The tension was palpable as the players walked out of the tunnel onto the arena at the Soccer City in Jo'burg. 80,000 plus spectators and millions of viewers across the globe watched, as the drone of the vuvuzela rose above the pitch setting the scene for the final battle,one of epic proportions in every sense as the Oranjes took on the La Furia Roja!
This the World Cup of many firsts was all set to crown a first time champion in it's 19th edition!
The journey thus far had been challenging for both teams.
The Dutch came into the tournament on the high of an unblemished qualifying campaign. Some of their biggest stars were in prime form following successful seasons at the club level. The early part of the tournament saw them put in impressive performances. But the eternal dark horses came into their own when they delivered a knock out punch to the Samba Boys. coming from behind they showed their grit and mettle, to send a shock wave across the planet. The world had final awoken to the real threat the Oranjes posed!
European Champions Spain on the other hand had a mixed bag. Their qualifying campaign had been spotless, but they came into the tournament with injury worries to some of the key players, hitman Fernando Torres and creative midfielder Francesc Fabregas to name a few. With an opening loss to Switzerland and an inability to deliver in front of the goal, it was only in the semi final against Germany did they come into their own.
So the question on every one's mind was :Would it be the beautiful tika-taka of the Spaniards or the efficient, tough tackling of the Dutchmen?
As the game kicked off, all the action seemed to emanate from policeman Webb. A flurry of fowls saw the referee, Webb brandish card after card as the Dutch attempted to emphasize their physical prowess and stifle their opponents free flowing game. And so they did, as the usually sublime Spaniards found it difficult to string the passes together. This therefore meant that they had to rely more on the set pieces. Opportunities were few and far between and the notable chances fell to effervescent right back Sergio Ramos who seemed to have come with no intention but to wreck havoc amongst the Dutch ranks. David Villa also got a look in, but the real deal fell to Dutch playmaker Arjen Robben, who latched onto a through ball from Wesley Sneijder but couldn't keep his composure when faced by Iker Casillas in front of the Spanish post.Subsequently Robben got another golden opportunity when he darted forwards capitalising on his speed and agility. He almost seemed to have the first break of the match, buy yet again, the finish was poor. The Spanish defending in this case was questionable though, with Puyol tugging at Robben.
But as the match unravelled, it was less of a thriller in terms of goals and oppurtunities but more of a tactical one where the two mid fields battled to assert supremacy. Having studied each other's game closely, this comprised of smaller battles... Robben's pace vs Puyol's experience, van Bommel attempting to curb Spanish passes and Xavi, and Heitinga, Mathijsen patrolling the area to stem any dazzling pieces of play from Villa, Pedro and Iniesta!
In the latter stages along came the substitutions with the Spanish changes seeming to have a more conspicuous effect. Navas infused new life into the game, yet the deadlock wan't shattered!As the game crept into extra time,super sub- Cesc Fabregas came close to scoring twice!
Finally 116 fiercly contested and at times ugly minutes later, Andres Iniesta shot a precise Fabregas pass into the back of the net.
Yet another 1-0 victory for this Spanish team, and the coveted, long awaited title was their's.
Despite not being prolific scorers, the Spanish had undoubtedly stamped their brand of football on the tournament. And despite a less than stellar finale, the new champions were both deserving and hugely popular winners!
And on the night of the 11th of July, 2010 as fireworks lit the sky and the streets were painted in the red and gold of the Spanish armada, Iker Casillas rose to lift the Golden trophy and for the very first time in history, Espana were befittingly crowned 'Campeones del Mundo'!
Monday, July 12, 2010
Sunday, July 11, 2010
THE BIG FINAL
This, the 2010 FIFA WC has is one of many firsts and the greatest of them all will be set in stone tonight as a new Champion will be crowned at the effervescent Soccer City in Jo’burg.
A month ago, when the World Cup kicked off in South Africa, there was much speculation about who would be champions.
Would it be Brazil, the eternal favourites? The samba boys under Dunga sure looked good! What with the likes of Robinho, Kaka in their side.
Then again there was, Argentina with Leo Messi (any adjective used here shall sound repitative, hence I shall refrain from doing so!), Tavez and the eccentric genius Diego Maradona at the helm. All the talk centred around what the plight of the rest of the teams would be in Argentina’s wake!
Next came the European power houses Italy and France, and despite not looking as good as the cracker units that had contested the final in ’06, pundits and fans alike were weary of writing them off!
Germany, off course could never be taken lightly, after making it to the final 4 in both the previous editions and to the finals of Euro ’08 as well, Joachim Loew’s side, despite missing inspirational captain Michael Ballack, were brimming with young blood and a hunger for success!
