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MOSCOW (AP) – The World Cup remains in Europe, and it's not even a tight race.
The four semi-finalists of this year's tournament in Russia will be European. The most powerful continent of world football is also guaranteed to win its fourth consecutive title in a fourth country.
The overwhelming dominance of Europe in club football – fueled by wealth to recruit the best global talent – is also played out on the world. Cup Stadium.
The last South American hopes of the tournament were eliminated Friday in the first two quarter-final matches. Brazil, the last non-European winner in 2002, was beaten by Belgium 2-1 and Uruguay lost to France 2-0.
The European final quartet will be finished on Saturday: England will face Sweden and Russia will face Croatia In the other two quarter-finals,
Asked Friday on the strength of Europe, Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez said that "the reality of a point of financial view from a historical point of view "could not be ignored. "It's something that goes without saying," said the veteran coach, who led Uruguay to the semi-finals in 2010.
At the time, the # Uruguay was eliminated by the Netherlands, who lost to Spain. began with Italy in 2006, Spain followed four years later, and Germany resumed in 2014.
A title for France or England in Moscow on July 15 would keep the glory in a closed circle of countries whose national teams, national leagues and television markets are known as the "Big Five" of Europe: Spain, They are at the home to the richest and most tiered clubs, attract the most valuable broadcast offers around the world, and place most teams in the Champions League. The five will have 21 of 32 places next season.
It's a virtuous circle helping to win more prizes and build lucrative global brands.
He also attracts top players from other continents, and Neymar was almost late Arrived from Brazil to Barcelona when he was 21 years old. If the wave of talent that arrives in Europe denies playing time to domestic players, it also increases the level of play.
In these five countries, national federations and clubs have the money and an obligation to play. Invest in youth coaching programs and continue to produce talent. National centers such as Clairefontaine in France and more recently St. George's Park in England have their own strong identity.
Even Croatia and Sweden are close to their first places in the World Cup semifinals since the 1990s, revealing the European depth desired by South America.
Since the 1982 World Cup, when a semifinal was re-established, 40 teams will have been involved and Europe will have provided 31. South America has eight and Korea's South is the other in 2002.
Africa has never had a semifinalist and has managed to advance any of its five teams in the group stage. Russia. Japan was the only one of the five Asian Confederation teams to reach the round of 16, losing against Belgium.
He adds to another European semifinal, after 2006 and 1982.
Europe got 14 places in the team of 32 The World Cup in Russia (44 percent), although it currently has 20 of the 32 best teams in the FIFA rankings. European dominance increases further in the range: 10 of the 16 rounds (62 percent); six of the quarter-finals (75%); all semifinalists (100 percent).
The domination of European clubs is even greater when one looks at the World Cup lists. A total of 74% of the players selected for the tournament – 544 out of 736 – are employed by teams in Europe.
This hegemony could be difficult to maintain when the World Cup reaches 48 teams in 2026. Only three additional places were awarded in Europe, the guaranteed number is increased to 16 – one-third of the total
. In any case, the last week of the World Cup in Russia is all over Europe all the time.
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