The Joy of Soccer

The World Cup is over and the worldwide hangover has begun. My withdrawal symptoms will be nothing compared to what South Africa must be going through. I hope the positive energy they harnessed and amplified during the last month stays with them as they tackle more meaningful challenges. As both Spain and the Netherlands return home, there is worldwide commentary on the match. I've been harsh about the Dutch tactics, but my comments are nothing compared to the statements from Dutch legend Johan Cruyff. Some of his comments are as hard hitting as the Dutch tackling during the Finals.

I had the fortune of playing soccer as a kid but only for a couple of years. I spent my formative years of 4 to 7 living in London during which time I developed a love for soccer and chocolate. I only played two years at my school and even those years were on our "B" team. But even with my limited experience -- augmented by a return onto the pitch during grad school for pickup matches -- I can recall the feeling of running on that wide open pitch, trying to account for all the movement and trying to get that circular object to behave properly.

There were a few moments of inspiration.

Dribbling through two midfielders, hearing the crowd cheer and passing it through to one of our strikers. During the grad school days, scoring off a corner kick by striking the ball one time while it was still in midair. And running around the track in high school (I became a runner after my soccer ambitions ended), hearing the call of "help", turning without hesitation and making a perfect pass back to the coach of the girls team. He would speak with me the next day asking why I didn't play soccer. Surprised, shocked (and more than a little flattered), I asked him why he would ask. His response that my pass at full speed was perfect caught me by surprise. I told him that was the exception. He said something that I have never forgotten: "Sayeed, practice is what makes the exceptional the norm. If you don't have talent, no amount of practice will create it. But even with talent, you need to practice to perfect it."

I was crushed when I did not make my high school soccer team. In many ways, I am only now feeling the loss and realize that watching soccer is one of the ways I cope. But I do remember the joyous feeling of those fleeting moments of excellence. And I wish I had continued to practice instead of giving up. One of the most bonding aspects of soccer, football, futbol is that anyone at anytime can experience this joy. All it takes is a round object and an open space. If you want to add some intensity, invite a few friends and make up some goalposts. Pele and Maradona both grew up in poverty and learned to play soccer in the most modest surroundings. There is a wonderful article about Jessica Hilltout, a Belgian born photographer who made a journey across Africa capturing special moments or scenes. The photographs are poignant. Yet even amidst the apparent sadness, there are powerful images of poetic motion, camaraderie, ingenuity, hope, even joy. For a moment, anyone can be Andres Iniesta scoring the World Cup winning goal.

Soccer is called the beautiful game. I believe that soccer is a beautiful game only when it is played with joy. By teams that genuinely enjoy making great passes, that appreciate when their teammates make incisive runs to create space, that move the ball in flowing patterns. They dance. Sara Crompton, the arts editor and a dance writer for The Daily Telegraph, described Maradona's Argentina team in terms of the tango. Argentina played with joy. As did Spain. Brazil diminished its joy for efficiency and the Germans seemed to do the opposite. There was so much made of poor management when Argentina lost. It's probably true that Maradona made mistakes. But does anyone think Fabio Capello is a poor manager? Germany beat England as badly as they beat Argentina. And when people question why Argentina would want Maradona to return as a manager, they underestimate his standing within his homeland but they also don't recognize that many fans appreciated his joyful approach to the game.

There are teams without enough talent to compete against the world's best. And as that coach said to me years ago, no amount of practice will create talent. I understand why Greece and Switzerland adopt such defensive postures in their matches. But it's disappointing to watch a team like Brazil or Portugal or the Netherlands not play freely. They suppress their joy in the relentless pursuit of victory.

For me, the final match asked the fundamental question of soccer: Do you win by expression or do you win by suppression?

And even by the standards of teams who suppress, the Dutch violence on the pitch was reprehensible. Blaming the Spaniards for retaliation and blaming the referee only makes matters worse. The Dutch criticized the Germans for not challenging the Spaniards during their semi-final encounter. It's interesting to note that Spain defeated both the Netherlands and Germany by the same result. Anyone who wants to see the difference between expression and suppression need look no further than the juxtaposition of Spain's matches against these teutonic neighbors. There were *NO* fouls for the first 25 minutes of and few fouls throughout the Spain v. Germany match. If you want to make sure the referee doesn't dominate the proceedings, try not fouling each other. For another point of comparison between the Netherlands and Germany, consider the comments of another soccer legend from the 1970s. Franz Beckenbauer may have been wrong about Germany winning the finals, but he certainly appreciated the joyful approach of the Germans.

I'll keep reflecting on the loss of joy with my own soccer journey. Some day I'll embrace that joy I might experience now is fundamentally no different than the joy I experienced on the pitch or maybe even the joy that Iniesta felt when he scored the winning goal. I'm not there yet. Until I get there, I'll keep experiencing vicariously through Spain's victory.

2010 World Cup Best Eleven Team

Here's my best eleven 2010 World Cup team based on performance during the Cup. I'm lining up a 4-4-2:

Goalkeeper: Mark Paston (New Zealand). OK I'm having some fun here. If he had played in more matches, he probably would have been exposed and he had a laughable attempt at a clearance. But he did play well and he did not make mistakes that led to goals. Besides it's intriguing to even think of someone from NZ. There were relatively unknown goalkeepers who played very well (Stekelenburg, Enyeama, Kawashima) but each of them on one occasion seemed to lean the wrong direction as the Jabulani ball swerved. There were well known keepers who did well (Casillas, Cesar) but they made mistakes that led to goals and cost their teams (in Brazil's case catastrophically). I would choose Neuer of Germany though Stekelenburg was impressive. The overall goalkeeping was disappointing.

Defenders: How about choosing the entire back line of Spain? You could do a lot worse than Puyol, Pique, Ramos and Capdevila. They play well individually and play well as a unit. Spain conceded only 2 goals, one of which was the fiasco against Switzerland. Casillas seemed about 10 degrees off so it was especially important that the defensive line performed admirably. I suppose I wouldn't be too upset if Philip Lahm or Diego Lugano came off the bench to join the defense.

Midfielders: Not surprisingly, Spain enters the mix again with Andres Iniesta and and Xavi. Bastian Schweinsteiger has to be included though one could easily make the case for his teammate Thomas Mueller. But I'm going with unconventional choice (seriously) with Keisuke Honda (Japan). I know Wes Sneijder scored more goals than Honda but Sneijder was also surrounded by more talent. I also think midfielders need to possess and distribute the ball which Sneijder didn't do much. Honda had two goals but could have easily had three if had shot instead of passed during Japan's third goal against Denmark. Honda scored a beautiful goal from a free kick and orchestrated creatively from Japan's midfield. He looks like a worthy successor to Shunsuke Nakamura

Forwards: David Villa faded in the final games but he carried Spain's offense in the earlier matches. He tied for the lead in the golden boot contest but lost out on the tiebreaker of assists. I'm rounding out the best eleven with Diego Forlan who had an amazing tournament. His creativity, deft control, well placed corners, free kicks and candidate for shot of the tournament (against the Netherlands) were matched by his leadership and will to move his team forward. Also a scorer of five goals, he played with grace throughout the Cup. I wonder if Manchester United wants him back.

Dissing Suarez?

Sepp Blatter and a couple of other FIFA executives shook hands with all of the starters from Germany and Uruguay prior to the 3rd place match. I might be imagining it but I could swear that Blatter basically dissed Suarez. He shook his hand and immediately looked toward Lugano. I think Blatter even stopped smiling. After the exchange, Suarez definitely looked toward Blatter with a less than pleased expression.

The crowd definitely dissed Suarez, booing him every time he touched the ball. ESPN's commentator Ian Darke seemed particularly upset by this treatment. He stated that "any professional" in the same situation would do exactly the same thing. I'd like to believe that isn't true. There are "professional fouls" that are deliberate attempts to take down a player prior to scoring. Michael Ballack missed the 2002 World Cup final match because of a professional foul. And it's true that defenders are instructed to make such fouls if the goal seems imminent. But pushing the boundaries of fouls -- a natural part of the game-- is different from deliberating handling the ball.

