FIFA World Cup 2006 - Part 3
Well, after the good and the bad news comes the in-between. There's so much talk that falls into this category.
Last things first: Zidane had the best farewell match a player could ever ask for. How many players do you know announce their retirement and then reach the finals? Ah, the headbutt. I say thats an even better way to leave the field for the last time. No sarcasm, people. Enough has been said and lip-read the world over. So the best player of this generation has hung up his boots after being made to put them on for one last time. Joining him will be Lilian Thuram, another French great.
Carlos, the eighty-centimetre-circumference-a-thigh bazooka, has retired too. Known for his freaky free-kicks and giving 'defender' a flexible meaning, he ended his international career with many criticising the way he didnt mark an opponent. He will go down in history as one of the best on the left flank. Not to forget the 'banana' kick he made famous.
Luis Figo would have liked a better finale to his international game. But he did lead his country to the penultimate stage after a gap of 40 years - unfortunately lost there too. Nobody seems to be barking about his headbutting. Maybe because it was so subtle. Or maybe because the referee lost his head too. Whatever it was, another great player leaving an illustrious career. Pauleta will join him, being the highest goal scorer for Portugal.
Oliver Kahn will be missed between the German goalposts. Effectively one of the best goalkeepers of the past decade, he didnt quite enjoy this Cup final. But he did get to have one last shot in the game for the third place. It will be difficult to find a goalkeeper of his calibre.
Apart from these individuals, theres Italy. The domestic scene is boiling in hot debate and controversy as the international one is basking in glory. Anti-thesis, this. It proved they have it in them to get on both sides of the line - that too, doing it well. But tell me, which country's domestic scene (regardless of the sport) has no corruption? Dont say cricket in India; youll have to have an IQ lower than Buffon's jersey number to say that.
Goalscoring in the Cup finals was a disappointment, according to the organisers. They have woken up to the importance of having a high-scoring game. Did well to realise crowds love to watch goals being scored. But theres one problem. These are not ignorant cricket fans from the Indian subcontinent who curse the sun, moon and the stars if one dot ball is played. Football fans go crazy watching sublime control of the ball and tackles too. So widening the goals or some other move to get more goals on the scoresheet will not make much of a difference to the overall outcome.
I guess thats it regarding the World Cup. It would take a lot more space to just keep mentioning incidents and players, let alone opinion. Overall, a truly wonderful and exhilirating experience.
Last things first: Zidane had the best farewell match a player could ever ask for. How many players do you know announce their retirement and then reach the finals? Ah, the headbutt. I say thats an even better way to leave the field for the last time. No sarcasm, people. Enough has been said and lip-read the world over. So the best player of this generation has hung up his boots after being made to put them on for one last time. Joining him will be Lilian Thuram, another French great.
Carlos, the eighty-centimetre-circumference-a-thigh bazooka, has retired too. Known for his freaky free-kicks and giving 'defender' a flexible meaning, he ended his international career with many criticising the way he didnt mark an opponent. He will go down in history as one of the best on the left flank. Not to forget the 'banana' kick he made famous.
Luis Figo would have liked a better finale to his international game. But he did lead his country to the penultimate stage after a gap of 40 years - unfortunately lost there too. Nobody seems to be barking about his headbutting. Maybe because it was so subtle. Or maybe because the referee lost his head too. Whatever it was, another great player leaving an illustrious career. Pauleta will join him, being the highest goal scorer for Portugal.
Oliver Kahn will be missed between the German goalposts. Effectively one of the best goalkeepers of the past decade, he didnt quite enjoy this Cup final. But he did get to have one last shot in the game for the third place. It will be difficult to find a goalkeeper of his calibre.
Apart from these individuals, theres Italy. The domestic scene is boiling in hot debate and controversy as the international one is basking in glory. Anti-thesis, this. It proved they have it in them to get on both sides of the line - that too, doing it well. But tell me, which country's domestic scene (regardless of the sport) has no corruption? Dont say cricket in India; youll have to have an IQ lower than Buffon's jersey number to say that.
Goalscoring in the Cup finals was a disappointment, according to the organisers. They have woken up to the importance of having a high-scoring game. Did well to realise crowds love to watch goals being scored. But theres one problem. These are not ignorant cricket fans from the Indian subcontinent who curse the sun, moon and the stars if one dot ball is played. Football fans go crazy watching sublime control of the ball and tackles too. So widening the goals or some other move to get more goals on the scoresheet will not make much of a difference to the overall outcome.
I guess thats it regarding the World Cup. It would take a lot more space to just keep mentioning incidents and players, let alone opinion. Overall, a truly wonderful and exhilirating experience.
posted by heston at 5:15 PM
1 Comments:
pauleta will be the highest scorer for portugal. he eclipsed eusebio.
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