There is a lot of drama on and off the pitch at this year’s World Cup, and the following nine stories are some that have managed to make the headlines so far.

France’s Saga

How do you go from last World Cup’s runner-up to failing to win a game in this one? Ask France, who decided to focus on playing out a soap opera off the field instead of focusing on Uruguay, Mexico, and South Africa. There are several interwoven conflicts that make this situation complicated and so severe that French striker Thierry Henry will meet with France’s president this week to discuss the collapse in South Africa. The saga in a nutshell: France’s coach Raymond Domenech expels Nicolas Anelka from the team after a verbal altercation at halftime of game, players defend Anelka by refusing to train in preparation for their game against South Africa (which is like not taking batting practice before Game 7 of the World Series), cue comments from former French star Zenedine Zidane and cap the episode with a deflating loss to South Africa and you have a legitimate “téléroman”.

Is that noise coming from the TV?

Vuvuzelas—these little plastic horns have arguably made more noise off the field than any player has been able to on it. A symbol of South African football, the vuvuzelas have generated a lot of buzz (literally), and have drawn the ire of some players and fans who were unfamiliar with the droning fly-like sound. While there were attempts to ban the horns from all games, FIFA denied the campaign, and when I look back at this World Cup, I will remember the games, yes, but the memories will be laced with the sound likened to a swarm of bees.

Switzerland Shocks Spain

Spain came to South Africa as one of the favorites to win the whole thing in 2010, and with stars like Xavi, Fernando Torres, David Villa, and Andres Iniesta, a tie in its first match of the World Cup against Switzerland would have even a been a bit surprising.  There’s a reason games aren’t played on paper though, and when the Swiss managed to shut out Spain and shock the soccer world with a 1-0 upset, the game automatically became one of highlights of group play. Some numbers to chew on from this game—Switzerland was 0-19 against Spain entering the game, and Spain had been 48-1 before the loss to the Swiss (the other blemish at the hands of the U.S. in 2009)

USA Wins Group for First Time Since 1930

If there was ever a game that was a testament to how quickly emotions can change in soccer, the U.S.’s thrilling win over Algeria was it. Within the span of 10 seconds, the United States went from being sent home from the World Cup heartbroken, to captivating an entire nation with a goal from Landon Donovan that made you stop and say—did that really just happen? While the U.S. was expected to advance into the knockout stage of the World Cup, they were not favorites to win the entire group with powerhouse England also in Group C.  They won the group though and evidently, the Americans don’t like to follow the script when it comes to soccer. The 1-0 win over Algeria was the most compelling match the U.S. has played in recent memory with one of the most exciting finishes in sports this year.

More Money, More Problems?

Not quite on par with the drama and theatrics from the French club, but there were murmurs of a rift within the ranks of England’s squad as well. England has the most expensive coach and some expensive players, and was unable to generate the kind of fireworks that everyone expected from them in group play. Reports said English defender John Terry questioned team management, which some players saw as undermining coach Fabio Capello. Whether the reports were dramatized or England was just trying let out some frustration behind closed doors, Capello’s squad advanced and will be glad to leave the events from group play behind.

South Africa Eliminated

For the first time in World Cup history, the host nation did not advance out of group play. South Africa gave all they could in its three games in the tournament, showing the country’s fans a max effort in every game. Bafana Bafana came out to their final match dancing and creating a party atmosphere to end the World Cup on a high note by knocking out France 2-1.

Green’s Gaffe

Once the elation of Clint Dempsey’s shot slipping through England goalkeeper Robert Green’s hands to tie the game had settled, I couldn’t help but feel for Green who would have to face a media storm. It was dubbed the “Hand of Clod” by British tabloids, and the error cost Green his job indefinitely. The bad break could have cost England a shot of making it out of group play, but fortunately for Green his team was able to rally and rid the goalkeeper of some blame.

U.S. Jipped of Winning goal

The U.S. is no stranger to questionable World Cup calls from referees. In 2002, it was a no-call on an apparent handball by Germany, and in 2006 against Ghana they were the victims of an apparent ghost foul resulting in a penalty kick for Ghana that sealed the U.S.’s elimination from the tournament. Falling behind early 2-0 to Slovenia last week, the U.S. rallied to knot the score at 2-2. Late in the game, Maurice Edu’s go-ahead goal was waived off with no explanation, and FIFA essentially slapped the referee on the wrist instead of holding him completely accountable a la Jim Joyce. Had the U.S. not advanced out of group play, this would have been the signature moment of this World Cup.