There are many instances where defenders do not actually follow through with professional fouls. There are many instances where players in the same situation as Suarez actually try to head the ball instead of becoming a volleyball player. And then there's Suarez's reaction. I have not read or heart a single account of him actually apologizing. Instead here's a quote from a Guardian article:

"The Hand of God now belongs to me. Mine is the real Hand Of God," said Suárez. "I made the best save of the tournament. Sometimes in training I play as a goalkeeper so it was worth it. There was no alternative but for me to do that and when they missed the penalty I thought 'It is a miracle and we are alive in the tournament'."

Does this sound like a guy who even feels a bit of remorse or guilt for what he did?

Darke seems to believe that egregious acts are excused when the circumstances are intense and the stakes are high. I wonder what he thinks of the original Hand of God goal? Maradona would almost certainly use the same line of "reasoning" that Suarez used with his act. Perhaps Darke (and others) believe that players are justified using their hands only when preventing goals?

Winning at Any Cost

Uruguay has been one of the more positive sides during the 2010 World Cup but Luis Suarez's deliberate handball was deplorable. He turned what would have been one of the classic comeback stories for African soccer into one of the most heartbreaking "what could have been" exits from the World Cup. With the win at any cost mentality, Suarez's action was completely understandable. But with any other mentality, one can only hope that Ghana still feels very proud of what they accomplished -- with the youngest team in the tournament -- and that FIFA follows through with its threat to ban Suarez for two matches instead of simply one. At the least, Suarez should not be able to enjoy more matches during this tournament.

Wave Your Flag

This is a great video and song that captures the exuberance and joy of the World Cup: 2010 World Cup - Wavin Flag

2010 World Cup First Round Final Matches

Sometimes managers really matter. France's behavior during this World Cup has been disgraceful. Apparently the Sports Minister changed their return flight arrangements from Airbus 380 first class to a chartered coach-class flight. They might want to change their return destination as well. I have no doubt that the players contributed to their fiasco of a World Cup but as manager it was Raymond Domenech's job to, well, manage the situation. Does anyone think that other teams don't have ego clashes? And just when I thought he could not go any lower, he actively refused to shake Carlos Alberto Parreira's hand. What possible reason could he have for making this his final gesture?

Carlos Alberto Parreira is one of those managers who is called upon to rescue teams. Parreira had managed Brazil previously to win the 1994 Cup but he had not never won a match with any other team. Until the match with France. It was never much of a hope for South Africa to advance into the knockout phase. But at least they played well, earned a victory and left the tournament with their heads held high. And Parreira deserves some of the credit.

Uruguay and Mexico needed only a draw for both teams to advance. Both Uruguay's manager Oscar Tabarez and Mexico's manager Javier Aguirre spoke of the importance of maintaining the integrity of the World Cup. And both teams responded to their call. The fact that there was a winner -- and for a brief time the fantastic, unrealistic prospect of a South African miracle -- is enough evidence that they did not conspire beforehand. Both teams played well, there were several scoring chances and soccer integrity won the day. In 1982, West Germany and Austria did conspire together for a 1-0 fixed match that resulted in Algeria being eliminated deliberately. This match was the genesis for the simultaneous final matches in the first round. The next time one of my soccer buddies tries to tell me how European soccer sets the standard, I'll remind them of the way both Tabarez and Aguirre approached the Uruguay v. Mexico match.

I never thought I would say it. Diego Maradona managed the Argentina v. Greece match very well. He played his B team but then again Argentina's B team is better than most country's A team. But he kept Messi in the lineup. He said the world deserved to see Messi. Sound silly? Maybe. But I enjoy every opportunity to see Messi. And while he didn't get his first goal, as usual, he caused havoc that helped his teammates find space, generate opportunities and score goals. Including Martin Palermo who became the oldest Argentine to score a World Cup (surpassing Maradona's record). Why would Maradona pick 5 world class strikers and then choose a 36 year old Palermo who hadn't played for Argentina in 10 years? I don't know. What I do know is that Palermo scored a critical goal for Argentina during the qualifiers and that he coolly put away the rebound from a Messi shot. And that his entire team seemed to surround him in a moment of euphoria. Maradona may not know much about tactics but he is definitely tapping into the passion and emotion of this team. When he channels it, great things happen for this team. Channeling his own emotions is another matter.

Group B started the final matches with Argentina in a very secure spot. The other three teams -- one from Europe, one from Africa, one from Asia -- all had a chance to make it through depending on the outcomes of the matches. South Korea and Nigeria played an entertaining match that had both teams feeling hope. Nigeria will undoubtedly feel disappointed and it's sad that neither South Africa or Nigeria made it through. But South Korea would have also felt disappointed and they deserve to advance.

The first matches in the first round are usually cautious, even tentative. The second matches feature some teams coming out of their shells trying to ensure their passage through to the second round. The final matches of the first round feature drama and nothing exemplifies this more than the US v. Slovenia match. The US was another inappropriately disallowed goal and 2 minutes away from heading home. Instead with one fantastic goalie distribution from Tim Howard, one incredible run from Landon Donovan and a goal that no one could disallow, the US won Group C. This US team never seems to quit. ESPN's commentators mentioned that the US team has scored 9 goals during qualifiers and the World Cup in the last 10 minutes of matches. Adidas has playing an ad focusing on the celebrated #10 jersey. In their first edition when they included Donovan I thought it was a stretch. Pele, Maradona, Matthäus, Zidane, Kaka, Messi...and Donovan? Well, maybe it's still a stretch but the newest version of the ad shows Donovan's goals from the World Cup. Definitely makes him seem much more worthy of the #10 jersey. While England must be relieved to just get through, they finished in second place and now will face Germany in the second round.

Ghana remains the sole African team within the tournament. Despite their loss to Germany, they secured passage once the Australians defeated the Serbians in their final match. I know Australia no longer plays in Oceania but it seems that both Australia and New Zealand have come a long way. One has to wonder if New Zealand will now dominate Oceania the way Australia had done prior to joining the Asian region. While South America, Concacaf and Asia celebrate tremendous success, Africa must regret the lack of representation in the second round. ESPN's South African commentator Shaun Bartlett was direct when he said lack of proper administration hampers African teams.

Everyone expected the Netherlands to cruise into the second round and they certainly did so. They are firing on all cylinders but they have yet to face stiff opposition. Nonetheless, 3 wins, 9 points, and a team seemingly in harmony. No one expected Japan to advance in this group but they did so with style and substance. If not for Wes Sneijder's swerving rocket shot, they might have drawn with the Netherlands. Japan dominated Denmark and Honda played exceptionally well. HIs move in the box for their third goal was world class and his pass to a teammate was unselfish. If he had taken the shot, he would almost certainly scored -- and tied for the lead in the race for the Golden Boot.

Wine and scotch generally get better with age. Soccer players might do so for a time, but their shelf life eventually expires. This seems to be the sad reality for the Italians. A team that won the World Cup in impressive fashion 4 years ago looked 4 years too old on this occasion. Injuries to Pirlo and Buffon undoubtedly hurt. Their backup goalie Marchetti must be getting a complex. Though I suspect Buffon might have gotten one of those shots, that would not have been enough for the Italians. Italy is notorious for starting slow and turning it on when they need it. Not this time. Wholesale changes are undoubtedly coming for the Azzuri as they prepare for European Cup qualifying. Paraguay has impressed during the first round but even they could not beat New Zealand which goes home without tasting defeat. What a tremendous accomplishment for a team ranked 78th according to FIFA.

