Arsenal lost at the moment Adebayor turned to celebrate with the crowd, not with the young genius whose lifelong memory of a run created his afterthought of a vital goal. Sven was right to take him to the World Cup, and, but for the fake Sheikh, might have played him.
Enough of such things. Really, do take the time to watch this “fan video” of Germany v Argentina from 2006. It’s far and away the best piece of work of its kind I’ve seen. Let’s face it: they’re normally crap. But this is magnificent – a warm, witty visual essay about the life that still goes on through an often overcommercialised tournament.
Cheer yourself up – here it is:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NO3X0wZOYuo&hl=en]
Have you noticed that Berbatov often has the good manners to thank his colleagues if one of them sets him up for a goal? You’d have thought that such behaviour from a striker was just practical wisdom.
It is a gorgeous, generous video.
I don’t think there ever has been, or could be, a better football song than ‘Three Lions’. “Football’s coming home…” seems to me all that’s best about England.
The sound of massed Germans singing together, however, still sends me into cold shivers.
I’d sooner lose with England than win with Germany, I suppose. Or it may be that losing at the end (but you have to get to the end first) is just more innately human and attractive than winning.
Permit me to draw to your attention the remarkable fact that the “only team mentioned in the bible” has just reached the Scottish cup final.