International press:

FROM Australia to the Americas, Trinidad and Tobago’s Soca Warriors have won the minds and hearts of people with their historic draw with European soccer powerhouse Sweden in their World Cup debut in Dortmund, Germany, on Saturday. In fact, TT is now regarded by some as the best team at this year’s World Cup.

Today’s edition of the Australian Herald said the TT-Sweden match proved to be the “ultimate leveller” of the World Cup, showing that no difference in class exists in international football anymore.

The Australian Herald notes that with players from lesser known clubs such as Sydney FC (TT captain Dwight Yorke’s current club) and San Juan Jabloteh, the Warriors were more than a match for a Swedish team boasting players from prestige clubs like Arsenal, Juventus and Barcelona. The Australian Herald added that England had cause for concern ahead of their match with the Warriors in Nuremburg on Thursday.

Yesterday’s Malaysia Star said TT’s draw with Sweden was a World Cup shocker and has raised the stakes for Sweden, England and Paraguay to qualify for the second round. Yesterday’s Miami Herald said the TT-Sweden tie was “a massive result” for the Warriors and many had written them off ahead of the Dortmund match.

England’s Guardian Unlimited newspaper on Saturday reported that the Dortmund draw had left Sweden “punch drunk” and hugely embarrassed by the Warriors.

“TT have made their intentions clear. They are not at this tournament to make up the numbers,” the Guardian Unlimited said.

Yesterday’s Hindustan Times of India reported that the unprecedented regional levels of interest in the TT-Sweden game had overshadowed the second Test match between the West Indies and India in St Lucia.

West Indies captain Brian Lara told the Hindustan Times that the team had decided on Saturday not to talk cricket during the lunch interval but watch the Warriors play. Lara said it was inspiring to watch his boyhood friend, Yorke, and the Warriors in action.

Yesterday’s Jamaica Observer said the Warriors’ draw in Dortmund has raised the regional integration hopes of Caricom leaders who will meet from July 3 to 6 in St Kitts/Nevis for the 27th Summit.

ESPN has also described the TT-Sweden draw as one of the biggest shockers in World Cup history.

In fact, ESPN’s soccernet has listed the Warriors as the best team thus far at the World Cup with 28 percent of the votes.

Hosts Germany are second with 23 percent followed by Ivory Coast (18 percent), Argentina and Ecuador (15 percent).