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Charisteas wrote: »

It's not much more difficult to win because the World Cup adds Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. In the World Cup it is easier to qualify from the initial group stages because of said poorer teams from Asia and Africa, but in general it's still more difficult to win a World Cup.

As a side note on Uruguay, they finished 4th in the last World Cup, winners of the Copa America last year, and look well on course to qualify for the next World Cup, all with a population less than Ireland, just 3.2 million.

I disagree. Plenty have big name pro footballers have said that its far harder to win the euros than the world cup. these are players who have played in both. One of the main Reasons being is that these players play against each other all year in friendlies and in club football in Europe, so are familiar with all the players, and know they're strengths and weaknesses.

Where as there are players in the big name south American teams who still play for SA clubs, so they will not be familiar with the players and play style of the european teams as much, which most of time is a big negative. Where as you can pretty much predict how south American teams play and what formations they stick to.

Also the euros is always far more exciting than the world cup. Compare the world cup in 2010, to the euros of 2008. No competition quality and entertainment wise. Euros is just a higher standard.

Take out teams like Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and perhaps the Ivory coast and Japan at a stretch, and theyres lots of teams who qualify for the world cup that wouldn't have a chance at qualifying for a euros.

A prime example is Ireland, we very rarely qualify for the euros, and the times we have we pretty much fail miserably. But the times we've qualified for the world cup, we have done well for who we are. Sure Saudi Arabia was in our group in 2002. Says it all really.

Whether this will change with the new larger pool of teams for the future Euros remains to be seen.

CMpunked wrote: »

Cant believe i missed seeing Ireland nearly beating the all blacks this morning.

aye twas a cracker of a game. heart broken with that drop goal

Wales also beaten very narrowly by Oz. Really wanted them to win it.

The euro's is a far better tournament overall than the world cup. too many poor, dull games in the world cup due to poor african, south american and asian teams in it. This years euro's has been stellar like always.

Would absolutely love for denmark to beat germany, and portugal to beat the dutch, which means that the germans go out I fink. Pity it wont happen though.