Germany continues to play elegant, flowing, and highly effective soccer. Jürgen Klinsmann had a nice touch as a striker, and it seems that as a manager, he's conveying some of his artistry to his team. In 2002, Klose basically disappeared after the first round. While he didn't score in the game against Sweden, he was absolutely instrumental in both goals, with Podolski being the fortunate recipient of Klose's hard work and deft passing. Ballack kept pounding shot after shot at Swedish keeper, Isaksson, who kept the scoreline low. Anyone watching the Germans' soccer showcase must have been impressed.
Just ask the Swedish midfielders and defenders, who seemed as equally impressed as the fans. They were guilty of ball watching and not closing down space on German players. After some speculation about their defense in their first game against Costa Rica, Germany has recorded three shutouts. But there's no time to rest on their laurels. Argentina awaits them in the quarter-finals, offering a highly anticipated matchup.
A matchup that almost didn't happen because of an inspired, wonderful performance by Mexico. The first half, in particular, of the Argentina v. Mexico match offered soccer at its finest. Both teams were surging forward with their attacks, playing end to end soccer. The offside call against Messi during stoppage time was questionable. But having that goal waved off gave us the opportunity to see what must be the best goal so far. Maxi Rodriguez's shot was one for the ages.
Argentina showed an important resiliency in this match. Even as Mexico continued to assail them, they showed a calm resolve that ultimately paid dividends. Perhaps Riquelme's deliberate approach to the beautiful game is the ideal soothing effect for this team. Both Germany and Argentina have shown us the elegance of soccer. It is a shame that one of them will be out after Friday. These two teams met in the finals in 1986 and 1990. In 1986, some questioned whether (West) Germany was a worthy finalist; in 1990, some questioned whether Argentina was a worthy finalist. I think most soccer fans would agree that both of them would make worthy finalists in 2006.
Showing posts with label mexico. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mexico. Show all posts
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Group C Finales
I am really sorry that we won't get to see the Ivory Coast play in the next round. Even without Drogba, they offered up some impressive soccer against Serbia and Montenegro. Anyone watching the second half realized that it wasn't a question of if Ivory Coast would score, but a question of how many. It turned out to be just enough. Serbia and Montenegro showed some great finishing skills, and being a man down proved insurmountable for them (though Stankovic's missed header must have tormented their fans). It was refreshing to see Drogba join his teammates for their post-goal celebrations. There was a certain release each time they scored, and a huge sigh of relief when they netted their third goal. This team would have almost certainly advanced to the knockout phase if it had been drawn into another group. This is the last time that Serbia and Montenegro play as a unified team. Given that there were only two players on this team from Montenegro, it may be a sign that we may not hear much from them in soccer circles. Somehow, I don't think this was on their mind when they voted for independence.
Sometimes, great teams neutralize each other when they play, but Argentina and the Netherlands may have been neutralized even before they stepped onto the pitch. Both teams rested players. I would not be surprised if the possession was even, but the Argentinians made the most of their possession, mainly because of Messi and Tevez who had a chance to showcase their skills. Tevez, in particular, did his best impression of the Energizer Bunny. Riquelme did his part, offering several opportunities for others to find the net. Even then, he seemed about fifteen degrees off his best game. There were many, many moments of individual flair and skill, and a few sequences of surgical passing. But these moments only reminded everyone of what these teams are capable of doing. Some might assume that the Netherlands wasn't too picky between facing Portugal or Mexico, but I think this game just shows that both Argentina and the Netherlands are confident they can play with any team. It wouldn't be a shock if these two teams met again--with much higher stakes.
Sometimes, great teams neutralize each other when they play, but Argentina and the Netherlands may have been neutralized even before they stepped onto the pitch. Both teams rested players. I would not be surprised if the possession was even, but the Argentinians made the most of their possession, mainly because of Messi and Tevez who had a chance to showcase their skills. Tevez, in particular, did his best impression of the Energizer Bunny. Riquelme did his part, offering several opportunities for others to find the net. Even then, he seemed about fifteen degrees off his best game. There were many, many moments of individual flair and skill, and a few sequences of surgical passing. But these moments only reminded everyone of what these teams are capable of doing. Some might assume that the Netherlands wasn't too picky between facing Portugal or Mexico, but I think this game just shows that both Argentina and the Netherlands are confident they can play with any team. It wouldn't be a shock if these two teams met again--with much higher stakes.
