Saturday, June 26, 2010

World Cup 2010.7 ~ Final 16 History

The configuration of a 16 team single elimination format at the end of the tournament is a relatively new component, introduced in 1986, today begins the 7th time this protocol will determine the winner.

In a twist, it is the first time that European nations do not dominate the slate. 10 of the sixteen finalists are from elsewhere on the planet. The graph is based on one published in the NYTimes, that I enhances with flags to identify the actual countries and a highlighted square frame for the winner. In the previous 6 World Cups the winning has been traded back and forth between Europe and South America. If persistence matters both Germany and Brazil have been to all seven of the championships in examination; Argentina, England and Spain have been to six of them and Mexico and Netherlands to five.

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