Italy wins!

A month of football fiesta ended at the Olympiastadion in Berlin yesterday with the crowning of the Italian team as the world champions for the next four years (that's a full term in office for many political governments around the world!). It's going to be a long celebration for the Italians.      

It was a grand finale to a world cup that had the clear favourites Brazil, Argentina bowing out at the quater-final stage, and others like the Czech republic, The Netherlands and Spain making a disappointing exit at the group stage and second round respectively. World cup debutants like Ghana and Ukraine put up a fairly impressive performance that got them to the second round and quarter-final stage respectively, while England was knocked out again at the quater finals via the dreaded penalty shout-out.

But the night was unquestionably marred by the "moment of madness" (as aptly described by the BBC match analysts) exhibited by the French playmaker Zinedine Zidane, when he savagely head butted Italy's Marcos Materazzi on the chest.

Zidane whose performance was largely unimpressive at the  group stages, stepped-up his game against Spain in the second round and shone like a star in the quarter final win against the defending champions Brazil, but shattered his dream and that of a nation in that moment of madness, though he was questionably voted the World Cup's best player.

Thirty two countries came to the World Cup to participate in one of the biggest sporting events in the world, though not all the countries would have fancied their chances of lifting the trophy at the start of the tournament, but they all had a go at the Cup which only one country could win.

As the curtain was drawn on Germany 2006 yesterday with the colourful presentation ceremony, it is party time for the Italians and the party goes on for the next four years until the next World cup in South Africa in 2010. 

For all the other 31 participating countries that did not get to win the trophy and more than a hundred other nations that failed to make it to Germany 2006 there is always another chance in 4years time (if Jesus tarries). So as we relive the great and memorable moments of the World Cup, let us forget the sad, disappointing and ugly moments and look forward to South Africa 2010.

Comments

[Suresh Sarangi]

Respected Sir,
Congratulation for Champion of World Cup2006.
We are a very renouned Football Club in Orissa (Unit-VI Athletic Association, Bhubaneswar). The under-16 team of our Club is very keenly interested to have friendly match in your locality. If possible kindly communicate us the schedule and other formalities.
Waithing for your kindly reply.

Thanking you
Suresh Sarangi,
Organiser,
Unit-VI Athletic Association,Orissa
Bhubaneswar.