Group D Finales
Perhaps I'm being unfair, but I didn't sense a joie de football from Angola today. Contrast their performance with Trinidad and Tobago, who also found themselves with unexpected possibilities during the final game. On more than one occasion, Angola's players were yelling at and pointing fingers at each other. Soccer can provide great escapism, but reality, both on and off the pitch, eventually has a way of making its inevitable impact. It couldn't have been easy to rely on Portugal for help, though they did their part for Angola (from a soccer perspective only, I repeat, from a soccer perspective only). Iran has played positive soccer throughout each of its games, and they deserved some reward. Angola didn't reach what must have been initially an unthinkable summit, but they did end up with two points, and their first World Cup goal. I hope they don't mind sharing the points with Iran on this day, who managed to salvage one point. More importantly, they showed that a country's place in the political landscape doesn't have to define its place in the soccer landscape. Can you think of another country for which this might be true?
Portugal and Mexico seemed intent on scoring goals. Even at the end of the match when Portugese manager Scolari was asking his players to hold the ball, they persisted in attacking the Mexican goal. Mexico must have known that their passage into the next round was never really in jeopardy, but even at the end of the match, they wanted more goals. The game featured another missed penalty kick (by a country mile), and a stutter step penalty kick. Not quite the style that Socrates used in the classic Brazil v. France match in 1986 but Simao had a better outcome :-)
In 2002, Mexico looked formidable during the group stage, but lost to the US in the second round. They haven't played as impressively in the current offering and they now face a match with Argentina. It's going to take a special performance from Mexico--or anyone for that matter--to beat Argentina. Portugal advances past the first round for the first since 1966 when the magnificent Eusebio led them to a third place finish. Perhaps Portugal has paced itself, and today they rested five players with yellow cards, but they haven't been pushed yet. I'm sure the Netherlands will offer a serious test.
Portugal and Mexico seemed intent on scoring goals. Even at the end of the match when Portugese manager Scolari was asking his players to hold the ball, they persisted in attacking the Mexican goal. Mexico must have known that their passage into the next round was never really in jeopardy, but even at the end of the match, they wanted more goals. The game featured another missed penalty kick (by a country mile), and a stutter step penalty kick. Not quite the style that Socrates used in the classic Brazil v. France match in 1986 but Simao had a better outcome :-)
In 2002, Mexico looked formidable during the group stage, but lost to the US in the second round. They haven't played as impressively in the current offering and they now face a match with Argentina. It's going to take a special performance from Mexico--or anyone for that matter--to beat Argentina. Portugal advances past the first round for the first since 1966 when the magnificent Eusebio led them to a third place finish. Perhaps Portugal has paced itself, and today they rested five players with yellow cards, but they haven't been pushed yet. I'm sure the Netherlands will offer a serious test.
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Day Six
We saw the worst refereeing decision to date.
The ref during the Spain v. Ukraine match gave a red card inexplicably to Ukranian defender Vashchuk. When the striker who was allegedly fouled (Luis Garcia) ends up consoling Vashchuk, you know something must have been amiss. I doubt Ukraine would have won, or even tied, this match with eleven players; Spain was definitely firing on all cylinders. But the red card ruined the chance to see the full, complete Ukranian response to a relentless Spanish attack. By the end of the match, we witnessed the most lopsided match so far.
Spain has started previous World Cup campaigns with a blaze of glory, only to flicker out later in the tournament. Part of the reason I didn't include Spain in my list of the best teams to never win The World Cup is that they haven't come close to winning the tournament. They did place fourth in 1950, but other teams came really close. If Puskas hadn't been injured, Hungary would have probably defeated West Germany in 1954 (Hungary had defeated the West Germans 8-3 in the earlier rounds). The Dutch lost to the host nations both times in 1974 and 1978; if Johan Cryuff had played in 1978, they might have won in Argentina. And while Les Bleus "only" made the semi-finals in 1982 and 1986, they gloriously won the European Cup in 1984, as did the Dutch in 1988 (remember Van Basten's goal in the finals?). Spain, with its phenonemal talent, has 20 European club championships, but only the one national club championship in Euro 1964. Let's hope they have some staying power this time, and that Ukraine gets a chance to fully demonstrate its potential in their next match. I can imagine that Chelsea fans certainly want to see Shekchenko show off his skills.
