Richárd Bálint
mundial facebook
» 2010
Richár d Bálint
mu n d i a l face book
» 2010 TopSpeed | Reporter Images
mu n d i a l face book
Âť 2010
Rich á rd Bá lint
mu n d i a l face book
» 2010
TopSpeed | Reporter Images
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mu n d i a l
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face book
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Âť 2010
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Con t e n t s
12
the president’s Dream
12
Where are you from?
12
The moment
12
Nike vs Adidas
12
day
12 Greece – Argentina 0:2 (0:0)
Martin PALERMO, Otto REHHAGEL, Lionel MESSI
12
day
13
Ghana – Germany 0:1 (0:0)
Mesut ÖZIL
12
day
14 Slovakia – Italy 3:2 (1:0)
Gianluigi BUFFON, Fabio CANNAVARO
12
day
01
12
day
Nelson MANDELA, Siphiwe TSHABALALA 02 Korea Republic – Greece 2:0 (1:0)
12
day
PARK Chu Yong, Georgios SAMARAS 03 Germany – Australia 4:0 (2:0)
12
day
South-Africa – Mexico 1:1 (0:0)
Tim CAHILL, Lukas PODOLSKI 04 Netherlands – Denmark 2:0 (0:0)
Giovanni VAN BRONCKHORST
12
day
05
Brazil – Korea DPR 2:1 (0:0)
MAICON, Yi YUN NAM
12
day
06
Spain – Switzerl and 0:1 (0:0)
Stephane GRICHTING, Gelson FERNANDES,
Iker CASILL AS, TORRES and VILL A
12
day
15 Portugal – Brazil 0:0
LUCIO and RONALDO
12
day
16 USA – Ghana 1:2 a.e.t (1:1,0:1)
Kevin PRINCE Boateng, Clint DEMPSEY
12
day
12
day
17 Argentina – Mexico 3:1 (2:0) Carlos TEVEZ, Javier HERNANDEZ 18 Brazil – Chile 3:0 (2:0) Humberto SUAZO, Julio CESAR, ROBINHO,
Luis FABIANO
12
day
19 Spain – Portugal 1:0 (0:0)
EDUARDO and David VILL A
day
12
12
day
20 Netherl ands – Brazil 2:1 (0:1) Wesley SNEIJDER, Arjen ROBBEN 21 Argentina – Germany 0:4 (0:1)
Greece – Nigeria 2:1 (1:1)
Sani KAITA, Dimitrios SALPINGIDIS,
MARADONA and MESSI
Alexandros TZORVAS, Vincent ENYEAMA
12
day
07
12
day
08 England – Algeria 0:0
David BECKHAM, Wayne ROONEY,
Frank LAMPARD, John TERRY,
Steven GERRARD
12
day
09 Netherlands – Japan 1:0 (0:0)
12
day
Wesley SNEIJDER, Yuto NAGATOMO 10
Brazil – Côte d’Ivoire 3:1 (1:0)
Didier DROGBA, Luis FABIANO
12
day
11 Portugal – Korea DPR 7:0 (1:0) Cristiano RONALDO
12
day
Bastien SCHWEINSTEIGER, Carlos TEVEZ,
22 Uruguay – Netherl ands 2:3 (1:1) Diego FORL AN, Giovanni VAN BRONCKHORST,
Mark VAN BOMMEL
12
day
23 Germany – Spain 0:1 (0:0)
Carles PUYOL, Miroslav KLOSE,
Bastien SCHWEINSTEIGER
12
day
24 Uruguay – Germany 2:3 (1:1) Fernando MUSLERA, Marcell JANSEN,
Thomas MÜLLER, Sami KHEDIRA, Joachim LÖW
12
day
25 Netherl ands – Spain 0:1 a.e.t. Arjen ROBBEN, Andreas INIESTA,
David VILLA, Iker CASILL AS, Sergio RAMOS
the president’s
Dream One balmy May morning a few years back, FIFA’s President Joseph S. Blatter woke up to see his dreams come true. On May 15, 2004, a groundbreaking decision was made at the Federation’s conference, forging the name of South Africa and the 2010 Football World Cup into an inseparable unity. Thus, for the first time in the history of football, an African country was selected to host the world’s best teams and players. But what kind of welcome would these people receive? – asked those convinced that this was a poor decision in a skeptical, sometimes even cynical tone. To list all the arguments against the event, demonizing the tasks and challenges in this South African dream, would indeed take some time. Three presidents from the lef t: Felipe Calderon (MEX), Sepp Blat ter (FIFA) and Jacob Zuma (RSA)
Come June 10, 2010, however, and the choir of these prophets of doom was silenced forever and vanished in the pitch dark African night. With an ear-splitting, thunderous roar, fans and vuvuzelas at Johannesburg’s Soccer City Stadium made sure that even the remotest corners of the planet would receive the message: it’s time for Africa!
Sepp Blat ter in the crowd b efo r e th e o p en i n g matc h
[ 8 ]
“ I wish you a tournament that is fair, exciting,
[ jos e p h s. b l at te r ]
spectacular and, above all, truly African.� [ 11 ]
Where are you from? For one purpose or another, we all come from somewhere and are headed someplace else. During my one-month stay in Africa, I was able to experience the true depth of this simple assertion. By all countries, qualified or not, the World Cup is regarded both as a massive gathering and a reason to celebrate, whereby the game allows people to put the worries and troubles intertwining their everyday lives aside for a while. richĂĄrd bĂĄlint
The joy and thrill of the game are able to subdue the pressures under which we tend to lead our lives. The rules of football apply to everyone, just as the same options are open to all of us for making it to the top of the world. Power and strength are measured here not in monetary terms but in swiftness and goals. Instead of missiles and cannons, these battlefields are assaulted by foot-launched blasts, and if one of these hits its desired target, dead silence is overturned by odes of joy. Whether you hail from a poor village in Africa or were born in an elite quarter of a metropolis – it matters not on the pitch. This is a stage where applause and appreciation are awarded only to those with achievements to show.
Where are [ 12 ]
While at the World Cup, however, you get asked where you come from countless times. Next to each player’s name is a country, a nation that he represents not only by his game but also in terms of body language and overall conduct. In addition to the teams and players, this statement also applies to us photographers and correspondents alike. Whatever we write, comment on or photograph will in time be associated with our name and the country we come from. At the stadiums and media centers, I would see photographers greeting one another as old acquaintances and also witness rivals getting into a brawl over a better spot. Oddly enough, I belonged to neither of these camps, as I had left Hungary on June 9 to work in South Africa as the official photographer of the Greek National Team. Looking at the badge hanging over my neck, many people must have found it pretty unusual. At the beginning, this sense of duality also made me feel a little uneasy, but in a few days it dissipated completely due to a rather blissful fact. Nine people out of ten would mention Ferenc Puskás before any other topic, regardless of urgency or relevance. It was uplifting and filled me with great pride to see how vividly the memory of a Hungarian footballer who is no longer with us remains engraved in the heart of so many. When people would ask me where I was from, at first I felt a bit out of place for coming from a country that didn’t even qualify for the World Cup. All this because the present offers none of the success of the glorious past that I could take pride in. Nevertheless, seeing Mexican fans wear traditional Indian ornaments, or when the Japanese were all dressed up as samurais and geishas, well, it was truly fantastic. I was fascinated by the Dutch who, with tulips on their heads and wooden clogs on their feet, chanted along to the tunes of a live band. Seeing the Greek dressed up in ancient costumes and trying to invoke the spirit of Leonidas was equally magical. Yet, I simply cannot find words to describe the Maradona Cult of the Argentinians. I think it goes without saying that, whenever I saw these proud fans gasp and hold their breath as one, it always made me feel like an outsider. But perhaps this extra step of distance is exactly what allowed me to create photographs that are objective enough to reach out to an even larger audience of football fans. As for the Hungary chapter in football’s Great Book of History: I hope from all my heart that one day I will have the opportunity to photograph future moments of glory that are worth comparing with those of our past.
you from? [ 13 ]
[ 14 ]
Th e mo ment Before I begin, there is a very important and sincere confession I need to make. Never in my life had I ever photographed football before leaving for Johannesburg… I am a photographer alright, but one who comes from a sport totally different than football: I take much pride in being a specialist of the FIA World Rally Championship, the most beautiful and diverse of all motor sports. In my own field, I know everyone and vice versa – by contrast, the World Cup was a huge leap into the unknown. When, before the opening match, I was given an ID-number and shown a chair from which I couldn’t even stand up for the next 90 minutes, I became absolutely confused as to what my plans were. People who know me would agree that there’s only one thing I cannot tolerate, and that is when I feel my freedom is being restricted. By contrast, it’s very difficult to put in words what I felt, at the opening match, the moment I first spotted my plastic seat that I could only access by having two other photographers stand up for me... So what exactly was I doing in South Africa at the Football World Cup, then? The answer’s simple. After cars and car racing, I have also had a strong affection for football ever since I was a kid. I am one of the lucky ones who had their first encounter with the ball and the game at the stadium that once launched Ferenc Puskás into world fame. I grew up at the same district of Budapest where he had and, in my childhood too, the ball was the single most cherished of all toys. End of parallelism here, as I didn’t become a pro footballer, even though I could never rid myself of the thought that one day I’ll be watching a world cup final live from the stadium. Not only made South Africa my dream come true, it gave me way more than that. In the course of 25 days, I was able to hunt for captivating moments at 25 matches, all in the hope that my book would be enjoyed by many like-minded dreamers as well. Aside three group-matches of the Greek National Team, I was free to work according to my own schedule, which I tried to put together so as to see as many teams play as possible. Mundial Facebook 2010 is a photo album of joy, sorrow, suspense and dreams both broken and come true, for I wasn’t trying to capture the big goals and the greatest moments – instead, I was looking for faces that could tell them all without a single word.
[ 15 ]
[ 16 ]
During a national anthem, some players try to focus on their inner peace and quietude; while others sing out loud with hand over heart, holding hands with the player standing next to them; and there’s also the type who simply lifts his head up and gazes at the skies. These are the moments when eleven young men become the pride of a country and are forged into the team of a nation. No football player can think of anything more noble and more glorious than that.
[ 17 ]
In the war of brands that is raging in the world of football, there is a front where eerie silence prevails. For the past 40 years,
Adidas
have been FIFA’s exclusive supplier of
all game balls – no sane competitor would ever want to launch an attack there. The German company has created many great products (Tango, Azteca, Tricolore etc.), yet South Africa’s official ball that they had christened Jabulani was received with much criticism. As time goes by, no one will remember this, whereas the battles fought with the big rival are sure to remain memorable for quite some time. However,
Nike ’s lagging behind is a mere illusion, as
representatives of the American brand were fortunate enough to be able to trample the triple-leaf logo with both feet and without consequences. All that with half the planet as witnesses. Eventually, though, the fierce struggle between the two companies ended in a draw: you see, proper footwear is just as essential as the ball itself.
[ 18 ]
Nike
vs
A d i da s
[ 19 ]
[ 20 ]
The Cup. Ye arn e d fo r. D es ire d. Wanted. Ye t, the c los est m ost p l aye rs will eve r ge t to it i s in their
d re am s,
fo r tak in g it h o m e is th e p rivileg e o f th e
b est o f th e best.
» 01
day
11.06.2010
South-Africa – Mexico 1:1 (0:0) Johannesburg, Soccer City Stadium 16:00 At tendance: Referee:
84,490
Ravshan IRMATOV (UZB)
Goals scored:
Tshabal al a (RSA) 55’, Rafael MARQUEZ (MEX) 79’
Although the first half ended without a goal, spectators at the opening match were exhilarated and in top spirit. Or so I thought, until about 10 minutes into the second half, when South Africa’s Tshabalala blasted a killer shot into the far top corner. This sent fans at the Soccer City Stadium into such frenzy, the shockwaves of their cheer must have been picked up by seismographs located as far as Norway. Resonating across the globe, this goal irrevocably put the Rainbow country in the center of everyone’s attention. Thanks to an equalizer by Mexico’s Marquez, both teams were able to avoid a quick whipping, albeit neither could truly celebrate the single point won. All the more so, because the second match of Group A that followed that evening also ended with a draw.
a ls o o n t h i s d ay:
»
Uruguay – France 0:0
At tendance:
64,100
Face to face: Siphiwe Tshabalala and Oscar Pere z
[ 22 ]
[ 23 ]
Tshabalala
sets the tone for the World Cup with a spectacular goal ,
leaving everyone hoping to score the tournament’s
most beautiful
goal
scratching their heads.