Bavarian Ambush

Businesses have seized the opportunities that come with the World Cup’s international exposure. Budweiser is the official beer of the World Cup, so when Dutch beer company Bavaria sent a contingent of 36 women dressed in mini orange dresses supplied by Bavaria to the Netherlands-Denmark match, FIFA stepped in and thwarted the alleged ambush marketing attempt by arresting the women after the game. If you believe all publicity is good publicity, then Bavaria successfully marketed their product by making headlines around the world with this stunt.

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It’s no surprise that sports teams all over the world are realizing the power of 140 characters or less. Twitter allows organizations to keep their fan base updated on events, stories, and up to the minute scoring, which has resulted in a growth of the number of followers for certain teams. Teams in major sports markets have taken their exposure to the next level through Twitter, while teams in smaller markets are using this tool to propel themselves into the social media spotlight.

1.  Los Angeles Lakers (NBA) 1,520,444 followers @Lakers

The Lakers know how to win basketball games— they’re in pursuit of back-to- back NBA championships. L.A. also knows how to take advantage of Twitter.  It’s no surprise that the Lakers have such a massive following being one of the most popular NBA teams in one of the most populated cities in the world. They’ve maintained their followers by keeping fans entertained with postgame quotes from players and coaches. They also sustain followers through a constant flow of stories that will undoubtedly build an even larger following of Lakers fans on the Web.

2.  Orlando Magic (NBA) 1,012,069 followers @Orlando_Magic

With zero NBA titles in the team’s history and playing in a smaller media market, how do the Magic trump teams like the Knicks or Bulls when it comes to Twitter? Incentives—the Magic are constantly promoting giveaway prizes via Twitter.  When they secured their one-millionth follower, star player Dwight Howard flew the fan to Orlando on his own dime to catch a game. That’s reason enough to follow.

3.  Philadelphia Phillies (MLB) 564,901 followers @Phillies

Playing in consecutive World Series didn’t hurt the Phillies in establishing the biggest Twitter following in the MLB. Credit to them for realizing that they are a team in its prime with a core of young stars like Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, and for engaging their fans with hourly Tweets that will help them maintain their place as the number one team using Twitter in the MLB.

4.  Real Madrid (La Liga) 315,606 followers @realmadrid

Soccer’s popularity around the world is undeniable, but when it comes to Twitter, no other team comes close to Real Madrid.  They understand Twitter’s international reach, and the sky is the limit when it comes to Real Madrid’s social media potential.

5.  New York Yankees (MLB) 278,569 followers @Yankees

The Yankees are probably not on this list because of their social media prowess, but rather because they have such a large following around the world. That being said, when compared to their on-field rival the Boston Red Sox, who also have a major fan base but only have around 10,000 followers, the Yankees prove to have the upper hand both on the field and on Twitter.

6.  Montreal Canadiens (NHL) 52,767 followers @CanadiensMTL

The NHL takes a backseat in popularity in the U.S. to the NFL, MLB, and NBA, but the Canadiens have managed to attract more followers on Twitter than any team in football. That being said, the Canadiens are their own religion in Montreal so this isn’t too surprising.

7.  Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA) 49, 942 followers @Cavs

With arguably the game’s best and most compelling player in LeBron James, the Cavaliers have a little help in garnering a large Twitter following.  Cleveland has a history of tough losses in sports, but the Cavaliers have really made an effort to rid the bad taste from fans’ mouths and bring them to the arena to watch their star play. If LeBron were to leave Cleveland in 2010, Twitter would become an even more important tool for the organization to maintain its popularity.

8.  Boston Celtics (NBA) 41,855 followers @celtics

The Celtics glory years were way before the advent of Twitter, which means a lot of Boston fans are older.  But, their large following shows that they have worked hard to attract the younger demographic through social media. With their recent success in the 2010 playoffs, they are quickly attracting more followers, and are making the right moves by offering ticket giveaways and other prizes to complement their growth.

9. New England Patriots (NFL) 38,870 followers @realpatriots

The NFL is covered year-round, and needs no help in getting fans to watch games on Sunday. They are seemingly lacking, however, when it comes to Twitter, as several teams at the beginning of the year didn’t even have Twitter accounts, and the majority of the teams in the NBA have more followers than the NFL’s most followed team, the Patriots. Props to New England for staying ahead.

10.  San Diego Chargers (NFL) 37,177 followers @chargers

San Diego often gets lost amidst stories about the Cowboys, Steelers, and Giants throughout the regular season, only to emerge in January as a legitimate Super Bowl contender. The Chargers have also emerged as one of the NFL’s top teams using Twitter, and especially for a team that does not get a lot of national exposure, they are surely aware of the attention Twitter brings to their organization.

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