The World Cup Magic Age Number

http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-cup-2006/the-world-cup-magic-age-number.html The World Cup Magic Age Number Bob | Posted on: June 6th, 2006

By now you probably have a pick for which team will lift the World Cup on July 9, but did you factor average team age into your selection? In the past ten World Cup tournaments, no team has won with a roster that averages more than 28 years in age. If this holds true again this year, it means that Brazil, Italy and the Czech Republic among others won’t be crowned champions.

The youngest team in the tournament is Ghana with an average age of 25.2 years. The oldest is Trinidad and Tobago at 29.5 years.

Teams that exceed the magic number of 28 are:

Brazil, France, Italy, Czech Republic, Sweden, Portugal, Serbia and Montenegro, USA, Australia, Croatia and Trinidad and Tobago.

Will this hold true again this tournament or does age really not matter? What do you think?

Fascinating. Bad news for the USA. Good news for England, Germany, and Argentina. Hard to believe Brazil don't have a chance based on that stat. "Lies, damned lies, and statistics" as Disreli said. I know that there is a historcal fact about old baseball teams winning the World Series which is similar. However, statistics can sometimes be misleading. I think it also depends on how old the key players are and more importantly, how fit they are. This give me some pause, but I'll still pick Brazil. I'll be less suprised if they don't win it though. At least I'll know why now-they're too old!

interesting. Of course statistics are important, but it really doesnt matter if average age of Brasil is 27 or 32 or even more. I cant belive they can lose.

Spain @ 16/1 knockin bet

That explains the inclusion of Theo Walcott in our squad then.

Boatraceface wrote: Spain @ 16/1 knockin bet

The same Spain that always under-performs on the big stage? I'll believe it when I see it. However, they do have a very favorable draw. Maybe the best of any serious contender...

Shellshocker wrote:

Boatraceface wrote: Spain @ 16/1 knockin bet

The same Spain that always under-performs on the big stage? I'll believe it when I see it. However, they do have a very favorable draw. Maybe the best of any serious contender...

Aye,thats the them.Talented team this time again...Back em eachway,and hpoe they don't bottle it. 2nd and 3rd place still pay 1/4 odds

Boatraceface wrote:

Shellshocker wrote:

Boatraceface wrote: Spain @ 16/1 knockin bet

The same Spain that always under-performs on the big stage? I'll believe it when I see it. However, they do have a very favorable draw. Maybe the best of any serious contender...

Aye,thats the them.Talented team this time again...Back em eachway,and hpoe they don't bottle it. 2nd and 3rd place still pay 1/4 odds

I'd take 'em for third, then.

ChrissMari wrote: http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-cup-2006/the-world-cup-magic-age-number.html The World Cup Magic Age Number Bob | Posted on: June 6th, 2006

By now you probably have a pick for which team will lift the World Cup on July 9, but did you factor average team age into your selection? In the past ten World Cup tournaments, no team has won with a roster that averages more than 28 years in age. If this holds true again this year, it means that Brazil, Italy and the Czech Republic among others won’t be crowned champions.

The youngest team in the tournament is Ghana with an average age of 25.2 years. The oldest is Trinidad and Tobago at 29.5 years.

Teams that exceed the magic number of 28 are:

Brazil, France, Italy, Czech Republic, Sweden, Portugal, Serbia and Montenegro, USA, Australia, Croatia and Trinidad and Tobago.

Will this hold true again this tournament or does age really not matter? What do you think?

Interesting theory, but you can't just generalise that teams with an average age above 28 can't win. I hate generalisations like this...

leather_girl wrote:

ChrissMari wrote: http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-cup-2006/the-world-cup-magic-age-number.html The World Cup Magic Age Number Bob | Posted on: June 6th, 2006

By now you probably have a pick for which team will lift the World Cup on July 9, but did you factor average team age into your selection? In the past ten World Cup tournaments, no team has won with a roster that averages more than 28 years in age. If this holds true again this year, it means that Brazil, Italy and the Czech Republic among others won’t be crowned champions.

The youngest team in the tournament is Ghana with an average age of 25.2 years. The oldest is Trinidad and Tobago at 29.5 years.

Teams that exceed the magic number of 28 are:

Brazil, France, Italy, Czech Republic, Sweden, Portugal, Serbia and Montenegro, USA, Australia, Croatia and Trinidad and Tobago.

Will this hold true again this tournament or does age really not matter? What do you think?

Interesting theory, but you can't just generalise that teams with an average age above 28 can't win. I hate generalisations like this...

it's not a generalization... it's a prediction based on statistics...

A generalization would be "old teams can't win" and not saying what an old team is or why they can't win.

(A side note not entirely related to the above: exceptions to rules do not disprove rules or trends nor do they make the rule or trend a generalization)

....is 42, surely...

SHEDi xxx

Old Blue wrote: That explains the inclusion of Theo Walcott in our squad then.

Sven's not as daft as he looks.

Dave Legge wrote:

Old Blue wrote: That explains the inclusion of Theo Walcott in our squad then.

Sven's not as daft as he looks.

He's as seedy as he looks..Lock up yer chambermaids Germany!

Is it too late for the US to add Freddy Adu then?