Beyond The Goal

I was quite young then. But I remember watching Uruguayan football team in 1982 at Calcutta. They had come for the inaugural Nehru Cup. I can even recollect the glimpses of Enzo Francescoli, the defiant, irrepresible attacking midfielder. For me and till now, he remained the only passport to Uruguayan football. Much later at the 1986 World Cup, Francescoli had popped up again. I think Denmark had humilated Uruguay 6-1. He had scored the only goal. Like most of us who admire Latin American football, were left in a state of shock. What had happened to Uruguay? We wondered. I guess, that was one of their most disppointing defeats in World Cup. Soon we started losing track of Uruguay. Uruguay didn't create much ripples in 1990 World Cup as well. Slowly and slowly their famed supremacy took a tumbling. Considered one of the pioneers of Latin American football and the two times World Cup winner, Uruguay never again captured the imagination until this time at South Africa. Their re-appear...

All this while I have been discussing with my friends about this German side. I never, ever said about an Argentine win. Both these teams were my pre-tournament favourites. I admire Diego Maradona. But then being passionate is one thing and translating that passion into performance on the ground is a different ball game. For all of those who had been cheering on for Argentina had never spared a thought for this German side who almost imperceptibly developed soccer's holy-grail blend of youth and experience. We all talked about Messi. Tevez. Higuan. But did we ever analyse this German team which is full of extraordinary talent and exuberance? The Germans play a team game. Its more authoritative unlike that of Argentina being too much Messi-centric. Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mesut Ozil, Thomas Mueller, Sami Khedira, Podolosky, Klose were bundles of fizzing energy. The impeccable passing sense, excellent ball control manned by an intelligent and workaholic midfield tore apart Diego'...