[Football Fans] Glory

No. The 16th World Cup is the first time that 24 teams entered the finals on the basis of the original 32 teams. A total of 174 teams participated in the World Cup qualifiers in this World Cup. The French national football team as The hosts, as well as the Brazilian national football team, automatically advance as the defending champions, with 30 more places up for grabs.

The 32 participating seats in this World Cup will be distributed according to continental divisions:

UEFA has 15 places, one of which goes to automatic promotion France, with 49 other teams vying for the other 14 places.

CONMEBOL has 5 places, one of which belongs to automatic promotion Brazil, and the other 9 teams compete for the other 4 places.

There are 3 seats in CONCACAF, which are contested by 30 teams.

There are 5 seats in the African Football Association, and a total of 38 teams compete for them.

There are 3.5 seats in the Asian Football Confederation, and 36 teams compete for 3.5 seats. The team that wins 0.5 seats will advance to the play-offs, and the opponent will be a team from the Oceania Football Association.

大洋洲足球协会则拥有0.5个席位，有10支球队争夺0.5个席位的资格，赢得0.5个席位资格的球队将晋级到附加赛和亚洲足球协会拿到0.5席位资格的一支球队争夺。

According to the final statistics, a total of 168 teams participated in at least one qualifier, and a total of 643 qualifiers were held.

Not to mention other continents, just look at the results of the European region. The European region is divided into nine groups for the qualifiers. In the end, the advanced countries from the first to ninth groups are:

Denmark and Croatia enter the UEFA play-offs in the first group.

England advanced to the second group and Italy entered the UEFA play-offs.

Norway advanced to the third group and Hungary entered the UEFA play-offs.

Austria advanced to the fourth group, and Scotland advanced to the second best group.

Bulgaria advanced from Group [-] and Russia entered the UEFA play-offs.

Spain advanced to the sixth group, and Yugoslavia entered the UEFA play-offs.

The Netherlands advanced to the seventh group, and Belgium entered the UEFA play-offs.

Romania advanced from Group [-] and Ireland entered the UEFA play-offs.

Germany advanced to the ninth group and Ukraine entered the UEFA play-offs.

In the final play-offs, Croatia, Italy, Belgium and Yugoslavia advanced.

On June 1998, 6, the World Cup will be held at the Saint-Denis Stade de France in Paris, France. The first game after the opening ceremony will be the last champion Brazil against Scotland.

After the UEFA Champions League match, Guti and other Spanish players did not have much rest. After only one week of rest, they immediately returned to the national team training base for the last week of joint training.

However, at this time, Guti was still a little sad. During the phone call with Summer, he thought a lot but couldn't say a word.

Summer was seriously injured in the league game, and his last chance to participate in the World Cup was lost. Who can really let go of any player facing such an ending!

"I still want to play another game with you!"

Guti sighed.

Summer on the other end of the phone was silent for a while, "Lothar is very strong."

"He's 37 years old."

Guti really has no way to imagine, because Sammer was seriously injured and absent, the German team had no choice but to recall the 37-year-old Matthaus to return to the team. Although Guti was very impressed with this World Cup, he also remembered Matthaus The performance was quite good, but he still felt a little unbelievable about the choice of the German team.

"Your German team is too conservative."

Guti shook his head.

Obviously there are many good young players, but the German team just doesn't want young players. Looking at the age of their players participating this time, the average age is definitely the oldest among the participating countries.

Guti's criticism made Summer also silent, "It will be fine in the future."

Uh, Guti was stunned for a moment and then suddenly thought that Sammer seemed to be the director of the German football youth training after retiring.

"Do you want me to introduce you to the United States for treatment?"

Don't say any more sad words, Guti changed the subject.

Summer laughed softly, "Our sports medical technology in Germany is number one in the world."

"Yes, yes, number one in the world."

The two talked a few more words and hung up the phone. Guti lay on his back on the bed and sighed faintly.