Group G seemed to offer a tantalizing array of matchups yet Portugal managed to choke the life out of two of them. In their matches against Ivory Coast and Brazil, their defensive tactics disrupted both teams. They seemed to relish pounding a team with far less talent in North Korea yet seem unwilling to play openly against opponents with comparable if not better talent. I sincerely hope they don't continue to bore their opponents to death in the knockout phase. Brazil wins Group G and avoids a showdown with Spain in the second round.

Or should I say Spain managed to avoid the showdown with Brazil? Spain has yet to display its full brilliance. Torres in particular seems out of sync and unable to find his scoring touch. Spain left it to the last match to secure not only passage to the second round but first place in the group. Even a man down, Chile found a way to score and make things interesting -- until the last 15 minutes. Spain has yet to receive a single card making them clear front runners for the Fair Play award. They play fairly and elegantly but I am left to wonder if there's something more "systematic" going on in terms of their treatment!

16 teams left, 6 from Europe, 5 from South America, 2 from Concacaf, 2 from Asia and 1 from Africa. The first time all 5 South Americans move through, a new low number for Europe (which has never won the World Cup outside of Europe), surprisingly impressive performances from Concacaf and Asia and disappointment for Africa. No Italy, no France -- the first time neither finalist from the previous World Cup has advanced to the knockout phase. In order to advance, the US will have to knock out the new sentimental favorite of the home crowd. Three matchups feature European teams playing each other with Slovakia being the surprising team in the mix. Only one all South American encounter between Brazil and Chile. The two Asian teams play what are supposed to be the weaker South American teams, but it's possible that South America could advance 4 teams into the quarter finals.

It's time to get ready for extra time and penalty kicks.

2010 World Cup Second Matches

The second matches are over. More random thoughts and observations:

It is sad indeed to watch the collective dream of a nation disintegrate. Uruguay soundly and decisively defeated South Africa, which will be without the services of their starting keeper Khune when they face France. Without a major miracle, South Africa will become the first host nation to bounce out after the first round. Even if the South Africans do not advance, I hope they play well against France and continue to revel as good hosts. Uruguay adjusted well to both of their opponents but it remains to be seen how they will fare against a top level team firing on all cylinders.

While it took an impulsive and foolish Nigerian red card to bring out the offense in Greece, it was encouraging to see them play attacking soccer. Not the most potent attack but 2 goals in one game is quite a breakthrough for a team that hadn't scored in 4 straight World Cup games. It might seem odd to praise a goalie whose team has allowed three goals but Enyeama has looked like the best keeper so far -- despite his mistake on Greece's second goal. Nigeria remains in the hunt even with no points from two matches.

Argentina seems determined to outscore their opponents. It turns out that on another day Higuain did get a hat trick and the early lead for the golden boot. However, Messi and Tevez were the ones causing all the havoc. There are doubts about Argentina's defense and midfield (why would Maradona leave out Zanetti and Cambiaso?) but with 5 top class strikers, they look like they could outscore anyone. South Korea continues to play positively and look lively but they are perhaps a bit too quick to attack. As much as I like their play, I confess that what I really admire is how seemingly none of their players complain to the ref.

If the French team was in a bad mood after the first match, what kind of mood are they in now? Easily one of the most talented teams in the tournament yet also one of the least inspired. Players blaming the manager and manager blaming the players. It's hard to know which is the chicken and which is the egg but consider the managers' decisions regarding substitutes. Hernandez scores, Barrera secures the penalty and Blanco takes a perfect penalty. What did Gignac and Valbuena manage to do during this match? And why leave Cisse and Henry on the bench? Whoever lines up for France against South Africa, I hope they at least play with some passion.

So far the officiating had been quite good. And then we had the Germany v. Serbia match. While the ref (Alberto Undiano) may have been applying the letter of the law (for the most part though he wasn't entirely consistent doing so), it's never a good outcome when the ref has tremendous influence over the outcome of the match. Sending Klose off changed the game but Germany had its penalty chance. Before the penalty, I thought it was a bad idea to put Podolski on the spot. He was off the entire match. Klose was looking to tie Pele for 4th place on the World Cup all-time scoring list and score his 50th international goal. With the red card suspension, if Germany doesn't make it into the round of 16 (seemingly unthinkable but possible), the Serbia match could be his last World Cup match. That would be a sad way for such a prolific goal scorer to end his World Cup career.

Perhaps the one person happy about the refereeing during the Slovenia v. US match was Alberto Undiano (well, perhaps the Slovenians were happy as well). Everyone stopped talking about Undiano's refereeing once the US match was over. The US doesn't get any style points and they need to stop allowing early goals, but they certainly showed a lot of spirit in coming back from a 2-0 deficit. To come back like that and then score a goal in the 85th minute, only to have it inexplicably taken away is unfortunate indeed. This type of egregious error is part of soccer and FIFA seem to be perfectly content to turn a blind eye to such incidents. It certainly generates buzz but it does leave some teams out in the cold. At least the US can make it through to the next round if they beat Algeria. At least the US is in the World Cup. Ask the Irish about officiating controversies.

The English team seems determined to compete with the French for most underwhelming play. ESPN commentator Alexi Lalas questioned whether this team is really any good ("above average") but this same team won 9 of 10 qualification matches with one of them being a dismantling of Croatia 4-1 in Zagreb. Something is definitely wrong and no one seems to really care. They were resoundingly booed by their fans and deservedly so. Algeria certainly showed enough of a display that the US should take nothing for granted in the final match for both teams. Will the real Wayne Rooney please stand up?

It looks like the Netherlands are putting aside their egos and playing well as a team though they haven't exactly overwhelmed two opponents with far less talent. Nonetheless, six points from two games and passage through to the next round. And they have yet to put Arjen Robben on the pitch. Japan's keeper might have done better with Sneijder's shot though that looked like a world class strike. I think it might have even bent at the last second. I guess Sneijder won't complain about the ball. Japan still looked competitive even when a goal down and I wouldn't rule out their chances against Denmark.

Neither Serbia nor Ghana pressed their advantage against teams with 10 men. Ghana's choice to lay back seemed particularly odd given how easily the Australians had been giving up goals (not only against Germany but they also gave up 3 to the US in a pre-World Cup friendly). In a group where Germany has a +3 goal differential after two matches, you have to wonder if Serbia and Ghana will regret not pressing their advantage. Harry Kewell was off the post when he handled the ball. No guarantee the outcome would have been different but there's a good reason why anyone on the back line is told to hug the post. Australia are now without Cahill or Kewell for their final match.

Denmark and Cameroon decided to leave their defenses at home for the most free-flowing match so far. Soccer is cruel to teams that don't finish and kind to those that do. Spain learned that against Switzerland but they have another day to change their fortunes. Cameroon's near misses end up making them the first team to crash out of the World Cup (and makes the Netherlands the first team to move through). Even though Algeria defeated West Germany in 1982, Cameroon's remarkable run in 1990 really marked the arrival of African soccer on the world stage. It's been 20 years and it's time for Cameroon to write a new chapter in their history. Maybe in 2014.

South American teams have yet to be defeated and Paraguay did more than its part to ensure that this streak remains in tact. Clinical finishing on both goals ensured a comfortable margin of victory. Paraguay feels like the tournament dark horse at this point. ESPN commentators kept talking about questionable defense but Slovakia didn't even have a shot on goal until the 92nd minute. I bet Slovakia really regrets dropping two points against New Zealand in the last minutes of their match especially given the New Zealand result against Italy.

