Search for champions leads to Rome
Jul 10, 2006
<b>Charles Mbalyohere</b><br>in Germany<br><br>So congratulations to Italy! One of the greatest footballing nations takes the cup for the fourth time ever. They were extremely tired and uninspiring towards the end and could easily have lost it, except for a resilient fighting spirit.
Charles Mbalyohere
in Germany
So congratulations to Italy! One of the greatest footballing nations takes the cup for the fourth time ever. They were extremely tired and uninspiring towards the end and could easily have lost it, except for a resilient fighting spirit.
Surely the circumstances of the game worked in their favour towards the end, with the usually focused Zidane losing his cool at a decisive moment. More importantly though, the Azzurri were able to finally overcome their historical complex with penalties at the World Cup. The competence with which they this time converted makes them a true champion.
In light of the enormous match-fixing scandal surrounding Italian football back home and the uncertainty around many players prior to the tournament, this was a spectacular display of moral in nevertheless keeping focused. Trainer Marcello Lippi deserves special credit in forming a winning team, despite the distractive mess.
This is the real joy of winning this cup for Italy and should serve as motivation to clear up things. A FIFA World Cup champion cannot afford to have an image of questionable ethics in the affairs of its key league. FIFA will have to watch and monitor that things are indeed properly resolved. For the time being though, Italian criminal investigators need to be given a chance to do their job. Looking beyond this, the world of football rejoices at the opportunity to get new impulses from the newly crowned master of the game.
Italian football shall be in the limelight in the next four years, as the rest of the world looks for inspiration and ideas. This is the opportunity for Italy to influence global football philosophy and strategic inclination, not to mention tactical interpretations. It is to be hoped that the aftermath of the scandal, will not distract from this important responsibility.
Meanwhile, congratulations to the Equipe Tricolore too, for vice championship. They sure were devastated by Zidane’s expulsion! But that is part of the drama of football where such twists give the game the all-important unpredictability, in as much as all forms of unfair behaviour should not be tolerated at all. So Zidane ends his impressive football career on a rather low note. For French football though, the future looks bright.
The writer is a Ugandan
who has lived in Germany for 18 years
in Germany
So congratulations to Italy! One of the greatest footballing nations takes the cup for the fourth time ever. They were extremely tired and uninspiring towards the end and could easily have lost it, except for a resilient fighting spirit.
Surely the circumstances of the game worked in their favour towards the end, with the usually focused Zidane losing his cool at a decisive moment. More importantly though, the Azzurri were able to finally overcome their historical complex with penalties at the World Cup. The competence with which they this time converted makes them a true champion.
In light of the enormous match-fixing scandal surrounding Italian football back home and the uncertainty around many players prior to the tournament, this was a spectacular display of moral in nevertheless keeping focused. Trainer Marcello Lippi deserves special credit in forming a winning team, despite the distractive mess.
This is the real joy of winning this cup for Italy and should serve as motivation to clear up things. A FIFA World Cup champion cannot afford to have an image of questionable ethics in the affairs of its key league. FIFA will have to watch and monitor that things are indeed properly resolved. For the time being though, Italian criminal investigators need to be given a chance to do their job. Looking beyond this, the world of football rejoices at the opportunity to get new impulses from the newly crowned master of the game.
Italian football shall be in the limelight in the next four years, as the rest of the world looks for inspiration and ideas. This is the opportunity for Italy to influence global football philosophy and strategic inclination, not to mention tactical interpretations. It is to be hoped that the aftermath of the scandal, will not distract from this important responsibility.
Meanwhile, congratulations to the Equipe Tricolore too, for vice championship. They sure were devastated by Zidane’s expulsion! But that is part of the drama of football where such twists give the game the all-important unpredictability, in as much as all forms of unfair behaviour should not be tolerated at all. So Zidane ends his impressive football career on a rather low note. For French football though, the future looks bright.
The writer is a Ugandan
who has lived in Germany for 18 years