Predictions Made, the Kaiser Returns Home

March 29th, 2006 | by: WC Bob | View Comments

We have been following Franz Beckenbauer’s round-the-world football diplomacy tour for months now with a mixture of awe and jealousy. Alas, after visiting all 31 participating countries and earning more than 75,000 frequent flier points, the head of the 2006 World Cup Organising Committee has returned home to Germany where he can focus on his real job: questioning Jurgen Klinsmann’s coaching ability. During his journey to all parts of the globe, Beckenbauer made many friends and even more predictions. Here are some of his quotes he made while smiling for the cameras in each country.

Angola: “Angola will win the World Cup.”
Argentina: “Argentina will win the World Cup”
Australia: “Australia will win the World Cup”
Brazil: “Brazil will win the World Cup”
Cote d’Ivoire: “Cote d’Ivoire will win the World Cup”
Costa Rica: “Costa Rica will win the World Cup”
Croatia: “Croatia will win the World Cup”
Czech Republic: “Czech Republic will win the World Cup”
Ecuador: “Ecuador will win the World Cup”
England: “England will win the World Cup”
France: “France will win the World Cup”
German: “Herr Klinsmann is a total jackass who needs to abandon his family in California. He wasn’t half the player I was. Germany WILL NOT win the World Cup.”
Ghana: “Ghana will win the World Cup”
Iran: “Iran will win the World Cup”
Italy: “Italy will win the World Cup”
Japan: “Japan will win the World Cup”
Mexico: “Mexico will win the World Cup”
Netherlands: “Netherlands will win the World Cup”
Paraguay: “Paraguay will win the World Cup”
Poland: “Poland will win the World Cup”
Portugal: “Portugal will win the World Cup”
Saudi Arabia: “Saudi Arabia will win the World Cup”
Serbia and Montenegro: “Serbia and Montenegro will win the World Cup”
South Korea: “South Korea will win the World Cup”
Spain: “Spain will win the World Cup”
Switzerland: “Switzerland will win the World Cup”
Sweden: “Sweden will win the World Cup”
Togo: “Togo will win the World Cup”
Trinidad and Tobago: “Trinidad and Tobago will win the World Cup”
Tunisia: “Tunisia will win the World Cup”
Ukraine: “Ukraine will win the World Cup”
USA: “USA will win the World Cup”