The groups are for 2010 are finalized and numerous questions are floating around. Which teams are the favorites? What is the Group Of Death? Will an African team get past the quarters? What teams are set up to surprise the world? For this edition of Mad About Futbol's Top 5, we look at the lesser known teams that could surprise the football world and make a deep run in The Great Tournament.

#5 - ALGERIA

The Algerians needed a playoff to eliminate the defending African champions, Egypt. Les Fennecs won group C in African qualifying and no one is giving them a shot in 2010 with a group including England, US, and Slovakia. However, the Algerians displayed a lot of grit to beat Egypt and its a squad that is littered with players in Europe's top leagues. No stars but The Desert Foxes are a consummate team and should not be dismissed.

#4 - DENMARK

The Danes finished first in Group 1 of UEFA qualifying, a group that featured European powers of Portugal & Sweden. Morten Olsen is the longest tenured national team coach in the World Cup. Olsen arguably knows his team better than any other coach knows their own. The Danes are devoid of well-known stars but play well as a team and have a history of springing surprise tournament runs as evidenced by their Euro 1992 championship.

#3 - AUSTRALIA

The Socceroos blitzed though Asian qualifying by winning Group 1 in undefeated fashion. Don't forget that Australia made it to the knockout stage of Germany 2006 and suffered a controversial 1-0 defeat to Italy. The Australians have gotten stronger since moving to the Asian Confederation. Clutch goal scorer Tim Cahill is still a major factor and they will need him in a group with Germany, Serbia, and Ghana.

#2 - SWITZERLAND

The Schweizer Nati won Group 2 of UEFA qualifying. Defensively they are as tough as any team in the tournament. In 2006, they were the only team in WC history to be eliminated from the tournament without giving up a goal. They are led by Bayern Munich's greatest coach ever, Ottmar Hitzfeld. The German quietly led the Swiss to a smooth qualification and like the other teams on this list their strength lies in their organization and team unity. That combo along with Hitzfeld's mind could mean a deeper run for Switzerland than their '06 Round of 16 exit.

#1 - CHILE

La Roja stunned South America by finishing 2nd in CONMEBOL qualifying. Former Argentina coach Marcelo Bielsa has done a magnificent job in managing Chile's young attacking talent. Humberto Suazo, Alexis Sanchez, Mark González and Matías Fernández give Bielsa depth never seen in Chilean football. Chile's best finish was 3rd in 1962 when they hosted the tournament and have the coaching and talent to make a deep WC run.

MAF Top 5: #12 - WC Unheralded Teams

We got another edition of Mad About Futbol's Top 5. This time we're going to breakdown the 5 best national team coaches right now. These 5 men have led their charges to surprise heights in qualifying for the 2010 World Cup or in some cases right on the door step of reserving their place in South Africa. So let's get down to the MAF Top 5.

5: REINALDO RUEDA - HONDURAS COACH

The native of Cali, Colombia is the leader of possibly Honduras' golden age of international football. Los Catrachos are on the verge of qualifying for their 1st World Cup since Spain 1982. Rueda has had great success with Colombia's youth teams, leading Los Cafeteros to a 3rd place finish in the '03 FIFA World Youth Championship and 4th place in the '03 U-17 World Cup. Its time to give Rueda his due a skillful tactician and excellent personnel manager.

4: MARCELO BIELSA - CHILE COACH

The Argentine coach eats, breathes, and sleeps football. A quirky coach known to take his own pitch measurements before putting out his starting formation. He has turned Chile into the 2nd biggest surprise in South American qualifying and has Chile on the verge of qualifying for South Africa. Considering what has happened to Argentina since Bielsa left, his coaching acumen cannot be underestimated.

3: FABIO CAPELLO - ENGLAND COACH

Fabio Capello has won trophies at some of the biggest club teams in the world: Real Madrid, AC Milan, Juventus. His first foray as a national team coach has started off well. He hasn't won any trophies yet with England but he's turned England into a serious contender. Before his arrival, England was struggling, looked sloppy, and were in disarray. Capello has organized the team and brought confidence to The Three Lions while leading them to a place in South Africa with a perfect qualifying record.

