How Does Norway As a Football Powerhouse Sound?

Thanks to being one of the four countries to have won the women FIFA World Cup the oil-rich country is just behind Uruguay on a World Cup per capita basis because of its small population. Germany is third and the only nation to have lifted the trophy in both the men and women versions of the tournament. Argentina and France with their two trophies are next in the ranking after Italy but ahead of Brazil because five trophies are not enough to compensate for the 209 million souls of the South American country with a land mass larger than continental USA. Japan is last among the eleven countries but this could change with its shrinking population especially if its women team in four years is as good as this year’s and doesn’t exit the tournament because of a very controversial penalty. Uruguay can sleep tight for roughly another eight years – or until the first general election on planet earth with one billion eligible voters – and that too if Norway wins the next three tournaments as Germany is not a threat for the next 90 years. 

What's Not Happening During the Russian World Cup

The loss of the pre-eminent position of Uruguay as a football powerhouse. At two World Cups for a population of 3.5m it has won almost 24 times more of these tournaments per capita than Brazil. Italy, its closest rival which won the trophy four times but which didn't qualify for Russia 2018, has 0.066 cup per million inhabitants. That's 8.6 times less than the homeland of Luis Suarez. The Mannschaft is in third place with four victories but would not have overtaken the Italians even if they had not crashed out of the group stage and gone all the way to get the prize from Vlamidir Putin on July 15. Blame it on its population which is more than a third larger.

This doesn't mean that there can't be any movement in the rankings. Indeed six of the countries who are in the knockout stage and have not won the World Cup yet have populations of less than 12m. That's small enough for any of them to take Italy's spot. Plus two of these countries, Croatia and Sweden, are the teams which have impressed the most so far. A sixth title for the Selecao – the favourite at the bookies – will not improve their fifth position. They will just get a bit closer to Argentina which they might meet in the semis.

As for Uruguay should it grab its third title it will increase its cup to population ratio to almost the level it was when it shocked Brazil in the Maracana in 1950. Finally it's been eight years since a new country last added its name to the select list of World Cup winners – the newest member of the eight-nation club joined twelve years after the seventh. That's not exactly the longest we've had to wait to see this group grow. 

Loch Ness Monster Could Get New Passport

If the Scots vote yes in tomorrow's referendum. The UK would then be smaller than Uruguay if the 78,000-odd square kilometres that the monster calls home become a new country. Which translates into a drop of 11 spots -- to 91 -- in the list of the world's largest countries. Mauritius is at 180.

That's not the only referendum happening though: Catalonians will also decide what they want to do on November 9. But not before Brazilians try to elect a woman -- Marina or Dilma -- to another term as President on October 5th.

We need a referendum here too. About whether we want to give up our excellent system of government and electoral setup for some TINA-infected bean-counting galimatia.

China Already Ahead in Medals Count

At the end of the first day. And they are still topping the charts as Day 2 draws to a close. They've got 6 gold and a total of 10 medals. The US is second and Italy is 3rd. In all 21 countries have won medals.

I watched Brazil beat Belarus a little while ago. For sure they've got some great talent like Neymar, Pato, Oscar and Thiago Silva in there but I was wondering if they would be able to beat La Roja in the next World Cup. Well Japan has beaten Spain a few days ago. And Senegal won 2-0 against Suarez's Uruguay. Let's see.

Also watched a great women volleyball match between Brazil and Turkey. The Turkish ladies put in a great fight and they were about to start the 4th set when I went to snooze (Brazil won 3-2).

Man, Olympics are great!!!

Meet Uruguay, A Football Powerhouse

It has won two World Cups although it has only 3.4 million people. That's a lot of World Cups per capita if you ask me. 0.59 per million people as shown in the above chart if you want to know. Which is almost 9 times the number for the next country in the list: Italy. And 22 times that of Brazil which has yet to win one at home. From what we have seen in the Copa America, the Selecao has still a lot of work to do to avoid a repeat of the 1950 Maracana final in 3 years.

Host and Defending Champ Exit Copa America

Messi's side beaten by a splendid Uruguayan team at penalty shoot-out yesterday and tiny Paraguay embarrasses uninspired selecao at penalty kicks a little while ago to advance to the semis. In fact Brazil did not even get one penalty past an in-form Villar.

And Japan has defeated the US to clinch her first women World Cup by scoring two extra penalties.

Two-time Champs Meet Two-time Runners-up

Uruguay and Holland will both try to clinch their third ticket to a World Cup Final in Sunday's fiesta at Soccer City. Difficult to say who will win when we look back at the hair-raising quarter-finals when Gyan's penalty hit the woodwork. Or when remember how a brilliant selecao collapsed in 15 short minutes and were rather unrecognisable from then on.

Germany looks pretty good on paper after having thrashed England and other big favourite Argentina. But this is the World Cup and you just never know. For sure if you wait for the ball to come to your feet like Christiano Ronaldo did then for sure it makes sense that you have already gone home. Just like Dunga was absolutely right to leave Ronaldihno and Ronaldo behind.