WORLD CUP JUNE 7, 2010
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Hello everyone. It's nice to be back and thank you, Frank, for the invitation to join this merry throng once again. You ask: Who will win this thing?
The sensible answer, I suppose, is to say that either Spain or Brazil will carry the trophy home. On paper they are comfortably the two most accomplished squads in the tournament. But, as the television pundits always remind us, soccer ain’t played on paper.
Nevertheless, should it be a Brazil-Spain final, I very much hope that Spain will prevail.
I am, you see and I am afraid, bored of Brazil. Bored too of the requirement that we all tug a forelock when confronted by their genius even when, actually, there's been little evidence of any real genius on the actual playing field. This, of course, is linked to the tedious rhapsodies about joga bonito and samba football and all the rest of it that all are compelled to endure every time the men in yellow stroll onto the pitch.
If this ever used to be true—and, to be fair, it did—then it ceased to be some time ago. The sneaky reality is that this Brazilian football team—highly accomplished though they may be—are boring. They're like a German car, which is fine if you're looking for a German car but not if you're searching for football worthy of the praise that's lavished on Brazil.
Then again, with Dunga as manager none of this should be a surprise. I remember the 2007 Copa America in which Brazil were mostly drably, grindingly efficient while Argentina sparkled all the way to the final before being crushed, physically and mentally, by Brazil's power, resilience and, yes, efficiency.
The bottom line is simple: I like Brazil to play the way that Brazil are, at least in our imaginations, supposed to play and not as some kind of terrifying German-Italian hybrid. There are many things I like and admire about German and Italian football but that doesn't require one to support their export to Brazil.
Brazilians may reasonably object that their task is to win the tournament and that style must necessarily be subordinated to that primary goal. And they would have a point. But we are not all Brazilians even if we would all like to love Brazilian football.
So my hope, which should not be confused with any expectation, is that anyone but Brazil will win the tournament. The most likely, or at least the best and most settled, side to topple Dunga's crew is Spain—assuming that Torres, Fabregas and co are fit.
It may just be a small sample, but the fact remains that only once has the European Champion won the next World Cup and even then Germany had the advantage of playing at home. (France also did the WC-EC double the other way round but also, of course, won the mundial on home turf.)
That does not augur especially well for Spain; nor does the fact that no European side has won the World Cup outside Europe (though an African World Cup could be considered a neutral venue).
Nevertheless, while other sides have claims to the romantic’s affection, Spain, with Torres, Xavi, Iniesta, Fabregas and Villa, have the ability to produce the kind of properly memorable football one always hopes might prevail at these gatherings of the worlds’ best but that, alas, does so only infrequently.
Which explains Dunga’s rational approach. As supporters, however, we are not required to indulge reason, nor to pretend that mutton can really be dressed as lamb. In that spirit, we may impose irrational demands upon the protagonists while also recognizing that this ain’t your daddy’s Brazil.
So, Spain to win it? Well why not?
10 comments
I think this is the most wide open WC that we've had in some years. Based on sheer player talent, Argentina should win but their manager will find some way to lose. England depends on Rooney staying healthy. The Dutch have a shaky back line. Brazil is playing Italian style football and Italy is starting a number of geriatrics. Spain looks solid but their first team lost to the US last year in the Confederation Cup. It's going to be a fun month.
- agoldhammer@yahoo.com-old
June 7, 2010 at 11:30am
I'd agree with "Anyone But Brazil" if only because of one number: 5. When you've won the most of it, no neutral should root for you to win more. It's like rooting for the Yankees to win another World Series when no one else has won more than 10. Part of the fun of the World Cup is just rooting against other teams. Spain has lost me their goodwill since 2008 if only through the way Spanish football does business, and the general oligarchy of Barcelona and Real. Rooting against Portugal (floppers), Germany (Negative football), Italy (Negative football playing floppers), Mexico (General jerkishness), and Argentina (Maradona) ito go out is just as fun as rooting against Duke, UNC, and Kentucky to fall on their faces in March.
- Crock1701
June 7, 2010 at 11:45am
Crock, so root for the Dutch. We need it.
