World Cup 2006: Not so grande finale

It was true that Italy buried the ghosts created by Roberto Baggio in 1994 and won the World Cup in 2006. But the final match of the tournament is one match that many, most notably the French, would like to forget in a hurry because of the lacklustre performances by both sides, Italy as well as France. Except for flashes of brilliance, that were promptly forgotten after the red card to Zinedine Zidane, there was not much stuff in terms of the game that can be remembered. If it was otherwise, how did the match go into extra time and further into penalty time, where the French paid the penalty.

This 2006 tournament is devoid of truly special memories except for the semifinal between Italy and Germany, where the true spirit of football was displayed in full array with both teams firing on all cylinders in all departments. The speed, verve and tactics used in that match is unmatched in the whole tournament.
The finals, sadly, lacked any such exciting fare with the Azzuris content with making rare forays into the French bastion, while the tired and aged Les Bleus inspired by last gasp efforts from Zidane and Henry tried to infuse some life into the game with some exciting, back-and-forth game. No wonder that the match ended in penalities.

The only exciting thing about World Cup 2006 seem to be number of cards, dives and some dreadful games. Sunday night's match will be also remembered for ugliness. Some nasty blows by top top players, some feigning to earn penalties, and the referees themselves bungling up on many occasions. Uff, there are many things in this World Cup which took the sheen away from such a great occasion.

There were hardly any goals worth mentioning and there was a goal dearth too. With most of the teams bent on defending their post, it is hardly surprising that there were three crucial matches including the final which ended in penalty shootouts. It goes without saying that there was hardly any mouthwatering fare dished out in these matches.

Zidane pays for his unethical behaviour

Eight years in France '98, the world danced to his tune. Yesterday (July 9, 2006) at Germany 2006, the world saw red as it were, even as a global audience watched in shock, horror and dismay as Zinedine Zidane, 34, retraced his steps and with one vicious attack ended his glorious career by headbutting Marco Materrazi in the chest. What a shame, what a pity, what a way to end a career. In one moment of madness, Zidane erased the collective memory of his famed football skills from the minds of soccer lovers and left the imprints of an impulsive and uncalled for foolish act.
AFTER the red card by referee Horacio Elizondo of Argentina, TV footage showed Zidane alias Zizou go down the stairs towards the locker room past the World Cup which was on the side as he went down. His going down was symbolic because the glittering gold World Cup was standing tall on the podium even as he walked down the steps. Zidane could have lifted it up in his hands, but here he was going down. The scene was very poignantly captured on TV.

It was unclear how much impact Marco Materazzi had in inspiring Zinedine Zidane to headbutt him in the chest during the extra time on Sunday. But it seems that the last red card of World Cup 2006 was reserved by destiny for Zinedine Zidane. For the record books, this was the 28th red card, a World Cup record. The previous being 22 reds ironically in 1998 where Zidane was the hero.

LATER, during the post match discussion between my wife and me, she expressed sorrow for such a great player. But my point was clear. If he was intentionally red carded then all sympathies with Zidane, but here was a criminal act being committed in front of a billion viewers in the beautiful game of football. Unforgivable, uncalled for and totally unethical.

THE ONLY redeeming thing for the France captain is the Golden Ball award awarded to him for being the tournament's best player. Journalists overwhelmingly voted in favour of him. Italy caption Fabio Cannavaro lost out in this vote. Small consolation for Zidane who was a three-time FIFA World Player of the Year.

Boo to The Whistlers

Is there anyone among the current crop of referees at the World Cup 2006 in Germany who can match Peter Luigi Collina, the man who earned name and respect from friend and foe alike in World Cup 2002 in South Korea?
If anything, the referees at this World Cup have earned the dubious distinction of hitting the dumps with their officiating. Favouritism, nepotism, 'red and yellow tapism', and any other words found in the corruption dictionary could be attributed to these men.
The referees do not deserve any mercy as they consistently showed inconsistency in the way they handled the 22 men on the field. While some wielded their red and yellow swords with gay abandon, as if they were born for that, others refused to draw out their 'swords' at the right time, doing more harm than good.
Now we had also the great man who will definitely go down into the history books as the referee who ran short of yellow cards after he flashed it so many times. There was this overjealous referee who flashed the yellow to one player three times. God have mercy on them.
Although, I am not able to get the names of these wonderful guys offhand, I must give credit to the referees who showed their true colours during the match by unabashedly aligning themselves with the most vociferous of the crowds. Clearly, they had no scruples to show that they would do their job for the good of the game as the Fifa slogan goes. It was very evident that they wanted to be crowd pleasers.
Referees are supposed to unbiased, unswayed by the crowd power, stick to the rules and keep their eyes open at all times. Some of them were blind enough so many times not to see the hand ball. Totally unethical code of conduct and behaviour by the refs.
If referees can do this, then can the men with the flags be left far behind. I guess that they would have practiced so hard to lift the flag at the drop of a hat that they did not want their off-field practice efforts to go in vain.
It is a good thing the officials of the match have been vested with powers to ensure fair play but I guess that they have stretched the matter too far, robbing the game of so much charm.
Cheers.