Part of the subtext in The World Cup relates to which confederation will rise up to challenge South America and Europe, who can claim all the winners of the Cup. Mexico, within CONCACAF, offers some hope, but they haven't made it over the hump. Besides, if Mexico wins, one can argue it would be validation for the South American style of play. As for the US, at this point, let's just hope they put up a good show against the Italians. While Africa made inroads in earlier tournaments (and the Algerians were cheated out of a second round appearance in 1982 by a disgusting display between West Germany and Austria), one could argue that Africa really announced itself in 1990 when Cameroon reached the quarter-finals. Most recently in 2002, South Korea definitely made a splash for Asia by reaching the semi-finals. Notably, Senegal repeated Cameroon's accomplishment by reaching the quarter-finals in 2002.
In the first Africa-Asia encounter, South Korea made history yet again by winning for the first time away from Asian soil. When Tunisia and Saudi Arabia played today, it was against the backdrop of Saudi Arabia hoping to erase all memories of a 8-0 thumping at the hands of the Germans in 2002, and Tunisia representing the last hope for the African confederation to secure any points from their first games.
Jaziri's impressive strike set up Tunisia very nicely. But Tunisia seemed content to seek the 1-0 victory, while bending to Saudi Arabia's attacks. When Saudi Arabia, deservedly, took the lead 2-1, it seemed that Asia could claim a degree of bragging rights over Africa based on first game results. Tunisia's 93rd minute goal in stoppage time seemed to say "not so fast." Nonetheless, the Saudis should be pleased with a result that is infinitely preferable to a 8-0 scoreline.
And what about the Germans who gave the Saudis this thrashing four years ago? They faced Poland today, a team that had never beaten the Germans, in a stadium where the Germans had never lost. Not an ideal set of circumstances. And while the Poles sought chances to score, they did seem content with a draw, perhaps hoping for one point as part of a plan to secure four points by beating Costa Rica in the next game. Their goalkeeper, Boruc, even took a yellow card for time wasting.
I suppose the Germans could have cooperated; four points from two games would be OK. But they clearly wanted to win this game. The goal in the 91 minute (in stoppage time again!) came from one of the substitutes (Odonkor) passing to another of the substitutes (Neuville). I've been praising Dutch managers for inspired substitutions that result in goals, so it's only fair to recognize Klinsmann as well. Klose and Podolski should have buried their point blank shots into the back of the net, but instead of beamoning lost chances, he kept pushing and the Germans were duly rewarded. I hope he gets to enjoy at least one night of peace and appreciation during the roller coaster ride he's in for.
During one of the matches, the ESPN commentators pointed out that there is a fine of 5,000 Swiss francs for receiving a card, but that the national soccer federations will pay these fines.
I say to the players of Togo...have you asked your national soccer federation to confirm this :-)
The ref during the Spain v. Ukraine match gave a red card inexplicably to Ukranian defender Vashchuk. When the striker who was allegedly fouled (Luis Garcia) ends up consoling Vashchuk, you know something must have been amiss. I doubt Ukraine would have won, or even tied, this match with eleven players; Spain was definitely firing on all cylinders. But the red card ruined the chance to see the full, complete Ukranian response to a relentless Spanish attack. By the end of the match, we witnessed the most lopsided match so far.
Spain has started previous World Cup campaigns with a blaze of glory, only to flicker out later in the tournament. Part of the reason I didn't include Spain in my list of the best teams to never win The World Cup is that they haven't come close to winning the tournament. They did place fourth in 1950, but other teams came really close. If Puskas hadn't been injured, Hungary would have probably defeated West Germany in 1954 (Hungary had defeated the West Germans 8-3 in the earlier rounds). The Dutch lost to the host nations both times in 1974 and 1978; if Johan Cryuff had played in 1978, they might have won in Argentina. And while Les Bleus "only" made the semi-finals in 1982 and 1986, they gloriously won the European Cup in 1984, as did the Dutch in 1988 (remember Van Basten's goal in the finals?). Spain, with its phenonemal talent, has 20 European club championships, but only the one national club championship in Euro 1964. Let's hope they have some staying power this time, and that Ukraine gets a chance to fully demonstrate its potential in their next match. I can imagine that Chelsea fans certainly want to see Shekchenko show off his skills.