2: DUNGA - BRAZIL COACH

His birth name is Carlos Caetano Bledorn Verri but he's better known as Dunga. The Brazil coach was much criticized early in his Seleção tenure for the team's style of play but he's turned that sentiment around with a Copa America & Confederations Cup trophy. He's managed to check massive egos of star players for the cause of Brazil team glory and the result: Only one loss in the toughest WC qualifying region on the planet. Its one thing to have talent, its another to manage it and put it a position to win and Dunga has done that in arguably the most pressure packed national team job in the world.

1: GUUS HIDDINK - RUSSIA COACH

The Dutchman's accomplishments are impressive at the club level but his magic as a national team coach is irresistible. The last 3 World Cups he's taken his team into at least the 2nd round with 4th place finishes twice with Netherlands in 1998 and South Korea in 2002. Russia will qualify for 2010 and Hiddink has them looking primed for a deep run in South Africa. If a nation needs a man to lead the national team to the World Cup and make a deep & historic run than Guus Hiddink is that man.

There you have it, the best national team managers/coaches in the world. What do you think, did we leave anyone off? These men will be front & center in less than a year when The Great Tournament will capture the world's attention. One of these men could be national heroes if their sides lift The World Cup.

MAF Top 5: #11 - National Team Coaches

The eternal question of football/soccer and its survival in the United States is: Why won't the sport be huge and break into the Big 4 of US Professional Sports (NFL, NBA, MLB, NASCAR)?

Well we here at MAF have 5 answers to that question that will make you think and hopefully bring out some emotion in favor or against these arguments. So let's reveal the Top 5 reasons why soccer will not be huge in the U.S.

#5 - Outside Soccer Snobbery


My colleagues at Mad About Futbol might take offense or disagree but foreigners from soccer loving/mad countries look down & raise their noses to the US game. There is no doubt that the US game is of lower quality than in Europe, Africa, and South America. The structure of college ball in relation to the professional game and the ludicrous rules of the college game have certainly contributed to the slow progress of the US game from a skills perspective.

For the game to grow in the US, those people from soccer loving nations outside the US have to stop bad mouthing the quality and look at the MLS and the college game for what is. It is important these "Soccer Snobs" look at the game here through a different lens and stop comparing it to their home leagues and expecting MLS or college teams to play like a team from their home 1st division league.

#4 - No Patience

Those of us who love futbol know that its takes great patience to watch 90 minutes of a match. The fact is Americans are some A.D.D., ridiculously short attention span having peoples. The most common complaint is that there isn't enough action to sustain watching a soccer match. Americans are not conditioned to appreciate the subtlety of football because American society as a whole is about instant gratification and the quick fix. The artistry & skill of soccer is lost on Americans because there isn't a goal being scored every 2 seconds or someone isn't getting the snot blasted out of them on every play. A game of patience cannot become huge in an impatient society.

#3 - Freak Athlete Factor


This might be the most overlooked of the reasons, the Freak Athlete Factor. Americans like their athletes freakish, whether they are unusually tall like basketball players or unusually muscular like American football or the roided up baseball players. There is a real life, comic book quality that Americans like in their athletes. Soccer players are tremendous athletes but compared to athletes in the Big 3 sports, there is nothing about their size or physical stature that makes them stand out.

If you didn't know who Lionel Messi was and he walked down the streets of a city in the US, you would walk right past him and not think twice. The 2 greatest players of all time, Pelé & Maradona are 5'8" and 5'5" respectively, their heights alone would have made it damn near impossible for them to be successful in the NBA, NFL, or MLB. Without sounding condescending, soccer is the common person's game with its stars & icons looking as common as their rabid fans.

#2 - Rich Country, Poor Game


Football/Soccer is the game of the poor and the US is the richest country in the world. (Honestly, poor people in the US live better than poor people in most other countries). How many times have you heard of an American footballer growing up learning to play barefoot in the street and fashioning a ball out of plastic bags or socks? Zero. That's a regular occurrence in many countries all over the world. In countries with worse poverty, their ticket out is soccer. In the US, poor kids see basketball & American football as their way out. It takes a lot less equipment & "stuff" to play soccer than American football or even basketball. The poorer you are the less "stuff" you can afford, the easier it is to take up soccer.