It might seem strange to identify a 1-1 draw as one of the greatest -- perhaps the greatest -- upsets in World Cup history. I had speculated that New Zealand's goal against Slovakia marked their arrival on the world stage. Not so. Ranked 78th according to FIFA, New Zealand ranked 1st in courage and teamwork in their match against Italy. We saw both the ugly and elegant side of Italy. Down 1-0, they resorted to dives and feigned injury. Yet in the second half, with the exception of one incident, they turned to their skilled strike force and played well. Plenty of chances some of which were denied by great goalkeeping from Paston. And in the 81st minute, 18 year old Chris Wood -- who I'll be very interested to see play in the Premier League -- beat 36 year old legendary Italian captain Fabio Cannavaro and missed scoring by a foot. If he had scored, that would have been quite a striking juxtaposition of exuberant youth versus seasoned professional experience. At the end of the match, the Italians realized that they were on the short end of soccer history. I respect their reaction. I am sure they did not imagine trading jerseys with New Zealand players, some of whom are still looking for a professional club. Seeing Cannavaro walk off the pitch with an all-white jersey over his shoulder, right next to the captain's arm band, simply point to the crowd and clap was quite a sight. He must have known that this was one of those magical World Cup moments.

Didier Drogba started for Ivory Coast a mere 15 days after breaking his arm. But he didn't quite seem himself. Or his teammates didn't find him nearly enough. The two times they crossed the ball to him, he scored once and nearly scored on the second occasion. Brazil showed flashes of brilliance once again and Kaka seemed to hitting his stride more easily during this match. Until he was sent off for a second yellow card through a dubious incident. I'm not sure how the ref missed not one but two handballs by Fabiano on his second goal. Ivory Coast resorted to some fairly ugly tackling with studs up on several occasions. Elano looked like he suffered an injury as he limped into the locker room. So much was expected of Ivory Coast which made their rough tactics even harder to watch. South American teams have done very well and African teams have done very poorly.

When I started watching the Portugal v. N. Korea match, I noted the obvious change in approach and tactics by the N. Koreans. I also recall thinking that's a curious choice. They had a great showing against Brazil but they should have shown more respect for Portugal despite Portugal's recent goal scoring challenges. No challenges for goals on this day. I can recall playing in a soccer match when I was a kid where we lost 5-0. It's hard to describe what it feels like to be part of a complete meltdown when the losing side simply falls apart and just stares at the clock begging for the match to end. ESPN commentators mentioned that N. Korea practices at a public gym. What a sad state of affairs. Cristiano Ronaldo's goal was almost comical but you could see the relief on his face. He set up his teammates exceptionally well and they looked genuinely pleased when he scored. The results of that kind of camaraderie and teamwork were impressive indeed but you have to wonder why they don't do this against other teams. And why they felt the need to pile it on an obviously overwhelmed N. Korea.

Chile plays attractive soccer and obviously features several players with great creativity and skill. However, after playing Honduras and 10 man Switzerland, they only have 2 goals. Their goal differential is a respectable +2 but in this group it is entirely possible that goal differential will determine which team goes through to the knockout phase. Chile dominated both of their matches for large stretches of time so they might deeply regret not scoring more goals. And speaking of regret. Switzerland had a golden opportunity to tie the game and strengthen their position in the group. They face Honduras for their last match so they are probably hoping for a victory in their last match but they could easily secured a point against Chile.

I admire the way Honduras played against Spain. But their approach resulted in a predictably dominant performance by Spain. David Villa's two goals were impressive efforts but his penalty miss was inexcusable. Spain sits within this group where goal differential might become critical so they might really miss that penalty goal. At least Villa took shots. Spain must have had over 50 touches in Honduras' penalty area but they kept looking for the perfect pass or perfect goal. As an Arsenal fan, I know all too well the wonderful spectacle of such great soccer without results, which are especially important at the World Cup given the little margin for error. I'm sure Spain assumes that they will beat Chile but they also probably assumed they would beat Switzerland. Honduras has one more chance to win, tie or even simply score a goal. They have good players so I hope they put on a good show for their final match.

2010 World Cup First Matches

The first round of matches has ended. My random observations and comments:

It was perfect that South Africa scored the first goal of this World Cup and what an amazing shot it was. You could feel the collective sense of relief for an entire nation that was literally on the edge of its seats. Siphiwe Tshabalala is now the answer to what will become a famous trivia question.

Why is the French team in such a bad mood? Much to the chagrin of France's Deputy Sports Minister, they are staying at a luxury resort with rooms starting at $600/night. Yet this group of players seemed almost irritated to be playing. If they are finding it such a burden to play in the World Cup, I'm sure the Irish would be happy to take their place.

While Maradona seems to keep making headlines, it took Lionel Messi perhaps five minutes to demonstrate why he is worthy of wearing the Argentine #10 jersey. If not for Nigeria's goalkeeper Messi could have had a hat trick. On another day, Higuain could have also had a hat trick. Yet despite the firepower, Nigeria almost equalized late in the match. Let's hope the on-field artistry of Argentina overwhelms the off-field chatter from Maradona.

South Korea looked lively and Park Ji Sung made an impressive run for his goal. But beware of Greeks playing soccer. That might have been the worst performance of the first matches.

Robert Green. A name that will go down in infamy. For his and England's sake, I really hope that gaffe is behind him.

Luckily for Algeria's goalkeeper, his name isn't as easy to remember as Robert Green. His mistake leaves Slovenia sitting pretty in Group C.

Germany sure knows how to start their World Cup campaigns. In addition to the impressive soccer, I found it interesting that Germany started two Polish-born strikers and substituted one of them with a Brazilian-born striker. Diverse composition of players, same result.

Ghana secures the first African victory during the first African World Cup without even having Michael Essien in the lineup. I do think they'll miss him as the tournament continues.

The Netherlands start their campaign off with a victory over the Danes but through an own goal and a follow-up move by Dirk Kuyt -- that was not matched by the Danish defender who was originally between Kuyt and the ball.

What a cool finish by Keisuke Honda on the only shot of the first half for Japan. I understand Australia's reasons for switching to the Asian qualifying zone. But it is ironic that both the other Asian qualifiers, South Korea and Japan, won their opening matches. Samuel Eto'o looked like he needed much more support to showcase his talents.

Even when Paraguay scored, I knew Italy would find a way to equalize. They must love to torment their fans. Apparently Italy's manager Marcello Lippi complained about Paraguay's tactics stating that they tried to choke the game after they led 1-0. Hmmm...I wonder who else plays like that?

I completely understand why Winston Reid took off his shirt to celebrate New Zealand's last minute equalizer. Who cares if he got a yellow card? This was history in the making!! I wonder if New Zealanders will look back at this goal as their debut onto the world stage of soccer.

Ivory Coast v. Portugal. What a letdown. Cristiano Ronaldo had an impressive shot hit the cross bar but what I recall most vividly was his deplorable dive. Why doesn't he just focus on the tremendous soccer he's capable of playing? I can't believe Didier Drogba is playing but I hope he starts in their next match against Brazil. For me, best striker in the world.

North Korea held their own against mighty Brazil for 55 minutes. Was Maicon actually crying tears of relief after he scored? Was that goal the result of keeper error? Or did Maicon fake him out into believing a cross was forthcoming? Robinho's pass to Elano was the best pass of the first set of matches. ESPN's commentators claimed that the North Korean fans were actually paid Chinese actors. You can't make up this kind of stuff.

Honduras didn't look totally outclassed by Chile but they never looked particularly threatening either. I bet most people forget that Chile qualified in second place during the South American qualifiers. With this victory and Spain's defeat, Chile is in a good position for moving through to the second round.

Spain. Wow. They were about 10-15 degrees off the entire match. Or in the case of Xavi Alonso's rocket shot, 10-15 inches off. Why didn't Iker Casillas use his hands to stop the original shot from the Swiss. He would have undoubtedly been clobbered by the Swiss striker but better that than an entire nation being clobbered by this shocking loss. ESPN reported that during the last three World Cups, only 8% of the teams that lost their first match made it through to the second round. That's disheartening indeed. But if anyone can do it, Spain can.