He has never participated in the 98 World Cup, but he only remembers that this is the first time Raul participated, and the Spanish group failed to qualify in the end.

Although there are reasons for Nigeria's deliberate loss, whoever made them lose the game caused their fate to be controlled by others.

Thinking of this, Guti jumped up, forget it, what's the use of thinking about it, you still have to work hard, breaking the shackles of fate is the greatest success.

The singing and dancing at the opening ceremony was very successful and passionate, and the theme song "Cup of Life" sung by Ricky Martin detonated the audience.

Many players from various countries and the audience watching the performance couldn't help humming along with the rhythm.

Guti likes this cheerful rhythm very much.

Raul beside him heard his humming, and leaned over, "I like it very much?"

"Very good dance music and good singing."

Guti laughed.

Most of the Spanish players around were smiling. People in the Iberian Peninsula are the kind of people who love music and love singing and dancing. Beautiful music always resonates.

Guti smiled and raised his hands to clap together, "Don't you also like dancing, hehe, bullfight dance~~"

Thinking of Raul's bullfight dance after each victory, Guti curled his lips. He really didn't like Raul's dance, it was really bad.

Hearing his friend's ridicule, Raul blushed, "Moren said I studied well."

"Liar."

Guti simply replied with one word.

"hateful."

Raul, who was ridiculed, pushed Guti, but he couldn't help laughing.

After the opening ceremony, the first game will begin.

Everyone quickly calm down and began to wait for the first game.

Guti took out the spectator manual, "Brazil's roster, let me see..."

There are 22 members of the national team, from No. 1 to No. 22. The list of players participating in the Brazilian national team:

No. 1 Claudio Taffarel

No. 2 Marcos Cafu

No. 3 Aldair Santos

No. 4 Junior Bayano

No. 5 Cesar Sampaio

No. 6 Roberto Carlos

No. 7 Giovanni Oliveira

No. 8 Carlos Dunga

No. 9 Ronaldo

No. 10 Rivaldo

No. 11 Emerson Da Rosa

No. 12 Carlos Germano

No. 13 Almeida Zekalos

No. 14 Marcelo Goncalves

No. 15 Andre Cruz

No. 16 Jose Ze Roberto

No. 17 Guidoni-Doriva

No. 18 Leonardo Arauyo

No. 19 Denilson

Bebeto No. 20

No. 21 Edmundo Alves

No. 22 Nelson Dida

"Jose, do you think Brazil and Ronaldo should be their core?"

Raul asked.

"That can't be said," Guti smiled. "By the way, Roberto is their No. 6. Well, I like their No. 8 Dunga the most."

"why?"

Raul looked over, "Dunga is 35 years old. It's strange why he was called into the national team. The Brazilian team actually abandoned Socrayi for this. I think Socrayi is very strong. Hey, It's a pity that Romario was injured and retired..."

Listening to Raul muttering, Guti propped his chin and looked at the two teams that had come out from the sidelines.

The home commentator was broadcasting the starting squad for Scotland. Guti glanced at the brochure in his hand, which contained a detailed list of the Scottish national team.

Scotland's 22-man squad:

No. 1 James Layton

No. 2 Jackie McNamara

No. 3 Thomas Boyd

No. 4 Colin Calderwood

No. 5 Colin Hendry

No. 6 Tosh McKinley

No. 7 Kevin Gallagher

No. 8 Craig Burleigh

No. 9 Gordon Dealy

No. 10 Darren Jackson

No. 11 John Collins

No. 12 Neil Sullivan

No. 13 Simon Donnelly

No. 14 Paul Lambert

No. 15 Scott Gemmill

No. 16 David Weir

No. 17 William McKinley

No. 18 Matthew Elliott

No. 19 Derek Witt

No. 20 Scott Booth

No. 21 Jonathan Gould

No. 22 Christian Dale

Most of the Scottish players of this generation play in the Premier League. In terms of strength, although they may be worse than the first-rate powers, they are not inferior to the second-rate teams. The European theater has been excluded for many years, so this group of players with good skills has little reputation in world football.

