Theworldcupatotalof32teams.RemovehostBrazilautomaticallyqualifiedoutside,theother31countriestoparticipateinthequalifiersinJunethrough20XXtoqualify.DuringtheFinalsheldatotalofatotalof64gamesoutofthechampionshipinBrazilterritory.Thisisthefirstuseofgoallinetechnologyoftheworldcup.
BeijingtimeonJuly14thfinals,theGermannationalfootballteam1to0victoryoverArgentinainovertimetowinthechampionship,MarioGotze113rdminutesonsaturday.Argentina,Holland,Brazilfromsecondto4.
The2010WorldCupwillbeholdinSouthAfrica.Itisagrandoccasionforallthefootballfansallovertheworld.MyfavoriteteamistheSpainishTeam.AndmyfavoritefootballstarisDidierYvesDrogbaTébily.IhopetheChineseTeamcandowellintheWorldCup.BecauseChinahasneverwonaWorldCupbefore.ThisyearIhopethesituationwillchange.
Maybeonedaymydreamcancometrue.
Themen'sWorldCupisconsideredthemostpopularsportingeventintheworldandisfollowedwithpassionateinterestaroundtheglobe—thefinalgameofthe1998tournamentwasplayedtoatelevisionaudienceofmorethan1billionviewers.Foundedin1930withjust13teams,thetournamentnowattractsentriesfrommorethan140countries.Theteamsmustparticipateineliminationgameswithintheirowncontinentsbeforequalifyingtobecomeoneofthe32nationsparticipatinginthefinaltournament.Thewomen'sWorldCupwasfirstplayedin1991andhasgainedpopularitysteadilysincethen.Morethan90,000fansattendedthefinalsofthe1999tournament—oneofthelargestcrowdsevertowitnessawomen'ssportingevent.Nearly75nationsattemptedtoqualifyforthe1999event,whichwasa16-teameliminationtournament.TheFIFAWorldCup(oftencalledFootballWorldCup,TheWorldCup,orsimplyWorldCup)isthemostimportantcompetitionininternationalfootball(soccer),andtheworld'smostrepreteamsportevent.
OrganisedbyFederationInternationaledeFootballAssociation(FIFA),thesport'sgoverningbody,theWorldCupiscontestedbymen'snationalfootballteamswhichareFIFAmembers.
TheWorldCupisheldeveryfouryears,butthequalifyingroundsofthecompetitiontakeplaceoverathree-yearperiod,usingregionalqualifyingtournaments.197nationalteamsenteredthequalificationtournamentsforthe2006WorldCup.Thefinaltournamentphaseinvolves32nationalteamscompetingoverafour-weekperiodinapreviouslynominatedhostnation.
TheWorldCupfinalcompetition(oftencalledthe"Finals"),whichhasbeenheldeveryfouryearssince1930,exceptin1942and1946whenitwascancelledduetoWorldWarII,isthemostwidely-viewedandfollowedsportingeventintheworld.Ithasaglobalaudienceofmorethan3billionpeople(halftheworld'spopulation)exceedingeventheOlympicGames.
Thenameofthethree-bandedarmadillo,anendangeredspeciesindigenoustoBrazil,wasannouncedonnationaltelevision.ThenameFulecowaschosenby48percentofthe1.7millionvotes,trumpingthetwootheroptions,ZuzecoandAmijubi.Whilenature’sversionislightbrownincolor,FIFA’sarmadilloisyellowwithgreeneyesandablueshell-thecoloursoftheBrazilianflag-andwillbeholdingafootball.Three-bandedarmadilloslivemainlyinBrazil’saridnortheastandarethreatenedbydestructiontotheirnaturalenvironment.Theyareunusualamongarmadillosinthattheycanrollupintoaballtodefendthemselvesfrompredators.