The next soccer project involved bringing the newly released Soccer Blast Express to the table. I picked up the International Football Legends set from PLAAY Games , the all-time greats organized by country or region, and I played a World Cup with the 22 teams included.
Twenty-two isn’t an ideal number for a World Cup, so I made four groups of four teams and two groups with three teams. The last-place team in each group was eliminated, and 16 teams moved on to the knockout round.
This project, 45 games in all, occurred in July and August 2024. Argentina II, led by Lionel Messi, won the crown, beating a surprising British Isles squad.
GROUP A — Recap Final Score Italy I vs. Brazil II ITA 4-1 Netherlands vs. Southern Europe NETH 3-0 Italy I vs. Netherlands ITA 2-1 Brazil II vs. Southern Europe BRA 3-0 Italy I vs. Southern Europe ITA 3-2 Brazil II vs. Netherlands NETH 3-1
1) Italy I 9; 2) Netherlands 6; 3) Brazil II 3; 4) Southern Europe 0 GROUP B — Recap Final Score England I vs. Uruguay ENG 2-1 France vs. New World NW 2-1 France vs. Uruguay URU 2-0 England I vs. New World 2-2 draw England I vs. France ENG 3-0 Uruguay vs. New World NW 3-1
1) England I 7; 2) New World 7; 3) Uruguay 3; 4) France 0 GROUP C — Recap Final Score Portugal vs. Scandinavia SCAN 3-0 Portugal vs. Argentina I PORT 3-1 Argentina I vs. Scandinavia ARG 2-1
1) Scandinavia 3; 2) Portugal 3); 3) Argentina I 3 GROUP D — Recap Final Score Spain vs. British Isles BI 3-1 Germany I vs. Argentina II ARG 6-1 Germany I vs. British Isles BI 4-1 Spain vs. Argentina II SPA 5-1 Germany I vs. Spain 1-1 draw Argentina II vs. British Isles ARG 4-2
1) Argentina II 6; 2) British Isles 6; 3) Spain 4; 4) Germany I 0 GROUP E — Recap Final Score Italy II vs. Germany II 2-2 draw Africa-Asia-Australia vs. Western Europe 1-1 draw Germany II vs. Western Europe WE 3-2 Italy II vs. Africa-Asia-Australia 1-1 draw Italy II vs. Western Europe ITA 2-1 Germany II vs. Africa-Asia-Australia GER 3-0
1) Italy II 5; 2) Germany II 4; 3) Western Europe 4; 4) Africa-Asia-Australia 2 GROUP F — Recap Final Score Brazil I vs. England II BRA 1-0 Brazil I vs. Eastern Europe EE 3-2 England II vs. Eastern Europe EE 2-0
1) Eastern Europe 6; 2) Brazil I 3; 3) England II 0 ROUND OF 16 — Recap Final Score Italy I (A1) vs. Uruguay (B3) draw 1-1 (ITA 6-5 PKs) Argentina II (D1) vs. Western Europe (E3) draw 1-1 (ARG 5-3 PKs) Scandinavia (C1) vs. Brazil I (F2) SCAN 3-1 Netherlands (A2) vs. New World (B2) NETH 5-1
ROUND OF 16 — Recap Final Score England I (B1) vs. Brazil II (A3) draw 3-3 (BRA 6-5 PKs) Italy II (E1) vs. Spain (D3) ITA 2-0 Eastern Europe (F1) vs. Portugal (C2) EE 3-1 (AET) British Isles (D2) vs. Germany II (E2) BI 2-0
QUARTERFINALS — Recap Final Score Italy I vs. Argentina II ARG 2-1 Scandinavia vs. Netherlands NETH 3-2 Brazil II vs. Italy II draw 2-2 (BRA 4-2 PKs) Eastern Europe vs. British Isles BI 2-0
SEMIFINALS — Recap Final Score Argentina II vs. Netherlands ARG 2-0 Brazil II vs. British Isles BI 3-0
CHAMPIONSHIP — Recap Final Score Argentina II vs. British Isles ARG 3-2
ROGER SPORTS & GAMES 