Yes but I think you also have to look at talent. 10 or 20 years ago if you asked a soccer fan to name Brazilian players they could probably list 15 or 20 guys. It’s not like that anymore. Neymar is the only truly elite attacking player. Silva, Dani Alves, Filipe Luis and Miranda (and David Luiz but he’s so overrated)…

This also gives far too much respect to Brazil. Nothing had changed for them since the WC where defensively they were bad even before the German blitzkrieg. Yes they brought a B team but Brazil needs a complete overhaul and culture change. There hasn't been much in the way of creativity in the way they've played in a…

John Brooks looks more and more like a true world class center back. I’ve watched the National team for 20 years and I can’t remember as dominant a performance from a player as Brooks vs Paraguay. Truly an unbelievable individual performance.

Missed opportunity to not go with a dong shot title. Burke is not going to be pleased with this.

Well they did leave home 2 of their 3 best strikers. Benzema for the obvious reason but not quite sure why Lacazette isn’t there. He’s miles better than Giroud and a much more dynamic player than Gignac.

First time in 3 years Romania has conceded more than one goal in a match. People can poo poo France and say they got bailed out but Romania is no cupcake.

No intent from Mozgov at all, you can see him almost try to lean away and diminish the collision. Kyries fault for running him into before he could get set. Andrew Bogus has set about 2 dozen far dirtier screens since the playoffs started.

And Stephen A Smith said he'd start him and play him 30 mins in his Cavs lineup of death. Keep on keeping on Mr Smith.

Brazil might not even win their group. They brought their B team without much in the way of good attacking players or central defenders. Can’t ask Alves and Luis to do all the defending and Coutinho and Hulk to do all the attacking.

Columbia isn’t a possession team and so no reason to push last night.

Brooks and Cameron have been the anchor so far and if they can continue to play well and improve they could win a knock out round game.

If we're talking global, I'd go with Pele now that Ali is gone.

For his club, absolutely. For the national team, no way. But that’s in large part to Jurgen being forced to play him out of position. Fab, Yedlin, Cameron and Brooks have all been better when you account for club time but when the US kits are on it’s been Jermaine Jones whose been the dude.

See also, Graham Zusi.

Fact: Jermaine Jones has been the best player for the USMNT since the 2014 World Cup. (yes he’s old, a rover and positionally not sound but still the best we’ve had to offer which speaks volumes to the rest of the players in and around the National team)

Outside of Italy and Spain (who will struggle to score) who doesn’t have a weak ass back line? Even the Germans have issues on defense.

Absolutely. He was the best goalie in Ligue 1. What has Lloris done?

The whole series comes down to who does Kevin Love guard. I love the TT vs Draymond match up for Cleveland but that means Love has to guard Iggy or Barnes which might be terrible.

As a Juve fan where do you see him ending up? I hope Spain just because it seems like the absolute best in the world always end up there but his style play seems to fit more with EPL. If it's Spain it would have to be Real Madrid. Follow Zidane and take up that midfield with Modric. James seems like he'll be on his…

Germanys core has aged out a little. They'll still be very good but they've yet to really bring in some of the better younger players. Marco Reus absolutely needs to be in that squad (fairly sure he's not hurt anymore).