After a month of excitement and too much late-night TV, the World Cup has drawn to an end, with Germany being the worthy winners. Guess I should have bought that Germany shirt huh! But I'm glad the Germans won. They were my 3rd team, after Italy and Spain. I was quite taken by the "new Germany" when Jurgen Klinsmann and his then-assistant Joachim Loew first unleashed Lahm, Schweinsteiger and gang 2006, though glad that they still lost to Italy in the semis. Since then I've sat up whenever Germany played. They were going to be the next big thing, I was sure of it. It didn't happen in 2010 though I was again impressed. There was nothing to stop them this time.
It was honestly one of the better World Cups I've watched in recent years. Highlights of the World Cup for me:
- Colombia! When the tournament started, DD declared that he was supporting Brazil, Argentina and the first team that beat another team 3-0. Two days later, Colombia beat Greece 3-0 and they became the team he backed. (He insisted Netherlands earlier thrashing of Spain 5-1 didn't count because it wasn't 3-0. Also, DD doesn't like the Netherlands, period.) We laughed about it at first then stopped laughing, because they were so good! James Rodriguez was totally the breakout star for me, and his goal against Uruguay was the goal of the tournament. I wanted them to beat Brazil, I did, even if DD didn't!
- Great goalkeepers -- Neuer the sweeper keeper, and I-can-save-anything-you-throw-at-me Ochoa, Navas and Tim Howard. It is rare that folks celebrate a goal NOT being scored, but these keepers did it in style and won the plaudits. Oh, and let's not forget the penalty shootout star Tim Krul!
- Watching Messi light up the stage in the earlier stages. Given that I don't watch La Liga, I've never seen Messi in action. Or at least, I'd never seen him play well, since his previous appearances at the World Cup were really quite disappointing. But this time, I got to see why he's considered the best around.
- Germany beating Brazil 7-1. 'Nuff said.
- Miroslav Klose beating Ronaldo's all-time World Cup goals record with 16 goals. I've never thought much of Klose but he really just keeps scoring! Watch out for Thomas Mueller who looks like he will top Klose's record one day.
- THAT advertisement by the National Council on Problem Gambling that even started making round in other countries. At least they had the good sense not to run it during the final!
(The low points were Suarez's idiotic biting of Chellini and Italy failing to make it out of the group stages.)
The biggest thing about this World Cup however was really being able to share it with my kids. We watched the highlights game in the morning and I would show them some of the highlights on my laptop in the day too. Noey supported Argentina all the way and was so chuffed when his team made it all the way to the finals. He even trotted out to watch the game with me at 3am! (He was really trying to make his usual break for my room in the middle of the night but curled up next to me when he caught me watching telly.)
He'd be 10 the next time it rolls round. I'm looking forward to that.
"Football is a simple game; 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans win" -- Gary Lineker. Now, as true as ever.
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