A Look Back at Germany 2006

I practically had to wait close to a month of postmortem before I could list down my own unbiased (I think) highlights of Germany 2006. Although if I had my way, I needed more time than that to decimate my disappointment. But the new European football season is just a few days away so there really is no time to languish in the World Cup what-ifs.

The pre-tourney time was already full of drama: the injury woes of many star players, the Togo coach quitting (only to return to the squad a few hours before their debut), and then there was the criticism rained on Germany's national coach.

Which brings me to my first fave highlight: the host nation's blistering performance in the group stage. They scored a total of eight goals and bagged the perfect nine points. Then there was the 0-0 draw between Sweden and Trinidad & Tobago, the competition's smallest country. Speaking of surprises, how about the USA holding (eventual winners) Italy to a 1-1 draw? That was also when De Rossi got suspended for four games after an elbowing incident drew blood from McBride (and the Italian returned after the ban just in time to play in the Finals). Spain humiliated first-timers Ukraine 4-0 in their first group match. Experts say, and I wholeheartedly agree with 'em, that Spain is the best country yet to be hailed as world champions. And I'm the last thing from being an Argie fan but after Argentina demoralised Serbia & Montenegro 6-0, I really believed that they were a real contender this year. And it was a sad campaign for Serbia & Montenegro this time when they failed to earn any point and scored only two goals--after all, they were one of the pre-tourney favorites. Although they managed to win their group, England still don't know how to break Sweden's game (that's since 1969) after a 2-2 draw in their last group match. And what's up with Ljungberg and Swede cap'n Mellberg having locker room bust-ups for the second straight World Cup? Tsk tsk. And let's not forget the refereeing blunder during the Australia-Croatia 2-2 draw. A player got carded thrice and was never sent off? Unheard of until now.

And in true underdog story, Australia qualified for the knockout stage. I was so happy for them especially since theirs wasn't exactly an easy group and this was their first World Cup since 1972. Beckham saved England again with his winning 60th minute free kick to down Ecuador. I know there was a reason a worship this man. I don't think this was a highlight in the truest sense of the word but it definitely was unforgettable: the Portugal-Netherlands record-breaking cardfest disguised as a football match. It yielded sixteen yellows and four reds. Or was it five? But no matter, I didn't see FIFA's Fair Play in this one. And Ronaldo became the all-time World Cup leading scorer with fifteen goals as Brazil trounced tourney deb Ghana--also the only African country to qualify for the knockout stage.

The quarterfinals was one pretty picture with six former champions in it: Germany, Argentina, England, Italy, Brazil, and France. The only two missing were the Netherlands (bested by Portugal in the previous round) and Uruguay (bested by Australia in the qualifier playoffs). One of the best matches of the tournament was Germany-Argentina in the quarterfinals. They drew 1-1 in open play but spot kicks were the only way to settle the score between the two powerhouses: 4-2 to the Germans. England crashed to Portugal's penalty prowess yet again. I'm getting tired with that, really. And the Rono powers of Brazil wasn't able to hold off a Zidane-led French squad. I remember winning eight years ago when I bet on Les Blues against the Samba Boys in the '98 Finals.

The semis yielded an all European affair. I was fine with that. But my heart just broke for the host country when Italy doubled in the last three minutes of the second extra time. I really thought Germany could all the way. But Deutschland was still flying high at third place--and that was definitely a better finish than fourth. What a letdown for all Klinsmann critics.

But Italy won their fourth title--after a 1-1 draw during open play but downed France in penalties, 5-3. The perfect score from the spot was really something for a country reputed to suck at that. The whole campaign of the Azurri had been overshadowed by the match-fixing scandal at home. And their win was also overshadowed by Zizou's headbutt on Materazzi. We might never know what was said but I'd say it was bad--because I never saw Zizou act that way in the near to ten years I'd followed his career. Both parties had been heard by FIFA, monetary penalties and bans handed out--two for Materrazi. And since Zidane had retired and could not serve his three-match ban, it had been converted to three days of community service...and he got to keep his Player of the Tournament award. Because, of course, he was.

So danke, Deutschland, for a job well done--on and off the pitch. And I'll be thinking of this for months and years to come. Well, until 2010. And probably because as my third World Cup, I've become more than a Beckham and England groupie but a real fan of the beautiful game. Oh, I'll always be a groupie as long as there is a constant supply of hotties, e.g. Prince Poldi. But I do care about the game now. I was just pissed off when Eriksson used just one striker in the quarters. It certainly didn't pay off. But I'll leave the technicalities to the staff though. You won't believe the worry I put myself in thinking about a possible England-Brazil face-off in the semis. Guess what? Neither travelled to Munich for a July 5 meeting. But hey, it's lows like this that'll make the highs even sweeter--and it definitely didn't make me any less of an England fan. That's sports, that's football. Live it, love it.

(And Blogger is really getting me POed!!! I can't put in any pix! Oh, well.)