Keeping Some Perspective

I'm enjoying my quadrennial vacation -- or perhaps I should say homage -- for the World Cup. I've been collecting some random thoughts about things that have happened on the field or within the stands but today it's important to focus on the host nation. South Africa suffered a rather decisive defeat at the feet of Uruguay today. Adding insult to injury was the red card handed out to their starting goalie meaning that he won't be eligible to play in the crucial match against France. Having to defeat France for any chance of moving into the second round is not a good position. South Africa could very easily become the first host nation to bounce out of the World Cup in the first round. Despite serious doubts, the US team managed to make it into the second round in 1994; South Korea and Japan also managed to do so in 2002 (with the South Koreans making it all the way to the semi-finals). Host nations are supposed to rise to new heights. I hope South Africa can somehow pull out a miracle.

But then again, South Africa has already pulled out many miracles. Today is South African Youth Day marking the anniversary of the Soweto riots. Prior to the match, ESPN showed clips of current South African students who thanked the brave souls who protested in 1976. Not only did those earlier students make a stand for education in South Africa, their actions were also powerful expressions against apartheid.

While the World Cup may seem all encompassing at the moment, I hope South Africans reflect on this day against the backdrop of history and not the bleak picture of today's soccer. It was sad to see South Africans leaving the stadium early and to note the sad expressions of those who chose to remain to the bitter end of the soccer match. But no soccer result should diminish South Africa's journey. In the movie "Invictus" there is a scene where Morgan Freeman (playing Nelson Mandela) notes that black South Africans are cheering for England during a rugby match. One of South Africa's defenders, Matthew Booth, is injured for this World Cup. When I first watched him play, I wondered if some fans -- non-white fans -- were actually booing him. Not the case. He has become a fan favorite to the point where fans yell "Boooooooooth" when he touches the ball. During South Africa's matches, the stadiums has been filled with South Africans of all varieties cheering for the team. Those students during the Soweto riots were protesting for fundamental rights but in less direct ways their actions may have also led to the sights we're witnessing during the World Cup.

I'm sure that there remains much to do in South African in terms of racial equality or harmony or economic progress and equity. But then again how many nations can claim that they are done when it comes to such things?

A Dubious Start for the World Cup

Yesterday I watched the team drawing and placements for the 2010 World Cup next summer in South Africa. While many throughout the world are already mapping out what they hope will be the easiest path for their team (and no doubt I will start considering the various permutations soon enough), I am struck by the ongoing "Le Hand of God" saga involving Thierry Henry. If you follow soccer even casually, you are no doubt aware that Henry handled the ball (not just once, but twice) before the goal that secured France's passage to the World Cup (and doomed Ireland's hopes). Apparently even this year's World Cup draw host nation babe Charlize Theron entered the fray. During the rehearsal for the drawing it is rumored that when she drew the ball for France she called out Ireland's name.

Always ready to defend honor (and perhaps also to criticize the French), the English soccer press has insisted that nothing short of the "honor of the game" is at stake. SMS alert: the honor of the game has already been lost. Anyone who knows me somewhat knows that I am a soccer fan. But I'm not a fanatic.

FIFA and UEFA are investigating one of the biggest soccer match fixing cases in history that might include matches in the Champions League -- the jewel of European club soccer. Only three years ago, mighty Italian clubs Juventus, Fiorentina and Lazio were relegated to Serie B for match fixing. Players regularly dive looking for penalties or free kicks. Even one of FIFA's attempts at fair play has been twisted for perverse purposes. Players will regularly fall to the pitch and writhe around in apparent pain, seeking a stoppage in play or for the opposing team to kick the ball out of play. It's amazing how many of these players hop up right afterwards or if the ball returns nearby. And there continue to be truly unfortunate and reprehensible incidents of racism or violence associated with soccer. The beautiful game has a distinctly ugly side.

Apparently, Henry is quite distraught about this whole incident. This is the individual who helped launch FIFA's anti-racism campaign so he clearly has a civil streak within him. FIFA is investigating the matter. It's possible that they might even ban him for the opening match of the World Cup. France's last World Cup campaign ended with Zidane's inappropriate use of his head and their current World Cup campaign begins with Henry's inappropriate use of his hand. Let's hope that they and the other teams let their feet speak for them. With such a high profile case of cheating, it's possible FIFA might clamp down on unsporting behavior during the 2010 World Cup. Each World Cup offers another opportunity for FIFA to right the ship or at least keep it from hitting an iceberg.

There's a great deal of attention and focus on this first World Cup in Africa. Nelson Mandela was instrumental in bringing the World Cup to Africa and he offered words of inspiration and encouragement in the sublime manner that perhaps only he can manage. The movie "Invictus" will bring to the screen the story Mandela's simultaneously inspired and calculated move to unite South Africa behind their rugby team during the 1995 Rugby World Cup. At the least, sport is an interesting pastime and, at the worst, a terrible distraction from things that really matter. But it does have the power to unite, inspire and electrify an entire nation. If the 2010 World Cup brings attention to South Africa's remarkable journey, then perhaps we should celebrate that more than the soccer.

But at the end of the day, what drives soccer more than anything is money. Is it a surprise that players, managers, and football federations behave in an uncivil manner given the very large sums of money that are involved. Which team would sell more t-shirts and tickets: France or Ireland? This World Cup may bring attention to Africa but I doubt there will be much discussion about soccer clubs basically purchasing the "rights" to children from Africa in the pursuit of the next soccer legend. I have no doubt that FIFA will try to do something about fair play during this World Cup. But I suspect something else is worrying them even more at the moment.

World Cup ticket sales are much slower than expected.

Using Toilet Paper Carefully

The memories of the 2006 World Cup have begun to fade. As the intensity of the event dissipates, I find myself remembering Argentina as the most memorable team, with team brilliance exemplified by a goal preceded by 24 passes and individual brilliance showcased by Rodriguez's goal against Mexico. While the escapism was fun, it's time to think about other matters.

I wrote earlier about my reasons for calling this blog "Decide." I have made an important decision: I am eating less.

This isn't part of a starvation diet, or a fast, or anything of the sort. I'm simply eating less food because I don't need to eat as much food. When I was in the UK for ten days, I ate less than I normally do. I didn't choose to do so. It's just harder to keep snacking and eating large quantities of food in the UK. The English and the Scots aren't the healthiest Europeans, but they eat less than folks in the US of A. And they walk much more. So, as I found myself eating less and exercising more, I asked myself why I eat so much when I'm at home.

This is something my wife has been encouraging me to do for a long time. There are moments in life when we experience an epiphany, notice with greater clarity, turn the corner, or [insert your favorite phrase here]. For my first lunch after I returned home, I ate only half of my usual sandwich. I worked out that evening as well.

Then I felt hungry. I haven't felt hungry in a long, long time.

Not the kind of hunger that's debilitating, which far too many people face all too often, but a hunger that urged me to refuel. There's something very wrong when people are hungry and don't know when and where their next meal will come from. But there's nothing wrong with a little hunger to remind you that it's time to eat. That you need to eat. I've been eating on auto-pilot for a long time. For too long. I've been eating an appetizer, a main course, often with a soda and dessert and stuffing myself to the limit for every meal. It still isn't too late for me to reverse course, but my father spent his life eating on auto-pilot and it ruined his health. I'm about eating about half as much as I used to eat and exercising more often. And I'm doing just fine. In fact, after only about a month of this change, I feel better than I have in a long time.

Everyone is reminded not to waste food. Typically, this well-meaning reminder manifests itself in eating everything on your plate. Less often it results in people ordering less food to begin with. I can sense the immediate impact on my health and well-being, but I also think about the broader impacts.

I have picked up, and put down repeatedly (remember, I've only taken a few steps along my thousand mile journey) Returning to Silence by Dainin Katagiri. The first time I started to read it, I was prepared to launch myself into Buddhist wisdom. Seeking the timeless wisdom of the Buddhist masters, I came across the phrases in the Foreward:

"We can help in many ways. Using toilet paper carefully is helping others. Don't expect helping to be a big deal. In everyday life, we can help someone or something all the time."

Even before I started reading the book proper, I put it down.

