It's MTV's World Cup of Rock! The World Cup is the greatest sporting event on the planet, a super-sized stage where legends are born with every strike of the ball, where infamy is just a moment away and where the dreams of millions live or die by the minute. That's why, in the spirit of the 2010 MTV Musical March Madness competition, we've created "The World Cup (Of Rock)," a FIFA-style tournament that takes 16 of the biggest nations — rock-wise (sorry Algeria) — and pits them against one another to determine just which is the most rockingly awesome. Heavyweights like the U.S.A., England, France and Germany are all here, but so are a handful of surprisingly strong sleeper countries. As the Cup progresses, we'll be unveiling the match-ups, and it's up to you to vote your favorites through. In the end, only one nation will be left standing: the world champion of rock.
Today's World Cup action is underway, with New Zealand scoring a very late goal in extra time to firm up a draw against Slovakia and the Ivory Coast (playing without injured superstar Didier Drogba) currently testing a very talented Portugal squad. In the first of two World Cup of Rock matches, the multi-faceted team from Brazil takes on the powerhouse from Germany.
Brazil vs. Germany
The Brazilian soccer team has won more World Cups than any other nation, and their team in the 2010 tournament is a favorite. Their World Cup of Rock squad includes a number of free-thinking exports, from psychedelic legends Os Mutantes to the tribal buzzsaw attack of Soulfly. On the other side of the pitch sits Germany, a nation best represented by modern glam icons Tokio Hotel, industrial metal maniacs Rammstein and the staggering overseas success of David Hasselhoff. Two very different teams that are very evenly matched, but who will walk away with the victory in hopes of advancing?