Big Question: What’s your favorite competition other than the World Cup?
We’re a bit biased in these parts. We happen to think the World Cup is the greatest sporting event in the history of sporting events. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t tune into other tournaments and competitions while we wait out the four years between World Cups. With football seemingly on the tube year-round, it is quite easy for us to become addicted to just about anything. We’ll watch fourth division Romanian matches, 5-year-olds kicking it in the park, videos of 10-year-old kids in Turkey…you name it. But there are some competitions that we enjoy more than others. Here’s a few of our favorites.
African Nations Cup – We love the CAN. The games are unpredictable, the fans are crazy and it forces us to learn where the hell Burkina Faso is located. Our only beef is that we don’t think it should be played during a World Cup year.
Champions League – Pound for pound some of the best football is played during this competition. It is especially enjoyable seeing the various styles of the European leagues in action against one another. Sometimes it is like a World Cup All-Star match, but with the players actually trying. Midweek football is a beautiful thing.
Copa Libertadores – We like watching this because there are usually a lot of young players and teams that we aren’t necessarily all that familiar with. It is always fun to say that you saw a guy before he was discovered. The random crowd shots of the fanaticos in the stands also are worth a look, plus it is played during the summer months so it helps us going year-round.
European Championship – The perfect competition in between World Cup tournaments.
Agree or disagree? What’s your favorite competition?
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Comments
By Luis Paulo | April 19th, 2006 at 12:17 am 
I don’t like Libertadores a lot. At least as long my team Vasco stays far from it.
I really love the Eurocup. It’s like a mini World Cup to me. It allows us to see the european teams really playing seriously. It’s too bad that Brazil have to play the Copa America, otherwise it would be like having a WC every 2 years.
Therefore I like the Confederations Cup. At least in 2005 it was a good competition. It was a little preview to the WC.
Champions league is also a great competition. Always. Too bad it’s played in the middle of the afternoon here in Brazil (3:30 PM local time). It’s hard to get out of work when you get a job.
Hey Bob, how come that you post after I go to bed and then again before I wake up. Don’t you sleep at all?
By Ade Lamidi | April 19th, 2006 at 1:20 am Champions League is a great competition as most of the best players usually play in Europe and give them the opportunity to showcase their talents for their respective clubs.
European Cup is also a fantastic competion to watch.
I like the Cup of African Nations because of its unpredictability and gives the minnows in World football a chance to showcase their talent too.
Confederations Cup is beginning to look interesting and the 2005 edition was cool.
Copa America again is another interesting tournament as all the skillful players in the World show what they are capable of doing.
Posted from 
Australia
By Knut Karnapp | April 19th, 2006 at 3:19 am Currently, Champions League. We did see a great Ronaldinho yesterday.
I dont really think there will be much else to worry about in summer.
Posted from 
Germany
By Pratyush | April 19th, 2006 at 5:24 am Champions League definitely. I also enjoy the FA Cup a lot.
Posted from 
India
By Trent | April 19th, 2006 at 6:22 am Bob, your list looks right on to me. Like some of the other posters, I wish the Copa America were a better tournament that it has been historically.
And although it doesn’t have any international significance, I also like the Championship division playoffs in England. Great crowds, and a lot (promotion to the EPL) on the line.
Posted from 
United States
By Tomislav Chagall | April 19th, 2006 at 7:05 am african nations cup | asian cup | european championship
Posted from Germany
By asumikey222 | April 19th, 2006 at 7:49 am i will say i prefer the mls cup to all of them. i am a new soccer fan but i find the champion’s league a little bit too technical (i.e. people setting up plays FOREVER) whereas in the mls it seems like people are usually pressing forward a lot- very offensive w/o all the hubbub. plus their are more american players, which i know, and that makes it even more fn. GO USA!
Posted from United States
By Bense | April 19th, 2006 at 7:58 am EURO 
Posted from United States
By PeterG | April 19th, 2006 at 9:36 am My two favorites are the African Nations Cup (lots of great talent that isn’t high-profile) and the Copa Libertadores (completely insane atmosphere plus the Latin American style of game).
Posted from United States
By Craig | April 19th, 2006 at 9:37 am Having lived in Bolivia for a year, I can say categorically that the Libertadores is possibly the most unexciting tournament and certainly the most overlong club tournament in the world. The Champions League doesn’t really get going till the 2nd round (God help us if G14 have their way!) but when it does, it’s mind-bogglingly good. The European Championships come avery close 2nd to the UCL for me. There have been some stinkers (Euro 2004) but, the final aside, the most consistently entertaining international tournament I can remember was Euro 2000, by some distance, epitomised by the enthralling Spain 4-3 Yugoslavia group game.
Posted from 
United Kingdom
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