#1 - The American Way


The number one reason that soccer will not be huge in the US, is American isolationism. Americans are adamant about doing things the "American Way." That's why in the States, we don't use the much easier metric system, health care is not socialized, and why soccer is looked down upon. The prevailing notion in the US is that soccer is as an immigrant sport played by short guys with one name who aren't masculine cause they don't use their hands. See Jim Rome's ignorant, isolationist ass. A nation founded by immigrants has grown to view immigrants as dirty and the scourge of a nation. This American isolationist mentality & air of superiority has carried over to the promotion & marketing of soccer, thus stunting the growth of the Beautiful Game in the US.

There you have it, the 5 Reasons Why Soccer Won't Be Huge In The US. I'm an American born & raised and I don't care if soccer breaks the Big 4 of US Pro Sports as long as there's enough of a following for my child to make 6 figures playing professionally in the States. The internationality of soccer is alluring enough for me to make The Beautiful Game my #1 sport till I die.

MAF Top 5: #10 - Soccer Won't Be Huge In US

Paolo Di Canio's salute to Italian fascism was a news making act and caught the ire of many who believe that politics & sport shouldn't mix. However you feel about that mix, there is no doubt that controversies add spice to a sometimes boring footballing landscape. Its what makes fans either hate or love a particular person or club. We at Mad About Fútbol have pondered who were the most controversial footballers in history and have come up with the Top 5 Most Controversial Footballers. Beginning with:

#5 = José Luis Félix Chilavert González

The former Paraguayan captain may be the most famous Paraguayan footballer of all time. The keeper was a free kick & PK specialist and is arguably the greatest goal scoring keeper in history. He was a fiery leader who once spit on Brazil defender Roberto Carlos and fought with Colombian forward Faustino Asprilla. Chilavert is football's Charles Barkley. He is outspoken about football and life, has gained a lot of weight after his playing days, and has become the most honest and frank pundit in the game today.

#4 = Manuel Francisco dos Santos

The man better known as Mané Garrincha was arguably Brazil's most loved footballer ever and was popularly known as Alegria do Povo, The Joy of The People. He is generally known as the best Brazilian player ever behind Pelé. After his football career, his footballing prowess was overshadowed by his off the field demons. Garrincha battled alcoholism his whole adult life. It was the cause of a tragic accident that cost the life of his mother-in-law in 1969. He was a ladies' man having allegedly fathered 15 children and died in 1983 with financial troubles. A great player whose life ended sadly.

#3 = Joseph Anthony Barton

The midfielder from Liverpool, England needs some serious anger management. He currently plays for Newcastle in England and might be the only player in the top 2 levels of English football who has served time. Barton served 77 days in prison in 2008 for common assault and affray in punishment for an incident outside a McDonald's restaurant in Liverpool. He assaulted teammates twice while at Manchester City, one incident involved putting out a cigar in a guy's eye. Joey needs weed and a woman.

#2 = Eric Daniel Pierre Cantona

Known still by Manchester United fans as "King Eric," Cantona was notoriously short-tempered. Throughout his playing career Cantona lashed out at teammates, opponents, coaches, and referees. The talented French forward has done everything from punch teammates to dangerously tackle opponents to publicly trash talk coaches to throwing balls at referees.


Who could forget the kung fu kick against a Crystal Palace fan who had teased him after he was red carded in a 1995 match. Cantona retired young at age 30 and has become an actor and a beach soccer coach while remaining outspoken about Manchester United, football, and life.

#1 = Diego Armando Maradona

The Argentine dynamo is the most polarizing figure in the history of football and is unquestionably on the Top 10 list of most controversial figures in all of sports . Maradona inspires such devotion that a religion has been spawned in his honor. The stocky #10 is the other protagonist in the debate of who is the greatest footballer of all time.


His "Hand Of God" goal is the most controversial goal in football history and his defense weaving goal against England in that same game is the greatest goal in football history. Most of Maradona's problems are drug related. He was kicked out of the 1994 World Cup for doping and served a 15-month ban after testing positive for cocaine while at Napoli.

Since the beginning of the new millennium, Maradona has had to deal with issues involving an illegitimate son and health issues due to drug abuse. Politically he has become friendly with men that the US government would classify as "Non-friendly": Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez & Cuban President Fidel Castro. El Pibe de Oro has also embraced the ideals of Che Guevara. Maradona is as controversial off the field as he was on the field during his playing days. Diego Armando Maradona is the unquestioned #1 most controversial footballer ever.