Part of the subtext in The World Cup relates to which confederation will rise up to challenge South America and Europe, who can claim all the winners of the Cup. Mexico, within CONCACAF, offers some hope, but they haven't made it over the hump. Besides, if Mexico wins, one can argue it would be validation for the South American style of play. As for the US, at this point, let's just hope they put up a good show against the Italians. While Africa made inroads in earlier tournaments (and the Algerians were cheated out of a second round appearance in 1982 by a disgusting display between West Germany and Austria), one could argue that Africa really announced itself in 1990 when Cameroon reached the quarter-finals. Most recently in 2002, South Korea definitely made a splash for Asia by reaching the semi-finals. Notably, Senegal repeated Cameroon's accomplishment by reaching the quarter-finals in 2002.
In the first Africa-Asia encounter, South Korea made history yet again by winning for the first time away from Asian soil. When Tunisia and Saudi Arabia played today, it was against the backdrop of Saudi Arabia hoping to erase all memories of a 8-0 thumping at the hands of the Germans in 2002, and Tunisia representing the last hope for the African confederation to secure any points from their first games.
Jaziri's impressive strike set up Tunisia very nicely. But Tunisia seemed content to seek the 1-0 victory, while bending to Saudi Arabia's attacks. When Saudi Arabia, deservedly, took the lead 2-1, it seemed that Asia could claim a degree of bragging rights over Africa based on first game results. Tunisia's 93rd minute goal in stoppage time seemed to say "not so fast." Nonetheless, the Saudis should be pleased with a result that is infinitely preferable to a 8-0 scoreline.
And what about the Germans who gave the Saudis this thrashing four years ago? They faced Poland today, a team that had never beaten the Germans, in a stadium where the Germans had never lost. Not an ideal set of circumstances. And while the Poles sought chances to score, they did seem content with a draw, perhaps hoping for one point as part of a plan to secure four points by beating Costa Rica in the next game. Their goalkeeper, Boruc, even took a yellow card for time wasting.
I suppose the Germans could have cooperated; four points from two games would be OK. But they clearly wanted to win this game. The goal in the 91 minute (in stoppage time again!) came from one of the substitutes (Odonkor) passing to another of the substitutes (Neuville). I've been praising Dutch managers for inspired substitutions that result in goals, so it's only fair to recognize Klinsmann as well. Klose and Podolski should have buried their point blank shots into the back of the net, but instead of beamoning lost chances, he kept pushing and the Germans were duly rewarded. I hope he gets to enjoy at least one night of peace and appreciation during the roller coaster ride he's in for.
During one of the matches, the ESPN commentators pointed out that there is a fine of 5,000 Swiss francs for receiving a card, but that the national soccer federations will pay these fines.
I say to the players of Togo...have you asked your national soccer federation to confirm this :-)
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Day Three
What did Arjen Robben have for breakfast?
In addition to his excellent skills, he displayed an incredible amount of energy. It didn't matter if he faced one, two, three, or four defenders, he kept charging at them and causing havoc. That had to be the performance of the tournament to date. When the Netherlands is firing on all cylinders, they are a sight to behold. The one curious aspect of their play was their repeated back passes that put Van der Saar into awkward situations. Given that he kept nursing a cramp, was it wise to keep pushing the ball back to him?
They looked better than Argentina on this day. It will be interesting to see what might happen to Argentina if a team inhibits Riquelme. While Robben shined today, there are other Dutch players who can rise to the occasion. How does one close down space on eleven players? Serbia and Montenegro certainly tried, but there were so many occasions the Dutch simply controlled play. Having said this, Serbia and Montenegro also had its moments. I think this is the group of death because each team has shown great skill and ability to control play. Ivory Coast and Serbia and Montenegro showed they can keep their opponents back on their heels. I think there's quite a bit of drama left in this group, perhaps culimating with the Argentina v. Netherlands encounter on June 21st.
I once heard that Marco van Basten preferred playing club soccer to playing for the national team. Perhaps that was true, but maybe one of the most gifted strikers (not just in the Netherlands) has particular insights into how to make the Dutch play as a cohesive, brilliant unit. He seemed fairly reserved as a player, and even more so as a manager. He must have been pleased at the end of this match, but he also looked like someone who knew that the uphill journey had only just begun.
