The world of soccer functions independently of the international marketplace. Of the 32 countries lining up for this year's World Cup, which runs from June 11 to July 11, only two of the world's five largest economies are serious contenders. While only one BRIC nation is among the field, economically imperiled countries Portugal, Italy, Greece, and Spain are represented. Although soccer is nowhere near the dominant sport in the U.S., one of the more remarkable phenomena of the last World Cup was that ratings continued to swell even after the U.S. was knocked out.
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