Even before kick-off on June 13, chances of a European team lifting the World Cup on South American soil were all but written off. No team from world football’s nerve-centre has succeeded in the Americas, despite winning the tournament 10 out of 19 times. Midway through the tournament, the prophecy is ringing true. More than half of the European sides have bitten the dust. Two-time European and reigning world champions, Spain, were joined by Portugal, with the brutal Group of Death witnessing Costa Rica and Uruguay chugging along at the expense of football’s old royalty, the English and the Italians.
This is the first time in World Cup history that these heavyweights have failed to clear the first hurdle in the same edition. While they flopped, the Latin Americans have showcased creative and daring football. Only six out of 13 European teams have qualified for the knockouts whereas eight of 10 from the Americas made the cut. The European giants have been outshone by the South Americans, managing just 1.19 points per game compared to the host continent’s average of 2.33.
It’s still early to say whether this initial domination translates into a World Cup win. In South Africa, four years ago, five out of the eight teams in the quarterfinals were from the Americas. However, the pragmatic approach of the European teams meant that only one team from the region, Uruguay, qualified for the semifinals. The South American teams have so far walked the walk. Can they build on this momentum?