During The World Cup, what transpires outside the soccer stadium sometimes makes more news than what happens inside the stadium. Iran has been the in the news for various political matters, and their President has made insensitive, indefensible comments about the Holocaust. Apparently, the crowd booed the Iranian team as they came onto the pitch. Mexico, on the other hand, had a personal tragedy given that goalkeeper Sanchez's father passed away this week. There was one political aspect to their team as well since there seems to be some controversy about two players who are naturalized citizens.
During The World Cup, what eventually happens inside the soccer stadium sometimes provides relief from what happens outside the stadium. Iranian keeper, Mirzapour, gave Sanchez a bouquet of flowers at the beginning of the game. Zinya, a Brazilian born Mexican, assisted brilliantly on the second goal and, despite being five foot, four inches, rose mightily to head home the third goal. Everyone on the team and every Mexican fan in the stadium cheered.
At the end of the game, Sanchez's teammates surrounded him, joining him in what must have been a bittersweet moment for him. I'm sure he is thrilled with the victory, but I'm also sure he has other things on his mind. The final image from the broadcast was an Iranian player applauding the crowd. Iran played a clean, positive, decent game. It was very encouraging to hear former US players emphasizing that they viewed their 1998 World Cup match with Iran as a game. That, as athletes, they were concerned about what happened on the field. Even as nations rattle sabres, players on the field can exchange gifts or swap jerseys. I do not know how specific Iranian players feel about their President or country's politics. But I do know that they represented themselves well on the pitch. I hope no one booed them on their way out of the stadium.
How do you measure progress?
The last time Portugal and Angola met on the soccer pitch, Portugal won 5-1, but the match was suspended after 68 minutes when a fourth Angolan player was shown the red card. When faced with a force that once dominated them, both on and off the field, it was natural to be nervous and anxious. Angola avoided disaster in the first minute, only to have it return in the fourth minute. At that point, if someone had told me that Portugal would score eight goals, I would have believed it. In another reality, Angola might have buckled and the Portugese goalfest would have commenced. But the Angolan players steadied themselves, and responded well. There was no chance that this group would receive four red cards. Tommy Smyth spoke well when he said "this team knows a little something about soccer..."
Portugal was humiliated by their performance in the 2002 World Cup. They played well in Euro2004, but two losses to Greece left the home crowd disappointed. They won today, albeit with more difficulty than they might have imagined. So three points from the first game is progress.
But the progress for the Angolans was more impressive. It was a courageous performance. If there is honor in defeat, the Angolans can claim it.
In addition to his excellent skills, he displayed an incredible amount of energy. It didn't matter if he faced one, two, three, or four defenders, he kept charging at them and causing havoc. That had to be the performance of the tournament to date. When the Netherlands is firing on all cylinders, they are a sight to behold. The one curious aspect of their play was their repeated back passes that put Van der Saar into awkward situations. Given that he kept nursing a cramp, was it wise to keep pushing the ball back to him?
They looked better than Argentina on this day. It will be interesting to see what might happen to Argentina if a team inhibits Riquelme. While Robben shined today, there are other Dutch players who can rise to the occasion. How does one close down space on eleven players? Serbia and Montenegro certainly tried, but there were so many occasions the Dutch simply controlled play. Having said this, Serbia and Montenegro also had its moments. I think this is the group of death because each team has shown great skill and ability to control play. Ivory Coast and Serbia and Montenegro showed they can keep their opponents back on their heels. I think there's quite a bit of drama left in this group, perhaps culimating with the Argentina v. Netherlands encounter on June 21st.
I once heard that Marco van Basten preferred playing club soccer to playing for the national team. Perhaps that was true, but maybe one of the most gifted strikers (not just in the Netherlands) has particular insights into how to make the Dutch play as a cohesive, brilliant unit. He seemed fairly reserved as a player, and even more so as a manager. He must have been pleased at the end of this match, but he also looked like someone who knew that the uphill journey had only just begun.
During The World Cup, what transpires outside the soccer stadium sometimes makes more news than what happens inside the stadium. Iran has been the in the news for various political matters, and their President has made insensitive, indefensible comments about the Holocaust. Apparently, the crowd booed the Iranian team as they came onto the pitch. Mexico, on the other hand, had a personal tragedy given that goalkeeper Sanchez's father passed away this week. There was one political aspect to their team as well since there seems to be some controversy about two players who are naturalized citizens.