So who next…? Well, there was Ivory Coast, and despite being packed in the group of death alongside Brazil and Portugal, they had the unstoppable Chelsea- man Didier Drogba. Portugal themselves posed a decent threat, pin up boy Christiano Ronaldo and the less hyped but equally potent Nani, Deco could all dazzle. A piece of inspired play or a moment of individual genius could well see these teams pull out a few upsets!
So that left little else, yes of course there was European Champions Spain and the perennial dark horses Netherlands, but one could always count on them to choke, goof-up, falter and fade when pitted against the above mentioned goliaths of world football!
Spain, despite having an unrivalled league and talent enough to raise a footballing army had always faltered when it counted! Not even having made a final in any of their previous attempts, the odds were stacked against them.
The script for Netherlands at each WC read pretty much the same story. Runners up twice, the underachievers tag was firmly pasted on their backs!
But fast-forward to South Africa 2010, on the eve of the greatest sporting spectacle in the world, and we could not have asked for two worthier finalists. Riding on the high-tide of Arjen Robben's and Wesley Sneijder's scintillating form, the Oranje mean business. But the Dutchmen's chances tonight probably hinge more on the industrious Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong than their flamboyant attackers. Faced with the formidable prospect of keeping Spain's deliciously creative midfield at bay, van Bommel has his work cut out. And there are not too many out there better than he is at the dirty-work that will be needed of him tonight. He will be the key to ensure that that midfield is kept quiet, and thereby cutting off supply to the lethal David Villa.
But the task will not be easy for van Bommel and de Jong. Modeled on the Barcelona philosophy of making football beautiful again, the Spaniards are artists at what they do. Their precise passes are like artful strokes on the canvas, and they are here to paint South Africa red tonight. Unsurprisingly, six out of the eleven that started in the 1-0 victory over Germany ply their trade in Barcelona, not counting Villa as their latest addition. And all six of them are pure-bred Catalonians, produced by their famed academy. Though the Spaniards haven't quite got going attack-wise, it is important to keep in mind that with that central midfield, a goal is always on the cards. With the misfiring Fernando Torres unlikely to be risked on such a big stage, Spain will revert back to 4-5-1 with the impressive Pedro likely to start again in midfield, with Villa leading the line.
The great Zinedine Zidane once said, in the days when he was working his magic at Madrid, that "if Spain start winning, they will never stop". His words have certainly proven true so far. Ever since their dominant display at the Euros two years ago, the Spanish flag has been waving high. They came to South Africa as favorites, and barring their opening game, they haven't disappointed. But a formidable orange wall stands firm between them and their first world title. The Dutch will be equally up for it, for they too have dreamt of success for far too long. For the first time since the '70s, they have a sniff at success, and they sure as hell will be ready! It will be an intriguing and well-fought battle. A battle of wits. A battle of skill. And what better time to do it, with the world watching.
A month ago, when the World Cup kicked off in South Africa, there was much speculation about who would be champions.
Would it be Brazil, the eternal favourites? The samba boys under Dunga sure looked good! What with the likes of Robinho, Kaka in their side.
Then again there was, Argentina with Leo Messi (any adjective used here shall sound repitative, hence I shall refrain from doing so!), Tavez and the eccentric genius Diego Maradona at the helm. All the talk centred around what the plight of the rest of the teams would be in Argentina’s wake!
Next came the European power houses Italy and France, and despite not looking as good as the cracker units that had contested the final in ’06, pundits and fans alike were weary of writing them off!
Germany, off course could never be taken lightly, after making it to the final 4 in both the previous editions and to the finals of Euro ’08 as well, Joachim Loew’s side, despite missing inspirational captain Michael Ballack, were brimming with young blood and a hunger for success!
So who next…? Well, there was Ivory Coast, and despite being packed in the group of death alongside Brazil and Portugal, they had the unstoppable Chelsea- man Didier Drogba. Portugal themselves posed a decent threat, pin up boy Christiano Ronaldo and the less hyped but equally potent Nani, Deco could all dazzle. A piece of inspired play or a moment of individual genius could well see these teams pull out a few upsets!
So that left little else, yes of course there was European Champions Spain and the perennial dark horses Netherlands, but one could always count on them to choke, goof-up, falter and fade when pitted against the above mentioned goliaths of world football!
Spain, despite having an unrivalled league and talent enough to raise a footballing army had always faltered when it counted! Not even having made a final in any of their previous attempts, the odds were stacked against them.
