There Will Be Shocks
The first round always offers surprises — those with long memories might recall the U.S. defeating England in 1950 in the "Miracle on Grass" — and 2010 was no different. Switzerland, which couldn't even manage a goal four years ago in Germany, knocked off Euro 2008 champion (and many people's favorite) Spain 1-0. And New Zealand — which, unlike the Swiss, has no soccer pedigree whatsoever — rather comfortably held reigning World Cup champion Italy 1-1. But that was only the beginning of Italy's woes, as it failed to qualify from the group stage after losing to Slovakia 3-2. Coupled with France's early exit, it meant that for the first time ever, neither of the previous tournament's finalists got into the last 16 at the subsequent World Cup. For any Italians of advancing age, it was surely as bad as Italy's 1966 defeat at the hands of North Korea, which also resulted in its failing to get out of the group. When the team returned home that year, the Azzurri were pelted with tomatoes.