WITH the last 16 now all confirmed we’re now down to the business end of the tournament.
There’s not been any absolutely outstanding team thus far in the tournament – like Portugal in 1966; Brazil in 1970; Argentina in 1986 or Spain in 2010 – but Croatia, with three wins out of three, inspired by the prompting of the marvellous Luka Modric, have been the team of the tournament thus far. Their 3-0 victory over Argentina lit up these finals.
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Only eight countries have ever won the World Cup and last of those was in 1998 when France were added to that most exclusive club. I’ve always thought that the ninth winner would come from Holland, Portugal or Croatia. The Dutch didn’t make it this year and Portugal have been leaden and lucky, as has their talisman Cristiano Ronaldo (I’d still watch Messi on a bad day than a man who will probably play his own exhibit in Madame Tussaud’s when his career is over).
Below are the Diary’s tips for the top eight places:
Winners: Brazil
Runners-up: Croatia
Beaten semi-finalists: Argentina and Belgium
Beaten quarter-finalists: Portugal, Spain, England and Switzerland
Top Chibbers #7
SOME of the Diary’s chums feel that this admittedly spectacular act of delinquency ought to be vying for a top three spot; I beg to disagree. Nevertheless, it was as welcome as it was unexpected and carries its own lustre.
There were barely 10 minutes left of extra time in the 2006 World Cup final when the French captain and world’s best player, Zinedine Zidane, walked past Marco Materazzi and then suddenly stopped and turned to face his opponent. What happened next actually overshadowed Italy’s eventual triumph on penalties. Zidane walked towards Materazzi, threw back his head and planted it firmly in his chest.
Materazzi’s fell back comically, tumbling like Buster Keaton in an old silent movie.
It would later emerge that Zidane was enraged by Materazzi calling his sister a whore. “I tried not to listen to him but he repeated them several times. Sometimes words are harder than blows. When he said it for the third time, I reacted,” said Zidane.
The Diary acknowledges the style and elegance of Zizou’s headbutt and the reasons behind it. In some places in Glasgow on Saturday night though, it would have been dismissed as foreplay.
Needless to say, the Diary condemns all acts of aggression on the football field and indeed anywhere. Please drink, gamble and fornicate responsibly and in a wholesome manner.
Best wishes, Diego...
SADDEST sight of the tournament thus far has been Diego Maradona looking like a burst couch in the stands at each of Argentina’s group games … as opposed to playing like one as most of his countrymen did against Croatia.
The wee man has been mocked by the usual reptiles on social media for either being howling with the bevvy, rattling with drugs or getting double-wide with opposing fans. English commentators, ever eager to kick a man when he’s down, have rebuked him, including Gary Lineker, who is fast turning into fud of the tournament with his smug and sanctimonious wee sniders.
To the Diary, it looks like there may be some mental health issues going on with the best player who ever kicked a ball. This is a common malady amongst gifted individuals and they become more susceptible to it when the band stops playing. It is often exacerbated by the wilful ignorance of predators and vultures.
The Diary wishes him a long life filled with peace and the love of his friends and family.
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