During The World Cup, what eventually happens inside the soccer stadium sometimes provides relief from what happens outside the stadium. Iranian keeper, Mirzapour, gave Sanchez a bouquet of flowers at the beginning of the game. Zinya, a Brazilian born Mexican, assisted brilliantly on the second goal and, despite being five foot, four inches, rose mightily to head home the third goal. Everyone on the team and every Mexican fan in the stadium cheered.
At the end of the game, Sanchez's teammates surrounded him, joining him in what must have been a bittersweet moment for him. I'm sure he is thrilled with the victory, but I'm also sure he has other things on his mind. The final image from the broadcast was an Iranian player applauding the crowd. Iran played a clean, positive, decent game. It was very encouraging to hear former US players emphasizing that they viewed their 1998 World Cup match with Iran as a game. That, as athletes, they were concerned about what happened on the field. Even as nations rattle sabres, players on the field can exchange gifts or swap jerseys. I do not know how specific Iranian players feel about their President or country's politics. But I do know that they represented themselves well on the pitch. I hope no one booed them on their way out of the stadium.
How do you measure progress?
The last time Portugal and Angola met on the soccer pitch, Portugal won 5-1, but the match was suspended after 68 minutes when a fourth Angolan player was shown the red card. When faced with a force that once dominated them, both on and off the field, it was natural to be nervous and anxious. Angola avoided disaster in the first minute, only to have it return in the fourth minute. At that point, if someone had told me that Portugal would score eight goals, I would have believed it. In another reality, Angola might have buckled and the Portugese goalfest would have commenced. But the Angolan players steadied themselves, and responded well. There was no chance that this group would receive four red cards. Tommy Smyth spoke well when he said "this team knows a little something about soccer..."
Portugal was humiliated by their performance in the 2002 World Cup. They played well in Euro2004, but two losses to Greece left the home crowd disappointed. They won today, albeit with more difficulty than they might have imagined. So three points from the first game is progress.
But the progress for the Angolans was more impressive. It was a courageous performance. If there is honor in defeat, the Angolans can claim it.
Monday, June 05, 2006
The World Cup
There is a madness, a fever, that has been rising throughout the world. No, I'm not talking about bird flu or its associated hysteria. I am talking about the anticipation for The World Cup. There are multiple sports that have a World Cup, but when referring to The World Cup, it can mean only one sport. Soccer, football, futbol, the beautiful game.
There are many in the US who do not appreciate soccer. It's too boring. It's not athletic enough. It doesn't have enough equipment or rules. It allows games to end in a tie (or draw if you prefer). What I find interesting is people who say this love baseball or golf or poker. So I'm supposed to be captivated by the "showdown" between a first base runner and a pitcher? And I love watching those TV shots of a golfer watching his or her shot...if someone were to watch me at this moment, we'd have recursive sports viewing. The athleticism of poker, the way those guys flick their cards when they fold, brings tears to my eyes. As for rules or equipment, the notable absence is what makes soccer so elegant (ok, the offsides rule is the exception). In The Power of Myth, Joseph Campbell discusses how US sports are obsessed with rules to enforce behavior, which is perhaps a reflection of our litigious society. England created sports with relatively few rules, but many expectations of appropriate behavior or codes of conduct (OK, the offsides rule seems like something a lawyer would come up with).
Wikipedia lists "243 entities considered to be countries" (BTW, this includes the newly declared independence of Montenegro...you gotta love Wikipedia's timeliness of information). To the critics of soccer in the US, I offer this statement: 242 COUNTRIES CAN'T BE WRONG!!!
A fan in England has purchased "trauma insurance" in case England is knocked out early; a Dutch company is offering insurance for the inevitable, sudden rise in sick leave. The Portugese government has wisely rescheduled a Parliament session that was to be held during a Portugal match. The World Cup has undoubtedly caused conflicts, but it has also caused conflicts to end (at least for the duration of the tournament). Prisoners in Brazil started rioting when told that they would not have access to TVs during The World Cup (in Brazil, this must have been viewed as cruel and unusual punishment). The World Cup offers a chance for Africa to compete with the mighty powers of Europe. And how grateful were the South Koreans to Guus Hiddink, who led them to the semi-finals? From Wikipedia:
"Hiddink was given the unofficial title of the most popular individual in the country, and became the first-ever person to be given honorary South Korean citizenship. In addition other rewards soon followed - a private villa in Jeju island; free flights for life on Korean Airlines and Asiana Airlines, free taxi rides, and so forth. The World Cup stadium in Gwangju was renamed Guus Hiddink Stadium in his honor shortly after the World Cup. His hometown became a popular stopover for South Koreans visiting the Netherlands.