The goal by South Africa didn’ t impress everybody
[ 24 ]
[ 25 ]
A Day of
Joy and
Grief
For a few seconds, the heartache of a great-grandfather and the loss of a family were able to subdue the celebrations of an entire world. The majority of South Africans hadn’t even heard of Zenani Mandela before 10 June; 24 hours later the death of this 13-year old girl was all people would talk about. News spread like wildfire: on her way home from a concert held at the Orlando Pirates stadium the night before the opening ceremony, the great-granddaughter of Nelson Mandela died in a car crash. Madiba’s seat was left empty in the VIP box of the Soccer City Stadium, where she was also remembered. There exists a true Mandela Cult in South Africa, one that has nothing in common with the dictatorships and personal cults of Eastern Europe or the Far East. He’s probably the only South African equally revered by the Potchefstroom Boor, the Durban Zulu, the Gauteng black or the Cape Town white. It thus happened that 85,000 vuvuzelas and a frantic stadium fell silent by the mention of a single name. Heavy silence that came at a hefty price – the loss of a child. To many, all this was a tiny puff of dark haze on an otherwise gorgeous sunny sky, but for Mandela it was a knife straight to the heart. Why is fate so cruel as to bring grief and sorrow to the very person who perhaps did the most for the happiness of millions?
[ 26 ]
[ 27 ]
» 02
day
12.06.2010
Korea Republic – Greece 2:0 (1:0) Nelson Mandel a Bay/Port Eliz abeth, Port Eliz abeth Stadium 13:30 At tendance: Referee:
31,513
Michael HESTER (NZL)
Goals scored:
LEE Jung Soo (KOR) 7 ’, PARK Ji Sung (KOR) 52’
Each of us has their own theories and concepts, and we all tend to hold onto last-century stereotypes with both hands. I’m sure many people are still convinced that, in between two matches the players and coaches of South Korea busy themselves reading Football 101. And the same goes for the Americans, whose traditionless and mechanical soccer could only have reached such heights because it is orchestrated by computers instead of humans. Once and for all, we must forget all of this and try to live with the thought that sometimes even heroes can fail. Our smile ebbs if England loses a point against the Yanks (even though we should be getting used to it by now), or when Greece, home of ancient European culture, takes a bow before an opponent from the Far East. Today in Port Elizabeth, not only did I see a thrilling game, I witnessed the unfolding of a classical Greek drama. Seems as though tragedy is an integral part of the Greek life. Going on stage for the first time, they managed to lose the match that, according to all sensible calculations, they should’ve won in order to have a chance at moving ahead from a group that also had Argentina and Nigeria waiting in line. By suffering an early defeat in their first group stage match, the fate of Greece was already carved in stone – regardless of whether brought about by immortals or themselves. Or was it perhaps that the South Koreans were way too fast for Zeus and his lackluster arrows to remain on target? I don’t think so…
a ls o o n t h i s d ay:
»
Argentina – Nigeria 1:0 (1:0)
At tendance:
»
55,686 |
Goals scored:
Gabriel HEINZE (ARG) 6’
Engl and – USA 1:1 (1:1)
At tendance:
38,646 |
Goals scored:
Steven GERRARD (ENG) 4’, Clint DEMPSEY (USA) 40’
A moment made unforget table not by PARK Chu Yong’s (Monaco) substitution but because the way the Sun’s rays filtered through into the stadium
[ 28 ]
[ 29 ]
With their traditional costumes and national symbols, South Korean fans gave a tiny taste of their culture , reminding us of the world’s diversity
[ 31 ]
A lit tle rascal among Korean fans who even made the Greeks smile
Very rarely there would be a game that wasn’t fully sold out, yet the stands were
never left empty .
On such occasions, the organizers let
schoolchildren arriving from the city or its region in for free.
The look on this young boy ’s face was unnerving. Instead of football and playing, it reminded me of the Americans’ war...
[ 33 ]
g e o r g i o s Sa m ara s T h i s st ri k e r fr o m Gr e e c e r e s e m b l e s t h e M e s s ia h . . . b u t c e r tain ly does
N OT act
like one .
[ 35 ]
» 03
day
13.06.2010
Germany – Australia 4:0 (2:0) Durban, Durban Stadium 20:30 At tendance: Referee:
62,660
Marco RODRIGUEZ (MEX)
Goals scored:
Luk as PODOLSKI (GER) 8’, Mirosl av KLOSE (GER) 26’,
Thomas MUELLER (GER) 68’, CACAU (GER) 70’
Whoever’s able to crack the code and come up with an antidote to Germany’s power football will rule it all – well, that’s pointless. Although this principle might have worked during the past 20 years, in South Africa it became clear: defeating the new decade’s Nationalelf takes more than simply being fluent in German; it also requires a dash of toughness and creativity. I am not ashamed to admit that I have never been fond of the German way of footballing, even though I did admire their giants – Beckenbauer, Matthäus, Klinsmann and Schumacher – with respect. It seems, however, that this game against the Aussies was a real watershed. A sublime performance by Müller, Klose, Podolski and the little virtuoso Özil has altogether changed my opinion of this ensemble. The first three days gave us a chance to get acquainted with 16 teams, and I found no other performance as convincing as that of the Germans. However, let us not forget that Holland, Spain, Brazil and the defending champion Italy are all eagerly waiting to prove their worthiness for the World Cup. Having seen Joachim Löw’s squad play today, I wonder if there’s another team with more horsepower, precision and elegance.
a ls o o n t h i s d ay:
»
Algeria – Slovenia 0:1 (0:0)
At tendance:
»
30,325 |
Goals scored:
Robert KOREN (SVN) 79’
Serbia – Ghana 0:1 (0:0)
At tendance:
38,833 |
Goals scored:
Asamoah GYAN (GHA) 85’ Penalty goal
I’ve been to Australia many times, but South Africa was the first place I ever saw such a long-faced kangaroo
[ 36 ]
[ 37 ]
[ 38 ]
The L ast Tango in Durban, or let ’s forget about the past: five minutes before get ting sent off the pitch, Tim Cahill still jokes around with Referee Marco RodrĂgue z
[ 39 ]
[ 40 ]
Let’s admit that
PODOLSKI’ s making the national team
was seen by most Germans as a
DOWNRIGHT VIOLATION of traditional values.
Lukas
Podolski
To understand a genius... Football celebrity? A cocky little shrimp? Well, so what? “He does absolutely nothing and he’s in terrible shape because he doesn’t practice properly” – grumbled Uli Stein, ex-goalie of Germany’s national team about Lukas Podolski. Good old Uli was basically right; however, hearing such strong criticism from a former hothead is a little ironic. To be fair, however, we’ve got to admit that this exceptionally talented forward from Cologne has indeed committed pretty much every sin that in the past would have meant automatic exile from a team that is used to operating in clockwork precision. This Lukas kid is nothing but pure failure – when it comes to club level, that is. By late September he had scored more goals for the national team than he had in the Bundesliga… And that’s not all! During a 2009 game against Wales he even went as far as slapping Michael Ballack, Germany’s then-idolized team captain. So what exactly is wrong with the guy? If you ask me, he’s perfectly OK, albeit a hard nut who cannot be regulated. And he’s not without a guardian angel: instead of some heaven-sent protector, he is now under the wings of Head Coach Joachim Löw himself. Betting on Lukas Podolski not winning anything throughout his professional carrier at club level would probably not pay high odds at any London bookie. Nevertheless, I say this self-governing left-winger will remain one of the Nationalelf’s wonder weapons for years to come. Wanna bet?
[ 41 ]
» 04
day
14.06.2010
Netherl ands – Denmark 2:0 (0:0) Johannesburg, Soccer City Stadium 13:30 At tendance: Referee:
83, 465
Stephane L ANNOY (FRA)
Goals scored:
Daniel AGGER (DEN) 46’ Own goal , Dirk KUYT (NED) 85’
They’re prone to take everything too seriously, including themselves – that’s the problem with the Danes. On a beerless day they’re convinced they could be on par with the Netherlands, Brazil or even Spain, yet, paradoxically, it is soberness that can really go in their heads. Seems as though they’ve never been told that instead of resolutions and intense pre-season training, all they need is an honest psychologist. That’s right, a couch doctor to explain this lovely bunch of fellows: you guys are the kind of exceptionally skilled ball artists who are only capable of being their true self while slightly toasted. After all, can anyone mention another team whose greatest victory came not after some rigid training season but followed the entire squad’s laid back partying at the beach? And that’s the controversy surrounding their success: whenever they’re not serious about wiping out the goliaths, they succeed with ease. Their records since that unparalleled victory of 1992 also confirm the validity of this statement. It would be useful, then, to have someone explain them that being one of the favourites of a tournament requires a good deal of unpreparedness. Otherwise it’ll be today’s script all over again: stiffness, own goal, kicking yourselves in the butt and landing face down – an easy defeat by the Netherlands.
a ls o o n t h i s d ay:
»
Japan – Cameroon 1:0 (1:0)
At tendance:
»
30,620 |
Goals scored:
Keisuke HONDA (JPN) 39’
Italy – Paraguay 1:1 (0:1)
Attendance:
62,869 |
Goals scored:
Antolin ALCARAZ (PAR) 39’, Daniele DE ROSSI (ITA) 63’
All those pre-match vows and pledges were in vain: the Danish were the first to get scalped by the Dutch on their way to the final
[ 42 ]
[ 43 ]
Giovanni Van Bronckhorst, captain of Team Holland, celebrates his 100th match in the national team at the game against Denmark.
100
G i o v a n n i Va n B r o n c k h o r st c a p ta i n o f T e a m H o l l a n d, c e l e b r at e s h i s 1 0 0 t h m at c h i n t h e n at i o n a l t e a m
at t h e g a m e a g a i n st D e n m a r k .
[ 46 ]
World Cup Marketing To viral and guerilla marketers, the World Cup is Heaven on Earth: overseen by FIFA, the copyright owner, and by observers from exclusive sponsors, it is a market strictly protected by specific regulations and contracts – a rather risky area for anyone seeking to enter without proper authorization. Usually, the objective here is to outsmart this system and infiltrate into restricted territory in order to create as much of a scene as possible, scandalous or otherwise. If all goes according to plan, it could result in a spontaneous worldwide ad campaign at absolutely no cost. This is exactly the model upon which beermaker Bavaria built its spectacular act that took place before the Netherlands-Denmark game and involved a bunch of beauties, all dressed up in tiny orange-coloured dresses, seeking to enchant the spectators arriving to the Soccer City in swarming masses. Well, it worked.
As
women disapprovingly shook their heads,
men were literally stomping one another while
trying to operate
whatever types of imaging devices
they could get hold of.
Although the three-storey pubic mound made entirely of blond babes worked like a magnet to the male eye, only a few noticed the real message, which was the girls’ peculiar clothing that had already appeared in numerous ads by the Dutch beermaker. To best visualize the effect, try to imagine the picture of an enormous, unlabeled cigarette box being projected onto a wall at an event sponsored by a competing tobacco factory. Naturally, things would go haywire in an instant. Whoever came up with this idea must have been aware of the old proverb: sow the wind, reap the whirlwind. And there came some whirlwind alright, manifested in a representative of Budweiser, one of the exclusive sponsors. News about the infringement spread quickly to the organisers, who in turn notified the police, who then put an end to this audacious act with an impressive move, by taking the girls away in their squad-cars. Or so they thought they did. The story of the girls quickly made headline news: at long last the media had something controversial about the World Cup to chew upon. The case ended up as a diplomatic fiasco between South Africa and the Netherlands. The devilish plan was a huge success, as these days even scientists working on the Antarctic were aware of the company these gorgeous orange-dressed girls had sold their smiles to. Allow me to add that, back in 2006, the aforementioned company (hey, I’m not mentioning your name anymore, no more pro bono ads for you guys) had already attempted scattering thumbstacks under FIFA’s feet. That incident featured men wearing leather pants and had a much less powerful, albeit funnier, punchline. After German organizers spotted these groups of leather-clad men already at the entrance gates, they were forced to take off all garments fitted with the objectionable logo and, being wished a pleasant evening, were admitted while wearing nothing but underwear. We all agree that such a solution would’ve left everyone better off in South Africa as well, right? :-)
[ 47 ]
[ 48 ]
The World in
Oranje.
Before my arrival to Africa, I’d been certain that it was going to be the
local fans who’d be delivering
the true zest and pizzazz of the World Cup. I was wrong. Orange has never looked
so colorful .