MAF Top 5: #9 - Most Controversial Footballers

This edition of Mad About Fútbol's Top 5 will breakdown the Top 5 Things Observed From The June World Cup Qualifying Matches. Let's begin with CONCACAF's best team.

COSTA RICA IS THE BEST IN CONCACAF

Los Ticos have established themselves as the best team in CONCACAF after their impressive displays against the United States and Trinidad & Tobago. Costa Rica has lost only once in this cycle of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying. In 13 WCQ matches, Los Ticos have lost once a 2-0 loss to Mexico at Estadio Azteca and drawn once a 2-2 result on the road in Grenada in a 2nd round 1st leg match. Rodrigo Kenton has done a masterful job steering Costa Rica to a highly likely spot in South Africa 2010. Los Ticos are a perfect 7-0-0 at the Estadio Saprissa in San Jose. Saprissa is now the most intimidating home field advantage in CONCACAF.

GABON IS FOR REAL

The West African nation through which the Equator runs through has become the big story in African World Cup Qualifying. The Azingo Nationale is coached by former French international Alain Giresse whose experience as part of "The Magic Square" of France's national teams in the 80s has been essential in Gabon's run to the top of Group A. In 8 matches of African WC Qualifying, Gabon has only lost twice and are currently riding a 5 game winning streak. Gabon have been riding the talents of all-time goal scorer Hull City striker Daniel Cousin, leading scorer in qualifying Ankaraspor striker Roguy Méyé and the Aubameyang brothers: Catilina, Pierre-Emerick, and Willy. All 3 were products of AC Milan's scouting system with Pierre-Emerick & Willy still property of Il Rossoneri.

CONMEBOL'S PLAYOFF SPOT DUEL
VS.
After these past two rounds of CONMEBOL WC qualifying, it looks like the last playoff spot will come down to Ecuador versus Uruguay. Ecuador earned the max of 6 points over the past two rounds and it vaulted them into 5th place. Uruguay only got 1 point over the last two matches and fell 2 points behind Ecuador to 6th place. Colombia and Venezuela are tied for 7th place, 1 point behind Uruguay but Colombia does not score enough goals and Venezuela gives up too many goals to hold up. Ecuador seems to be regaining the form that has seen them qualify for the previous two World Cups and Uruguay has an explosive offense that can score goals quickly and in bunches. Ecuador hosts Uruguay in the next to last round of qualifying in a match that could determine who will face the CONCACAF 4th place team in a playoff.

SHOWDOWN IN ASIA
VS.
3 of the 4 automatic spots for South Africa 2010 from Asia have already been finalized. Only 1 spot remains and thankfully the schedule makers have set up massive drama on the final day of matches. In Group 2, 3rd place Saudi Arabia hosts 2nd place Korea DPR with the winner of the match going to South Africa. Korea DPR aka North Korea looks to qualify for its 2nd ever World Cup while Saudi Arabia goes for its 5th straight appearance. The loser could even lose out on the playoff spot if Iran defeats already qualified South Korea in their final WC Qualifying match. WHEW! Asia offering up some MASSIVE drama.

TRADITIONAL POWERS IN TROUBLE

3 traditional powers of their continents have their fans and citizens praying for some intervention to secure a place in South Africa 2010. Mexico sits in 4th place in CONCACAF and their form has been spotty at best. El Tri is not the lock to qualify from CONCACAF like the footballing world is used to. The Mexicans will have to show a lot more heart than in previous qualifying runs in order to get to The Great Tournament.

Maradona's appointment as Argentina's head coach was supposed to minimize the stress in qualifying from CONMEBOL but his tactical shortcomings are being exposed. Los Albicelestes haven't been able to string wins together and have been embarrassed on the road allowing 10 goals in their last 4 road matches notching only 1 point in that stretch. They sit in the last automatic spot just 2 points ahead 5th place Ecuador.

Portugal's troubles in Group 1 of European qualifying were eased a bit when they barely scraped by Albania 2-1 on the road. Bruno Alves' 2nd half injury time goal kept Portugal breathing but the fact that they had to get a late goal to beat Albania shows that Portugal is overrated. They sit in 3rd place a full 4 points behind 2nd place Hungary with each having 4 matches remaining. Of the 3 mentioned continental powers, Portugal is in the greatest jeopardy of missing South Africa 2010.