Good grief, what would have they done if they had won the Cup?
When the US hosted The World Cup in 1994, it was left to immigrants and visitors to build this festive spirit. Without the host nation's energy behind it, it was perhaps the first time in recent memory that The World Cup was a secondary thought in the host nation. In some ways, the 94 Cup propelled US soccer, and FIFA realizes the potential benefits of raising interest in soccer within the US. But many people in the world must still be upset about this choice. Asia proved it could host The World Cup in 2002, and Africa will have to wait until 2010 for its chance to do so. And Latin America has not hosted it since 1986.
But for me, the 1994 World Cup was a godsend. I had the great pleasure of attending games in Washington DC and a quarter-final match in New Jersey (Bulgaria 2-1 Germany). I sat next to an Italian grad student from my department during the Italy-Mexico first round game. He told me he wasn't much of a soccer fan. The Italian team seems to enjoy tormenting its fans during the first round. Even during their most recent Cup victory in 1982, they advanced to the second round only by virtue of scoring one more goal than Cameroon. In 1994, they would advance in the same manner, and only in the very late stages of the final game in the first round. I watched this "casual" soccer fan get anxious, distraught, with perhaps even tears in his eyes, at the thought that Italy would not advance to the second round. And then elation. Italy scored a goal, tying Mexico, raising a flicker of hope. Still, the Italians were waiting for the Ireland-Norway result. 0-0 (surely, the most dreaded score for a soccer detractor). The Italians were through. As I watched my fellow grad student, who was now dancing in his seat, I said to him, "I thought you weren't much of a soccer fan." He said, "I'm not...look at those other Italian fans."
And he was right. Grown men were crying, some men were still covering their eyes, avoiding the scoreboard that might bring them news of the unthinkable. Others were dancing, kissing women, kissing other men, kissing their flags...it was sheer exuberance. It was something to see men expressing such unbridled, passionate emotion. You can see this exuberance in the grainy films of a 17-year old Pele in the 1958 World Cup, or in the corner flag dance of a 38-year old Roger Milla in the 1990 World Cup.
Of course, there is an ugly side to unbridled emotion that most often takes the form of hooliganism. Most recently, there's been an indefensible, reprehensible growth of racial slurs, signs, and sounds. The English are imploring their fans not to make references to WWII; the Germans are worried about new (and therefore unknown) hooligans from Eastern Europe, and about their own hate groups. It seems that some men, when given a chance to express their emotions, still choose to focus on the negative ones.
Franklin Foer has written an interesting book, How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization. I'm not convinced soccer explains the world. But I am convinced it reflects the world, and it allows the world to express itself--in all the wonderful and repugnant ways that we choose to do so. And the detachment, disinterest, and indifference that so many in the US feel toward soccer is perhaps an accurate but sad reflection of the US in the global village.
But for those in the US who feel the fever, and for all those throughout the world who will take sick leave starting June 9, I say to you: let the madness begin.
There are many in the US who do not appreciate soccer. It's too boring. It's not athletic enough. It doesn't have enough equipment or rules. It allows games to end in a tie (or draw if you prefer). What I find interesting is people who say this love baseball or golf or poker. So I'm supposed to be captivated by the "showdown" between a first base runner and a pitcher? And I love watching those TV shots of a golfer watching his or her shot...if someone were to watch me at this moment, we'd have recursive sports viewing. The athleticism of poker, the way those guys flick their cards when they fold, brings tears to my eyes. As for rules or equipment, the notable absence is what makes soccer so elegant (ok, the offsides rule is the exception). In The Power of Myth, Joseph Campbell discusses how US sports are obsessed with rules to enforce behavior, which is perhaps a reflection of our litigious society. England created sports with relatively few rules, but many expectations of appropriate behavior or codes of conduct (OK, the offsides rule seems like something a lawyer would come up with).