Using toilet paper carefully? I wanted to change the world!!! Since then, I have contemplated the "ripple effect" of using toilet paper carefully. Less waste, less production, less energy usage, less harm to the environment...Less is more indeed. More for others who need it much more than I do.

Bumper sticker wisdom: "Live Simply so that Others May Simply Live" (Actually, I think Gandhi said this).

Yesterday, when I ordered less than my usual amount of food for lunch, I gave back two packets of honey mustard sauce. What if everyone gave back unwanted or unused sauce, or as I will do when I've taken another step along the journey, used no sauce at all? And given the state of the world today, what if we didn't keep driving around until we found that "perfect" spot right near the entrance. What if we actually walked, or used mass transit (of course, we'd have to follow Portland's example first and build effective mass transit).

Many have stated that you can't change the world; you can only change yourself, or your place in it. As for the inertial idea that time will heal all wounds, Andy Warhol said, "They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself."

Civility and Soccer

I waited to write this final post about the 2006 World Cup until I had a chance to meet with Professor P. M. Forni at Johns Hopkins University. Professor Forni has become a leading authority on the topic of civility. I submitted to him that this World Cup, more than any before it, was defined by the issue of civility.

France played cautiously versus Portugal in their semi-final encounter. Perhaps they were saving energy; perhaps they were aware that Portugal would spend more effort diving, faking injuries and acting rather than trying to score an equalizer. By this point, it seemed, the referees were all too familiar with Portugese antics. Scolari only sealed Portugal's place from as the least civil team when he chose to berate the referees at the end of the match, rather than focus on his players, the other players, the fans...No moment defined Portugal's "performance" more than one of Christiano Ronaldo's dives during this game. At the edge of the box, he launched himself into one of his numerous dives. Anyone who's played soccer knows that if you're really tripped, your first thoughts rest upon getting your bearings, putting your hands out, bracing yourself, etc. Since Ronaldo initiated his own fall, he had the opportunity to stare longingly at the referee, appealing for a foul or penalty even before he hit the ground.

His dive may have appeared swanlike, but it definitely reflected an ugly duckling.

He has some interesting times ahead. Let's hope he concentrates his efforts on bolstering his considerable gifts as a soccer player and not taking lessons to augment his less than considerable acting skills.

As Portugal continued its uncivil ways in the third-fourth place match against Germany, France played more passionately during the final with Italy. Materazzi did not deserve to be penalized in the box, and Zidane's cheeky spot kick nearly cost him. These two men would become intertwined in a most memorable--and unfortunate--way. France did play better overall, and while Italy had its opportunities, they did resort to the defensive-minded play of previous days. But all of these considerations would be lost for a few minutes of madness.

I was watching the finals in London at a student cafeteria at Imperial College in London. Everyone in the room gasped and then fell into silence as we watched Zidane head butt Materazzi. Even now, we do not know what Materazzi said, but we know that Zidane reacted in a most inappropriate manner.

Zidane has apologized--sort of. While he stated that he was sorry for the children who witnessed his act, he went to assert that if he hadn't acted in this manner, whatever Materazzi said would have been validated. So much for turning the other cheek. Materazzi, even if he did not use the vile type of insult insinuated by Zidane's statements, certainly tried to inflame him. Materazzi has apparently been involved in similar incidents before.

Perhaps even more bizarre than the incident itself is the fact that Zidane won the Golden Ball award (FIFA needs to let people vote until the day after the finals), and that the French have applauded and celebrated him. It's understandable that they wish to honor his legendary career, but it almost seems as if they're saying it's OK to head butt someone as long as you're an exceptional soccer player. When David Beckham received his red card in the 1998 World Cup, even Manchester United fans gave him a hard time (at least for a brief time). Soccer laurels--individual, club, and national--may be enough for the French to forgive Zidane, but they are obviously insufficient to exorcise Zidane's inner demons.

In a fundamental way, this head butt incident reflects the 2006 World Cup. Zidane played so elegantly at times, reminded us of greater glory days of soccer, but he also showed the very nasty side of soccer. With so much at stake, it's perhaps surprising that we don't see even more uncivil behavior.

Franz Beckenbauer has called for a summit to identify ways to remedy the diving, shirt tugging, injury faking, name calling, head butting, and racism that is present in soccer. And there's good reason to do so beyond generating more goals. But it's worth noting that the fans try to introduce their own brand of judgment. Christiano Ronaldo was booed passionately each time he touched the ball in latter games. The fans whistle and jeer when teams play negatively, and criticize managers adopt defensive tactics. It seems that at least some fans still expect a beautiful game, played with a gentleman's code of conduct.

And then there are the Germans. The Italians are probably still celebrating in the eternal city, but the Germans were the real winners during this World Cup. They proved to be the best examples of civility, both on and off the pitch.

A Classic Semi-Final

If you watched the Germany v. Italy semi-final match today, and found it boring, then you're just not going to enjoy soccer. Or you could watch coverage in a country (the UK) that knows soccer, as I had the great opportunity to do so today. Hearing English commentators made me realize even more just how bad ESPN/ABC coverage has been.

This match demonstrated that a 0-0 scoreline does not preclude tremendous end-to-end, free-flowing soccer. Each team generated several great scoring opportunities, only to be thwarted by even better defending and goalkeeping. Soccer is so demanding, that it's understandable players took pauses to catch their breath--but not for long. Finally, we saw players getting up quickly after taking a knock, and a referee who managed to maintain control, allowed the match to flow, without resorting to cards and penalties.

Truth be told, Italy was the better team. In fact, Argentina was the better team against Germany, but this German team has over-achieved. Klinsmann took a team with only a couple of superstars and took them within two minutes of the finals. Does anyone doubt that Germany would have won a penalty kick shootout? And let's offer tremendous credit to the Germans for not playing negatively or cynically for penalty kicks. Germany looked more fatigued at the end, perhaps because having to chase a team with superior play took its toll.

For the first goal, four German defenders lost sight of Grosso and chased Pirlo holding the ball. Pirlo's pass was a wonderful reverse pass that gave Grosso the opening--and he made no mistake. It was simultaneously sad and fitting to see Ballack moving through the box to close the space on Grosso. He has done so much to propel this German team, but even he couldn't save them on this occasion.

After the match ended, the fans in the stands immediately waved their German flags and clapped for their team. As Boris Becker stated in an interview, "we displayed patriotism, not nationalism." And rightly so. They should be very proud of the way this team played, and what they accomplished. Klinsmann stated that he needs to think about what comes next. The Germans will certainly want him to continue through the Euro 2008. And he'd be crazy to turn down this offer to coach the US team just because he lives in California. It seems, even in soccer, the world is flat and a great manager can manage across continents.

The Italians are worthy finalists. How ironic that their domestic league faces turmoil, discord, and controversy while their national team provides the exact opposite. This team continues to play positive, attractive soccer. They are, as usual, solid in the back, but perhaps more than ever, they feature creative, flowing, energized play in the midfield with deadly strikers up front. Gilardino's vision to note Del Piero--and his willingness to deftly pass him the ball--is the kind of teamwork and skill that Brazil could have, but never, delivered. If we are to be without the samba of Brazilian, then at least we can enjoy the danza seria of the Italians.

If Only Soccer Could Solve Political Problems

There are several instances of major soccer tournaments resulting in cease-fires--for at least the duration of the tournament. As the 2006 offering of The World Cup reaches the final, troops are amassed along the Gaza strip, rockets are fired from North Korea, explosions continue in Iraq, and a host of other conflicts and near conflicts remain.

People throughout the world take pause during The World Cup but it seems clear that political, ethnic, and religious tensions dominate over interest in soccer. It's a nice thought that a month-long party could help the world find peace--if only for a brief interlude--but it's clear that these conflicts won't be solved on the soccer pitch.