- yzon
June 7, 2010 at 12:51pm
Crock - awesome post. I was a fan of Portugal until Critiano "boo-hoo I got a boo-boo" Ronaldo came along. Now, every time I see him I feel like putting him under Rooney's boot. Which reminds me: so England has a chance if a thug like Rooney gets back on the pitch? Yzon: Crock left off the Netherlands (thuggish rapists). His case against Spain is not compelling, though, and I have to say that I have a soft spot for Barcelona.
- icarusr
June 7, 2010 at 1:17pm
I'm fine rooting for the Netherlands, generally play exciting football, never won, plus their white uniforms in 2006 totally looked like the ones from "Victory." ;-) As for Spain, I don't actively root against them, but Barcelona has outright turned me off them. Their incessant tampering around Cesc Fabregas and others before him (plus the outright arrogance of it) turned me off them for good.
- Crock1701
June 7, 2010 at 1:46pm
Indeed Icarus, Frank Foer made a very compelling case for supporting Barca. But let's make a deal, if you'll support us thuggish rapists, I'll support your torturing, war-waging, earth-polluting, election-stealing, phone-wiretapping bunch that calls itself Team USA. Okay? But seriously, folks, concerning Van Der Sloot, not particularly our finest hour, he'll be rooting for Orange from a Peruvian jail cell for at least the next six World Cups. But here's the real reason to support Team Holland. Holland always plays atractive and attacking soccer. They have to, because their backline sucks. By keeping the ball up front, with a high tempo of ball circulation and plentiful creative attackers (Sneijder, Robben, Van Persie, Van Der Vaart), the Dutch will play the most attractive soccer in the World Cup. This is no coincidence; in The Netherlands, playing attractive soccer is more important than winning. Being in possession is the ultimate goal in Holland, even more important than winning. This is why we'll never win a World Cup. Be a romantic, support The Netherlands.
- yzon
June 7, 2010 at 1:50pm
I get the urge to root against Brazil. The Yankees comparison is apt: It's like going to the airport and rooting for gravity. But Spain is surely the most overrated team in the tournament. A Spain-Brazil final will be strong circumstantial evidence that the event has been officiated with an eye to ensuring a particular outcome. Hup Holland! is a good motto for American fans looking for someone else to support. All that yzon says about the Dutch style of play is true, and worthy of support. Plus, you know, orange. I've long found the English and U.S. styles of play very frustrating. For a long time now, both teams have emphasized a fast-attacking style of play that puts the ball in the air way too much and that gives opponents too much time and space with the ball. You get a quick breakout, a slashing attack, maybe two minutes of back-and-forth possession across the midfield, and then the entire team collapses back on the net to play five minutes of under-siege defense before the next opportunity for a slashing attack or a pointless long ball in the air arises. If either team could start controlling the ball on offense a bit more and win just a few balls in the midfield, they'd be a lock for the semis.
- rhubarbs
June 7, 2010 at 2:04pm
Yzon and Rhubs: look, I had a poster of the 1978 Dutch football team on my wall - the only sports poster I have ever owned. I cried when they lost to the Argies - and have never forgiven Argentina for that. I have been rooting for Team Orange for most of the past three decades. But - while Bergkamp was the most beatiful player when he was on (about 20% of the time), when he was off, he was worse than Italian, and no one else in the last fifteen years has caught my imagination. Besides, the Netherlands has a fairly consistent habit of choking in the end (1974, anyone), so any emotional investment in them runs a serious risk of disappointment. (I know; have been disappointed many times.) By the by, I was not referring to Van der Sloot but the string of rape allegations in the 90s; surely you remember? As I am not American, you can say what you want about Team USA :P ... I'm gonna find me an underdog this tournement.
- icarusr
June 7, 2010 at 2:59pm
Typical Anglo parochialism: Massie knows so much about Brazil and the "jogO bonito" that he can't even spell the word properly... May the most beautiful soccer win the World Cup, whoever plays it.
- j_daudelin
June 7, 2010 at 5:45pm
Ah yes, Kluivert in 1997, now I remember. I was 9 at the time. Actually, in Western Europe, there are many people who do root for Team USA, and not merely for their mentality of hard work and great team spirit. Most of the Dutch, including myself of course, want the US to catch up with Europe, this will only lead to more good soccer all around. As for an underdog, try Uruguay. They have some great strikers this year.
- yzon
June 7, 2010 at 6:08pm