>The Mexican players are paid better and more likely candidates for prima
>donnas than the US side. Mexico had three top division European players
>and the US had 1 I believe (Reyna and Friedel plays 1st division Brit
>football right?).
_Seven_ US players out of the 14 who have been engaged in the match with Mexico play in European first divisions (four in the English Premier League, two in Netherland's Premier Division and one in the German Bundesliga), plus the youngster Donovan who plays with San Jose Earthquakes but being under contract to the German top club Bayer Leverkusen, this year's European Champions League finalist.
>Mexican players are generally in the Mexican pro league (Futbol Mexicano)
>which pays higher salaries the MLS in the US.
I assume that the salaries in the Mexican top league are only a fraction of the sum that players get in European top divisions.
>The most heartening thing about this World Cup has been the amazing amount
>of effort displayed by lower paid sides in out hustling their pampered
>foes (i.e., the success of S. Korea, Senegal, Turkey, Denmark, and the U.
>S. against the flame-outs of France, Argentina, Portugal, Italy).
As far as the players are concerned "lower paid sides" is a myth. All the Senegalese players get their Euros in the French Premiere Division, Danish top players rank amongst the best paid around Europe.
>Ireland (without their most pampered player Roy Keane) nearly beat the
>more lavishly paid Spain. There has been plenty of individual fireworks
>on display but it could not be clearer that this World Cup has proven that
>soccer is a TEAM game.
It's the specific combination of the collective and the indvidual which constitutes the fascination of this game - on the sports field and in front of tv.
Senegal v South Korea for the final?
Hinrich