Step back from Europe

Once The first phase of the World Cup was completed, the first conclusions reached: failure of europe, Africa still did not raise its head, it dominated South America and Asia showed improvement. Europe suffered a disaster. Only 6 of its 13 countries had been classified for the round of 16, a negative record with the current competition format. The situation would worsen yes or yes in the following rounds since the six will face each other (Spain-Portugal, Germany-England and Holland-Slovakia) and only three in quarters. Another negative point, nothing to do with the situation of the 2006 World Cup, when 10 of the 14 passed in Germany and in the end the four semifinalists were European (Italy, France, Germany and Portugal). A fact: the Europeans had never won a World Cup outside Europe, although Spain would break then that statistic.

Africa disappointed in the first World Cup on its continent. Only Ghana was classified (would reach rooms). Four years earlier it was the only African team that passed the first phase in Germany. Asia improved. In the previous World Cup its four representatives went to the first and in 2010 South Korea and Japan qualified. In addition, the Asians caught the trick to the Jabulani and were the only ones who scored a foul with that ball: South Korean Chu Young and the Japanese Honda and Endo.

Dominance in South Africa was clearly American. South America ranked its five teams (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Paraguay), and CONCACAF to Mexico and the US Only Honduras was missing.