Alright there it is Mad About Fútbol's Top 5 for the June World Cup qualifiers. Look out for the next installment of Mad About Fútbol's Top 5 as we breakdown the most controversial footballers in history. Post a comment and let us know what you think.

MAF Top 5: #8 - June WC Qualifiers

Ladies & Gentlemen as you well know FC Barcelona completed their greatest season ever by defeating Manchester United 2-0 in the 2008-09 UEFA Champions League Final. The win gave them their 1st ever treble as Barcelona became the 1st Spanish team to win a treble. Barca captured La Liga, Copa Del Rey, and the Champions League. This edition of the Mad About Fútbol's Top 5 salutes the world's best club side and looks at the Top 5 reasons why Blaugrana earned their place in footballing history.

#5 = Improved Team Atmosphere

Let's be real, last year's team was good enough to win a treble but what prevented it was a poor team atmosphere. Frank Rijkaard could not handle the divisive figures in his locker room such as Ronaldinho & Deco. Don't forget how Eto'o looked like he was headed to AC Milan and Henry was talking about how playing on the left side was stifling his goal scoring instincts for France and he needed to be in the middle. The following season Dinho & Deco were out while Eto'o & Henry fell in line without a locker room wrecking word all season. Guardiola deserves massive credit for improving the team's atmosphere cause talent wasn't the reason The Blaugrana went trophy-less last season.

#4 = Playing Style

Over the last 5 - 10 years we've seen managers cower in the face of opposition by playing a more conservative, boring style of football. A recent trend of 5 midfielders with 1 striker or more withdrawn "forwards" has seen a reduction in the entertainment value of football. However, Barça, said DAMN THAT and played with 3 strikers and they got the 3 most explosive and skilled forwards on the planet to fill their formation. No wonder fans take a liking to Barça, the Blaugrana scored as many goals this season as Brad Pitt has women sweating him. Yo, that's a lot of damn goals. People who love the Beautiful Game want to see speed, skill, and goals. Barça gives football fans all of those things and Barça wins.

#3 = Josep Guardiola i Sala

Some people might say that the coach of the best team on the planet is only #3. By no means is this a knock on Guardiola's acumen because his brilliance can never be understated. However, so many other factors had to line up perfectly for a coach in his 1st season as a head coach of a big club to make history like this. Mourinho has much more experience than Guardiola and he only got a Scudetto in his 1st season with Inter. Guardiola did a perfect job no doubt, but he had to go #3 because he inherited a supremely talented team that was close to history. His leadership was the spark Barça needed to get Treble and he is the 6th person to win the European Cup as a player & coach.

#2 = Joan Laporta i Estruch

Joan Laporta i Estruch is the best club president on the planet. Since his reign began in 2003, Barcelona has won 2 Champions Leagues, 3 La Liga titles, 2 Spanish Supercups, and a Copa Del Rey. He managed to maintain the integrity of the Barça shirt by keeping sponsors off the shirt but his humanitarian act of giving money to UNICEF and having the UNICEF logo on the sacred shirt was a brilliant business, PR, and charitable move. He hired Frank Rijkaard & Guardiola and he has overseen the most balanced transfer policy of any club in Europe. Everyone who gave Laporta a vote of "No Confidence" are looking stupid right now. Not to mention he's a true Catalan patriot.

#1 = La Masia - Barca's Youth Academy

On a recent podcast of Mad About Futbol, GOL TV's Andres Cordero made a great point about how this treble was years in the making and how Barca's youth academy was a huge part of this historic feat. If you look at the roster of the Eqiupo Triplete its key components are products of Barca's youth academy. Victor Valdes, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Bojan, Pique, Puyol, Sergi Busquets all came up to the 1st team through La Masia. Amazing, even Pep Guardiola himself is a product of the famous youth academy. The success of La Masia is a testament to the proper investing of monetary gains to maintain and build a high-level football club.

Congratulations to FC Barcelona for showing the world how football should be played and proving that winning, attacking football is not a dream but a dream come true.

