Arsène Wenger
Wenger - Why European sides are struggling
By Richard Clarke
Arsène Wenger has his own theory on why European teams have struggled at this World Cup.
France and Italy made surprise exits at the group stage while England went out in disappointing fashion in the last 16. By way of contrast, South America is contributing 50 per cent of the remaining eight sides while Ghana are representing Africa.
No European side has ever won the World Cup outside their own Continent. Though, in fairness, only the mighty Brazil have ever managed the feat - in 1958 and 2002.
Wenger, who is commentating at the tournament for French TV, believes the relative strength of the European leagues may be working against their national sides.
“I wonder if there is a reason the European teams do not do well outside their own Continent,” he told Arsenal.com.
“For example, perhaps the South Americans are used to playing on a different Continent. They play in Europe the whole year.
"We Europeans never play outside our own Continent and perhaps we have not been able to cope with that out here.”
[Thursday, July 01, 2010]