[ 49 ]
» 05
day
15.06.2010
Brazil – Korea DPR 2:1 (0:0) Johannesburg, Ellis Park Stadium 20:30 At tendance: Referee:
54,331
Viktor KASSAI (HUN)
Goals scored:
MAICON (BRA) 55’, EL ANO (BRA) 72’, JI Yun Nam (PRK) 89’
This evening, I kept wondering whether I felt more sore physically or mentally. Johannesburg, minus three degrees Celsius, shivering for an hour and a half, plus an epic struggle by the Brazilians: now, that’s a little too much to handle... Half-frozen limbs warm up quickly in a heated room, a cold heart is a different story altogether. It needs faith, hope and love. But what’s left to put my faith in if, after tonight’s game, these are the exact feelings that seemed to have left me? What could I ever hope for, if the guys who came onto the pitch with the promise of Joga Bonito went back to their locker room with misery written all over their faces, all soaked in sweat? How could I be capable of loving, if these dim stars of Brazil managed to play so disappointingly against a semi-amateur ensemble of North Korea? I started to feel that my own chances of survival were nearly as bitterly thin as that of Brazil here. That is, after several days, it suddenly dawned on me that winter does mean winter even in this corner of Africa. My own internal thermometer must have been shut out by the elevated spirit of the opening game. And with the maritime climate of Durban and Port Elizabeth, I grew accustomed to the fact that, as long as there aren’t any tsunamis approaching the Cape Town coastline, I need not worry about fierce weather, because I will see none of it. Was I wrong...
a ls o o n t h i s d ay:
»
Ne w Zeal and – Slovakia 1:1 (0:0)
At tendance:
»
23,87 1 |
Goals scored:
Robert VITTEK (SVK) 50’, Winston REID (NZL) 93’
Côte d’Ivoire – Portugal 0:0
At tendance:
37,034
North Koreans scored high in fair play and tenacity but were of ten lef t merely looking for the ball while the Brazilians played with it
[ 51 ]
“There’s no better feeling than this. When you work hard, you get your rewards. Chances like this don’t come along very often and that’s what I’ve found throughout my career.” [
M a i co n
]
Being a right back must be a truly exciting position to play – especially in an exciting team such as that of Brazil – otherwise we would remember nothing of players like Djalma Santos, Carlos Alberto or Jorginho. Whenever these names re-emerge from the obscure past, we seldom think of heroic saves. Well, of course, because unlike the rest, these lads weren’t exactly known for simply shooting the ball outside the perimeter or out onto the stands, they’d rather go fondle and dance with it first, only to fire an unsaveable shot from an impossible angle. Just like Maicon, our hero of the day. Today’s performance of magnificent dribbles and goals by the Brazilian defensive line is what earned our forbearance here. Somehow we’re just more lenient about the twinkling of these stars, and that includes Maicon, whose goal is already in the history books, whereas his contribution to North Korea’s only score is long forgotten.
[ 52 ]
[ 53 ]
[ 54 ]
I hold this
OUTBURST OF JOY
by North Korea’s Ji Yun Nam especially dear because
HE to
will most likely never get a chance
see this photo.
[ 55 ]
Packing almost nothing but summer gear for South Africa was a big mistake... I ignored everyone’s warnings, which I now must admit were all justified and I should’ve listened. Before departure, I shouldn’t have let the name of the continent and my previous adventures in other African countries deceive me – the wintery July of the southern hemisphere is a tricky beast. As long as the Sun is up high, we’re embraced by cozy warmth. However, as darkness comes, so do millions of iciclebearded elves, punishing anyone caught wearing t-shirts and flip-flops. This happened to me several times during the big rush of the World Cup.
whenever someone mentions Africa next to me I still get the chills.
The ushanka was the latest craze not only on the cat walks of Johannesburg’s fashion shows, it also became a must-have headgear for all evening games
[ 56 ]
[ 58 ]
» 06
day
16.06.2010
Spain – Switzerl and 0:1 (0:0) Durban, Durban Stadium 16:00 At tendance: Referee:
62, 4 53
Howard WEBB (ENG)
Goals scored:
Gelson FERNANDES (SUI) 52’
It seemed like routine procedure. A mere finger exercise. However, sometimes even the greatest piano artists could find their fingers all tangled up in the middle of a play that sounded easy at the beginning. No use looking for any reason for failure in statistics here, as in this case, the saying „figures do not lie” just does not hold true. Even though the Spaniards only gave up their possession of the ball for the kick-off and for a single counter-attack, that was all the Swiss needed. Instead of going into any further explanations, let the facts speak for themselves: Spain was defeated. The rulers of Europe were taught a lesson in devotion and precision.
a ls o o n t h i s d ay:
»
Honduras – Chile 0:1 (0:1)
At tendance:
»
32, 664 |
Goals scored:
Jean BEAUSEJOUR (CHI) 34’
South Africa – Uruguay 0:3 (0:1)
At tendance:
42,658 |
Goals scored:
Diego FORL AN (URU) 24’, Diego FORL AN (URU) 80’
Penalty goal, Alvaro PEREIRA (URU) 95’
A Swiss Guard with his takings – Stephane Grichting celebrates their victory over Spain with a jersey just acquired from Fernando Torres
[ 59 ]
“And I also know how important it is in life not necessarily to be strong, but to feel strong, to measure yourself at least once , to find yourself at least once in the most ancient of human conditions, facing the blind, deaf stone alone with nothing to help you but your hands and your own head. ”
[ Into th e w ild m ovie ]
“I think the way we play the game will bring us re wards. We ’ve lost to Swit zerland but Spain always get back up af ter a fall .” [ Iker Casillas ]
[ 60 ]
[ 61 ]
[ 62 ]
I w ond e r
what ’s i n for u s n e x t –
Ge ls o n Fe r nan d es, th e Swi s s mi dfi e lde r wh o we nt to scor e th e wi n n i n g
goal
that af ternoon,
conte mp l ates befor e th e game .
[ 63 ]
“I have a question to these two gentlemen: is anyone going to score here today?� [ wincente del bosque ]
[ 64 ]
[ 65 ]
» 07
day
17.06.2010
Greece – Nigeria 2:1 (1:1) Mangaung/Bloemfontein, Free State Stadium 16:00 At tendance: Referee:
31,593
Oscar RUIZ (COL)
Goals scored:
Kalu UCHE (NGA) 16’, Dimitrios SALPINGIDIS (GRE) 4 4’,
Vasileios TOROSIDIS (GRE) 7 1’
Having people talk about you behind your back and point fingers is quite bothersome. Especially when it’s all because you’re unable to do something even the weakest can get right. But you’re trying real hard anyway. Unyielding, you keep pushing forward, with blood dripping off your forehead instead of sweat, but the back of the net remains motionless all the same. For many years now, the Greek national team has been kicking around their own ball of disgrace, seemingly cast of pure lead. Note to the uninformed: we’re talking about the winners of Euro 2004 here. As the game against Nigeria advanced towards halftime, most players were preparing for the break when, in the 44th minute, Salpingidis decided to put an end to all the embarrassment: no more sneer, no more ridicule. No kidding! You could feel it in the air that there was also a second goal in the making, as the Greeks were much more organized and truly put their hearts into it. Overrated since the mid-90s, most African teams come short not in terms of ball-handling skill; rather, it’s their attitude and mental prowess that is questionable. Whoever saw Sani Kaita’s solo that earned him a red card knows what I mean, the others should picture an obnoxious five-year old kicking and punching the other kids in a sandbox. Toy shovel or the Jabulani? Makes no difference. Running amok for either object is childish. Children, however, should only be admitted to the stands and not onto the pitch.
a ls o o n t h i s d ay:
»
France – Mexico 0:2 (0:0)
At tendance:
35,370 |
Goals scored:
Javier HERNANDEZ (MEX) 64’, Cuauhtemoc BL ANCO (MEX) 79’
Penalty goal
»
Argentina – Korea Republic 4:1 (2:1)
Attendance:
82,174 |
Goals scored:
PARK Chu Young (KOR) 17 ’ Own goal, Gonz alo HIGUAIN (ARG) 33’,
LEE Chung Yong (KOR) 46’, Gonz alo HIGUAIN (ARG) 76’, Gonz alo HIGUAIN (ARG) 80’
Modern Age Greek Heroes – Dimitrios Salpingidis and Alexandros Tzorvas
[ 66 ]
[ 67 ]
„You think you have a
limit,
and then you go for this limit and you touch this limit, and you think OK, this is the limit. As soon you touch this limit, something happens to you; suddenly you can go a little bit
further .
With the power of your mind, your determination, your instinct and your experience as well, you can fly
very high.”
[ Ay r t o n S e n n a ]
Enyeama pulls off one of the tournament ’s most remarkable saves – too bad his only mistake cost them the match
[ 69 ]
Sometimes a lo ud, convulsive cry is n o w he r e n e ar as u ps e t tin g as
sile nt g ri ef.
[ 70 ]
Undoubtedly, the spirits of Leonidas and the heroes of Thermopylae were also present at the stadium
Today marked the climax in Greece ’s South African adventures. In these moments, no one seemed to care what they would do in the last group stage match against Argentina ...
[ 72 ]
[ 73 ]
[ 74 ]
» 08
day
18.06.2010
Engl and – Algeria 0:0 Cape town, Green Point Stadium 20:30 At tendance: Referee:
64,100
Ravshan IRMATOV (UZB)
After a week of monotonous vuvuzela-buzz, all of a sudden a familiar yet unusual noise could be heard: it was the spectators again. At first, I thought it was only possible because the stadium’s whistleblowers were simply being courteous during the national anthems, but that wasn’t the case. Throughout the entire match, the roar of English fans easily shushed any attempt with the African horn. There are simply no words to describe the atmosphere and the immense power that filled every cubic inch of the stadium, when fans of Liverpool, Chelsea and all the other teams of the island nation sang together as one. For quite some time, it seemed as though there was simply nothing to stop the vuvuzelas, because all fans were using them, nationality notwithstanding It was a new and exotic trend interwoven with local folk elements, which appeared to have flicked everyone’s switch. Yet, no matter how much louder the Greeks would blow theirs than the Koreans, it offered none of the boost that having thousands of people chant a player’s name could. Like the ferocious wildfires of Africa, the vuvuzela-craze spread quickly among fans, reigniting the most touching of all spectator traditions. Just as in Nature, destruction always gives life a chance to regain its power over the lifeless. The clash between the African battle horn and the knights of England ended with the victory of the latter – unfortunately, the Three Lions couldn’t come to celebrate.
a ls o o n t h i s d ay:
»
Slovenia – USA 2:2 (2:0)
At tendance:
4 5,573 |
Goals scored:
Valter BIRSA (SVN) 13’, Zl atan LJUBIJANKIC (SVN) 42’,
Landon DONOVAN (USA) 48’, Michael BRADLEY (USA) 82’
»
Germany – Serbia 0:1 (0:1)
At tendance:
38,294 |
Goals scored:
Mil an JOVANOVIC (SRB) 38’
When make-up artists go wild: Mr. Bean, Mandela, L ampard and Rooney having a blast. That forehead tat too is pure overkill , though.
[ 75 ]
david beckham What am I doing here?
Nobody’s reputation is untouchable, and football’s James Bond is no exception. Due to an injury, David Beckham travelled to the World Cup not in his original role as member of England’s National Team, but as part of Fabio Capello’s coaching staff. As such, he had all the rights to sit on the bench. Although his job description did not really call for any actual coaching, he was indeed in charge of making communication between Capello and the squad smoother. However, it seems that clever HR – or is it cynicism? – knows no limits, as Beckham was soon made responsible for his own heirs on the right midfield. And the number of assignments quickly doubled: before a game, Becks would share his insights with James Milner, Aaron Lennon and Shaun Wright-Phillips (all of whom are adult players) and hold crash courses on how to execute the perfect corner kick, free kick, or a crossfield pass. Despite all these otherwise significant tasks and his permanent presence, throughout the entire tournament there was a peculiar look on his face that just read I am useless here…
[ 76 ]
[ 77 ]
[ 78 ]
Ge rrard, L ampar d, Te r ry an d Co. Gabriel Clark, a friend of mine from England who also happens to be a sports announcer at ITV – South Africa was his fifth World Cup – once wrote to me that “were this tournament held in the autumn, planet Earth would be ruled by one country and one country only: England.” And if I don’t want to believe him, I should just run a quick check on their statistics – perhaps the past four decades will suffice… Alas, the world as we know it is not threatened by such dictatorship, for no terrestrial power is able to implement such a fundamental change in the international schedule of football. The most-watched sports event on this planet is a summer spectacle, and as long as it stays that way (until civilization doesn’t come to an end) England is doomed to encounter the same disgraceful failure as it did in South Africa, over and over and again – all because no other nation has such a wonderfully rich yet gruesomely demanding football league like England. The Frank Lampards, John Terrys, Wayne Rooneys and Steven Gerrards may be born by the dozen, having fought through a season of 70 to 80 matches, even their clones would curse this sport to hell. To these fatigued stars, even Algeria proved to be a mountain too high to climb.
