FIFA 2010 in South Africa :)

Italy, the defending champions got knocked out last Thursday. Not that I'm a big fan but the fact that the SLOVAKIAN team beat them 3 -2, with the 2 goals from the Italians coming in the last 10 minutes, was just exasperating.

In each group, the team that has been labelled 'underdog' has proven otherwise.

Group A being one of the most shocking of course. France, who were the finalists last year as well, put up a rather half-hearted effort. With Anelka being sent off and the team's problems with the coach, they just didn't seem mentally fit for the tournament with no victories to show. On the other hand Uruguay made it look like cake-walk!

Group B, E and F have no surprises, just as expected..yes yes the Argentina fans may rejoice!

Group C ...*squirms*...we have one team that has the best individual players in the world but zero co-ordination - England. And the other - USA, a country that doesn't even watch 'soccer'. And the latter is on the top! I shall refrain from expanding on this...I think our class knows why :S

Group D, again well, Germany was always the favourite. And now they are through to the quarters. Ghana still survives having beaten the American team *sniggers*

And as for the group of death, group G, well, it had to come down to the either Brazil or Portugal meeting Spain, which most people said would lead to the eviction of the team playing against Spain (Aww it’s ok Ronaldo)

There are a lot of other ‘new’ introductions this year to the World Cup – the Addidas Jabulani ball. Teams like Italy and Spain have not been using the Jabulani for practice matches prior to the start of the World Cup. As far as England are concerned, the ball was never even allowed in the country due to contractual rights asserted by Nike, the official ball sponsor of the English Premier League and Umbro who is the main sponsor of the English team. The players too have complained that the ball is only good for short passes and is nearly impossible to follow the Jabulani when it’s switched to a long pass. On the other hand, if the Jabulani ball is actually lighter compared to the balls used in major leagues or past World Cups, skilled players like Cristiano Ronaldo will find it much harder to arc and dip accordingly.

But is it really the Jabulani ball which is holding back star players from scoring? Or have the weaker nations simply become stronger, making it all the more difficult to defeat them?

3 teams in the quarter finals – Uruguay, Paraguay and Ghana, could or should have been Italy, France and Portugal.

The star players haven’t scored yet! Rooney left without a goal. Messi is building amazing set ups to goals but hasn’t had his luck yet. Ronaldo, well, did get lucky but still wasn’t playing well enough. He was marked by 4 people in the Ivory Coast match…couldn’t move, let alone score. Are they losing their charm? Or is it all the injuries?

Who’s the next biggest start you see in football? Ozil? Villa? Or is Messi just going to continue his reign?

And I refrain from commenting on what a wonderful job the referees have done this Cup. I just don’t seem to know how to talk of them in manner that would be suited for this blog! You’re all welcome to though!

So fingers crossed till the semis…GO NETHERLANDS from me J