Boring, Physical Final of the Vuvuzela World Cup

In the end, in extra time, Spain got the job done and defeated the Netherlands 1-.0 to be crowned the new King of Soccer. But it was a boring, physical game in which the Dutch players committed blatant fouls that deserved a red card or two. Spain was the better team, more poised and patient, and although Netherlands had its chances, the result was poetic justice for a nation that had broken the hearts of its fans for too long. Separatist unrest has already started in Catalonia, but for a few days at least, Spain deserves to bask in the glow of its sweet victory. Perhaps winning the 2010 World Cup will unify the country more than any political party can.

Watching this frustratingly ugly game made one thing clear: When Europeans play one another in the final, expect to be bored. We see exciting soccer when a European team is matched against a South American team. The Germany-Uruguay match for third and fourth place was far more entertaining than Spain-Netherlands. Contrasting styles make the beauty shine through in the beautiful game. Too bad both Brazil and Argentina lost and left early.

Some final thoughts:

The record for most goals in the World Cup will be held by Brazil's Ronaldo (15) at least through 2118. Miroslav Klose came close at 14 in his third World Cup but he will not be playing in 2114. Given that Lionel Messi hasn't scored a single goal in South Africa, there is no way he can catch Ronaldo even if he dominates the next two World Cups.

The most dominating team performance: Germany over Argentina 4-0. This was also the most thrilling match of the tournament. Viewers got their money's worth. Runner-up: Brazil over Chile 3-0.

Best player: Uruguay's Diego Forlan. His performance was consistently spectacular. He seemed to have a mystical understanding of the temperamental flight of the Jabulani ("to celebrate" in Zulu) World Cup soccer ball and bend it his way.

Most overrated: England's Wayne Rooney. The English team as a whole never measured up. The English are clearly masters of marketing. When it comes to delivering, they are the biggest dud in the world. To rate Rooney as a great player is to insult players who are truly great.
Runner up: Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo.

Young player to watch: Germany's Mesut Ozil. A gifted playmaker, his best days on the pitch are yet to come.

Best sideshow: Diego Maradona. He had the guts to speak his mind and bring passion to a game that badly needs it. His stars failed him.

Most intriguing character: Paul the Octopus, oracle of Germany's Oberhausen aquarium. Perfect prediction for all matches, including Germany's loss to Spain in the semifinal. Please release Paul to his natural habitat after his stellar performance.

South Africa as host: Wonderful!

Do Cry for Me, Argentina (and Brazil)!

Germany's ruthless dismantling of Argentina 4-0 on the world's biggest sporting stage will haunt the South American nation for decades to come. Somewhere down the road, there maybe revenge or redemption but not anytime soon. Diego Maradona relied far too much on the artistry of Messi and Tevez and perhaps a few others but ignored the fact that he also had to defend his fort. His "attack, attack, attack" style of play could not mask the holes in his defense and midfield. Argentine defense was porous and second-class at best, and the Germans exploited it to the hilt.

The inventive and unselfish Germans had two advantages going into the quarterfinals: a) Michael Ballack's absence and b) the loss to Serbia 1-0 in the group match. The first meant that the predictable and ponderous Ballack would not stymie the free-flowing game of the young and the relentless Germans. The second was a wakeup call that only increased the fierce resolve of the team to win.

But perhaps the greatest asset of the Germans is the mix of their players. Mesut Ozil is a Muslim of Turkish descent. Sami Khedira and Jerome Boateng have Tunisian and Ghanaian fathers., respectively. Cacau is a naturalized Brazilian and Dennis Aogo boasts a Nigerian heritage. Combining forces with Klose, Mueller and the rest of the team, they ran Messi and company ragged for 60 minutes. The last 30 minutes of the game was painful to watch as the Argentines simply folded. They were outrun, outhustled, and outperformed in every aspect of the game. Messi's weak shots were easily blocked. In all, he took 30 shots on goal in the tournament and not one went in, a deeply disappointing performance. Messi may yet redeem himself in 2114 but that's an eternity away.

As for Brazil, although its defense was also poor overall, the player responsible for the perennial favorite to get the boot in the quarterfinals was Kaka. This "star" also failed to score a single goal in the World Cup. The moment of truth came deep into the second half against Holland when Kaka fielded a ball in the penalty area and had ample time to take a look at the goal to line up the perfect shot. He took the shot and ... what a letdown! There was no curve to the ball as it floated harmlessly away. At that moment you knew that Brazil would lose. The only player who lived up to his billing was Robinho but even he proved to be not a finisher like Romario or Ronaldo.