The fact that these players represent the crème de la crème of the world’s most elite national league , whereas on an international level you can’ t even recognize them, just blows my mind. Perhaps it ’s time for England to contemplate the pros and cons of taking a fe w weeks off in winter.
[ 79 ]
“Ni ce to s e e yo u r
ho m e fans
bo o yo u,
that ’ s loyal s u p p o rters.” th e fr u strate d
Wayne Roon ey
e x p lo d es af te r the i r g oalless d raw w ith Alge r ia .
Wayne Rooney ’s performance was one of the World Cup ’s biggest disappointments. Blasting your fans was a mistake , Waz za boy, no criticism was ill-founded. They didn’ t get what they came here for...
[ 81 ]
[ 82 ]
» 09
day
19.06.2010
Netherl ands – Japan 1:0 (0:0) Durban, Durban Stadium 13:30 At tendance: Referee:
62,010
Hector BALDASSI (ARG)
Goals scored:
Wesley SNEIJDER (NED) 53’
Japanese goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima was in the run for the „Man of the Game” title all the way until the scoreboard read 0-0. Although he did manage to disappoint the Dutch forward line many times, he eventually had to come to grips with the fact that the fate of a goalie knows no mercy. Hesitate once, and all your heroic deeds become forgotten in an instant, leaving you eligible for the above award only as a piece of mockery with a negative sign in front. This doggone moment came for Kawashima in the 53rd minute, also causing Wesley Sneijder, the little-big man from Holland, to rise to the skies. Slamming a shot into the net along a quite strange trajectory, this striker from Inter Milan immediately made it clear to everybody, who gets what title. Sneijder’s goal was partially due to his excellent shooting technique, but the Japanese goalie blamed the Jabulani and its unpredictable flight pattern. Alright, we can give him that, but if something’s already taken place, no explanation will change that. And we can conclude that, although nowhere near as effervescent as with Arjen Robben on the team, the Oranje are indeed a tough one to beat.
a ls o o n t h i s d ay:
»
Ghana – Australia 1:1 (1:1)
Attendance:
34,812 |
Goals scored:
Brett HOLMAN (AUS) 11’, Asamoah GYAN (GHA)
25’ Penalty goal
»
Cameroon – Denmark 1:2 (1:1)
At tendance:
38,074 |
Goals scored:
Samuel ETOO (CMR) 10’,
Nickl as BENDTNER (DEN) 33’, Dennis ROMMEDAHL (DEN) 61’
Never mind that broken finger and the dressed hand. Against Holland, everyone not wearing a cast on their leg was needed
[ 83 ]
[ 84 ]
Faces of the world, encounter of distant cultures
[ 85 ]
Furious and discontent, Wesley Sneijder was yet to find out that he was to become the hero of the game
[ 86 ]
Still an optimist, Yuto Nagatomo in these moments didn’ t know that was far too lit tle for success
[ 87 ]
[ 88 ]
The Sun setting during the match dove dismally behind the horizon, only to bring bad news to the Land of the Rising Sun the next morning.
[ 89 ]
» 10
day
20.06.2010
Brazil – Côte d’Ivoire 3:1 (1:0) Johannesburg, Soccer City Stadium 20:30 At tendance: Referee:
84, 4 55
Stephane L ANNOY (FRA)
Goals scored:
Luis FABIANO (BRA) 25’, Luis FABIANO (BRA) 50’, EL ANO (BRA) 62’,
Didier DROGBA (CIV) 79’
The alpha male of Ivory Coast was down. His majesty, the glorious Didier Drogba was tossed in the mud. Oh, what pain! And to think that this noble beast fell pray not even to the greatest hunter from Brazil after some heroic duel… This time Kaká, a sharpshooter feared and respected across the globe, chose to stay put. He was allowed to, because this act required none of his elegance, skill or virtue. All that mattered was the end, regardless the means. Enter Luis Fabiano, a player much more suitable for scoring this invaluable trophy than anyone else on the Brazilians’ team, let alone 2007’s winner of the Ballon d’Or. There is one moral in the drama of Didier Drogba that’s worth mentioning. It might not be overly flattering, but he certainly belongs to top of the “21 st century football stars born in the wrong country” list. Well, where else? On club level, Drogba has already won everything that thousands of players could only dare dreaming about after a night spent on a drinking spree. Yet, the World Cup is an entirely different terrain, one where giants such as Drogba are doomed to fail beyond hope. Why? Because they’re on their own, which makes them weak and vulnerable. Having a coherent group of 11 bulls get down on their knees would be a tad more difficult – but has anyone seen such a team?
a ls o o n t h i s d ay:
»
Slovakia – Paraguay 0:2 (0:1)
At tendance:
»
Goals scored:
Enrique VERA (PAR) 27 ’, Cristian RIVEROS (PAR) 86’
Italy – Ne w Zeal and 1:1 (1:1)
At tendance:
[ 90 ]
26,64 3 |
38,229 |
Goals scored:
Shane SMELTZ (NZL) 7 ’, Vincenzo IAQUINTA (ITA) 29’ Penalty goal
[ 91 ]
[ 92 ]
[ 93 ]
“ Th e ball to u c h ed my
hand
but it was accidental , s o I thi n k it was a
[
[ 94 ]
legal
goal .”
L u í s Fa b i a n o
]
“I had a doubt on how or where
Fabiano
controlled the ball before scoring.
I wasn’t sure if it was the elbow, the upper arm or the chest. So I decided to have a talk with him, there
he said it was chest.
Thereafter, I could do nothing but allow the goal . It was
after the match I realised that Fabiano had been dishonest.”
[ S t e p h a n e L a n n oy ]
[ 95 ]
» 11
day
21.06.2010
Portugal – Korea DPR 7:0 (1:0) Cape Town, Green Point Stadium 13:30 At tendance: Referee:
63,64 4
Pablo POZO (CHI)
Goals scored:
Raul MEIRELES (POR) 29’, SIMAO (POR) 53’, Hugo ALMEIDA (POR) 56’,
TIAGO (POR) 60’, LIEDSON (POR) 81’, Cristiano RONALDO (POR) 87 ’, TIAGO (POR) 89’
As a rule of thumb, every great tournament will have a match that ends with the total annihilation of one team. We waited patiently for the first real South African massacre, but would never have guessed that this long-awaited bloodbath will be brought to us courtesy of Portugal, who played their first game like a bunch of bashful bunnies, against a North Korea that had nearly managed to keep Brazil on leash. Nothing happens by chance or without consequences. Tearing the Asians apart provided Cristiano Ronaldo and his squad with an exit route from the group (there was nothing to risk at the last round against Brazil), so they started devouring their opponent with ample fervor. North Korea must have figured the Europeans were less dangerous than the boys of Dunga, hence was their all-out offense with which they hoped to bring Portugal to their knees. Or, in other words, to commit collective suicide. Who’s to blame here? It’s hard for us to recall the name of Head Coach Kim Jong Hun, who obviously took all responsibility. Still, we’re more inclined to think there was fierce pressure on him by The Party to change tactics and go into total offense – meanwhile he was probably the first to realize that this was the equivalent of signing the death sentence for both his team and himself. He had no choice.
a ls o o n t h i s d ay:
»
Chile – Switzerl and 1:0 (0:0)
At tendance:
»
34,872 |
Goals scored:
Mark GONZ ALEZ (CHI) 75’
Spain – Honduras 2:0 (1:0)
Attendance:
54,386 |
Goals scored:
David VILL A (ESP) 17 ’, David VILL A (ESP) 51’
Portugal wipes the floor with North Korea amidst pouring rain
[ 96 ]
[ 97 ]
r [ 98 ]
World-cl ass athlete . Repl ace able . Sublime . Cocky.
Genius.
Selfish. Way ward.
Moody. Instinctive . Unle ashable . Superficial . Careless. Assertive .
Conceited.
Filthy rich. Unaffordable . Merciless. Determined. Temp eramental . Cheeky.
Overwhelming .
Cranky.
Childish. Brash. – Cristiano Ronaldo is
human af ter all ...
cristiano
onaldo
[ 99 ]
P layers in Europe as controversial as Cristiano Ronaldo are fe w and far bet ween
[ 100 ]
[ 101 ]
A cease fire ongoing for the past 16 months. Cristiano Ronaldo has not scored on the Portuguese national side since 11 February 2009. [ 102 ]
[ 103 ]
[ 104 ]
» 12
day
22.06.2010
Greece – Argentina 0:2 (0:0) Polok wane , Peter Mok aba Stadium 20:30 At tendance: Referee:
38,891
Ravshan IRMATOV (UZB)
Goals scored:
Martin DEMICHELIS (ARG) 7 7 ’, Martin PALERMO (ARG) 89’
Otto Rehhagel has descended from Mount Olympus, home of the gods, where he was elevated after his team won the European Championships back in 2004. Meanwhile his counterpart, Argentinian Head Coach Diego Maradona – who had already been tagged “The Divine” when he was still playing – had all the rights to believe that, after today’s 2-0 victory, no terrestrial power will be able to bring his ensemble to a halt. No need to worry about the Argentinian megalomaniac, but at least now he had some numbers with which to support his plans on world domination he had been boasting about. Anyone found guilty of criticizing his qualities as a coach was suggested to exercise self-censorship, as he kept on highlighting the results. Argentina finished first in the group stage, earning a total of 9 points. Aside these figures, I see the magic of Diego elsewhere, though. He succeeded in silencing those convinced that the sole reason Martin Palermo could make the team was their friendship. Indeed, a goal by this 37-year old striker muffled all complainants. In front of the rivals’ goal Argentina was having a ball – no pun intended –, yet the eternal skeptics were more interested as to whether and when the dancers of defense would miss a step.
a ls o o n t h i s d ay:
»
Mexico – Uruguay 0:1 (0:1)
At tendance:
»
33,425 |
Goals scored:
Luis SUAREZ (URU) 4 3’
France – South-Africa 1:2 (0:2)
Attendance:
39,415 |
Goals scored:
Bongani KHUMALO (RSA) 20’, Katlego MPHEL A (RSA) 37 ’,
Florent MALOUDA (FRA) 70’
»
Nigeria – Korea Republic 2:2 (1:1)
Attendance:
61,874 |
Goals scored:
Kalu UCHE (NGA) 12’, LEE Jung Soo (KOR) 38’,
PARK Chu Young (KOR) 49’, Yakubu AYEGBENI (NGA) 69’ Penalty goal
[ 105 ]
[ 106 ]
Ta k i n g t h e b a l l
f r o m M es s i was n e a r ly i m p o s -
s i b l e , ye t i t ’ s a h u g e p uz z l e w hy h e n e v e r p r ov e d m u c h o f a t h r e at to t h e g oa l d u r i n g t h e W o r l d C u p. M a r a d o n a c a n b e b l a m e d fo r m a ny t h i n gs a l r i g h t, b u t i t ’ s n ot h i s fa u lt t h at o n e o f t h e w o r l d’ s b est p l aye r s c a n s co r e from
pretty
much
a ny w h e r e
–
wearing
a
B a r c e lo n a
j e r s ey, t h at i s. P u t h i m o n t h e n at i o n a l t e a m a n d h e ’ s u n a b l e to s co r e . W o u l d b e n i c e to k n o w w h at G u a r d i o l a o r M o u r i n h o m a d e o f t h at. . .
