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Champions League of Nations
It will probably come as no surprise that there are more Brazilian footballers registered to play in the Champions League than any other nationality – 98 of the 770-odd players in the present edition of Europe’s elite club competition according to a survey that appeared in Spanish sports newspaper AS.
But a quick glance at the rest of the list may cause a raised eyebrow or two. France, with only two clubs in the competition, are the second biggest suppliers with 64, while England, who have four teams in the group stage, are back in ninth place with just 26, 11 fewer players than Turkey and only one more than Scotland.
Look a little further down the list and you’ll notice that aside from Brazil and Argentina, the next biggest provider of players outside Europe is Ivory Coast with 14.
For the anoraks amongst us the figures certainly makes interesting reading, but what conclusions can we draw from this latest league table? France to win Euro 2008?
- Brazil 98
- France 64
- Italy 55
- Spain 53
- Portugal 41
- Germany 38
- Turkey 37
- Argentina 32
- England 26
- Scotland 25
- Romania, Ukraine and Netherlands 23
- Serbia 22
- Czech Republic 20
- Norway 16
- Russia 15
- Ivory Coast 14
- Greece and Poland 10
- Denmark 8
- Sweden, Uruguay and Nigeria 7
- Croatia, Slovakia and Mexico 6
- Switzerland and Cameroon 5
- Belgium, Colombia, Ghana, Finland, Australia and Senegal 4
- Bosnia, Chile and Mali 3
- Albania, Paraguay, Israel, Belarus, Ireland, Peru, Northern Ireland, Austria and Georgia 2
- Wales, Macedonia, Montenegro, Lithuania, New Zealand, China, Honduras, Japan, Iceland, Togo, Congo, Uzbekistan, Morocco, Cyprus, Guinea, Ecuador and USA 1
PHOTO: Ronaldinho, one of 98 Brazilians in the Champions League, gestures after a missed chance for Barcelona against Rangers in Group E at Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow, October 23, 2007. REUTERS/David Moir
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The Champions League often just seems to be a case of Our Brazilians/Argentinians are better than Your Brazilians/Argentinians. Not that there’s anything wrong with that…
The number of Englishmen is pretty disgraceful. It should be far lower. Can’t we afford decent Brazilians and Argentines any more, or what?
[...] The countries of origin for players in the Champions League (Reuters Soccer Blog) [...]
Though I feel the number should still be higher, and I do find it unbelievable that Turkey have more players registered than England, I think it is possible to see why.
The majority of English players stay and play in England, while our leagues are flooded with foreign talent.
As for France in second place, you have to remember that Arsenal are one of the teams registered; surely that boosts their number up by about 20!?
I believe the figure for USA is incorrect. Freddy Adu played as a sub for Benfica. Demarcus Beasley played for Rangers. I guess that makes us tied with Albania, but just short of Bosnia. We can dream, though. U-S-A
[...] published an article about the nationalities of the players in the Champions League. It’s not that unexpected that [...]
You have listed USA as having only one player? I can name two from the top of my head
De Marcus Beasley (Rankers)
Freddie Adu (Benfica)
Also, at least three from Ireland
Aiden McGeady (Celtic)
Darren O’Dea (celtic)
John O’Shea (Man Utd)
AS may have been working from the original registration list at the start of the season before it was finalised, but I think the general proportions of their figures are probably about right despite some omissions.
[...] A number of the top European sides boast at least one Brazilian on their rosters, and there are more Brazilians players in the Champions League than any other nationality. (France, which also has a strong youth [...]
USA vs. ENGLAND
Wembley Stadium
5/28/2008
Let us be serious about this USA MNT.
What a poor display of football by Bob Bradley’s team. Are we to believe that we can compete at that level, answer: absolutely not. This match exposed, once again, the philosophy of this Soccer Federation, content with status quo. Nothing new, yes we beat Finland, Sweden, when they come in with their “B” teams, what a deception !
When will the USA become truly serious about it’s Football Nation Team; it’s the same now as it was with Bruce Arena and prior, how long (the true followers) are we going to wait to see a team that can compete with the bigger teams or are we content to brag that we have conquered Mexico already ! (By the way, with some weird tactics and a lot of luck). I predict that the game with Spain is going to be a debacle, the Spaniards will not be as nice as the English players, it will be 5 or 6 nil to their favor. It is time for those that claim to be Soccer Experts, whether in the written form or Internet or Newspaper, etc. to shout it out !
What do I mean, let us start by getting a coach that has been around in the international arena, a Gus Hiddink, a Sven, a Fabio, someone who bleeds soccer through and through, yes Bob Bradley it’s a nice guy, so it is with Bruce Arena; but we as an emerging nation in the World of Soccer must look beyond; the progress of the last 20 years must be enhanced, this is not happening !
I hope someone in the specialized press will hear the cries of us who truly want the USA to become a world power and use their means to SHOUT IT OUT !
WE ARE MAD AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE !!!!
FRANK VENTURA
accfcv@sbcglobal.net
there’s one korean too.
Ji Sung Park of Manchester United who showed decent plays in the semis against Barca.