"Jose, how many goals do you think Brazil can win?"

Raul asked.

Guti turned to look at him, and at the same time noticed that many teammates came over with extra interest.

So Guti thought for a while, "Do you want to bet?"

Raul flinched immediately when he mentioned the bet. He had no choice but to bet by what Guti said in the past few years, and he was miserable. There was a shadow in his heart!

"Look at your worthless appearance."

Guti pouted.

Damn, Raul was angry, it's bad for a man to lose face, so Raul patted Guti on the shoulder, "I bet Brazil will win 2-0."

The Spanish players around turned around, and Chico thought for a while, "1 to 0, Brazil wins."

Hierro, who was sitting behind, leaned over, "1 to 0, Brazil wins."

Seeing them betting, everyone started betting, and the results ranged from 1 to 0 to 3 to 0, all betting on Brazil's victory.

"You look down on Scotland too much!"

Guti took $10 bills from them and smiled maliciously.

Looking at his smile, Raul's body trembled inexplicably, why did he think that Guti's smile was treacherous!

"I bet Scotland will score and Brazil will win 2-1."

Guti, the self-made banker, also took out a $10 note and placed it on everyone's bet.

"Jose, why do you think Scotland can score?"

Raul asked.

Guti smiled very mysteriously, "Who told you not to pay attention to collecting information, hehe~~"

On the court, both sides that had already started the war were relatively cautious. After more than 20 minutes in the first half, the Brazilian team had never had a clear advantage over the Scottish team. After the set kick was opened by the defensive midfielder Sampaio, they started to play better.

"What is the Brazilian team doing?"

Raul stared dumbfounded at the start of the Brazilian team, fouling Scotland a penalty.

Collins of Scotland volleyed a penalty kick into the net to equalize the score.

In this way, the two sides have been playing the first half 1-1.

The Spanish players also looked at the stadium in surprise, and then at Guti.

"Jose, how did you guess that?"

"I've said that you don't usually collect intelligence. Scotland's Collins, Sullivan, McKinley, etc. are all the main players of the Premier League's powerful clubs. Scotland with these people is not the big team you think. You are really too big. Innocent."

Gu Di triumphantly clapped the notes in his hand.

"Damn it, you're cheating."

Raul looked annoyed.

"If you are stupid, don't complain about your fate. You are willing to gamble and admit defeat, buddy!"

At the start of the second half, it was not until the 73rd minute that Cafu took a shot for the Brazilian team, but the ball bounced back and hit the foot of the Scottish player and bounced into the net, an own goal.

In the end, the Brazilian team relied on this own goal to seal the victory.

"It's really ugly to kick."

Raul said with disgust.

The other teammates also shook their heads. Brazil did not play very well in this game, and it really violated the reputation of four-star Brazil.

In this way, the opening game of the first day came to an end. The Brazilian team beat Scotland 2-1 and scored the first three points.

"Jose, I want foie gras."

"No, that thing is high cholesterol."

"I don't care, you treat me tonight."

"Why?"

"You beat us all."

"Fuck off, the total is only 220 dollars, not enough for a big meal."

"Captain~~"

"Jose, your treat."

"……asshole!"

"Let you win, let you win me, hum!!!"

Bastard Raul, you wait for you! ! !

The author has something to say: PS: I like "The Cup of Life" sung by Ricky Martin very much. I personally think it sounds very good~~

PS: I don’t have a lot of content today. I mainly want to share some information. The World Cup, Champions League, and European Championships have been reformed over the years. At first glance, it should be said that the roster should be 23 people. In fact, the national team had 90 people in the 22s, and it was increased to 23 people later.There is also the quota for the World Cup, which is allocated according to the quotas obtained by each region in the past country ranking points, so the 0.5 quota will only appear in Asia and Oceania... In short, I have written it very briefly, and those who are interested Take a look, it's okay if you don't.