MAF Top 5: #7 - Barcelona's Treble

The above picture sums up the feelings when two rivals play each other in a rivalry or derby match. This weekend is a big weekend in club football for rivalries & derbies. The Derby d'Italia featuring Inter Milan & Juventus will take place on Saturday. The Mexican Clásico between Chivas & América will go off on Sunday and the Superclásico of all Clásicos: Boca vs. River in Argentina. That said, our Top 5 names the best rivalries/derbies in all of football, well we will narrow it to club football. Check out the Top 5, guarantee there will be some surprises:

MAF Top 5: #6 - Rivalries/Derbies

With World Cup Qualifiers coming up in the next couple of weeks, its time for another Top 5 here on Mad About Fútbol. These are the Top 5 things to watch for as teams compete to solidify their place for The Great Tournament in 2010 on The Motherland:

MAF Top 5: #5 - Mar. 28-Apr. 1 FIFA Date

How about the message sent by the people of Sevilla during the Spain-England friendly. Thanks to Reuters for this great photo, the message says, "In Sevilla, we aren't racists, we are artists." So now Ladies & Gentlemen, the artistry continues with another Mad About Fútbol Top 5 for you. After this past week of international friendlies and World Cup qualifiers you know we had to bring Edition #4 of the Top 5. Here they are the Top 5 Things Learned From This Last FIFA Date:

#1: Australia Is The New Power In Asia

The Socceroos have been flexing their muscle from Down Under since their move to the Asian Football Confederation in 2006. Adelaide United made the '08 Asian Champions League final and now the national team is playing the best ball in Asia. They have taken 7 of a possible 9 points on the road so far in WCQ while going undefeated atop Group 1. Bad news for their opponents, 3 of their next 4 WCQ matches are in Australia. Most of their national team players work in Europe with England's Premier League employing the majority of them. The Socceroos are becoming the dominant nation in Asia.

#2: South America is BALLIN!

South American national teams stood out during this last FIFA Date. Only 1 CONMEBOL side lost, Peru. They lost to the best team in South America right now, Paraguay. Chile beat South Africa 2-0, Colombia beat Haiti 2-0, Venezuela took down Guatemala 2-1, and Uruguay beat Libya in a thriller 3-2. The big displays of strength came from The CONMEBOL Powers: Brazil & Argentina. Brazil breezed past Italy 2-0 on a neutral site and Argentina cruised by France on the road 2-0. CONMEBOL sides played against nations from CONCACAF, Europe, and Africa and were undefeated. The only South American team to lose, lost to another South American side. Further affirmation that South America is the cradle of talent and the toughest region in World Cup Qualifying.

#3: The Soca Warriors Blew It

Trinidad & Tobago carries the banner of Caribbean football into the final stage of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying and they blew a huge opportunity to start the hexagonal stage on top of the standings. The Soca Warriors were up 2-0 on the road vs. El Salvador when they gave up 2 goals in the last 10 minutes to earn one point instead of the desired 3 points. Vista Hermosa midfielder Osael Romero was the hero for Los Cuscatlecos and snatched a point from the jaws of defeat. The Soca Warriors blew a golden opportunity to take a 3 points on the road. 3 points on the road in World Cup Qualifying is massive, thankfully it was only the 1st match of the hexagonal.

#4: Maradona May Know What He's Doing

It might be too early to tell but "El Pibe De Oro" is turning Argentina's form around to the positive side. He's been in charge for 2 friendlies and both have been wins: 1-0 versus Scotland and 2-0 versus France. The true test of his managerial ability will come next month during CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying but Los Albicelestes have played with more life and passion. The inclusion of Newcastle midfielder Jonas Gutierrez in the starting XI has been important in their improved play. Its too early to say he is a great coach but so far its seems like he knows what he's doing.

#5: Dunga Is Still On The Hot Seat

Let's keep it real, the job security in being the coach of the Brazilian National Team is always fragile. Despite Brazil's 2-0 victory over Italy, Dunga seat has gotten hotter. Why? Thanks to Chelsea. As it has been well publicized, Chelsea just fired Luiz Felipe Scolari after a disappointing few months at the London club. His free agent status puts more pressure on Dunga because the coach of Brazil's last World Cup triumph is available. For Dunga's sake, Scolari finds a job real soon. If Brazil's form dips during World Cup qualifying, Dunga's seat is going to be boiling and the call for Scolari will be loud and the CBF (Confederação Brasileira de Futebol) might hear it and make the change.