Wikipedia lists "243 entities considered to be countries" (BTW, this includes the newly declared independence of Montenegro...you gotta love Wikipedia's timeliness of information). To the critics of soccer in the US, I offer this statement: 242 COUNTRIES CAN'T BE WRONG!!!
A fan in England has purchased "trauma insurance" in case England is knocked out early; a Dutch company is offering insurance for the inevitable, sudden rise in sick leave. The Portugese government has wisely rescheduled a Parliament session that was to be held during a Portugal match. The World Cup has undoubtedly caused conflicts, but it has also caused conflicts to end (at least for the duration of the tournament). Prisoners in Brazil started rioting when told that they would not have access to TVs during The World Cup (in Brazil, this must have been viewed as cruel and unusual punishment). The World Cup offers a chance for Africa to compete with the mighty powers of Europe. And how grateful were the South Koreans to Guus Hiddink, who led them to the semi-finals? From Wikipedia:
"Hiddink was given the unofficial title of the most popular individual in the country, and became the first-ever person to be given honorary South Korean citizenship. In addition other rewards soon followed - a private villa in Jeju island; free flights for life on Korean Airlines and Asiana Airlines, free taxi rides, and so forth. The World Cup stadium in Gwangju was renamed Guus Hiddink Stadium in his honor shortly after the World Cup. His hometown became a popular stopover for South Koreans visiting the Netherlands.
Good grief, what would have they done if they had won the Cup?
When the US hosted The World Cup in 1994, it was left to immigrants and visitors to build this festive spirit. Without the host nation's energy behind it, it was perhaps the first time in recent memory that The World Cup was a secondary thought in the host nation. In some ways, the 94 Cup propelled US soccer, and FIFA realizes the potential benefits of raising interest in soccer within the US. But many people in the world must still be upset about this choice. Asia proved it could host The World Cup in 2002, and Africa will have to wait until 2010 for its chance to do so. And Latin America has not hosted it since 1986.
But for me, the 1994 World Cup was a godsend. I had the great pleasure of attending games in Washington DC and a quarter-final match in New Jersey (Bulgaria 2-1 Germany). I sat next to an Italian grad student from my department during the Italy-Mexico first round game. He told me he wasn't much of a soccer fan. The Italian team seems to enjoy tormenting its fans during the first round. Even during their most recent Cup victory in 1982, they advanced to the second round only by virtue of scoring one more goal than Cameroon. In 1994, they would advance in the same manner, and only in the very late stages of the final game in the first round. I watched this "casual" soccer fan get anxious, distraught, with perhaps even tears in his eyes, at the thought that Italy would not advance to the second round. And then elation. Italy scored a goal, tying Mexico, raising a flicker of hope. Still, the Italians were waiting for the Ireland-Norway result. 0-0 (surely, the most dreaded score for a soccer detractor). The Italians were through. As I watched my fellow grad student, who was now dancing in his seat, I said to him, "I thought you weren't much of a soccer fan." He said, "I'm not...look at those other Italian fans."
And he was right. Grown men were crying, some men were still covering their eyes, avoiding the scoreboard that might bring them news of the unthinkable. Others were dancing, kissing women, kissing other men, kissing their flags...it was sheer exuberance. It was something to see men expressing such unbridled, passionate emotion. You can see this exuberance in the grainy films of a 17-year old Pele in the 1958 World Cup, or in the corner flag dance of a 38-year old Roger Milla in the 1990 World Cup.
Of course, there is an ugly side to unbridled emotion that most often takes the form of hooliganism. Most recently, there's been an indefensible, reprehensible growth of racial slurs, signs, and sounds. The English are imploring their fans not to make references to WWII; the Germans are worried about new (and therefore unknown) hooligans from Eastern Europe, and about their own hate groups. It seems that some men, when given a chance to express their emotions, still choose to focus on the negative ones.
Franklin Foer has written an interesting book, How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization. I'm not convinced soccer explains the world. But I am convinced it reflects the world, and it allows the world to express itself--in all the wonderful and repugnant ways that we choose to do so. And the detachment, disinterest, and indifference that so many in the US feel toward soccer is perhaps an accurate but sad reflection of the US in the global village.
But for those in the US who feel the fever, and for all those throughout the world who will take sick leave starting June 9, I say to you: let the madness begin.
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