Soccer's no-hopers in parallel world

0 Comments | AFP, October, 2007

PARIS (AFP) — For Italy, Argentina and Brazil, the world's top three soccer superpowers, read Aruba, Sao Tome e Principe and Montserrat, the game's poorest relations who currently prop up the FIFA rankings.

In a sport awash with money, mind-boggling TV contracts and soap-opera lifestyles, the game's rulers in the tiny Caribbean island of Aruba are happy just to make sure their buses run and that lines are painted on their pitches in time for kick-off.

"This is the biggest tournament we have organised," said Aruba football federation president Rufo J. Kelly at the island's 5,000-capacity Trinidad Stadium which hosted qualifiers for the Beijing Olympics in September.

Aruba lost their three matches to Jamaica, Barbados and Antigua and were deluged with...