Its another Top 5 for you here on Mad About Fútbol. Don't forget to check out our sister sites, to get the best opinions and insight on "The Beautiful Game."

MAF Top 5: #4 - February FIFA Date

To take a line from one of the greatest rappers ever, Rakim. "Its been a long time, since I left you without a Top 5 to step to." Okay Rakim didn't say Top 5 but it has been awhile since the last edition so I had to bring back. You know with all the talk of stadiums for the World Cup and meeting standards, it got me to thinking of the Top 5 Stadiums I would like to watch a World Cup match or for that matter any football match. Factors going into the Top 5 include size, location, history and crowd enthusiasm, so here they are:

#5 = St. James' Park - Newcastle upon Tyne, England

Home to Newcastle United since 1892. From what I've been told its one of the most intense places to watch a football match. Newcastle supporters are some of the most passionate in the world. St. James' Park is the 3rd largest of all Premiership club stadiums and Newcastle supporters fill it up every game. Its atmosphere is like "La Bombonera of Europe." Plus, that "NEWCASTLE UNITED" along the facade of the East Stand is cool. I know other stadiums have something similar with their club names but at St. James' Park the sight of that "NEWCASTLE UNITED" has a power to it that is alluring.

#4 = Estadio Azteca - Mexico D.F., Mexico

Opened in 1966 it is the home of Mexican super club, Club América and El Tri, the Mexican National Team. In terms of national team matches, its the most intimidating place for opposition to come into and play. 100,000+ wild, passionate, boisterous, and mostly drunk Mexicans pack the Azteca singing, cheering, and jeering the opposition. Its an amazing scene. For World Cup history, Azteca is the only stadium to hold 2 World Cup Final matches. Its the stadium that witnessed Maradona's "Hand Of God" goal & his defense slicing "Goal Of The Century" in 1986 and the 1970 WC Semi between Italy & West Germany known as the "Game Of The Century." Its size, history, and ambience make it a football cathedral.

#3 = Estádio do Maracanã - Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

The stadium less known as Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho and more popularly known as Maracanã is the temple of Brazilian football. It was constructed for the 1950 World Cup and could hold 200,000+ people. Even though the capacity has been reduced to 95,000 it is still the largest stadium in South America. Maracanã was the site of Pelé's 1,000th goal, Zico's last goal for Flamengo, the famous Maracanazo of the 1950 World Cup and the 1st ever FIFA Club World Cup final match. As a lifelong Brazil fan, its a must visit.

#2 = Camp Nou - Barcelona, Spain

Opened in 1957, Camp Nou is a 5-star stadium which stands as the home of FC Barcelona and a source of Catalan pride. It is the largest stadium in Europe with a capacity of around 98,000. Barça has a massive home field advantage whenever they step on the field regardless of who they are playing. A stadium befitting a team that's Més que un club. I've seen the trophy room, the museum with the statues, and stood on the bench as part of the tour and now GAME TIME!

#1 = La Bombonera - Buenos Aires, Argentina

The 2nd stadium on the list that I've actually been inside and taken a tour of. I was even fortunate enough to go when legendary coach Carlos Bianchi was in charge and watch a practice. Opened in 1940, its official name is Estadio Alberto J. Armando but its unique design has given it the more common title of "La Bombonera" which means "The Chocolate Box." Ask Boca's opponents if its sweet to play there and they'll say its more like a vinegar bottle. The unique design and the most passionate, boisterous fans in football led by La Doce make it a nightmare for opposition. I got to go to the Superclásico before I die.

There they are, my Top 5 stadiums I would like to watch a football match. I just need to quit my job, nail a rich sugar MILF really good and I'll be able to get to all those stadiums during a match.

Some of the stadiums that didn't make the cut but were noteworthy: Morumbi in Sao Paulo, Estadio Saprissa in Costa Rica, Giuseppe Meazza in Milan, Old Trafford in Manchester, BMO Field in Toronto, Allianz Arena in Munich, the New Wembley Stadium in London, and The Bird's Nest aka Beijing Olympic Stadium.

Mad About Fútbol Top 5: #3 - Stadiums