2011 IFAF World Cup: A Preview of the Gridiron Kings of the World

Jo-Ryan SalazarJun 12, 2011

Many of you already know that in terms of a football World Cup, the first thing that comes to mind is the FIFA World Cup.

But did you know that there is a World Cup for what we Americans consider to be football? That, readers, would be the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) World Cup. Also held every four years, this year's event will be held in Austria next month, from July 8 through July 16.

Bleacher Report gives you a preview of the 2011 IFAF World Cup.

The United States: Defending Champions from the Mother Country

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The United States's Men's National Team, under the direction of head coach Mel Tjeerdsma, won gold four years ago in Kawasaki, Japan, defeating the hosts on an overtime field goal, 23-20.

Now, it would be pretty easy to assemble a bunch of NFL players interested in this competition and watch them run over everyone in their path. Not so with Team USA. This team is comprised entirely of college seniors who have wrapped up their eligibility and have elected to take one final crack at the big time.

Some notable players to keep an eye out for include QB Cody Hawkins (Colorado), FS Jordan Lake (Baylor), DT Johnny Dingle (West Virginia), DT Daniel Calvin (Kansas State), LB Demetrius Eaton (Northwestern) and CB Cha'pelle Brown (Colorado).

Schedule:

July 8: USA vs. Australia

July 10: USA vs. Germany

July 12: USA vs. Mexico

Japan: The Pride of Asia on the Quest for Glory

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Japan's national team, coached by Kiyoshi Mori, is the best squad in all of Asia, and it flexed its muscle in February with a 76-0 rout of South Korea to punch their ticket to Austria.

The team is comprised of players from the X-League and collegiate ranks, and its nucleus are the players from the defending Rice Bowl champions, the Obic Seagulls.

Japan have previously won the IFAF World Cup, defeating Mexico twice: 6-0 in Palermo, Italy in 1999 and 34-14 in Hanau, Germany.

Key players to watch out for include tailbacks Takuya Furutani and Masato Kinoshita, quarterback Shun Sugawara, defensive back Yuichi Watanabe and wide receivers Ken Shimizu and Ryota Hagiyama.

Schedule:

July 9: Japan vs. Austria

July 11: Japan vs. France

July 13: Japan vs. Canada

Canada: The Canucks Can Play American Gridiron, Too

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Apparently, Canada not only specializes in their own brand of gridiron. Make no mistake, readers: these Canucks also play the American way, too.

Coached by former Western Ontario Mustangs great Larry Haylor, Team Canada makes its debut in the IFAF World Cup this July.

As a result, the roster consists of players who plied their trade in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) and the Canadian Football League (CFL). Notable players to watch out for include QB Michael Faulds, RB Anthony Woodson and DB Sammy Okpro.

Schedule:

July 9: Canada vs. France

July 11: Canada vs. Austria

July 13: Canada vs. Japan

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Mexico: Back on the Big Stage for Redemption

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Mexico has been a pipeline of talent to the National Football League for years. Notable players who took up the sport of gridiron include LB Eduardo Casta Dena (Arizona Cardinals), DT Mauricio Lopez (Oakland Raiders), LB Manuel Padilla (Denver Broncos), OT Ramiro Pruneda (San Francisco 49ers) and DT Salomon Solano (Baltimore Ravens).

After taking the 2007 IFAF World Cup off, Mexico is back for what they hope to be another successful run. El Tri finished runner-up twice: in 1999 and 2003. Their roster consists of players from the universities, primarily the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Bruno Marquez and Salvador Castañeda form a lethal QB tandem for Mexico.

Schedule:

July 8: Mexico vs. Germany

July 10: Mexico vs. Australia

July 12: Mexico vs. United States

Austria: Hosts with Big Hearts

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The hosts, Austria, coached by RIck Rhoades, come into the contest as huge underdogs after dropping a friendly with Rose-Hulman College earlier this month.

Many of the players on this Austrian team come from Raiffeisen Vikings Vienna, one of the more established teams in the country as well as Swarco Raiders Tyrol.

Watch for the play of tailback Florian Grien from Swarco. He has good legs and is very shifty with his feet.

Schedule:

July 9: Austria vs. Japan

July 11: Austria vs. Canada

July 13: Austria vs. France

France: A Dash of the Grande Nation with Canadian Spice

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Some of the players on France's national team actually play in Canadian Interuniversity Sport, primarily the University of Montreal Carabins and the Laval University Rouge et Or.

"The challenge is to form a real team as opposed to a simple collection of All-Star players," says the head coach of France, Larry Legault, formerly a head coach of the Canadian national team.

Top players on this team include QB Romain Clot, RB Sandino Octobre, WR Jeremy Larroque and DB Aurelien Sempey. One of France's top clubs, Flash de La Courneuve, is well-represented on this roster.

Schedule:

July 9: France vs. Canada

July 11: France vs. Japan

July 13: France vs. Austria

Germany: The Kings of Europe...Kings of the World?

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American football is a popular sport in Germany. With NFL Europa leaving its mark, as well as the German Football League improving in terms of talent, the German national team, coached by Phil Hickey, will look to become a threat to the likes of Japan and the United States after winning the European Championship.

This is a team comprised mostly of players from the German Football League, although Austria's Swarco Raiders Tyrol are also represented. Some notable players include WRs Pascal Maier and Danilo Narango González, DL Florian Emslander, DB Mario Schmitt and QB Falk Horn.

Schedule:

July 8: Germany vs. Mexico

July 10: Germany vs. United States

July 12: Germany vs. Australia

Australia: Will the Pride of Oceania Make a Splash?

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Another outsider to this year's tournament is Australia, who participated in the inaugural IFAF World Cup and finished fifth. A newcomer to the sport, having only played the game since 1983, the Green and Gold, coached by John Leijten, are ready to improve on their finish from their 1999 efforts.

Most of the players on this roster either play for the Australian universities or the semi-pro teams in the country, but a couple of notable exceptions are OL Adrian Thomas, who plays for the University of Hawaii, and Ben Graham, a punter for the Arizona Cardinals.

Schedule:

July 8: Australia vs. United States

July 10: Australia vs. Mexico

July 12: Australia vs. Germany