[ 107 ]
Maradona for me I was only 8 years old when, back in 1982, I watched on our tiny black-and-white TV as the Hungarian National Team annihilated El Salvador 10-1. A couple of days later, Hungary’s second match was against then defending champion Argentina. My heroes were torn into pieces, but the name Diego Armando Maradona – and the two goals he had scored against us – was burnt in my memory for life. Four long years – half a lifetime for me then – had to pass afterwards, until their moment finally arrived again. I watched the games day and night, witnessing as Diego Maradona was being transformed from a mortal earthman into an untouchable deity. I still remember clearly the moments when, as his mates lifted this tiny little guy to the skies, he was holding the trophy up high in untellable ecstasy. Many a year have passed since. In the meantime, I had embarked with my camera on a journey that turned the dreamworld of a spiderweb-laden past into reality, and as part of which I have been fortunate enough to visit Argentina more than once. To a traveller arriving from a distant country, it is hard to put in words what this tiny man – and the moment that particular image represented – means to these people. Diego the Divine. Far from being an overstatement. By putting his team on the top of the world, he brought redemption to a country that had seen a lot of misery. Let’s not forget: for a long time, Argentina was a land of fear and terror. Under the reign of the military junta, tens of thousands were thrown alive from airplanes into the Atlantic Ocean. The Falklands War, fought with the UK and resulting in the withdrawal of the Argentine forces, also lived in the hearts of proud Argentinians as a painful memory. And then came Maradona! In 1986, after his famous manual-assist goal against England, he claimed it was “a little with the hand of God”. As a 12-year old, I was more impressed by his second goal at this match, which he scored after a 60-meter dash and humiliating practically everyone with a Three Lions jersey on. Being a kid I understood nothing about the wider context and significance of these two brilliant moves, but now I see how a historical retaliation could be condensed into a couple of flashes. Using his talent, the pitch and the attention of billions of viewers around the world in order to take a noble revenge for all the disgrace, Maradona gave back an entire nation’s selfrespect within seconds. His image has changed remarkably during the time since 1986. Just like all the success, that too was entirely because of him. To some degree, fans are also responsible, though, for idolizing someone is never a wise thing to do, because it’s impossible to live up to every single expectation. Although still a genius, Diego Armando Maradona has become a mortal again. However, his name is still being praised today and will be praised tomorrow, perhaps until the end of time.
[ 108 ]
[ 109 ]
The
moment I managed to
catch a glimpse of
Maradona’ s face,
all I’ve ever hoped and longed for became
reality.
No matter where the place you truly want to reach in your life is, there’s
[ 110 ]
always a road leading to it.
[ 112 ]
» 13
day
23.06.2010
Ghana – Germany 0:1 (0:0) Johannesburg, Soccer City Stadium 20:30 At tendance: Referee:
83,391
Carlos SIMON (BRA)
Goals scored:
Mesut OEZIL (GER) 60’
It’s now time to start speculating. Ghana has waited and, after having crunched some numbers, arrived at a decision: finishing the group stage as second seed will be perfectly fine. Notwithstanding the fact that peak performance is a must, the World Cup is just another medium where everyone seeks to encounter as little friction as possible. Together with most spectators in the stadium, Ghana had only one eye on this match, as they all imagined themselves to be in Nelspruit, rooting for the Aussies. That is to say, provided that the Socceroos manage to pull off a victory over the Serbians even by a minor margin, nobody will care if Germany beats the stars of Africa 1-0, for that would be the equivalent of the two teams holding hands and marching to the round of sweet 16. Pure math and the revelation within: second-seed Ghana will enter the knockout stage in an absolutely unintimidating quartet that also features Uruguay, South Korea and the United States. And one of them will be playing in the semi-finals. Now that’s an equation with zero unknowns, even though Australia was needed for the solution.
a ls o o n t h i s d ay:
»
Slovenia – Engl and 0:1 (0:1)
At tendance:
»
Goals scored:
Jermain DEFOE (ENG) 23’
USA – Algeria 1:0 (0:0)
At tendance:
»
36,893 |
35,827 |
Goals scored:
Landon DONOVAN (USA) 91’
Australia – Serbia 2:1 (0:0)
At tendance:
37,836 |
Goals scored:
Tim CAHILL (AUS) 69’, Bret t HOLMAN (AUS) 73’, Marko PANTELIC
(SRB) 84’
The end justified the means on both sides tonight
[ 113 ]
[ 114 ]
8
mesut özil Özil is a gif t to Germany
A third-generation Turkish gift – that’s how an otherwise precise summary by Head Coach Joachim Löw could be amended. No substantive additional comment here. We could bloat it by adding flattering pre- and suffixes to his name, but Mesut Özil will be no more than what he is: a center forward tailor-fit to the requirements of 21st century football – to the greatest happiness of Germany and the utmost heartache of Turkey.
Ummm.. what? About a year and a half ago, the two countries’ federations were facing one another in a semi-contact cage fight for the midfielder. Faithful to Oriental traditions, the latter even sent out two envoys: Halil and Hamit Altintop – both born in Gelsenkirchen, just like Özil – were supposed to convince our man that his place was with his ancestors’
team of the Crescent shirt. The brothers did not succeed and Özil now only stands for
his new country’s national anthem.
However, the humble and polite Özil has not become corrupted. Prior to each game, he secludes himself for a few minutes. Murmuring passages from the Qur’an, he prays for
Germany’s victory. It seems that Allah is listening to the solitary prayer. The match against Ghana is solid evidence.
[ 115 ]
Ghana went on to save Africa’s honor, even though both Cameroon and Nigeria had already made it into the round of 16 before. Playing a medal match would be the real
big deal .
[ 116 ]
[ 117 ]
[ 118 ]
» 14
day
24.06.2010
Slovakia – Italy 3:2 (1:0) Johannesburg, Ellis Park Stadium 1 6:00 At tendance: Referee:
53, 4 12
Howard WEBB (ENG)
Goals scored:
Robert VITTEK (SVK) 25’, Robert VITTEK (SVK) 73’, Antonio DI
NATALE (ITA) 81’, Kamil KOPUNEK (SVK) 89’, Fabio QUAGLIARELL A (ITA) 92’
I’m sure a group of scientists will sooner or later uncover the secret of Slovakia’s 2010 national team. Until then, however, I tend to blame it on the temper and attitude of Slavic people: they usually slip whenever they feel they might have a chance, even though they’re capable of pulling a surprising feat as the underdog – at least if no one else objects, that is. Well, Italy surely did not object. Marcello Lippi and his ensemble full of veterans have somehow miscalculated themselves real bad, as in South Africa the Squadra Azzurri was but a pale shadow of its trophy-snatching self of four years ago. This also goes for their first two group-stage matches, but the true tragedy is that even today they weren’t able to get past their own complacency. Towards the end of the game they did have fifteen minutes of onslaught, but that was enough only to show they can die running. With Cannavaro & Co. falling against the Slovaks as targets of scorn and derision, the glory and fame of yesterday were instantly forgotten. However touching, I couldn’t shed a single tear at the disaster of the reigning champion: they were the maestros of their own fate.
a ls o o n t h i s d ay:
»
Denmark – Japan 1:3 (0:2)
At tendance:
27,967 |
Goals scored:
Keisuke HONDA (JPN) 17 ’, Yasuhito ENDO (JPN) 30’,
Jon Dahl TOMASSON (DEN) 81’, Shinji OKAZAKI (JPN) 87 ’
»
Cameroon – Netherl ands 1:2 (0:1)
At tendance:
63,093 |
Goals scored:
Robin VAN PERSIE (NED) 36’, Samuel ETOO (CMR) 65’
Penalty goal, Kl aas Jan HUNTEL AAR (NED) 83’
»
Paraguay – Ne w Zeal and 0:0
At tendance:
34,850
[ 119 ]
G i a n l u i g i B u f fo n i n r u i n s :
n o stat u e e x i sts t h at cann ot b e to rn d o wn .
I’ m n ot d e batin g that his injuries h ad
a d ire im pact o n the A z zurri,
but the re ignin g c ham pio n s s hou ld’ ve
advan c ed fro m this gro up even if th ey only
had Pirlo protectin g the n e t all along...
gian lu i g i
buffon
[ 121 ]
Fabio Cannavaro on his knees – Italy is mourning. I felt bad about it yesterday, but today I’m glad I wasn’ t around at the downfall of the French. It would’ve been way too many tears to handle . Four years ago the t wo teams met in the final , now at an airport ’s duty-free court...
[ 123 ]
[ 124 ]
[ 125 ]
» 15
day
25.06.2010
Portugal – Brazil 0:0 Durban, Durban Stadium 16:00 At tendance: Referee:
62,7 12
Benito ARCHUNDIA (MEX)
Memories of this evening in Durban started to fade already when, a few hours after the match, I got in my car and drove into the night. And the fading continued at warp speed, which clearly demonstrates what an awfully dull and uninspired wrestling bout this event turned into, despite all the ballyhoo and hype about an alleged showdown between the two best teams in the galaxy. It all seemed like a surreal duel, one in which neither party has a weapon or an assistant, yet, with arms tied behind their backs, they’re both trying to convince us that this will indeed last until one of them is down. Pretty far from being credible… My eager anticipation notwithstanding, I had serious doubts about this game being a closing gala for the group stage of the tournament. I somehow couldn’t picture two brothers speaking the same language to start beating each other to pulp just for the sake of entertainment. And I guess I was right: the overdone theatrical gestures and the rain of yellow cards were but a bleak attempt to cover it all up.
a ls o o n t h i s d ay:
»
Korea DPR – Côte d’Ivoire 0:3 (0:2)
At tendance:
34,763 |
Goals scored:
: Yaya TOURE (CIV) 14’, ROMARIC (CIV) 20’,
Salomon KALOU (CIV) 82’
»
Chile – Spain 1:2 (0:2)
At tendance:
4 1,958 |
Goals scored:
David VILL A (ESP) 24’, Andres INIESTA (ESP) 37 ’,
Rodrigo MILL AR (CHI) 47 ’
»
Switzerl and – Honduras 0:0
At tendance:
28,042
Maicon: Sorry, bro! I know I stomped you, but I was being gentle .
[ 126 ]
[ 127 ]
[ 128 ]
[ 129 ]
This evening, the world witnessed a peculiar
Starring
stage event
held in Durban.
a cast of A-list personalities imported
from P ortugal and Bra zil , it was the premiere of William Shakespe are ’s
M u c h Ado About Nothin g, a rr a n g e d fo r fo ot ba l l . T h e o r i g i n a l i s fa r b e t t e r.
[ 130 ]
[ 131 ]
[ 132 ]
» 16
day
26.06.2010
USA – Ghana 1:2 a .e .t (1:1,0:1) Rustenburg, Royal Bafokeng Stadium 20:30 At tendance: Referee:
34,973
Viktor K ASSAI (HUN)
Goals scored:
Kevin Prince BOATENG (GHA) 5’, Landon DONOVAN (USA) 62’
Penalty goal , Asamoah GYAN (GHA) 93’
If I were one of the head officials, I wonder which team I’d be sending home tonight and which one would I be inclined to save: the all-confident Yankees or the last African team standing? Well, let me put that decision aside for a while. I’ll give them both 30 minutes of extra time. I’m not going to wait until the penalty shootout, though, as that might cause some of the spectators freezing onto their seats. I don’t want that, but I’m contemplating nevertheless. The way Goliath got itself together during regulation time was indeed enjoyable, yet it somehow fell short of being worth a resurrection and subsequent ascension. I ended up making it an emotional issue and decided to embrace David here. What a beautiful game football is! After all, in what other ways could Ghana, this tiny country from Equatorial Africa, measure up with the mighty United States? Alas, my verdict was final: Ghana is to remain in the competition, thereby becoming, after Cameroon and Senegal, the third national team from the continent that made it to the quarter-finals. My decision filled me with warmth; meanwhile the African players ran their victory lap around the stadium, carrying their national flag. But what have I done? – I was struck by the revelation as I looked upon some of the face-painted American fans, with heavy tear-stains running down those mascara flags… I kept reconsidering the question, but I always arrived at the same answer: Ghana is the winner. Why? Because Asamoah Gyan has the X Factor and because the officials have decided so!
a ls o o n t h i s d ay:
»
Uruguay – Korea Republic 2:1 (1:0)
At tendance:
30,597 |
Goals scored:
Luis SUAREZ (URU) 8’, LEE Chung Yong (KOR) 68’,
Luis SUAREZ (URU) 80’
Dempsey yelling in agony, while the Americans are in rapture . Referee K assai awarded Mensah’s brutality with a penalty kick and a yellow card.
[ 133 ]
Following the equalizer, a fan screamed out loud „We have no exit strategy!” A half hour later, Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan prepared them one .
[ 134 ]
[ 135 ]
[ 136 ]
p
rince
Kevin-
Prince Boateng,
football legend with German blood from his mother’s side, has now joined Helmut Rahn – by tallying a World Cup goal on this very day.
