the back of the net at first in the second half in which saw them complete a turn around and was there a huge shock on the cards?

Messi after putting Argentina 1-0 during the Semi-Final​

Thankfully for Argentina, Agüero would hammer home two goals in near successful to put Argentina 3-2 up and this Semi-Final was turning into a complete frenzy in which only could happen in South America, albeit it was set in Australia. Chile though would not give in and came close a few times after that third goal to snatch a dramatic late equaliser. Surely it couldn't be done...?

Alas it wasn't meant to be for Chile for near the end of the game, Rojo would hammer in the fourth and final goal for Argentina which would break Chilean hearts for not being able to reach their first final while Argentina were finally back in a major final once again. Much like across the Netherlands, there would be mass celebrations across Argentina (though not all over South America for good reason) and the hopes of getting the hands on a third World Cup were now just a game away...

Victory in Perth for Argentina​

And so it was, it would be the first meeting of these two sides ever in a final [3] and after how dramatic both Semi-Finals had been, many were hoping the final would really be a goal fest that would be one to remember, though one mustn't' be too excited when it comes to finals...

Final results of the 2014 Semi-Finals

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• [1] As with OTL.​
• [2] No 1978 or 2010 final ITTL.​
• [3] As with above regarding 1978.​

So there we are then, feel a bit dirty updating this given the whole story regarding the Super League that's going on. I'm with the rest saying that it should be banished but I'm just one voice here. Anyway it is OTL Semi-Final meeting for TTL's Final, will it be any better and who will come out on top? Find out next time!

 

[MatthewFirth]

Netherlands vs. Argentina

Chile vs. Colombia

 

[jmmcb94]

Argentina to win the final on pens, Colombia to finish third.

 

[infinitywaves]

Netherlands

Chile

 

[QTXAdsy]

2014 FIFA WORLD CUP
Part 5
​

As with tradition, the day before the final would be the Third place play-off in which this would be all South American affair between two unlikely opponents in the form of Columbia and Chile. Though this was only the second time in Chile's history that they had placed in this sort of match [1] this would be Columbia's first time and it would be the latter team that many wanted to win due how well they had played throughout this World Cup.

If Chile thought that things might go better for them here unlike in 1962 then they were in for a rude awakening in which Columbia would end up ripping apart Chile in 3-0 rout in which they might have gotten more though many felt that the reason for Chile being so poor was how the Semi-Final with Argentina had made them exhausted and this wasn't including the fact they were heartbroken still after coming so close to reaching the final.

Chile vs Columbia in the Third Place game in Adelaide.

All in all, Columbia would end their World Cup campaign on a high note and returned back to Columbia as heroes with many hoping that they could do one better in 2018 and for Chile, they would hope things would be looking up too. With that all done, it would soon be time for the final over in Melbourne.

Final result of the Third Place game at the 2014 World Cup

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At long last on a chilly evening in Australia, the 2014 World Cup would take place between the Netherlands and Argentina. Playing in front of the second largest crowd in the history of the World Cup next to 1950 [2] it was all adding to feeling of a huge occasion and for both countries there was a huge amount of pressure and this would be reflected in the game itself.

While Argentina had been in a few finals since 1986, they had failed to win it since then while on the other half their opponents had not been in a final since their sole victory in 1974 [3] and it would be clear that one team's hoodoo would finally be broken here though the final itself would be a drab and disappointing affair in which the weight of history on both teams was clearly evident with both sides more interested in trying to cancel each other out.

Netherlands vs Argentina during the 2014 Final
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Even with the game going into extra-time neither side could break the deadlock and after 120 minutes of pure dreadful football, the game ended 0-0 and would go to penalties and for the crowd of over 100,000, there was a good chance that more than one of them wanted their money back in what many would call as one of, if not the worst, finals ever and millions more back home, sans in Argentina and across the Netherlands, might have felt the same about the game [4].

On spot kicks, it would be Argentina that would hold their nerve as they would win 4-2 on penalties and while the Dutch's wait to be reunited with the World Cup would go on, for Argentina however the long wait was finally over and their third triumph and the whole country would celebrate for a whole straight week and while many in other countries, especially their jealous South American neighbours [5] would say it was an awful final, try telling that to the average Argentine.

Argentina players react on the winning penalty which confirms them as World Champions​

With that, the 2014 World Cup was finally at an end and for Argentina's Messi, he would finally sit alongside Maradona as a World Champion. Australia had shown the world that despite being what many felt wasn't a traditional football country, they had shown the world what they could do and it did show that the World Cup was now truly a World Cup and not just a European and South American affair, though with 2018 on the horizon, would there be a winner from outside those two continents...?

Final result of the 2014 World Cup Final

Final results of the Knockout Stage of the 2014 World Cup
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• [1] As with IOTL in 1962.​
• [2] As with OTL.​
• [3] Mixed blessing for the Dutch here, they might have a World Cup to their name ITTL yet have failed to reach another World Cup final since 1974.​
• [4] So as you might guess, the final is pretty much the exact same as OTL Semi Final which IMO was one of the worst World Cup Semi-Finals I've ever watched.​
• [5] In South America, that is always going to happen! ​

Finally we are at the end of 2014 here and 2018 will be here soon. So yeah if you were thinking a great final, well, it is typical of how most finals go in which are always frustrating affairs and not surprisingly always end up like that. That Semi Final as I mentioned along with Euro 2020 Semi-Final with Scotland and Israel, Raith Rovers vs Brechin play-off and Scotland vs Kazakhstan and San Marino are some of the worst games I've had the misfortune to subject myself to.

But anyway, here are the teams for 2018:

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Few differences here to OTL and who do you think will win or do well in 2018 here? Find out next as we go to Russia...