World Cup 2010 - The Final & World Best XI
The Biggest winner of this World Cup is the host South Africa. Off the pitch they were well organised, no major incidents and security was good. The stadiums were all beautiful and the sight of ex President Nelson Mandela on the buggy lent meaning to the event. Most surprisingly, there were no acts of hooliganism or fighting in the terraces meaning that people are more well behaved or the security forces not just in S.A. but in their home countries have done a terrific job. Bravo! Everybody wants to rule the world. Here's Tears For Fears:
The Final
When Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk said they will play ugly to win, I thought he meant to play defensive. I thought I understood him as they have the world's best players in 1974 and lost to the then West Germany after taking an early lead. Then a slightly lesser team lost to Argentina in 1978. So learning from these lessons you want to be sure to win even if ugly. The irony was that Rinus Michels and Johan Cruyff who gave the world total football back then with Ajax and Holland brought their methods to Barcelona in Spain and then for Spain. Cryuff did so first as a player and then coach. He won everything except the World Cup as he walked away from the national team in 1978 and was not involved. Though Cruyff picked Spain to win, he is now asahamed with the method that Holland employed and called it "anti-football".
Was it just tension as Bert said or part of the overall strategy to stop Spain from playing? England's only representative Howard Webb the referee who played better than Rooney must have a very tough time. The Dutch complained of his poor refereeing and I agreed. If I were in charge, Holland would be reduced to 7 men. Heitinga, van Bommel, Robben and definitely De Jong would get a straight red for lounging his right foot onto Alonso's chest. I thought he was aiming for Alonso's family jewel to stop his descendants but missed and end up on his chest.
This is not soccer but thuggery and that tackle belonged to a no-holds-barred full contact martial arts championship. Or could it be that he wasn't looking but just charging for the ball and Webb gave him the benefit of the doubt and gave a yellow? If Webb applied the rules in full force early on we will have a lop-sided final and end up with 711, 7 v 11 that is. The dutch knew that he hails from the EPL where crunching tackles is a way of life and tested him out. Should Webb have shown his colours early on? I am angry with De Jong for what he did because a goalie once did the same thing to me plunging his foot the same way into my abdomen in a one-on-one which had me almost blacked out. The pain was so intense I thought I was going to die. There was no intention to play the ball.
This is not soccer but thuggery and that tackle belonged to a no-holds-barred full contact martial arts championship. Or could it be that he wasn't looking but just charging for the ball and Webb gave him the benefit of the doubt and gave a yellow? If Webb applied the rules in full force early on we will have a lop-sided final and end up with 711, 7 v 11 that is. The dutch knew that he hails from the EPL where crunching tackles is a way of life and tested him out. Should Webb have shown his colours early on? I am angry with De Jong for what he did because a goalie once did the same thing to me plunging his foot the same way into my abdomen in a one-on-one which had me almost blacked out. The pain was so intense I thought I was going to die. There was no intention to play the ball.
Then there was that dispute on Robben being grabbed momentarily by Carles Puyol. If a free-kick was awarded then Puyol would be off since he was the last man. The thing about Robben is that he got his own retribution because he always make a meal when in contact and 9 out of 10 times he falls so easily. Who would believe that he was fouled when Puyol put an arm across and this time he did not fall but surged forward and was stopped by Casillas meaning that it was just a light touch. Sergio Ramos with a hairstyle like one of the commandos that fought with the Predator was brilliant. Puyol (I think he should change his hairstyle) and Gerard Pique was solid at the back. Can you imagine the Pique didn't make the cut at Manchested United and now starring for Barcelona and Spain? Pedro was a wrong pick.
The only thing threatening about him is his stubble threatening to break out into a moustache. Now Jesus Navas was a breath of fresh air. Jesus saves, haven't you heard? It's true. Navas was quick, twisted and turned. Villa had a poor game but it is not his fault as he was closed up and the supply from midfield didn't come. The substition from Vincent Del Bosque was a master stroke. First Navas and everyone was surprised why no Fabregas or Torres? He first sent out Navas to tie knots on dutch ankles. Then Torres (still missing his touch and looked like having pulled a hamstring later) supplied the cross which was only half-cleared by a dutch defender and Fabregas was on hand to slide the ball to Iniesta for glory. Xavi and Iniesta were nipped and tucked often enough they don't need to see a plastic surgeon anytime soon.