The script for Netherlands at each WC read pretty much the same story. Runners up twice, the underachievers tag was firmly pasted on their backs!
But fast-forward to South Africa 2010, on the eve of the greatest sporting spectacle in the world, and we could not have asked for two worthier finalists. Riding on the high-tide of Arjen Robben's and Wesley Sneijder's scintillating form, the Oranje mean business. But the Dutchmen's chances tonight probably hinge more on the industrious Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong than their flamboyant attackers. Faced with the formidable prospect of keeping Spain's deliciously creative midfield at bay, van Bommel has his work cut out. And there are not too many out there better than he is at the dirty-work that will be needed of him tonight. He will be the key to ensure that that midfield is kept quiet, and thereby cutting off supply to the lethal David Villa.
But the task will not be easy for van Bommel and de Jong. Modeled on the Barcelona philosophy of making football beautiful again, the Spaniards are artists at what they do. Their precise passes are like artful strokes on the canvas, and they are here to paint South Africa red tonight. Unsurprisingly, six out of the eleven that started in the 1-0 victory over Germany ply their trade in Barcelona, not counting Villa as their latest addition. And all six of them are pure-bred Catalonians, produced by their famed academy. Though the Spaniards haven't quite got going attack-wise, it is important to keep in mind that with that central midfield, a goal is always on the cards. With the misfiring Fernando Torres unlikely to be risked on such a big stage, Spain will revert back to 4-5-1 with the impressive Pedro likely to start again in midfield, with Villa leading the line.
The great Zinedine Zidane once said, in the days when he was working his magic at Madrid, that "if Spain start winning, they will never stop". His words have certainly proven true so far. Ever since their dominant display at the Euros two years ago, the Spanish flag has been waving high. They came to South Africa as favorites, and barring their opening game, they haven't disappointed. But a formidable orange wall stands firm between them and their first world title. The Dutch will be equally up for it, for they too have dreamt of success for far too long. For the first time since the '70s, they have a sniff at success, and they sure as hell will be ready! It will be an intriguing and well-fought battle. A battle of wits. A battle of skill. And what better time to do it, with the world watching.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
World Cup Disappointments
This here is a list of some of the top footballers who achieved almost
everything a footballer can,everything except, one trophy which may not be as big as
the trophies but its significance is unmatched.
1)Alfredo de Stefano
In the Madrid dynasty of the 50’s he was the king. De Stefano and Goals
went hand in hand. He was instrumental in Real Madrid's domination of
European football during the 1950’s.He won 8 la liga titles and 5 consecutive
European cups, a record that probably will never be broken.In spite of this
success De Stefano never got a chance to play in the world cup,which left
the footballing fans wondering of “what might have been”.
2)Ferenc Puscas
Puscas and distafano, the 2 words opposition clubs feared the most.Like
de Stefano, Ferenc puscas enjoyed great success with Real Madrid winning
5 la liga titles and 3 European cups.He was the leader of the Hungarian
side that inculcated fear into the minds of opposition during the early
1950’s.Unfortunately in a potential banana peel in West Germany, Hungary
lost in the 1954 world cup final leaving one of the greatest strikers of all
time without the trophy he dreamed of lifting ever since he was a little boy.
3)George Best
With great names like Beckham,Cantona,Ronaldo hogging the lime light,
it is easy to forget the man who put Manchester United on the World
map.George Best is probably the first man who was daring enough to
believe that a single man can terrorize any defence-AND SO HE DID!
When the goal was in his sight he just ran past everyone .He helped Man Utd win
their first ever European cup in 1968.Best represented Northern Ireland
where he continued doing what he did 'best'.But he was the big fish in a small
pond,which made it easy for the opposition to stop him and his world cup dreams.
4)Eusebio
While Best terrorized defenders in England,Eusebio was doing the same
in Portugal.Under Eusebio’s leadership Benfica became the team everyone
wanted to avoid.Eusebio won an unprecedented 11 titles with Benfica and
1 European cup.He was the top scorer in the 1966 world cup.In an aging Portuguese side the 1966 World Cup was their best chance to achieve glory on the world stage.They failed to do it leaving Eusebio,the most prolific striker of the
1960’s without a World Cup Winner's title to add to his resume.
5)Johan Cryuff
Johan Cryuff is the man that introduced the word playmaker into the
footballing dictionary.He orchestrated many an attack that was instrumental
in the dutch reaching the finals of the 1974 world cup. He is probably the
best product of the world renowned Ajax Youth Academy.He enjoyed great
club success with Ajax and Barcelona.
