*By Christian Smith* To the surprise of absolutely no one, the 2018 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 is filled with European and South American teams, and that's not likely going to change any time soon. Money, national soccer infrastructure, and league leadership are the keys to the success of these two continents says longtime soccer fan and publisher of the World Cup newsletter "[The Banter](http://jointhebanter.com/)," Jeffrey Marcus. These three factors are the reason Europe and South America have dominated world soccer since the first World Cup in 1930, and are what the United States and other competitors will need if they ever want to hoist the golden World Cup trophy in the air. "I think we have the administrative here in the United States," Marcus said in an interview on Cheddar. "I think it's a question of finding better players and nurturing them." In Europe's case, math is on the continent's side. Out of the 54 countries competing in UEFA, Europe's World Cup qualifying conference, 13 get spots in the World Cup finals. By comparison, Africa's CAF is made up of 54 nations, and only five will qualify for the World Cup. That's not to say Europe's 13 qualifiers aren't deserving, it just means there more European teams are likely to advance out of the group stage. South America's story is slightly different. Only five teams from CONMEBOL, the South American FIFA league, qualified for the tournament. Four of those teams made it to the Round of 16: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Uruguay. All of those teams except for Colombia have won the tournament two times or more, cementing their dominance in the sport. Uruguay is an [especially interesting case](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EVr1I6oll0). The country is the size of Florida and has about 3.44 million people, which is just shy of the population of Connecticut. Despite these limiting factors, the country regularly shines on the world stage. From 1950 to 1990 the United States failed to qualify for the World Cup. If the U.S. men's national team hopes to one day match the success of its South American neighbors, then it will need to focus on finding and developing better talent, Marcus said. World Cup 2026, which the United States will host along with Canada and Mexico, could provide the best chance for a North American team to win the tournament for the first time. All three host nations automatically qualify for the tournament. Plus, the hometown focus on the World Cup will likely mean more money will be funneled into talent and coaching development. For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/previewing-the-2018-fifa-world-cup-round-of-16)

Share:
More In Sports
Longer NFL Season Boosted Revenue but Players Balked Over Safety Concerns
NFL games continue to be among some of the highest-rated programs on television. In 2021, viewership jumped 10 percent from the previous year to an average of 17.1 million as the league debuted its first 18-week season after running on a 16-week schedule since 1978. Fans — and team owners — welcomed the change with open arms, but a vocal percentage of players were not as ecstatic (despite the union signing off). Those who were against adding games cited health and safety concerns as their main reason. While the extended season means fatter pockets for the league, the opposition asks: is it worth the risk? Cheddar's JD Durkin breaks it all down.
Novak Djokovic Gets Australia Visa Revoked for Second Time
With the Australian Open set to begin on Monday, Novak Djokovic is once again being threatened with deportation from Australia after his visa was briefly reinstated and revoked again over alleged discrepancies. Djokovic’s team will sit for an Immigration hearing on Saturday.
Lindsey Vonn Discusses Mental Health in Her Memoir and the 2022 Winter Olympics
Decorated skier Lindsey Vonn did not hold back when touching on mental health in "Rise," her new memoir. "My mental health is definitely part of my story," she said. "Now I'm just thankful that this conversation is so much more talked about — Simone Biles, Naomi Osaka, Kevin Love, Michael Phelps, all have been outspoken about it." She noted that she felt happy that readers, particularly kids, get to see a vulnerable side to her in the book. The gold medalist also went on to note what she's most looking forward to watching in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Game On for Sports Betting in New York
It was 'game on' for sports bettors in the state of New York, as mobile betting kicked off on four major betting operating platforms Saturday. This comes at an exciting time for sports fans with some of the biggest NFL games of the season right around the corner. Cam Rogers - Host of Lock It In with Cam Rogers, Betting Analyst at the Bleav Podcast Network joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
Victor Cruz Might Even Flip Burgers Himself for His Krystal Restaurants Franchise in NJ
Former wide receiver for the New York Giants, Victor Cruz has partnered with Krystal Restaurants, a popular burger chain in the South, to bring the franchise to his home state of New Jersey. Cruz and Alice Crowder, CMO of Krystal Restaurants, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss the venture. The five new locations will be known as "Victor Cruz's Krystal," decked out with memorabilia from his football career, with the former player explaining how "hands-on" he plans on being. "You never know, OK? You might walk in and Victor Cruz will be flipping a burger back there, and you might be getting it directly from the source," he said.
Sports Betting Industry Growth
Max Bichsel, vice president at Gambling.com Group joins Cheddar News to talk about the growing sports betting industry, New York legalizing mobile betting, and 2022 predictions for the sector.
Break the Love Raises $2.5 Million Seed Funding Round to Get People Playing Tennis
Next-gen social sports platform Break the Love recently raised $2.5 million in seed funding. Break the Love's platform and iOS app allows users to discover and book group-based tennis activities, to either learn, train, or compete. The new company has already gotten support from a few big names in the world of tennis, including the coach of Naomi Osaka, as well as the United States Tennis Association and the brand Wilson. Break the Love founder and CEO Trisha Goyal joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Troy Aikman Dishes on His Own Light Beer Brand, Faves for Super Bowl LVI
Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman joined Cheddar's "Between Bells" to talk about his own brand of organic light beer called Eight (his jersey number with the Dallas Cowboys) and explained that he's had an interest in the industry since his days working for a distributor during college. "These brands that are on the market have been there for a long time and [I] felt that it was time for something fresh, something new, and I thought that we could do it in a way that was a better-for-you beer' and that's what we've done," he said. Aikman also provided some insight into the upcoming NFL playoffs and noted that he doesn't see a clear frontrunner for this year's Vince Lombardi trophy.
Load More