The Top 5 Best and Worst Teams in the Copa Munidal

By now we're entering day 7 of the World Cup. Only three more weeks of soccer action. It's like seeing your kid grow up so fast. Okay I'm not going to get sad yet.

Every country has played once already. We have seen of share of brilliant performances and USA type crap. So for the 1/3 of the first round I'll take a look to see who has looked the best teams are so far and the worst.

Best Teams

1. Spain – Winning side of the biggest lopsided score so far. How about that fourth goal and the skillful passing that led to the line drive volley into the goal? Best goal yet. This team has always been talented but has underachieved. So far they looked more like Brazil than Brazil has. This type of start could give them the confidence needed to go deep.
2. Italy – Bruce Arena said that Italy is the easiest team to scout but the hardest team to defend. You know how they're going to play but they still find ways to score. Upcoming match versus Czech Republic will be a battle.
3. Germany – The host country has given fickle fans something to cheer about so far. A 4-2 win over Costa Rica showed that their offense can score. It also had two of the best goals we'll see all month. Home field advantage has this team energized. Hasselhoff!!
4. Czech Republic – Dominating. I think they just scored again as I was typing this. Very strong in the midfield with their superstar Pavel Nedved coming out of retirement for the World Cup. Also they have arguably the best goalkeeper in the world. You didn't see his skills because USA forgot you have to shoot the ball to score. They proved their high ranking but remains to be seen if they're the real deal since the first game was just practice.
5. Argentina and Holland – Have to place both teams here because right now they're equal and in the Group of Death. Holland has a blend of youth along and with their experienced veterans looks perfectly balanced, while the fluidity of their attack should make them dangerous to any side. Argentina proved they're not going to exit early like four years ago. The Argentina vs Holland match will be the match of the 1st round.

Honorable mention: Brazil and Mexico.

The Five Worst Teams

1. France – Remember this team won the 1998 World Cup. That's the same year Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa juiced up for their homerun race to 62. Then in 2002 they didn't score a single goal in group play and exited early. They're still waiting for their first goal since the 1998 finals. The booing was early and often from the French fans. They deserved it.
2. USA – Three words. Pathetic, embarrassing, disgraceful and junior varsity. Okay that's more than three but they deserve an extra kick in the nuts.
3. Ukraine – I'd like to thank you for performing so poorly that the USA does not carry the current distinction of the worst loss in the 2006 World Cup.
4. Poland – I don't know what to say about them. For some reason when I hear their name I draw a blank. Brain cells aren't firing.
5. Japan – Have to put them on the list for they way they bombed (no pun intended) at the end. I think snorting wasabi and eating live blowfish would have been less painful. Before they could say "Domo Arigato" for their 1-0 victory gift wrapped (lucky goal), Australia scored three goals in eight minutes. Don't forget that the Aussies' had never scored a WC goal. Now they have three. Domo Arigato Japan.

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