End of parallelism
here,
as Prince didn’t score it in the final , wasn’t wearing a German shirt, and he wasn’t playing against Hungary...
[ 137 ]
[ 138 ]
» 17
day
27.06.2010
Argentina – Mexico 3:1 (2:0) Johannesburg, Soccer City Stadium 20:30 At tendance: Referee:
84,37 7
Roberto ROSETTI (ITA)
Goals scored:
Carlos TEVEZ (ARG) 26’, Gonz alo HIGUAIN (ARG) 33’, Carlos TEVEZ
(ARG) 52’, Javier HERNANDEZ (MEX) 7 1’
Roberto Rosetti was given a chance to write a whole new chapter in the history book of football. Ah, poor Mexico! The whistlemaster was no revolutionary, perhaps because the Italians, aside from Garibaldi, just don’t make good freedom fighters. But hear me now, heroes of Mexico, who so often rebel against your fate to no avail – just like in those spaghetti western flicks. Have you not realized that all revolutions are doomed to be crushed? From today hereafter, let this be known not only as the law of history but also as Rosetti’s law. We’re all aware why this man all of a sudden became the Undertaker for Mexico: by betraying the True Cause, he committed the gravest of sins. Not because he decided to allow a goal by Argentina’s Carlos Tevez, scored clearly from about three meters offside. Things like that happen. We’re all human and humans make mistakes. I’m not saying the man was a cheater, but his vision must be severely impaired. The mistake only became a betrayal when, after watching the action replayed on the stadium’s gigantic screen, he did not overrule his poor decision. He knew exactly what he was doing and what was in the making for him. Should he decide in favor of the replay: he will get a ban. If he allows the goal: he will get a ban. It only appeared as though Rosetti did not have a chance. Everything was present for a new Italian revolutionary to be born. And instead… After the unfair goal, the Mexicans lost their faith and played like disheartened, startled children who were easily shooed away by the Carlos Tevez crew.
a ls o o n t h i s d ay:
»
Germany – Engl and 4:1 (2:1)
At tendance:
40,510 |
Goals scored:
Mirosl av KLOSE (GER) 20’, Lukas PODOLSKI (GER) 32’,
Mat t UPSON (ENG) 37 ’, Thomas MUELLER (GER) 67 ’, Thomas MUELLER (GER) 70’
The emotions of millions of Mexicans on a single face
[ 139 ]
“I know I was offside, I know it was selfish but as long as they say it was a goal it's
OK for me and the team.” [ Ca r lo s T é ve z ] o n h i s fir s t g o a l a g ain s t M e x ic o
[ 140 ]
[ 141 ]
[ 142 ]
No matter how affectionately Messi would get embraced and squeezed by the now infamous, ecstatic post-game Maradona, it occurred to me that the reigning World Player of the Year wasn’t really into all that overplayed outbursts of emotion. My impression was that, if it was up to him, he’d sure as hell forget about these melodramatic bear hugs. Although he’s never been judgmental about El Dios in words, his gestures and body language were telling me that this type of religion was a bit ponderous at times. In case I’m all wrong here, there’s only one more possible cause: he was unable to enjoy himself because his own scoreless streak.
[ 143 ]
“Javie r h ernande z . He is bl azing fast at recognizing different situations, leaving no time for the defender to adjust. The only chance you have is by overtaking him. Which is nearly impossible.�
[
Hugo SĂĄnchez
]
fo r m e r M e x i c a n st r i k e r fo r R e a l M a d r i d
[ 144 ]
With his performance in South Africa, Javier Hernandez made sure his name is now recognized outside Mexico and Manchester as well. In April of 2010, only a few people knew who this 21-year old Mexican kid, for whom Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United was willing to fork out £7 million, was. As the Scottish manager explained, he sees the young Mexican as a promising replacement for MU’s former Norwegian forward Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. To much of his protest, some have already proclaimed Fernandez as the successor of Hugo Sánchez, arguably the best striker ever to hail from the Tierra Azteca. Maybe he should give it another thought... The two goals he tallied during the World Cup did not rank him high on the top scorers’ list, but his lungs and legs made him the fastest player of the entire tournament. Clocked at a top speed of 32.15 kph, Hernandez ain’t nothing but trouble for all defenders. Also worth noting that, in his case, the proverb an apple never falls far from its tree applies twofold: both his grandfather and his father played for the national team, with the former scoring against France at the 1954 World Cup. Just like Chicarito in 2010. We’ll be hearing from him, so we should start memorizing his name.
[ 145 ]
» 18
day
28.06.2010
Brazil – Chile 3:0 (2:0) Johannesburg, Ellis Park Stadium 20:30 At tendance: Referee:
54,096
Howard WEBB (ENG)
Goals scored:
JUAN (BRA) 3 5’, Luis FABIANO (BRA) 38’, ROBINHO (BRA) 59’
When it comes to the World Cup, the Brazilians are known for their peculiar habit of sinking the Chilean battleship – each time by scoring four goals. A difficult stunt to pull, yet they have already succeeded three times: in 1962 (4:2), then in 1998 (4:1) and again today. Alright, perhaps this time they might have been a bit less bloodthirsty, as three goals seem to have done it. Chile became the victim of their own disbelief, for this ensemble, characterized by a hard-to-like defensive style, only scored high at their group stage match against Spain in terms of cold feet. Today, Chile was quicker to surrender than Zanzibar, history’s all-time record holder in capitulation. Taking place in East Africa back in 1896, that bizarre wartime story was centered around a mere 40 minutes (just under halftime) of armed conflict that ended with England’s victory. Although the parallelism is clear, there are notable differences between the cannons of England and these “fighter jets” of South America. Meanwhile Robinho, Kaká, or perhaps even Maicon would indeed qualify as advanced weaponry, and on a better day Luís Fabiano is pretty much invincible, raising Juan, scorer of Brazil’s first goal today, to such heights would be pure blasphemy. But, as we have witnessed today, the Brazilians didn’t actually need any of their wonder guns to beat Chile, a simple rifle did just as fine.
a ls o o n t h i s d ay:
»
Netherl ands – Slovakia 2:1 (1:0)
At tendance:
61,962 |
Goals scored:
Arjen ROBBEN (NED) 18’, Wesley SNEIJDER (NED) 84’,
Robert VITTEK (SVK) 94’ Penalty goal
A solitary Humberto Suazo’s bat tle against t wo Brazilians
[ 146 ]
[ 147 ]
[ 148 ]
Júlio César As per the fundamental theorem of football, the first and most important step in putting a team together is the selection of a decent goalie. Júlio César would fully qualify, one just needs to consider his latest Champions League trophy with Internazionale, or that endless series of Scudettos. Yet when it comes to Brazil, many people think this principle does not apply, as the Selecao is based exclusively on players who are able to net more goals than what the back end can be held accountable for. However, when dribbles go astray and shots miss their target, no one starts to worry for the theorem holds true all the same.
Ave César! [ 149 ]
“I’m pleased to have got on the scoresheet but I’m even happier about the victory. I’ve always done well against Chile and thankfully today was no different.”
[ 150 ]
[ robinh o ] vot e d M a n o f t h e M atc h, a f t e r t h e f i n a l w h i st l e
[ 151 ]
Having penetrated the Chilean defense , Luis Fabiano brings it home in the 38 th minute
[ 152 ]
[ 153 ]
» 19
day
29.06.2010
Spain – Portugal 1:0 (0:0) Cape Town, Green Point Stadium 20:30 At tendance: Referee:
62,955
Hector BALDASSI (ARG)
Goals scored:
David VILL A (ESP) 63’
It must be pretty frustrating for Portugal, always squinting upwards and witnessing how two generations’ worth of golden cleats remain stuck in mediocrity. Especially when considering that, on an individual level, nearly every last one of them was thought to become the next conqueror who, upon entering adulthood, would rule the world for years to come. Then came the sobering revelation: these young lads can only conquer girls at best. It’s enervating to raise and manage players who all have what it takes, yet only a few will actually make the big time. However, I don’t see any reason to worry, as sooner or later we’ll be asking the same question again: OK, so will these guys finally deliver? I guess the same would apply to Spain also, but since they took the throne of Europe in 2008 they have been gazing down instead of squinting up. So, here we have two students of similar caliber, competing with one another for a chance to do a presentation on today’s homework assignment. The reason Portugal went under wasn’t because they lacked in determination, readiness or strength. A peculiar feature of competition is that one party will have to fold. It wouldn’t have hurt for the Portuguese to beware the fact that winning is a discipline many have failed in. At least the Spaniards have crammed a single subject in this vast curriculum, meanwhile their neighbors will be lucky to even make it to the exams. As we saw it in Cape Town, Professor Del Bosque threw them out of class.
a ls o o n t h i s d ay:
»
Paraguay – Japan 0:0 a .e .t. 5:3 PSO
At tendance:
36,742
David Villa – a real ball-buster in Eduardo’s eyes, even if there was no ball around
[ 154 ]
[ 155 ]
David Nothing seemed to work out for him against Switzerland, but then he blasted a double against Honduras. Plus a 40-meter shot against Chile and a sumptuous pass to Iniesta to finish. One of his most important goals to date was scored against Portugal . Accordingly, his celebration was proportionate.
[ 156 ]
Eduardo only conceded a single goal in a total of 360 minutes of playtime, yet all his excellence was in vain. Portugal succumbed to the Spanish boot torture and the entire world hailed the inquisitor: viva
[ 158 ]
david villa
[ 159 ]
[ 160 ]
A fan’s face never lies. It was a typical , single-goal match, without much excitement. But because the stake was high, the air was filled with tension, which could’ve been eased with a lit tle bit of ...well , playing. Is that so much to ask for a Spain -Portugal match?
[ 161 ]
“ There are two ways to live your life. Either as if
or as if [
[ 162 ]
nothing
is a miracle
everything
a l b e rt e i n st e i n
]
is.�
break ???????????????????????When it comes to the World Cup, the Brazilians are known for their peculiar habit of sinking the Chilean battleship – each time by scoring four goals. A difficult stunt to pull, yet they have already succeeded three times: in 1962 (4:2), then in 1998 (4:1) and again today. Alright, perhaps this time they might have been a bit less bloodthirsty, as three goals seem to have done it. Chile became the victim of their own disbelief, for this ensemble, characterized by a hard-to-like defensive style, only scored high at their group stage match against Spain in terms of cold feet. Today, Chile was quicker to surrender than Zanzibar, history’s all-time record holder in capitulation. Taking place in East Africa back in 1896, that bizarre wartime story was centered around a mere 40 minutes (just under halftime) of armed conflict that ended with England’s victory. Although the parallelism is clear, there are notable differences between the cannons of England and.
dt,bndb j.f t z bk zt dsrb lskdjblskdjbldtkjbz
[ 163 ]
[ 164 ]
» 20
day
02.07.2010
Netherl ands – Brazil 2:1 (0:1) Nelson Mandel a Bay/Port Eliz abeth, Port Eliz abeth Stadium 1 6:00 At tendance: Referee:
40,1 8 6
Yuichi NISHIMURA (JPN)
Goals scored:
ROBINHO (BRA) 10’, Wesley SNEIJDER (NED) 53’,
Wesley SNEIJDER (NED) 68’
We’ll never going to find out whether those who thought Dunga’s team building concept – after beating Spain, or perhaps Argentina, in the finals – was going to become obvious to everyone were right. If we take Brazil’s permanent claim for gold as legitimate, we have to say the coach has made some critical errors in his calculations. One of these was his lack of plans should the Auriverde be faced with Holland on the road to the finals. The other, perhaps even more painful, mistake was his inability to recognize that one of his players, albeit looking strong on the outside, carried a range of weaknesses: this man was Felipe Melo. As the first half of the match pretty much passed with the Dutch trying to find themselves, Dunga’s non-existing plan wasn’t particularly missing either. For a while, the Oranje-feathered seemed like the ideal roasting material, perfect for stuffing. Things were going smoothly right up until the 53rd minute, as that was when Felipe Melo, completely unnoticed thus far, launched his private series of grave blunders – active role in both Dutch goals plus an exclusion – that worked like a minefield on his mates. We have yet to hear an explanation for all that. I mean, there is one, but that’s more like a question: what was he doing in South Africa at all? Perhaps Doctor Dunga’s original intention was to clone 1994’s Brazil including himself. Trouble is, some tissues were mixed up: he put muscle fibers where brain cells should have been.
a ls o o n t h i s d ay:
»
Uruguay – Ghana 1:1 a .e .t. (1:1,0:1) 4:2 PSO
At tendance:
84,017 |
Goals scored:
Sulley MUNTARI (GHA) 47 ’, Diego FORL AN (URU) 55’
Okay, we ’ve now sent the Brazilians home . Next please .
