They could, but they'd only be getting their families and friends in trouble back home. Probably ruining the chances for others to be able to leave the country to participate in this kind of events too. Not to mention they wouldn't be able to return to their country for a very long while at least.
Their coach already stated a couple of times they won't be punished...let's just hope he's right.

They are. Todays news about it was, that the french "team" won't travel home together. In other words - they have to sneak in back home.

I'd say if you're Irish you should be extremely pissed off right now. France are only in the world cup because an incompetent referee didn't disallow their 1-1 goal in the second playoff leg. I must say it's well deserved that the french team humiliates itself and gets knocked out, finishing last in their seemingly manageable group.
I suspect the reception comittee at Charles de Gaulle airport will consist of one person only; that sniper from Lèon.

If I was playing for NK I'd leg it right after the third match finished, regardless of the result. It's nok like NK have any leverage towards other nations about extradition, so why book the flight home?

Speaking of news, the things that I'm enjoying with this particular world cup are the newspapers headlines. The now famous "USA wins 1-1" is a masterpiece. And if you speak french you should appreciate this one as well : "La France en car !".

Now don't fuck up this one please.
David James, I'm looking at you.

Watching England's match now.
In the meantime, this is interesting:
Gandalf Goes to the World Cup

WHY GOD WHYYYYYYYYYYYY
Congratulations to both teams England and the USA, you were good, just too good.
Disclaimer: we lost, twice in the same minute. :(

Congrats, USA!!!
I was supporting them, even because of the robbery in the last game. They deserved to qualify, and the did it in first place!! haha take it, England!!
Now USA is going to face Germany, or Ghana, or Serbia...

I'm usually not a supporter for Germany, but today I hope they qualify on the first place. England vs. Germany is a classic.

Very nervy game, good first half but worse in the second.
Glad that England are through, though a bit disappointed we didn't get 1st.
Onwards to the last 16!

Well done Ghana. Nice to see an African team going through to the last 16.

rofl serbia lost vs aussis

True, too bad it isn't Cameroon though. Ghana qualified with some luck though, just like England. ;) Well, it ought to be a funny Cup. :D
I really like how Africans play football, Europeans on the other hand are, well, lame.;)

I wouldn't say European teams are lame ;)
I also have a thing for African footbal. Cameroon and Nigeria, too bad they didn't make it along with Ghana.
Well, there's still Côte d'Ivoire. In theory they could still go on. Let's hope they don't ;)

Well, all i see in European football are fouls and marked falls, and to be honest, the acting is better in bad B movies. ;P I like my football clean and full of passion [Kameroon v Argentina would be my dream come true match]
Well, there's always the African Cup. ;D I wish i had that shown on my cable.
Man, my mom has a crush on those Cd'I guys, i gotta admit, they look 'monolithical', like statues of an Elder Race, something noble about them. But their dirty playing, i can't stand.;/