Group C: Argentina, Cote d'Ivoire, Serbia & Montenegro, Holland

[FaaipDeOiad]

More like 30+....

Even so it's very hot to play football in. I bet players cover a fair distance in the course of a match.

I thought the temperature in the England v Paraguay match was 27? At least at the kickoff it was.

Anyway, yeah, remark was mostly tongue-in-cheek. Football is a winter sport, and anything which involves a huge amount of running will be tough in warm weather.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Complete change of topic, but why are we referring to the Ivory Coast as Cote d'Ivoire, which I'm assuming is French for "Ivory Coast"?

We don't feel the need to call Germany Deutschland or Poland Polska.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Only real reason is that they are called that on the official fixtures, on the FIFA website and so on. The other nations seem to be given their english translations.

 

[Matteh]

Are they still a French colony or do they have full independence? Might have something to do with it.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Only real reason is that they are called that on the official fixtures, on the FIFA website and so on. The other nations seem to be given their english translations.

Odd tho. Seems to be peculiar to them.

 

[Jamee999]

Are they still a French colony or do they have full independence? Might have something to do with it.

They have independence, which may be something to do with playing in a cup for countries.

 

[Matteh]

But there's Guyana who aren't independent i believe, but i'm pretty sure they have their own football team?

 

[TT Boy]

There is more to this story, one of my books on French colonialism has a whole chapter devoted to the name. (Incidentally for the poster who asked, Ivory Coast or Côte d'Ivoire was one of the first prominent African nations to get its independence in the 1960's.)

Anyhow From Wikipedia.com

In October 1985 the government requested that the country be known as Côte d'Ivoire in every language. In fact, according to national law, the name of the country cannot be translated from French. Of course, this law can only apply within the country itself.

 

[TT Boy]

But there's Guyana who aren't independent i believe, but i'm pretty sure they have their own football team?

Guyana got it's independence a long time ago from Britain...

 

[BoyBrumby]

Guyana got it's independence a long time ago from Britain...

French Guiana is still an overseas departement of France tho, which is possibly what Matteh meant.

 

[Adamc]

Guyana and French Guiana are completely different places aren't they?

 

[TT Boy]

French Guiana is still an overseas departement of France tho, which is possibly what Matteh meant.

But they are not a member of FIFA, meaning they would never be able to go to the World Cup, any player from Guiana (who is any good) can and would play for France. Same goes for Surinam (a country) and the Dutch internationals it has produced over the years.

 

[TT Boy]

Guyana and French Guiana are completely different places aren't they?

Geographical neighbours, you thinking of the Republic of Guinea? (which is in Africa)

 

[Adamc]

Geographical neighbours, you thinking of the Republic of Guinea? (which is in Africa)

Well by completely different I didn't mean on different continents, just that they're separate entities.

 

[Steulen]

pretty good display by the Dutch, given the heat and an opponent which rarely concedes goals. A lot of room for improvement of course, but it's early days. Could be over by Friday, this group.

 

[Matteh]

But they are not a member of FIFA, meaning they would never be able to go to the World Cup, any player from Guiana (who is any good) can and would play for France. Same goes for Surinam (a country) and the Dutch internationals it has produced over the years.

They are a member of FIFA - if you go on their website it tells you they've tried to qualify quite a few times, just with not much success.

Indeed the bottom 5 countries in the FIFA rankings are all dependencies.

 

[TT Boy]

They are a member of FIFA - if you go on their website it tells you they've tried to qualify quite a few times, just with not much success.

Indeed the bottom 5 countries in the FIFA rankings are all dependencies.

I was (as well as you were) referring to French Guiana not Guinea in West Africa, French Guiana are not affiliated to FIFA.

 

[Blaze]

Good stuff from the Dutch. Robben is awesome. It was so important to win the first game and they did that so I am happy.

Thought it was a pretty good game...

 

[marc71178]

I thought the temperature in the England v Paraguay match was 27? At least at the kickoff it was.

It was over 30 in the stands according the Beeb, and it's hotter on the pitch than in the stands.

 

[Nate]

If you like watching teams that hardly look like scoring goals, i feel sorry for you.

Hardly look like scoring goals? I`m not saying that it was the best game of football ever, but there were certainly enough bright moments, especially in a 1-0 match to keep me entertained.