[ 165 ]
Orange and lemon. The first one ’s sweeter.
[ 166 ]
[ 167 ]
Dutch neo -classicism: this move by
Wesley Sne ij d e r is an opus in visual art. Power, momentum and grace – the goal celebration is just the icing.
[ 169 ]
Tulips of triumph: Mark van Bommel , Wesley Sneijder and Gregory van der Wiel bunched together
[ 170 ]
Holland have been more aggressive and more convincing since Arjen Robben’s recovery
[ 171 ]
» 21
day
03.07.2010
Argentina – Germany 0:4 (0:1) Cape Town, Green Point Stadium 16:00 At tendance: Referee:
64,100
Ravshan IRMATOV (UZB)
Goals scored:
Thomas MUELLER (GER) 3’, Mirosl av KLOSE (GER) 68’,
Arne FRIEDRICH (GER) 74’, Mirosl av KLOSE (GER) 89’
After the group stage, half the planet was applauding South America’s dominance, whereas the other half was pretty aggravated because of it. Some journalists even went as far as envisioning a pure Latin final. Come the closing whistle at the end of the last quarter-final: does anyone remember all this silliness? I’m sure even the actual authors of such predictions would say no. With the surrender of Argentina, the last South American man standing, today marks the ultimate dispersal of dark clouds over those advocating the supremacy of European football. Just a couple of days ago, who would’ve thought that only Uruguay was going to make it to the final four? People were singing praises to the Nationalelf, meanwhile I, upon hearing a number of comments, felt like having watched a different game altogether. I know that, given the end results, my words might be taken as impiety, but still. Truth is, the gauchos didn’t even play bad – for about 60 minutes. That, however, is far from enough against a rival capable of maintaining, from start to finish, a near-steady RPM rate, regardless the circumstances. Having already had a series of bouts with the Germans with mixed results, Head Coach Diego Maradona became the victim of his own selection principles, his tactical illiteracy and Germany’s fearful precision. Too bad he wasn’t the only one to pick up the tab: Tevez, Messi and the others, too, paid a hefty price. Dressed up in formal wear, Argentina went to save the honor of South America and was preparing for La Gran Fiesta. The Germans, on the other hand, like a bunch of cheeky kids holding slingshots and bottles of ink, took the Killjoy Oath. But they didn’t forget to put on their cleats either.
a ls o o n t h i s d ay:
»
Paraguay – Spain 0:1 (0:0)
At tendance:
55,359 |
Goals scored:
David VILLA (ESP) 83’
Although he did not score today, Schweinsteiger held the conductor’s baton and was voted Man of the Match
[ 172 ]
[ 173 ]
[ 174 ]
Carlos Tévez learned everything from Carlos Bianchi, his mentor, and in the slums of Buenos Aires where he grew up. To let his talent flourish, the coach taught him how to perceive life through rationality’s lenses, while the shanties’ deep poverty forged his determination even harder: breaking out was the sole privilege of the best. “To me, Tévez is like my own child. He’s hungry for success and is very passionate” – noted Maradona, Argentina’s one and only football deity, summarizing the “end result”. With this figurative adoption in mind, we should note that blood is indeed thicker than water, although with Lionel Messi also on the team, the role of Tévez as the leader is far from being as indisputable as that of Diego once had been. In Manchester, Tévez is expected to do the same as Maradona was in Naples in the 80s: make the City reach the top. The challenge and the task were no less substantial in South Africa either, where he was supposed to lead the Albiceleste to the gold medal. He did everything he could, but it didn’t work out. It wasn’t his fault.
[ 175 ]
messi from Maradona
“Diego Maradona is the best player in the history of world football. He was one of my idols when I was growing up – it’s not very original, but you know for Argentineans, is almost like a god. I will never be anywhere near Maradona, not in a million years. And I dont’t even have any desire to be. He is the greatest of all time. Don’t compare me with Maradona – I have my own story and my own goals to achieve.”
Maradona from Messi
“I don’t like comparisons, but if someone has to surpass me, then let it be an Argentine. I have seen the player who will inherit my place in Argentine football and his name is Messi. Messi is a genius and he can become an even better player. His potential is limitless and I think he’s got everything it takes to become Argentina’s greatest player.”
[ 176 ]
When
two stars collide,
both will cease to exist. I wonder if that’s also how it works when two geniuses are stuck to work together.
Messi
could not have a say for
the starting lineup, and
Maradona could not
score instead of Messi. The stars of hope in the sky above Argentina faded out.
[ 177 ]
Pain is accompanied by solitude, which is seldom shared. On the other hand, the sharing of just creates more joy to share.
[ 178 ]
joy
[ 179 ]
[ 180 ]
day
» 22
06.07.2010
Uruguay – Netherl ands 2:3 (1:1) Cape Town, Green Point Stadium 20:30 At tendance: Referee:
62, 478
Ravshan IRMATOV (UZB)
Goals scored:
Giovanni VAN BRONCKHORST (NED) 1 8’, Diego FORL AN (URU) 4 1’,
W es ley SN EIJDER (N ED ) 70’, Arje n R OBBEN ( N ED) 73’ , Max i m ilian o PE RE I RA (URU) 92’
I was part of the minority that, due to its neutrality, rooted for Uruguay. …because, back in Cape Town, we were massively outnumbered by the Dutch fans. Even if we outsiders had gone to war with eight vuvuzelas each, the flood of Oranje trumpeteers would still have muffled us with ease. …because we were so awestruck, our mouths were left gaping open. Regardless of color, almost every South African local rooted for Holland. Examining the underlying causes of that is not our task, even though it’s worth giving it a thought as to when and how this affection towards the former colonist nation has emerged. …because the everyday layman is fond of the mythology of the poor folk-tale peasant boy who, when his dignity and honor are at stake, doesn’t care if the dragon he’s faced with has one, three or even seven heads. In football terms, replace dragon with odds against. And that’s exactly what Uruguay have done at this tournament. I mean, if a country of 3.5 million – regardless of its World Cup history – manages to reach the semi-finals, well, that only deserves admiration and should not be judged at any case. …because Holland resorted to deploying an élite squad of mercenaries, meanwhile Uruguay played like a loosely organized guerilla squad, primarily due to the absence of Luis Suárez and Diego Lugano. …and because, after all, would anyone take the bully’s side at a schoolyard fight? Despite all of the above, let us honestly admit it: the Dutch were better.
With a couple of his mates, Arjen Robben lef t the locker room and came back to the pitch an hour af ter the last whistle , just so they could join their fans celebrating Holland’s advancement to the final
[ 181 ]
A fatigued and forlorn Forlรกn: despite scoring yet another beauty, Diego found himself lost in Oranje County without Luis Suรกre z . Uruguay was defeated in the semi-final .
[ 182 ]
[ 183 ]
[ 184 ]
diego for lán If, after South Africa, someone would still associate Diego Forlán’s name with his Manchester-era blunders, I seriously advise them to check up on the past two years’ statistics, or at least find out who the 2010 recipient of the Adidas Golden Ball was. Diego Forlán is like good wine: he gets more sublime with age. Just as the noble drink can go in our head while titillating the senses with bouquet and aroma, so can this striker mesmerize and charm anyone watching him play. He’s a natural born leader, a strategist who relies on his head as much as on his skills and finesse. Smart and watchful – does anyone remember seeing him bulldoze an opponent during this tournament? Perhaps that, too, is one of the reasons why it never really worked out for him in England, where carrying bouncer-like qualities isn’t always a disadvantage for a center forward. He’s had his share of difficult periods in life and, as early as in 1991, made some lifechanging decisions by quitting tennis and remaining true to the family tradition of football – all in order to help his sister, paralyzed for life due to a car accident. “I’m gonna become a famous footballer so that we could have the best doctors treat you” – remembered Alejandra her brother’s words in an interview. A huge price to pay – even if it gave the world a superstar athlete.
Some trivia facts: t wo Pichichi Trophies (given to the top scorer in the Spanish League) and t wo European Golden Shoes – just to mention his most notable awards.
[ 185 ]
A 35-year old left back: despite all logical arguments, this guy tallied the single
most beautiful goal of the tournament – against Uruguay. I guess that much bias is within permissible limits, what with the press having declared him as
the weakest link
on the Dutch
side and all . To err is human; to nearly
blast a hole
in the far right corner from miles away is divine.
[ 186 ]
[ 187 ]
Football players of ten risk their physical safety while tackling, breaking free or otherwise trying to solve a situation. The scissor kick is a classical move , but the way Van Bommel is at tempting to get a hold of the ball is completely unique . And against the rules...
[ 188 ]
[ 189 ]
[ 190 ]
day
» 23
07.07.2010
Germany – Spain 0:1 (0:0) Durban, Durban Stadium 20:30 At tendance: Referee:
60,960
Viktor K ASSAI (HUN)
Goals scored:
Carles PUYOL (ESP) 73’
Only God knows exactly why the Germans lost – some believe it was courage they were missing, others blame a lack of experience. Well, the latter is somewhat contradicted by Sami Khedira’s interview given at a press conference, in which the German midfielder pointed out to the journalists a tiny fact, namely that in their age group, this ensemble has practically won every single tournament except those that have not even been held in the first place. Players representing the backbone of today’s (and tomorrows’s) Nationalelf are natural born winners, and they usually live up to that. Instead of presenting a counterargument, by bringing up the Germans’ impressive series of results so far, second-choice goalie for Spain Pepe Reina might have managed to increase the burden on his opponents’ shoulders (the Nationalelf has reached the semi-finals 12 times to date). As for his own team, the Spaniard only mentioned their lack of fond memories regarding the World Cup, hence they have much less to hold onto. Incredible! The guy humbly kept silent about the Euro 2008 final, which I’m sure qualifies as something. But what could we neutral observers have expected from this match anyway? Good question, for those unable to find beauty in the art of passing might very well consider all games played by Spain completely unexciting. In Durban, a lot of such people were bored to death after these 90 minutes – and that’s pretty much how the Germans must have felt also, about endlessly chasing the ball. The relentless pursuit aside, Podolski und das Team seem to have forgotten a lot since their showdown with Argentina, one of which had devastating consequences: they ignored a fundamental rule that calls for three bodyguards to be present at all Spanish corner kicks. One of the VIPs to watch was called Carles Puyol.
What do you want from me? And you?
[ 191 ]
“Whenever I see a guy on the street wearing a jersey with the name
Puyol on the back,
I always think he must ’ve bought it by
mistake.
If I were him, I’d be sporting the shirt of X avi or Iniesta...” [ C a r l e s P u yo l ] on himself
ca rles
Puyol Carlito rose up to the skies, nodded, and Spain entered Heaven’s territory. Well, at least its gate. Meanwhile Torres, Villa, Xavi and the rest of the magicians were scratching their heads thinking about the right spell, Puyol came and enchanted everyone. But who is this brilliant Spanish thoroughbred anyway? To get the most accurate answer, one needs to ask Ricard Pruna, head athletic trainer for Barcelona. If the renowned doc’s testings are correct, Puyol is stronger than any of his teammates, has a reaction time quicker than Xavi’s, and his vertical jump is… well, this last ability of his was presented today, with half of the planed watching as the 32-year old simply leaped above the entire German defensive line. Only God knows what kind of a goalie he would’ve become, had it not been for an early-age chronic back pain that forced him out to the pitch... “As far as ball-handling, Romário is way above me. I am no match for the agility of Marc Overmars or the muscle mass of Patrick Kluivert, but I work much harder than all of them. I’m like your averageskilled student who, after preparing for an exam as thoroughly and exhaustively as possible, ends up passing with an A+” – that is how he described himself and gave advice to future stars with similarly unexceptional talent or physical ability. Having passed 30, he still puts in plenty of overtime at practices. Role model? Without a question. A true idol.
[ 193 ]
After his majestic header, Puyol’s curls received more rubbing than residents of a petting zoo on Children’s Day. [ 194 ]
Mirolslav Klose alone couldn’ t deliver the performance he ’d pulled off against Argentina with Müller on his side .
[ 196 ]
Bastien Schweinsteiger tries to face the unfathomable . He won’ t be playing in the final .
