Life Is What I Do Between World Cups

Another month-long World Cup tournament is finished and I have to return to a normal schedule that doesn't involve waiting for the next match to start or thinking about who's going to win or worrying if the USA is going to lose to Ghana.

Thankfully at the start of September qualifying begins for the 2012 European Championship. But I'll have to wait nearly 2 years before the USA plays anything related to Brazil 2014.

Time to start saving money for a holiday in Brazil in 4 years.


Ultimately my pre-tournament prediction that Spain would win the World Cup came true. However, I had them in a final against Brazil. I also had England in the Semis. The only time I doubted Spain was going into the Germany match. I thought for sure Germany would pound on them like they did to England and then Argentina (and Australia in their first match), but I forgot to consider that Australia simply weren't very good in that match, England were a shambles against Germany and Argentina (under the poor guidance of Maradona) had no plan apart from "get the ball to Tevez or Messi". As such, Germany could walk all over them on the counter. But I did change my pick in my Yahoo group at the last minute, so I picked up some important points there.

Spain play a beautiful possession game. Miroslav Klose summed it up after the match when he said, "They made us chase the ball. And when we got it we were too tired to do anything with it." Spain did roughly the same against The Netherlands, except that the Dutch decided their best plan would be to foul the hell out Spain. After picking up 5 yellow cards in the first half it was just a matter of time before someone in orange was sent off. Unfortunately the sending off occurred for a foul that was hardly worthy of a card. But a card was given and it was a second for John Heitinga. Doesn't matter, because a straight red should have been given to Nigel De Jong (I think it was him) for planting the spiky end of his boot into Xabi Alonso's chest early in the first half.

So Spain are now European and World Champions. They have now officially shaken off the label of perpetual underachievers, always going out in the quarterfinals.