In the 1974 world cup Cryuff was the heart of the midfield.Every attack emanated from him which is why the germans resorted to MANMARKING to put an end to the fairy tale run of the dutch in the 1974 world cup.This was the first instance of man-marking in any form of football.
6)Ian Rush
Liverpool dominated Europe in the 1980’s,winning almost everything they
laid their eyes on.Ian rush was not only the focal point of their attack but
also an inspirational leader.But just like George best Ian rush was a Big
fish in a small pond called Wales who were never strong enough to mount a
challenge on the world stage.
7)David Beckham
Whatever be said about David Beckham,that he was always a pin up boy,
a man who spent more time with hairspray than a football,one cannot
ignore his achievements.He was the man that everyone loved to hate.People
criticized David of being a movie star rather than footballer.In spite of all
this David Beckham did what he did best, play and win! He Was a part of
the Manchester dynasty of the 1990’s that won everything in English football
including the coveted Champions League…Coaches loved to hate him but David stuck
to his game…even at Real Madrid where he fell out of favour. But when everyone
around him faltered David Beckham raised his game,thereby helping the
galacticos win their 1st title in 5 years.He is the most capped English player.Who knows,had people actually given him the chance to concentrate on his football, he could have been the man to bring the World Cup back to England.
8)Michael Ballack
People might argue about the inclusion of Michael ballack in this list,but
what this young man did at the turn of the century cannot be ignored.He
single handedly took Bayer Leverkusen to the Champions League final in
2002. Leverkusen were a team that lived in the darkness for many years.He
was probably Germany’s best attacking player which helped them reach the
World Cup finals of 2002.He helped Bayern Munich Become the undisputed
kings of Germany.But as you can see the words “helped reach the finals”
is mentioned too often. Twice in 2002 and again in 2008 with Chelsea
and Germany Michael suffered finals heartbreak. He is regarded as one of the
most unluckiest players in professional football,but people still remember
him as the wonder kid that could inspire everyone around him.
9)Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano ronaldo burst onto the footballing scene in 2003 with Manchester
United. At first he was a flashy,trickster who could never sleep without stepover on the field.Later as he matured he became the most prolific striker in the premier league.With the help of Wayne Rooney he brought the glory days back to Old Trafforded with 3 consecutive titles and the champions league title in 2008.After leaving for Real Madrid in 2009 Ronald0 continued where he left of!But his international career never took off.The Portuguese team were always considered as a team that faltered when it was time to perform….Even though he has a long career ahead of him,his world
cup dreams look like they might never materialize..Portuguese football is on
the decline and if they are to ever pull of the unthinkable, Ronaldo will have
to do the impossible!
10)Lionel Messi
He is without a doubt the best player on the planet at this moment!He has the ability to run past everone in his way with absolute ease.He is often compared to
the great Diego Maradona and rightly so.With Barcelona he has Won
almost everything.With Messi leading the way Barcelona look set to be the
greatest football club ever..But again club success doesn’t guarantee national
success.In an Argentinian team filled with talent, people wonder why they
never win anything.Over the next 10 years, Lionel Messi looks set to seal his place as the greatest player that ever lived..If anyone deserved a fairy tail ending it is
Messi…It's as simple as this: if he wins the world cup he will be known as the
greatest footballer that ever played the game,but if he fails to do so,it
will be without a doubt the biggest disappointment in world football...!
everything a footballer can,everything except, one trophy which may not be as big as
the trophies but its significance is unmatched.
1)Alfredo de Stefano
In the Madrid dynasty of the 50’s he was the king. De Stefano and Goals
went hand in hand. He was instrumental in Real Madrid's domination of
European football during the 1950’s.He won 8 la liga titles and 5 consecutive
European cups, a record that probably will never be broken.In spite of this
success De Stefano never got a chance to play in the world cup,which left
the footballing fans wondering of “what might have been”.
2)Ferenc Puscas
Puscas and distafano, the 2 words opposition clubs feared the most.Like
de Stefano, Ferenc puscas enjoyed great success with Real Madrid winning
5 la liga titles and 3 European cups.He was the leader of the Hungarian
side that inculcated fear into the minds of opposition during the early
1950’s.Unfortunately in a potential banana peel in West Germany, Hungary
lost in the 1954 world cup final leaving one of the greatest strikers of all
time without the trophy he dreamed of lifting ever since he was a little boy.
3)George Best
With great names like Beckham,Cantona,Ronaldo hogging the lime light,
it is easy to forget the man who put Manchester United on the World
map.George Best is probably the first man who was daring enough to
believe that a single man can terrorize any defence-AND SO HE DID!