[ 197 ]
day
» 24
10.07.2010
Uruguay – Germany 2:3 (1:1) Nelson Mandel a Bay/Port Eliz abeth, Port Eliz abeth Stadium 20:30 At tendance: Referee:
36,254
Benito ARCHUNDIA (MEX)
Goals scored:
Thomas MUELLER (GER) 19’, Edinson CAVANI (URU) 28’, Diego FORL AN
(URU) 51’, Marcell JANSEN (GER) 56’, Sami KHEDIRA (GER) 82’
Being an individual athlete is probably a little better after all, as it is essentially up to you whether you’ll become an expert mountaineer set to conquer the highest summits, or remain a weekend hiker who simply likes to get out of town every once in a while. Your parents left you with an average gene pool? The closest you’ll ever get to sports is by opening an athletic store. Your dad’s name is Boris Becker? You’d better start some racqueteerin’. A team sport, on the other hand, is a whole different ballpark. You’re both a benchwarmer and a star. One day you’re carrying the entire team on your back, the next day you become the bottleneck, a component with a factory defect. But the teammates can relieve a lot of pressure, and everyone gets an equal share of joy even if you haven’t contributed much yourself. Also part of the story is that by seeing twenty others in grief all because of you, the inner bell of conscience can be deafening. It’s much harder to clean up your act when you’re an organic part of a group. Although logical, this system lacks every bit of justice. There isn’t any. Uruguayan goalie Fernando Muslera had to learn this the hard way tonight. On two occasions during the bronze medal match, his hands failed to execute properly the commands fired by his brain. The results were depressing: goal(s) served up to Germany on a plate, and a far-from-comforting fourth place. With their performances against Australia, England and Argentina, the Nationalelf truly deserved the medal, yet there was this amiable team from South America that shouldn’t have fallen because of such childish mistakes either. Their victory notwithstanding, most German players couldn’t fully mask their sorrow over the missed final with a smile – but that’s nothing compared to what Muslera must have felt. He will be carrying the stigma of this defeat forever, long after the others have already forgotten about their fury.
Fernando Muslera’s hand missed the ball only by a fe w inches. Could it also have been the very distance that ended up keeping Uruguay from the bronze? We ’ll never know.
[ 198 ]
[ 199 ]
[ 200 ]
Diego Forlan
Sami Khedira
“Finishing in the top four at the World Cup is incredible, and
“I think it was clear to everyone watching that we gave it
if you’d given us that result at the start of the tournament,
everything we had and were utterly determined to win.
we’d have definitely taken it. We came really close to third
We need time to reflect on what’s happened at the tourna-
place today. All in all it’s been unforgettable. The Adidas
ment, but at the end of the day, this is a very, very young
Golden Ball award which I won thanks to my team-mates.
team. We’ve certainly laid down a marker, but we all want
As I’m a striker, I perhaps could have seen myself chasing the
more, and I think we have it in us to win things in the com-
Golden Shoe, and in fact I came close.”
ing years.”
Bastien Schweinsteiger
Thomas Müller
“We’re delighted we’ve rounded off the tournament with a
“It’s an honour of course, but at the end of the day, I’d rather
win, although you can’t help thinking about what might have
have had the World Cup itself. It’s a huge honour to be part
been. We’re still a little bit disappointed about the semi-final,
of a group including the likes of Pelé, Franz Beckenbauer,
but fortunately we’ve won tonight. It was important, for us,
Michael Owen and the most recent winner, Lukas Podolski.
and for our fans in Germany. That shows real strength of
For me personally, it’s terrific confirmation of the work I’ve
character. I’ll always be proud of being part of this team at
put in over the last year. I’m delighted my great run has con-
this tournament.”
tinued here, and I’ve really enjoyed it too.”
[ 201 ]
[ 202 ]
Cacau If, at the age of 16, someone sells all sorts of nick-nacks on the streets of Sao Paulo, becoming a World Cup striker is probably among the le ast viable career options. Well , Cacau is the e xception. Not the first bronze-snatching pl ayer of color in the Nationalelf ’s history – in 2006 there were Asamoah and Odonkor – but certainly the first to hail from Brazil . And with a proper German nickname , too. Helmut has sure made it big.
[ 203 ]
[ 204 ]
“Taking the tournament as a whole, my team has been
magnificent.
Just looking at
the way they’ve put a bitter defeat to Spain behind them, their
performance as a whole at the finals,
and the number of goals they’ve scored, you have to be
delighted.
We can go home now feeling justifiably
[ J o a c h i m LÖ W
proud.”
]
[ 205 ]
[ 206 ]
day
» 25
11.07.2010
Netherl ands – Spain 0:1 a .e .t. Johannesburg, Soccer City Stadium 20:30 At tendance: Referee:
84, 490
Howard WEBB (ENG)
Goals scored:
Andres INIESTA (ESP) 1 16’
I’m inclined to admit that it wasn’t the most stunning World Cup final of all time – strictly in terms of football per se, that is. Because this visual orgy could not have been made any more spectacular even if all gods of the Zulu and the Xhosa had descended, in the crossfire of stadium lights, onto the pitch at Soccer City sporting colorful bowties. Moreover, if only for a split moment, Nelson Mandela too appeared at the closing ceremony. I’m jotting down these lines roughly two months after Howard Webb’s final whistle, but my thoughts about the most important details remain unchanged. Except for a few of its players, Holland had simply shied away from giving it a hundred percent. Too bad this chosen few also included Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong as these guys just slashed whoever came at them. Despite all the criticism and grumbling, a defensive tactic would’ve easily earned Holland the gold medal, provided Arjen Robben doesn’t miss at least one of his two attempts. But he did. He couldn’t have done otherwise. And that was because Iker Casillas saw the World Cup final as the ideal occasion for nailing it deep in all heads across the Low Countries: the god and king of all goalkeepers is now Spanish, and the rulers of the New Football Universe are his fellow citizens: Catalans, Basques, Andalusians, Castilians – all Spaniards. An hour after the final, David Gistau Retes, a correspondent at Madrid-based newspaper El Mundo summarized this historic triumph as a success unifying a country torn apart both on a political and ethnic level. A long-awaited moment finally arrived at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, whereby Spain gained admittance into the world’s most exclusive club of gold medalists. Meanwhile Holland overtook us Hungarians and became a record holder of its own: three finals – three silver medals.
The night of the final was a celebration, held for the game of football as much as for Africa itself
[ 207 ]
“Spain created far more chances , but
Arjen Robben
twice came within inches of scoring for us. If he had, I think
we’d have been
world champions.”
[ B e r t va n M a rw i j k ] N e t h e r l an d s c o ac h
Arjen Robben All it takes is giving the ball enough momentum to pass by the goalie’s hands – the rest is as easy as pie. Even if he were only allowed to go on offense running backwards, his attempt vs. success ratio would never drop below 50 percent and he’d bring home at least one of every two shots taken at the goal, for Arjen Robben is a master of his moves, his thoughts and, last but not least, the ball itself. Yet, the World Cup final brought along disturbances in the force, for the striker missed not once but twice in a row. He can only blame his own impatience for the first one, but when he was denied for the second time, that enraged look on his face was all the more understandable. That is, while zooming towards the Spanish goal at warp speed, he was being tackled and pushed and pulled by Puyol for several meters and, by the time he reached Casillas’ box, all he could see were stars instead of the cage. It’s not my task to alleviate Arjen Robben’s responsibility for a World Cup final lost, nor am I the right person for bringing him peace of mind with these lines. I’m just merely recording some facts here. But something’s still bugging me, though. The night before the final I watched through Holland’s entire practice, and Arjen Robben played as though precision were his middle name. Space, distance, anxiety or pressure: none of that mattered and whenever he launched the ball – also in situations such as this one – it always ended up inside the goal. Then and there, it all seemed as easy as pie. Too bad the final came only a day later.
[ 208 ]
[ 209 ]
The all- decis ive final g oal cam e pac k ag e d in
An d r e as Iniesta’ s
rig ht fo ot and was u nwrapped in the 1 1 6 th minute . Th e tiny Spaniard in stantly b eca m e a g iant, s e n d in g S pain to W o r ld C u p g lo ry fo r th e fir st ti m e in h i sto ry.
[ 210 ]
[ 211 ]
[ 212 ]
“We’ve come
so close,
and that makes it even more
disappointing.
We had to take one of our chances, and you never know what might have happened after that. We gave them
too much space in midfield at times,
but I’m still proud of this team. Having said that, once you’re in the
[ G i o va n n i va n Br o n c k h o r s t
Final , you want to win it.”
]
N e t h e r l an d s ca p tain
[ 213 ]
[ 214 ]
„This is an
unforgettable moment.
We have to congratulate our rivals because they made it very difficult for us. The
Final was all about attacking football and both sides
tried to play the game the way it should be played. There’s a great sense of happiness in the dressing room right now. I’d like to thank the
Spain fans for all their support.
They’re enjoying this as much as the players.”
[ Vicente del Bosque
]
S pain c o ac h
[ 215 ]
David Villa on
top of the world.
I don’t think it’s much of an overstatement that, of all players on the Spanish side, he’s worked the
hardest
for this moment.
Spain took home the trophy with a mere in
8 goals
scored
7 matches.
Unbelievable and unmatched.
[ 216 ]
The first and last kiss. Before the final, the cup was carried to the stadium by Fabio Cannavaro, who gave it a last kiss. Ramos tried his lips on gold shortly after. [ 219 ]
1
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Joan CAPDEVIL A
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DAVID SILVA
SERGIO RAMOS
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Victor VALDES
XAVI
Jesus NAVA
Gerard PIQUE
Sergio BUSQUETS
Carles PUYOL
Cesc FABREGAS
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PEDRO
Carlos MARCHENA
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coach: Vicente DEL BOSQUE
SERGIO RAMOS
SERGIO RAMOS
PEDRO
Victor VALDES
Fernando TORRES
coach: Vicente DEL BOSQUE
Fernando TORRES
Raul ALBIOL
XABI ALONSO
Alvaro ARBELOA
SERGIO
Fernando TORRES
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Javier MARTINEZ
Joan CAPDEVIL A
Raul ALBIOL
Pepe REINA
Carlos MARCHENA
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Pepe REINA
Cesc FABREGAS
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Carles PUYOL
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Iker CASILL AS
Joan CAPDEVIL A
coach: Vicente DEL BOSQUE
SERGIO RAMOS
Gerard PIQUE
PEDRO
DAVID SILVA
Victor VALDES
XAVI
Fernando LLORENTE
Victor VALDES
CAPDEVILA
Andres INIESTA
Carles PUYOL
Carlos MARCHENA
Jesus NAVA
Sergio BUSQUETS
Alvaro ARBELOA
DAVID SILVA
Cesc FABREGAS
Fernando TORRES
XABI ALONSO
Carles PUYOL
Victor VALDES
XAVI
Joan CAPDEVILA
Raul ALBIOL
Juan Manuel MATA
Javier MARTINEZ
Iker CASILL AS
Iker CASILLAS
coach: Vicente DEL BOSQUE
SERGIO RAMOS
Fernando TORRES
Raul ALBIOL
ALONSO
Jesus NAVA
Javier MARTINEZ
Fernando LLORENTE
David VILLA
Pepe REINA
Carlos MARCHENA
Andres INIESTA
Carles PUYOL
Cesc FABREGAS
Joan CAPDEVILA
David VILLA
PEDRO
DAVID SILVA
Victor VALDES
Fernando LLORENTE
Carles PUYOL
REINA
Carlos MARCHENA
XAVI
Sergio BUSQUETS
Alvaro ARBELOA
Juan Manuel MATA
Andres INIESTA
Gerard PIQUE
coach: Vicente DEL BOSQUE
Javier MARTINEZ
Iker CASILL AS
Raul ALBIOL
XABI ALONSO
SERGIO RAMOS
Fernando TORRES
Sergio BUSQUETS
SILVA
Jesus NAVA
Joan CAPDEVILA
ALBIOL
Pepe REINA
Javier MARTINEZ
Iker CASILL AS
Victor
[ 221 ]
The Spanish Armada returns home with their booty af ter hard-fought bat tles. From this day onwards, they ’ll be guardians of this trophy for four years, and they will not be willing to part with it anytime soon.
[ 222 ]
t h an k yo u s o u t h africa , s e e yo u in bra z i l in 2 0 1 4 !
“Finally it has arrived. Not only is the four-year wait for the next FIFA World Cup almost over, but at last the world is getting ready to enjoy the first such tournament to be played on African soil. I wish you a tournament that is fair, exciting, spectacular and, above all, truly African.�
[ J o s e p h S . B l at t e r ] p r e s i d e n t o f f i fa