The only thing threatening about him is his stubble threatening to break out into a moustache. Now Jesus Navas was a breath of fresh air. Jesus saves, haven't you heard? It's true. Navas was quick, twisted and turned. Villa had a poor game but it is not his fault as he was closed up and the supply from midfield didn't come. The substition from Vincent Del Bosque was a master stroke. First Navas and everyone was surprised why no Fabregas or Torres? He first sent out Navas to tie knots on dutch ankles. Then Torres (still missing his touch and looked like having pulled a hamstring later) supplied the cross which was only half-cleared by a dutch defender and Fabregas was on hand to slide the ball to Iniesta for glory. Xavi and Iniesta were nipped and tucked often enough they don't need to see a plastic surgeon anytime soon.
There was no doubt that the best team won. The Dutch has robbed themselves of a great opportunity to showcase their great soccer culture. I cannot imagine the future effects if Holland had won with this kind of soccer. Teams like Uruguay, Chile, Mexico, Argentina came to play attrractive soccer. Spain believe in their version of tiki taka. Brazil lost some samba and no longer had joga bonito - the beautiful game. To think that David Villa is going to Barcelona next season the rest of Europe better watch out! Viva La Vida, here's Coldplay:
Top Scorer (Golden Boot)
Germany's Thomas Muller was named top scorer - a great achievement for a 20 year old midfielder. He scored 5 like the rest all tied at 5 but he made 3 assists followed by Spain's David Villa who has one assist like the other remaiing two but having played fewer minutes. Holland's Sneijder was third (another midfielder) and Uruguay's Diego Forlan. This confirms the scarcity of strikers these days where two midfielders were among the top scorers being the norm.
Best Goalie (Golden Glove)
Iker Casillas (Spain)
Best Player (Golden Ball)
Diego Forlan was named Best Player and he deserved it coming in with 23.45 votes followed by Sneijder at 21.8% and Villa at 16.9%. Thomas Muller would have done well here but he was already selected as the Best Young Player as he was only 20. Forlan completely vindicated himself having failed at Manchester United but went on to succeed in Spain's La Liga and now this. From here, we must learn never to give up even if someone said they think we are not good enough. You will never know when you won't give up! Glory is just around the corner. Having said that for Forlan to be crowned the World's Best Player I must say the standard has eroded tremedously as in a World Cup, we are talking about Pele, Bobby Charlton, Bobby Moore, Maradona, Cruyff, Beckanbauer, Ronaldo, Zidane that kind of class.
Fairplay Award
Spain. Why? They just pass the ball around and focus just on that - playing.
Best Manager
This is not official but I added it. It had to be Vincent Del Bosque (Spain) and Joachim Loew (Germany) in that order. Del Bosque dared to keep to their won game. Loew's Germany was a breath of fresh air but rumours has surfaced that the secret of the Germans' success was down to the fact that there are many gays in the squad.
World Best XI
Who is your World Best XI? Let me help you to refresh and select (mine is in green):
Goalkeepers - Iker Casillas (Spain), Maarten Stekelenburg (Holland), Fernando Muslera (Uruguay), Eduardo (Portugal), Manuel Neuer (Germany), Richard Kingson (Ghana).
Defenders - Philipp Lahm (Germany), Maicon (Brazil), Lucio (Brazil), Sergio Ramos (Spain), Carles Puyol (Spain), Gerard Pique (Spain), Diego Lugano (Uruguay), Jorge Fucile (Uruguay), Maartesacker (Germany), Gregory van der Wiel (Holland), Jerome Boateng (Germany), John Pantsil (Ghana).
Midfielders - Alexis Sanchez (Chile), Robinho (Brazil), Thomas Muller (Germany), Sami Khedira (Germany), Mesut Ozil (Germany), Xavi Hernandez (Spain), Andreas Iniesta (Spain), Wesley Sneijder (Holland), John Mensah (Ghana), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany), Landon Donovan (USA), Mark van Bommel (Holland), Keisuke Honda (Japan), Park Ji Soung (S. Korea).
Strikers - David Villa (Spain), Diego Forlan (Uruguay), Miroslav Klose (Germany), Arjen Robben (Holland), Luis Suarez (Uruguay), Asamoah Gyan (Ghana).
It was most heartening to see the smaller nations or the traditional weaker teams shining and winning. Slovenia, Japan, S. Korea, New Zealand, Uruguay and so on.The best match was ironically the meaningless third placing between Germany and Uruguay. The best two teams of the last series was shown the door. Many thought that Germany would be boring as they may be like Italians with worse hair cut but all doubters were wrong.
Congratulations Spain! Viva Espana! We Are The Champions (Queen), here Freddy Mercury telling us there's no time for losers, we are the champions and we keep on fighting to the end! We are the champions of the world!
Is there life after the World Cup which has come as quickly as it has gone? Do you wake up at 2am feeling empty? See you in Brazil 2014! The favourites are Brazil as host, Spain as defending champions and Germany with a growing reputation.
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