Denouement

It's hard for this soccer diehard to admit it, but in recent offerings, The World Cup undergoes a certain drag from the quarter-finals onward. Yes, the powerhouse teams face off against each other, but this is part of the reason we start to see inordinate emphasis on doing whatever is necessary to win. As the stakes rise, we are presented with tantalizing matchups, only to see over-cautious play from managers who take the games out of the players' hands and, in some cases, resort to dirty tactics.

Argentina dominated Germany throughout most of their match. Initially, I thought Germany might have been playing cautiously on purpose, but I think Argentina simply had more skill on the ball, keeping the Germans at bay. After scoring their goal, Argentina inexplicably and completely changed its tactics. Obviously, they wanted to protect their lead, but if they had kept playing at 80% instead of 30%, I'm convinced Germany would not have found its rhythm. A team doesn't change its tactics so drastically unless the manager has instructed them to do so. Pekerman's substitutions were, to say the least, curious. Unless Riquelme was injured, why would you take out the one player who can control possession better than anyone else on the pitch? And why did he not bring Messi or Savioli into the game instead of Cruz? The Argentines had their best chances through speed and skill, not through size and strength. Pekerman has offered to resign. Obviously, he's done a great job in building up this team, and one game doesn't make or break a manager's career. But I wish he had let Argentina play soccer, instead of getting too caught up in managerial tactics.

On the other hand, what is happening to Italy? The team that perfected catenaccio played with an offensive flair that led to three goals, including two for Luca Toni, who must be thrilled to finally find the back of the net. Italy did not seem content with a 1-0 scoreline. As for Ukraine, they started playing soccer again. And it nearly paid dividends. They hit the woodwork on two separate occasions and had a close, direct shot before Toni found his scoring touch at the other end. If they had found Shevchenko on those occasions, they might have equalized. I wonder if they might have scored more easily if they hadn't turned off their offense for nearly two games.

England, on the other hand, has never turned its offense on. Sven Goran Eriksson said that reaching the quarter-finals was "not good enough." No kidding. Given the talent that England possesses, being bounced out in the quarter-finals for three successive tournaments has to be inadequate. England is capable of playing elegant, attractive soccer. During Eriksson's tenure, they have apparently decided to bore their opponents to death while waiting for Beckham to score on a set piece. It's a strange choice for a team with so much potential. And talk about strange substitutions. What exactly was Eriksson thinking when he waited until the 118th minute to substitute for a substitute? Aaron Lennon was one of the few bright spots on the pitch. Does he take bad penalty kicks? Put him tenth on the list. Carragher had obviously practiced his "no look" penalty kick; it's too bad he didn't wait for the whistle. If Eriksson wasn't going to play Theo Walcott, why did he pick him for the squad? John Terry was getting cramps. Why not put in experienced Sol Campbell to help a tiring defense and to offer another target for set pieces?

Only a few of their players seem to rage against this machine of Eriksson's sleep walking soccer. Wayne Rooney is one of them. But he showed us the dark side of his passion. Regardless of what might have happened, Rooney needs to show more composure in these circumstances. England already knows who will take the helm of this team. Hopefully, Steve McLaren will tap into his players' natural skills, rather than suppress them only to lose in penalty kicks. What isn't clear is who will take the helm on the pitch. Watching Beckham limp off the pitch, while Gerrard yelled at teammates for missed assignments and Terry organized them in the back, made everyone wonder about the captaincy.

Portugese manager Scolari has a twelve game winning streak in The World Cup. He has managed to send England home in the last three major tournaments. It's an impressive streak. But what I find most disconcerting about Scolari's impact on his teams is the dirty tactics. Let's not forget that the Scolari-led 2002 Brazil team featured Rivaldo's distasteful cheating tactic. Brazil plays a very clean, fair brand of soccer, often resulting in the fair play award (even though they play so many games). It was shocking to see Rivaldo act in this way and even more shocking to hear him admit he cheated. Scolari defended Rivaldo's action. On this occasion, several Portugese players are engaged in time wasting, diving, injury faking, and who knows what Cristiano Ronaldo said or did during Rooney's red card episode. Ronaldo apparently winked at the Portugese bench after Rooney was ejected. Ronaldo went on to lecture Peter Crouch when one of his Portugese teammates was clearly faking. It's great to see that someone of Christiano Ronaldo's talents is using his time in the Premier League to "learn" about his English club teammates. Given the number of players, and the number of incidents, one has to believe this is part of Scolari's tactics. Marcelo Balboa sadly (and repeatedly) believes that such cheating is part of the game, but does Scolari not believe Portugal can simply play great soccer? He has a great winning streak in The World Cup, but I think it comes with an asterisk.

I chose a French word for the title of this entry to honor Zidane. I eat my words yet again for suggesting that maybe the French would be better off without him in the lineup--and I'm glad to do so. It was fantastic to seeing him play with such joy, skill and passion. Was Brazil simply overwhelmed? On more than one occasion, Zidane weaved his way through stunned Brazilian players, but Brazil also didn't come to play. For the entire World Cup. Perhaps the selfishness they displayed in their match against Ghana was evidence of a lack of teamplay. I don't think the 4-5-1 formation helped matters either. While he leaves with the all-time scoring record, Ronaldo certainly hasn't been working hard up front. Once Brazil fell behind (and how could Henry rush forward completely unmarked?), we saw Adriano and Robinho, which changed matters. There was finally urgency but, again, it was basically driven by individual initiative, rather than cohesive teamwork.

If we're praising Zidane for his individual inspiration that led to great teamwork, it's time to admit something that few are saying at this point:

Ronaldinho was the biggest disappointment of the 2006 World Cup.

Zidane's prime performance was eight years ago (or perhaps over the next two games?) and it's been three years since he was chosen World Player of the Year. Ronaldinho is coming off back to back recognition of this pinnacle of individual accomplishment, and a Champions League title with Barcelona. If anyone should have matched Zidane's brilliance, it was Ronaldinho. Perhaps when Zidane was sitting on the bench during France's final first round match, he realized how few opportunities even someone of his considerable gifts would experience. It would take a meteor strike for Brazil to miss the 2010 World Cup. So Ronaldinho should get another chance, and hopefully he will fully embrace the idea that he should bring his best game to The World Cup.

For all the tactics, clean and dirty, that managers bring to their teams, it's important to realize that the players must win the matches by simply playing soccer--and that's when the game is its most beautiful.

And Then There Were Eight

Brazil and France joined Germany, Argentina, Ukraine, Italy, England and Portugal in the quarter-finals. Six European teams, and the traditional two powerhouse South Americans. Ronaldo made history becoming the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history. And he has at least one game remaining. His goal was classic jogo bonito, but the rest of Brazil's performance was, well, Italian. They played like a team that wanted to win more than they wanted to play beautiful soccer. Who could blame them?

At one point, it seemed that Brazilian fans could. It was wonderful to see them clap for Asamoah Gyan following one of his shots, shortly before he was given a second yellow card for diving. It's worth noting that both referees today managed to avoid becoming the focus of attention--for the most part. Ghana deserve tremendous credit for their performance. I had questioned keeper Kingson earlier, but if it hadn't been for him, Brazil would have won 6-0. Ghana played jogo bonito throughout the tournament, and out-Braziled Brazil for much of the match. They delighted the crowds and played the role of surprise team to perfect effect. Hopefully, we'll enjoy their performance in 2010 as well. It's hard to criticize Brazil, but it was shocking to see Adriano, Roberto Carlos and Cafu take ineffective shots when a simple pass to a teammate would have resulted in a sure goal. The margin for error--and selfishness--diminishes with each match.

Vive La France. They, and Zidane in particular, offered an inspiring performance against Spain. A few days ago, I speculated that France might be better without Zidane because they were asking too much of him. So much for my soccer foresight. He was instrumental in the victory, even finding the net in stoppage time. I will note that he should have been fresher than other players because he missed a match, but perhaps I'm splitting hairs. I hope he plays with the same passion and energy against Brazil.

