Expectations

Expectations to your team are one of the important build-ups of the World Cup. Not only fans' expectations, but also journalists, players, coaches... Entire countries are building up to what their eleven guys will do with a leather ball on a pitch of grass.
Recent comments by Keisuke Honda and Jurgen Klinsmann gave an interesting insight into these expectations.
Keisuke Honda said in an interview that he believed that Japan could win the World Cup. Indeed, he said that nobody expected them to, but that Japan had the players and the style to do it. Personally, I do not believe that Japan will win the World Cup, but there are certain truths to what he says: Japan does have a strong and confident side with which they will defeat anyone who underestimates them. Also, every team, of the 32 that are going to Brazil, have a chance at winning the World Cup. Teams aim at winning every match, and all 32 teams are at this point seven matches away from lifting the World Cup Trophy.
Despite this, Jurgen Klinsmann recently said in an interview that the USA "...cannot win this World Cup". While many in the US press have gone crazy about such a comment, it also rings true when Jurgen Klinsmann clarifies it: "For us, we have to play the game of our lives seven times to win the tournament". Mr. Klinsmann knows that the USA has a chance, but he knows that realistically, it is not possible.

Someone told me that Keisuke Honda's comments were not common for Japanese. Expectations are already low for Japan and they can indeed surprise. Klinsmann's candid comments were considered unpopular in the USA, where the mentality of winning is prevalent, even as unrealistic as this may seem.
But what these comments show the huge diversity of expectations about the tournament. Expectations that are based not only on football quality, injuries, style, etc., but as much on culture and history. Some teams are trying to bring expectations down about their World Cup chances; others have no expectations, while others have too many expectations. The only truth is that many will have expectations confirmed, many will be surprised, and many will be disappointed.

Denmark run over by a Honda

I was in Copenhagen today and the city was as always wonderful in a gorgeous sun and people were expectant about today's important match against Japan: Denmark had never been eliminated before in the first round of a World Cup and Japan did not seem an awfully frightening opponent although Denmark had not been too convicing in the first two matches.

Better and easier to be an optimist on such a beautiful day in Copenhagen!

However, the Japanese were far superior to a Danish national team that was indeed eliminated for the first time. The Japanese were very organised, disciplined, ran like machines and scored three beautiful goals, two of which were on free kicks, something that has not been done often in this World Cup! In particular the CSKA player Keisuke Honda ran around the Danish players, and stands out as one of the players to continue watching during this tournament.

It is always disappointing to see your team fall, but it makes it easier when it happens to a far better team, such as Japan was today (well, just grab a beer!). Congratulations to Japanese fans, who will see their team with very good chances against a Paraguayan side that could only manage a 0-0 with New Zealand and which is looking far less dangerous than Japan! I think Japan will make it to the quarterfinal!

Banzai!