Brazil will have to remain content with the "five-time champion" label for years to come. The 2114 World Cup will be held in Brazil but unless players like Romario or Ronaldo (too much to expect a Pele or a Garrincha) arrive to lead a young and energetic team who can change strategy as the dynamics of the pitch demands, quarterfinals will be as far as the host nation will go.

Brazil and Argentina remind me of India and Pakistan in field hockey. Until the '70s, these two nations always met in the final in the Olympics. Then other nations began investing in the sport and now India and Pakistan are often eliminated even before reaching the quarterfinals stage.

The German brand of soccer we are now witnessing is the result of a decade-long investment in developing new talents and new approaches to the game. German players seem to combine the flair and flamboyance of the South Americans and the athleticism and work ethic of the, well, Germans. It is unlikely that Spain, which was unconvincing in its 1-0 wins against both Portugal and Paraguay, can hold back the irresistible German force. Look for Germany against Holland in the final and for Klose and his rainbow team to hoist the World Cup after a hard-fought game.

Messi and Kaka are Still Goalless!

We are in the Quarterfinals phase in the 2010 World Cup soccer and yet the world's best players, Messi of Argentina and his close runner-up Kaka of Brazil haven't scored a single goal! Messi the playmaker had a hand, make that foot, in almost all the goals that Argentina scored, yet the peerless striker hasn't found the net himself. Kaka hasn't played to his potential yet, and although he too set up some goals for Brazil, he is yet to beat a goalkeeper himself. What's going on?

These two are marked men, and the best they can do through the maze of attacking players is to set up chances for others. Still, the hallmark of great soccer players is that they find a way to score against impossible odds. That's why they are great. Pele and Maradona and Cruyff had more than one opponent assigned to track and thwart their every move, still they performed their magic from impossible angles and through seemingly impenetrable walls.

It will be a shame if these two stars go through their run of the World Cup without a single goal to their credit. (No one remebers who provided the assists). Messi has to be at his best against Germany in the quarterfinals and carry his country on his genius. Bitter memories will haunt these two nemeses when they take to the pitch. Scoring a goal, and winning, will elevate Messi to his rightful place in soccer lore.

As for Kaka, unless he dazzles against Holland and helps Brazil to a convincing win, he will be considered a spent force. He will maintain his status in European leagues for a few more years but by 2014, he will be considered a spent force and will undoubtedly be replaced by younger wizards . Unless, of course, he does something spectacular in the remaining games for Brazil. Holland will be a tough mountain to conquer in the quarterfinals and the result could go either way. Holland's young Elia (of Surinamese descent), in particular, looks as good as any Brazilian and may help his country pull off an upset. Unless, again, Kaka does something sublime to give us an unforgettable moment or two at the 2010 World Cup.

Here's hoping that Messi and Kaka will deliver. And the ultimate dream final? Why, Messi against Kaka, of course!

Rogue Referees, English Delusions and Argentine Flair

Overnight, Koman Coulibaly has become a household name. The inscrutable Malian referee disallowed a perfectly legitimate goal and robbed the U.S. team of making history. Only one team had ever come back from a 2-0 deficit to win a game in the World Cup, and that was Ivory Coast against Serbia 3-2 in 2006. The mother of all comebacks, however, belongs to Portugal. Down 3-0, the great Eusebio rallied his team and beat North Korea 5-3 almost single-handedly in 1966.

All the talk about the subjective beauty of soccer, that we have to live with the idiosyncrasies and the incompetence of referees to preserve the fluid beauty of the game, is a lot o fhot air. Instant replays should settle the score, literally, just like in other sports. FIFA has got to make the transition to the 21st century, instead of dwelling in the 19th. This is one area where technology can enhance the ethereal magic of soccer played at the highest level. Otherwise the Coulibalys - and already we have seen quite a few of his kindred in the first round - will ruin the game. Wake up, FIFA!

As for English soccer, the less said, the better. This is an over-hyped group that cannot function as a team and suffers from delusions of greatness. Rooney and company will probably beat Slovenia in a last-ditch effort to salvage some pride - the grim Churchillian determination in action - and make it to the next round along with the U.S., but that's about it. English fans have been spoilt by their star players shining in the reflected lights of foreign players but when it comes to the rough and tumble of World Cup, they need to realize that mediocrity can go only so far. Besides, you can fool some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time but ...

The most impressive match so far has been Argentina's 4-1 victory over South Korea. Lionel Messi made the game a showcase for his genius. The team has found its rhythm and is executing with flair and imagination. Also, Argentina is playing with a 12th player without drawing any penalty. Diego Maradona's antics and unpredictability are actually helping the team perform better on the pitch. Call it the X factor but it is working. To paraphrase Francis Bacon, "There is no excellent soccer that hath not some strangeness in the proportion."