When the goal was in his sight he just ran past everyone .He helped Man Utd win
their first ever European cup in 1968.Best represented Northern Ireland
where he continued doing what he did 'best'.But he was the big fish in a small
pond,which made it easy for the opposition to stop him and his world cup dreams.
4)Eusebio
While Best terrorized defenders in England,Eusebio was doing the same
in Portugal.Under Eusebio’s leadership Benfica became the team everyone
wanted to avoid.Eusebio won an unprecedented 11 titles with Benfica and
1 European cup.He was the top scorer in the 1966 world cup.In an aging Portuguese side the 1966 World Cup was their best chance to achieve glory on the world stage.They failed to do it leaving Eusebio,the most prolific striker of the
1960’s without a World Cup Winner's title to add to his resume.
5)Johan Cryuff
Johan Cryuff is the man that introduced the word playmaker into the
footballing dictionary.He orchestrated many an attack that was instrumental
in the dutch reaching the finals of the 1974 world cup. He is probably the
best product of the world renowned Ajax Youth Academy.He enjoyed great
club success with Ajax and Barcelona.
In the 1974 world cup Cryuff was the heart of the midfield.Every attack emanated from him which is why the germans resorted to MANMARKING to put an end to the fairy tale run of the dutch in the 1974 world cup.This was the first instance of man-marking in any form of football.
6)Ian Rush
Liverpool dominated Europe in the 1980’s,winning almost everything they
laid their eyes on.Ian rush was not only the focal point of their attack but
also an inspirational leader.But just like George best Ian rush was a Big
fish in a small pond called Wales who were never strong enough to mount a
challenge on the world stage.
7)David Beckham
Whatever be said about David Beckham,that he was always a pin up boy,
a man who spent more time with hairspray than a football,one cannot
ignore his achievements.He was the man that everyone loved to hate.People
criticized David of being a movie star rather than footballer.In spite of all
this David Beckham did what he did best, play and win! He Was a part of
the Manchester dynasty of the 1990’s that won everything in English football
including the coveted Champions League…Coaches loved to hate him but David stuck
to his game…even at Real Madrid where he fell out of favour. But when everyone
around him faltered David Beckham raised his game,thereby helping the
galacticos win their 1st title in 5 years.He is the most capped English player.Who knows,had people actually given him the chance to concentrate on his football, he could have been the man to bring the World Cup back to England.
8)Michael Ballack
People might argue about the inclusion of Michael ballack in this list,but
what this young man did at the turn of the century cannot be ignored.He
single handedly took Bayer Leverkusen to the Champions League final in
2002. Leverkusen were a team that lived in the darkness for many years.He
was probably Germany’s best attacking player which helped them reach the
World Cup finals of 2002.He helped Bayern Munich Become the undisputed
kings of Germany.But as you can see the words “helped reach the finals”
is mentioned too often. Twice in 2002 and again in 2008 with Chelsea
and Germany Michael suffered finals heartbreak. He is regarded as one of the
most unluckiest players in professional football,but people still remember
him as the wonder kid that could inspire everyone around him.
9)Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano ronaldo burst onto the footballing scene in 2003 with Manchester
United. At first he was a flashy,trickster who could never sleep without stepover on the field.Later as he matured he became the most prolific striker in the premier league.With the help of Wayne Rooney he brought the glory days back to Old Trafforded with 3 consecutive titles and the champions league title in 2008.After leaving for Real Madrid in 2009 Ronald0 continued where he left of!But his international career never took off.The Portuguese team were always considered as a team that faltered when it was time to perform….Even though he has a long career ahead of him,his world
cup dreams look like they might never materialize..Portuguese football is on
the decline and if they are to ever pull of the unthinkable, Ronaldo will have
to do the impossible!
10)Lionel Messi
He is without a doubt the best player on the planet at this moment!He has the ability to run past everone in his way with absolute ease.He is often compared to
the great Diego Maradona and rightly so.With Barcelona he has Won
almost everything.With Messi leading the way Barcelona look set to be the
greatest football club ever..But again club success doesn’t guarantee national
success.In an Argentinian team filled with talent, people wonder why they
never win anything.Over the next 10 years, Lionel Messi looks set to seal his place as the greatest player that ever lived..If anyone deserved a fairy tail ending it is
Messi…It's as simple as this: if he wins the world cup he will be known as the
greatest footballer that ever played the game,but if he fails to do so,it
will be without a doubt the biggest disappointment in world football...!
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