Las Vegas Weekly

World Cup Guide 2010

Portugal in red and South Africa in yellow battle in advance of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Photo: Hassan Ammar / AP Photo

Is there one match I should absolutely not miss?

U.S.A. vs. England, June 12: Now this is exciting. For starters, it’s the first match for the U.S. in this year’s World Cup, and it’s against a world-class opponent. This is an ideal opportunity to get your butt off the couch and into the nearest pub, in the company of others who enjoy a good match—and a good brew.

And consider this: The last time these two countries squared off against one another was at the 1950 tournament in Brazil, and the U.S. improbably won that contest 1-0. Think there will be some adrenaline flowing on both sides during this match? –Ken Miller

Where can I watch it?

Photo: Darko Bandic

Photo: AP

Rooney tunes: Wayne Rooney will likely play a major role in the US vs. UK game on June 12.

Crown and Anchor: Football (don’t call it soccer) has a home in Las Vegas 365 days a year at this British mainstay, so come World Cup time this is the spot to catch the English squad and powerful Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney. A massive tent outside the pub will house the sure-to-be spillover crowd watching the U.S. battle the U.K. on June 12. 1350 E. Tropicana Ave., 739-8676.

SushiSamba: This Palazzo restaurant belongs to Team Brazil, but you don’t have to sport blue and yellow to tap into SushiSamba’s World Cup special menu, with dishes like a churrasco mini sandwich with piquillo peppers and cabrales cheese or a South American-style frittata. Games will be broadcast at 11:30 a.m., just late enough to partake in one of the bar’s football-fashioned cocktails. At Palazzo, 3325 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 607-0700.

Agave: You know you’re a fan when you’re willing to get up at 7 a.m. to watch World Cup games broadcast live from South Africa. Agave makes the time difference less painful by opening early for the entire month of competition and serving a breakfast menu of Mexican favorites and $3 Bloody Marias. 10820 W. Charleston Blvd., 214-3500.

Lagasse’s Stadium: The beautiful game has international flavor at Emeril’s sports bar and book, where a menu inspired by nine Cup contenders pairs ethnic dishes with their native beers. Italy fans can snack on sausage arancini and sip Peroni, and English supporters will find fish and chips and Newcastle. At Palazzo, 3325 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 607-2665.

El Segundo Sol: The first game of the 2010 Cup pits South Africa against Mexico on June 11, and you against El Segundo Sol’s Loco Hour, a game-time happy hour with plenty of drink and food specials. Don’t let that 24-ounce can of Tecate win. In the Fashion Show Mall, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 258-1211. –Sarah Feldberg

Who should I root for as a back-up team (just in case)?

With the U.S. squad currently ranked 14th in the world heading into the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, it will take a minor miracle for the Yanks to head home with the win. Which means it’s time to pledge allegiance to a secondary team to keep the month-long tourney exciting until the final goal. Here are five candidates:

Photo: Ricardo Mazalan

Photo: AP

Argentine star Lionel Messi will make or break his squad's World Cup chances.

Argentina: A dynamic star, a volatile coach and history hanging in the balance: Argentina’s bid for World Cup success has all the makings of a movie before the team even takes the field. World Player of the Year Lionel Messi is poised to become one of the greatest players in history, perhaps usurping his controversial coach, Diego Maradona. If Argentina wins, it will be thanks to Messi’s foot, not Maradona’s mentoring.

Spain: Billed as a “co-favorite” with perennial front-runner Brazil, Spain has the talent to win it all and a history of underperforming when it counts. Potent pair David Villa and Fernando Torres will lead the assault, while midfielders Xavi and Andrés Iniesta control the pace of the game. Together, they’re four reasons this year could belong to La Furia Roja.

Cote D’Ivoire: Africa’s best bet for claiming the Cup, Cote D’Ivoire’s chances ride on sensational captain Didier Drogba. There’s only one problem: The talented forward broke his arm during a friendly match against Japan on June 4. Drogba’s return is still in question. If he plays, the Ivory Coast is the perfect underdog story. If he sits, it will need the Miracle on Grass.

Brazil: When U.S. fans think World Cup soccer, they picture it gliding down the field dressed in yellow and blue. While Brazil is still the safe bet for ultimate celebration (and is still ranked at No. 1), coach Dunga’s men will play a more balanced, conservative style of football than the elegant, beautiful game we’ve grown to love. They’ll still score, but you’ll be screaming for Kaka instead of Ronaldinho when Brazil finds the back of the net.

Netherlands: To make it to the World Cup finals and lose is heartbreaking. To do it twice in one decade is almost perverse. Thirty years after the Dutch squad took the world by surprise and then tanked with the free-flowing style of play known as “total football,” the Oranje still hasn’t made up for those devastating defeats. For this year’s bunch, it’s sync or sink—find a rhythm that capitalizes on their strengths or risk going down with the ship. –Sarah Feldberg

What’s the significance of the number 7?

Over the World Cup’s 80-year history (including a 12-year hiatus from 1938-1950), only seven teams have won international soccer’s holy grail. Brazil claims the most titles with five, with Italy close behind followed by Germany, Argentina, Uruguay, England and France. Noticeably absent from the list is football powerhouse Spain, looking to be magic No. 8 come July 11.

Did I hear a local guy is playing?

Photo: Joel Merino/AP

GOOOOOOAL! Herculez Gomez, the former LVHS standout, right, plays for the U.S. team.

In November 1998, I covered a playoff soccer game between Silverado and Las Vegas high schools. Silverado won, but the player who made the lasting impression was Vegas’ Herculez Gomez—and not just with his goal-scoring ability. After finding the back of the net in overtime, Gomez raised his Wildcats jersey over his head to reveal a Superman shirt, one of the cooler celebration techniques I’ve witnessed in person. Here’s hoping Gomez, now a member of the U.S. World Cup squad, will wear something interesting—and get the chance to show it off—against the Brits on June 12. –Spencer Patterson

Can I bet on the World Cup?

Of course. Especially at the Las Vegas Hilton Superbook, where sportsbook director Jay Kornegay first set odds on who might win the 2010 World Cup in 2006, just a month after the last Cup. The pre-tournament favorites are Spain and Brazil at 4-to-1 (the United States is 50-to-1). Bettors can also wager on individual games. For example, the U.S. is a prohibitive underdog to beat England at plus-575 (or, a nearly 6-to-1 ’dog). Kornegay and his staff, famous for their exotic proposition bets for the Super Bowl, have posted similarly adventurous prop bets for the World Cup. A bettor can wager on England, Mexico or the United States to win the Cup at plus-700. If you like Ghana to advance from Group D, you get odds at plus-135. “We book soccer year-round, and we consider ourselves to be a soccer house,” Kornegay says. –John Katsilometes