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\u00e3\u201a\u00b4\u00e3\u0192\u00bc\u00e3\u0192\u00bc\u00e3\u0192\u00bc\u00e3\u0192\u00ab\u00e3\u0192\u00bc\u00e3\u0192\u00bc\u00e3\u0192\u00bc<\/b> !!!!!!\u00c2\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
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Can you feel it? There is something special about to happen. There is electricity in the air, a growing rumble underfoot, a quickening of your heartbeat \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and the cause is not the new Godzilla movie. In fact, it is the sporting event that puts all other sporting events to shame. It is the FIFA World Cup. For many, it is that moment every four years when petty local club loyalties are put aside and everyone rallies behind the nation. For others, it is the one time when you pretend to like football – soccer for Americans – just enough to use it as an excuse to take off work and start drinking at absurd hours of the day. (Hey don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t judge me for having a beer, or five, during a game that starts at nine in the morning, I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t invent the time zones.) If you happen to fall into the latter group, here is some information on teams representing ALTs from the 2013 \u00e2\u20ac\u201c 2014 cohort<\/a> that may be useful in furthering discussion past obligatory national songs and drunken chants.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Australia<\/b><\/p>\n Group B: Australia, Chile, Netherlands, Spain<\/p>\n Coach: Ange Postecoglou<\/p>\n Well-known player: Tim Cahill<\/p>\n Fun fact*: Australia\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s national football team\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s nickname is the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Socceroos.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n Although Americans are considered to have the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Group of Death,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d the Aussies prospects are not much brighter. In the first round they will have to face 2010 World Cup runner-ups, the Netherlands, and the consistently dominate Spain, with Chile being no easy push over. Yet in a country notorious for its dangerous animals and neknominations, the Australian team is perhaps the most prepared to face severe challenges head on.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n England<\/b><\/p>\n Group D: Costa Rica, England, Italy, Uruguay<\/p>\n Coach: Roy Hodgson<\/p>\n Well-known player: Wayne Rooney<\/p>\n Fun fact*: The only player to score a hat trick in a World Cup final is Geoff Hurst in 1966.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Everyone remembers back in 2010 when American Robert Dempsey showcased his Jedi mind tricks to score a very preventable goal on England\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s keeper, Robert Green. Humiliating, yes, and what makes it worse is that England has been the victim of such trickery before. Who can forget the 1986 World Cup match between England and Argentina when Diego Maradona smoothly pulled off his \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Hand of God\u00e2\u20ac\u009d goal, which must have stunned \u00e2\u20ac\u201c literally \u00e2\u20ac\u201c England\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s players so much that it allowed Maradona to score a second goal \u00e2\u20ac\u201c a goal that is arguably the best of all time. Yet, even with this past and quite a bit of struggle simply to qualify for this year\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s World Cup, England is looking to start fresh and make a much stronger showing this time around.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n France<\/b><\/p>\n Group E: Ecuador, France, Honduras, Switzerland<\/p>\n Coach: Didier Deschamps<\/p>\n Well-known player: Franck Ribery<\/p>\n Fun fact*: Frank Ribery was in a car accident as a child leaving a scar on his face, hence his nickname \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Scarface.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Germany<\/b><\/p>\n Group G: Germany, Ghana, Portugal, United States<\/p>\n Coach: Joachim Low<\/p>\n Well-known player: Manuel Neuer<\/p>\n Fun fact*: Germany holds three World Cup titles giving them the third most behind Italy at four and Brazil at five.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If shivers are not sent down your spine upon hearing about Germany\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s national squad this year then you probably were not listening. Germany did not lose a match during the qualifying rounds, winning nine matches and securing a 4 \u00e2\u20ac\u201c 4 tie against Sweden. They also had the most goals in the European zone with 36. Germany was given the number two ranking position by FIFA, and it is extremely possible that they will take the cup, if they, like most of their European counterparts, can handle the threatening Amazonian weather.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Korea Republic<\/b><\/p>\n Group H: Algeria, Belgium, Korea Republic, Russia<\/p>\n Coach: Hong Myungbo<\/p>\n Well-known players: Lee Chung-Yong<\/p>\n Fun fact*: In 2002 South Korea allowed for the fastest goal in World Cup history when they were scored on 11 seconds into a match.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Netherlands<\/b><\/p>\n Group B: Australia, Chile, Netherlands, Spain<\/p>\n Coach: Louis Van Gaal<\/p>\n Well-known players: Arjen Robben, Robin van Persie<\/p>\n Fun fact*: The Netherlands have reached three World Cup finals, but not won a single title.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Russia<\/b><\/p>\n Group H:\u00c2\u00a0 Algeria, Belgium, Korea Republic, Russia<\/p>\n Coach: Fabio Capello<\/p>\n Well-known player: Alexander Kerzhakov<\/p>\n Fun fact*: Former player Oleg Salenko scored a record five goals in a World Cup match in 1994.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Switzerland<\/b><\/p>\n Group E: Ecuador, France, Honduras, Switzerland<\/p>\n Coach: Ottmar Hitzfeld<\/p>\n Well-known player: Xherdan Shaqiri<\/p>\n Fun fact*: In the 2010 World Cup, Switzerland was the only team to beat Spain.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n United States<\/b><\/p>\n Group G: Germany, Ghana, Portugal, United States<\/p>\n Coach: Jurgen Klinsmann<\/p>\n Well-known player: Tim Howard<\/p>\n Fun fact*: Goalie Tim Howard was diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome in childhood.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Although the Americans are entering the World Cup after a stellar job in their qualifying matches, fate has dealt them a cruel hand in the initial group play. Up against the German powerhouse, Cristiano Ronaldo-led Portuguese, and Ghana, a team that has beaten the United States in the last two World Cups; the United States has little room for error. Yet, if there is one thing Americans love more than soccer \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s be honest, there are hundreds of things Americans love more than soccer \u00e2\u20ac\u201c it is a story of an underdog succeeding against all odds.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Of course, it is always good to have a back-up team to keep the engagement and conversations going, especially if your team happens to be one of the unlucky ones to be eliminated sooner rather than later. The Japanese national team is as good as any to choose and could possibly win you some bonus points with your colleagues in the office. Led by Italian coach Alberto Zaccheron, Japan\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s twenty-three players come from a range of teams and leagues, with over half playing in European clubs.[1]<\/sup><\/span><\/sup><\/a> Although up against stiff competition in Group C with Colombia, C\u00c3\u00b4te d’Ivoire, and Greece, Japan\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s national team has demonstrated their potential by advancing to the Round of 16 last World Cup and winning the Asia Cup in 2011. With such success this team should not be overlooked.<\/p>\n Although a time to demonstrate your national pride in thoughtful and often extravagant ways, let us not forget that the World Cup also provides us with a glimpse of our common humanity. The world of football in general, and the World Cup specifically, is an opportunity to share an experience with millions of individuals across the globe from diverse backgrounds So during the games go ahead and cheer for your team, but also raise a glass to your neighbor, friend or foe, and recognize that you are each simply seeking enjoyment from moments both ordinary and spectacular in this life.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sean Mulvihill<\/p>\n