Unfortunately, Spanish manager Aragones and French striker Henry were part of the storyline even before the match started. It's unfortunate because of Aragones asinine comment during a Spanish practice session when he referred to Henry as a "black piece of s**t." I think it would have been poetic justice if Henry had scored the winning goal. He had a part in it, but not in an elegant manner. Watching the replay, I have to say that I don't think Puyol fouled Henry. Puyol said as much, complained about the call, regretted the second goal, but then offered the following quote:

"It hurts to lose this way, because I think we deserved more and we were playing a great game. But that's football. We now have to recover and think ahead to the next tournament."

Wise advice for those who are still bemoaning their favorite team's departure because of a bad call. Puyol obviously had the ability to put matters into perspective. It was really encouraging to see Spanish players greeting, congratulating and exchanging jerseys with French players without hesitation or bias. Soccer players sometimes know better than their managers.

I'm willing to eat my words and admit that I was wrong about Zidane. On a much more serious note, I hope Aragones is willing to do the same about Henry.

Racism in Soccer

As I'm watching the thoroughly enjoyable Brazil v. Ghana match, ESPN's halftime show reminded me of the one of the most unpleasant, distasteful aspects of soccer--the displays of racism. While there are unfortunate, indefensible signs of racism from the fans, they showed a TV clip of Spanish manager, Aragones, referring to France's Thierry Henry as a "black piece of s**t." I've been really admiring Spanish football, but this is inexcusable. Aragones claims he was simply using whatever tools or methods necessary to motivate his players. Maybe Aragones think's it would be OK to place a burning cross in the middle of the pitch? The Spanish football federation responded by fining him about four thousand dollars. Big deal.

I've talked about soccer being great escapism, but when winning soccer games becomes more important than respecting human beings, we have a serious problem.

After being critical of Ukraine's playing style, I now see that there's a much more serious concern about their manager, Blokhin. Here's a quote from an article in the PalmBeachPost.com:

In Ukraine, national-team coach Oleg Blokhin told reporters that his countrymen should stay in their national league so younger players could learn from them "and not some zumba-bumba whom they took off a tree, gave two bananas and now he plays in the Ukrainian league." No apology followed. One South African paper said Blokhin "has the politics of a mentally ill T-Rex."

This comment is simply unbelievable and reprehensible, especially from someone who's team is playing anti-soccer. As far as I can tell, there hasn't been a problem with the fans during The World Cup. But if FIFA won't discipline managers for this type of behavior, how can they claim to take this problem seriously?

Go ahead and criticize US soccer style or its parochial sports, but I'm glad to note that there's no way a US coach or player would get away with saying such things.

A Day of Penalty Kicks

When one hears about penalty kicks, it would be natural to assume that the Italians found themselves on the short end of the stick. Italian fans are convinced that the Azzurri are cursed to lose through penalty kicks, or doomed to failure because of conspiracies (most often manifesting themselves through referees' decisions against the Italians). So when the Italians were a man down, through a questionable red card, it seemed that they might be heading for another self-fulfilling prophecy. But not on this day.

Italian manager, Marcello Lippi, showed some courage by putting Totti on the bench, and starting Del Piero in the midfield. On another day, Luca Toni would have had a hat trick. Today, he just kept shaking his head after near misses. Lippi showed a willingness to adapt to the needs of the day when he brought Totti into the fray, something Van Basten wasn't willing to do with Van Nistelrooij. Lippi showed even more courage by allowing Totti to take the penalty kick. I thought it was important to have someone fresh take the kick, but I thought it would be Iaquinta. Totti did not hesitate, and he did not disappoint. Given the Italians recent woes with penalty kicks, it must have been very satisfying for the Italians to win with a penalty kick in the 95th minute.

As for the Socceroos, they deserve a lot of respect. I have been questioning their move into the Asian confederation but, after their performance in the Cup, it's only right to state that the Asian confederation will be richer for Australia's presence. I'm not sure what Australian defender, Lucas Neill, was doing or thinking. Perhaps he just lost his head. At that point in the match, Neill could have shouldered or bumped Grosso fairly aggressively without consequence. But when he lay down on the pitch and reached back, the referee had to call the penalty.

I think Hiddink might have been assuming that the game was destined for extra time. He has made so many prescient substitutions in earlier games, but he made only one today. More than anyone else, the Italians find a way to win through one quick strike, so perhaps he should have not expected more time for additional substitutes. But it's hard to criticize Hiddink. He showed class when he gathered his players, and persuaded them to absorb and recognize their fans' cheering and applause. Now Russia get a chance to experience the Hiddink effect.

"Where's the quality?" John Harkes said it best when he asked this question in the Ukraine v. Switzerland match. He later added, "ambition, imagination, and creativity" to the list of missing elements. For much of the match, both teams worked hard, but an errant pass, or a missed run, or a poor finish left the match without a goal. Both Shevchekno and Frei hit the woodwork, providing evidence that with appropriate service, they could have broken the deadlock.

At least the Swiss kept trying until the end. I fear that we may have found the "anti-soccer" team of the tournament with the Ukraine. After showing that they can score against the Saudis, Ukraine has chosen too often the lowest common denominator. Honestly, Switzerland deserved to win, but even their penalty kicks didn't have enough quality.

It''s too bad they couldn't bring Totti into their lineup.

An Ugly Day of Soccer

Today's matches provided plenty of ammunition for the soccer detractors throughout the world.

For all the talent that England possesses in its midfield players and strikers, it is amazing how they produce some of the dullest, uninspiring, and numbing soccer. I'm so hard on England because I really like the way they are capable of playing. Individual players such as Cole, Lampard, Gerrard, and certainly Rooney have had their moments, but as a collective, they just aren't performing. Say what you will about David Beckham, but his free kicks have been directly responsible for two England victories, against the two South American teams they have faced. One might argue that it's a high price to pay for keeping him in the lineup if all he does is take charge of set pieces. But given how much England has come to rely upon these set pieces, it seems worth it. Rooney demonstrated that he can play the full 90 minutes, and that he can still cause havoc. I got the feeling that he is beginning to conclude that he has to take matters into his own hands, which is good for England--and bad for its opponents.

Apparently, Ecuador's manager, Luis Suarez, said they were happy to make it past the first round. They certainly played this way. Maybe the offensive flair they displayed against Costa Rica and Poland was possible only against weaker competition. It was conspicuously absent against both Germany and England. The most surprising aspect of their play was a lack of urgency, but not everyone is obsessed with marching through the tournament. They certainly represented their country well.

England and Ecuador may be criticized for playing poorly. As for the Netherlands and Portugal, they should be ashamed for behaving poorly. The Dutch and Portugese teams are amongst the most creative, elegant and talented teams in the world, which made it even more sad to see the WWE debacle during this match. Having watched so many of these players in club and national team matches, I was shocked to see them behave in this manner. World class players were anything but world class. Lost amongst the wrestling, head-butting, kicking and shoving, we witnessed this evening was a fantastic goal by Maniche. It offered such fleeting promise for the match.

I wonder about Van Basten's coaching this evening. Hindsight is always 20/20, but keeping out Van Nistelrooij was a curious decision. He's obviously not the most popular guy around these days, and perhaps he didn't play with tremendous intensity in the first three games. But the Dutch needed one goal to keep alive, and Van Nistelrooij represents a great option for that one special moment. I also think Scolari used the 4-5-1 formation masterfully. The Dutch couldn't find any space in the midfield or Portugese end of the field.

I'm a great admirer of both Dutch and Portugese, but this match was one of the worst displays in World Cup history. It's too bad we can't replace Portugal with Mexico.

And just when we thought the refereeing could not get any worse. How can a referee hand out 101,351 cards and still lose complete control of the match? FIFA has indicated that it will send home referees who perform poorly. I hope Ivanov was sent to the airport right after the match. If FIFA follows through with their plans, who will be left to referee the final matches?

Where are you, Pierluigi Collina :-)

A Beautiful Day of Soccer

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.