So, if the US finishes runner up in their group (I think that’s our hope), it is likely that we would play Belgium as winner of Group H in the first elimination game. That’s kind of a scary thought…
It’s rather hard to imagine that we could finish ahead of Germany, so barring weirdness, your analysis is correct.
Belgium had to work harder than anyone was expecting, but deservedly have the three points.
Are both Brazil and Mexico highly ranked? I’m looking forward to their match.
Brazil, yes, but Mexico no, in no small part due to Mexico’s poor performance in qualifying. They played an excellent first match, though, and I’m hoping will put up a serious fight.
He is definitely a threat when he goes forward, but he plays right fullback. Realistically, there’s only so many times he’s going to roam forward and look threatening anyway. Perhaps with a slower team that relies less on quick counterattacks, he will be allowed to do it more often. I still think we looked exposed when our outside backs roamed forward and the risk seemed to outweigh the reward, though I’ve seen it work better for us in other games. If it looks that way against Ghana, though, what’s it going to look like versus Portugal and Germany?
I’m a newbie so don’t kick me too hard.
Questions. (Google foo is weak on this).
How does a country select its players?
What is the qualification for a player to play for a country’s team? (Birth, naturalization?)
Gotta run. Brazil vs. Mexico in 20 minutes.
Thx.
When speaking of driving from the USA to Brazil, I consider relatively short ferry trips allowable as part of that. Living on island, it saves unnecessary explanation.
Not that it was intended seriously, anyway.
The coach selects the players.
As far as birth qualifications I quit trying to figure that out years ago. It appears sometimes that if your dad’s ex-wife’s mailman’s dog was born in any given country then you can play for said country.
The national teams have a coaching staff that invites players and they choose to play or not.
They have to be citizens (or maybe be ‘entitled’ to citizenship, not sure) and not have played for another country at an official level.
Go Mexico! 
The head coach selects the team from the available qualified players.
Who’s qualified to play for any particular country can be complex, but roughly speaking, citizens of that country (birth or naturalised) and sometimes people with parents or grandparents from that country. Also, a player who represents one country at the top level can’t previously have represented a different country.
For example, my son is English by any reasonable definition (born in London to an English mother) but because I am Scottish, he could play for Scotland. Should he choose to play for Scotland at the senior level, he would no longer be available for selection by England.
Are there not a couple Brazilians on the Spain national team?
There are some US players whose connection to the Land Of The Free is rather tenuous, too. We have a couple of Germans and an Icelander.
Possibly. A dual citizen can usually choose which country to represent, assuming of course that both countries want him.
Someone born in Brazil with a Spanish parent might well be eligible to play for either.
ñañi. THANK YOU.
So can a player be a naturalized citizen?
When you say, “…not have played for another country at an official level.”, what qualifies as an “official level”?
Again, I’m a newbie on these rules, so thank you. And yes, go Mexico! Great excitement in the air 2-day.
A player can be a naturalised citizen, yes.
I think the reference to “official level” roughly means “senior level”. There are, for example, Under 21 teams, Under 18 teams and so on. A player who has played for one country at one or more of these lower levels may still represent another at the top level.
If you play for the official team of Country A, then that’s it, you can’t change. There is some leeway for younger players though - I think under-18s can play for Country A’s youth teams, but can go onto play for Country B’s senior team if eligible.
Diego Costa was born in Brazil but chose Spain for his national side (I think he had come to the country at a very young age). He was enthusiastically booed by Brazilian fans for this decision during the thrashing by Holland this past weekend.
Okay, so a an “Offical Team” would be like a major league team in Baseball, as opposed to a minor league team in Baseball, yes?
John Brooks, the sub who scored the winning goal for the United States against Ghana is a dual German-US citizen. His dad was a US serviceman…but he apparently grew up in Berlin, not the US. He played for both US and German under-20 national teams. No doubt making the cut for the US team is a smidge easier than the German side.