ADDENDA

ONE MORE THING

For any junkies that can't get enough, check out fifaworldcup.com for all match highlights. Also be sure to click on 'Goal of the tournament.' I defy you to find a better one than Maxi Rodriguez against Mexico.

The next World Cup will be in South Africa:

This is Cape Town. Looks nice to be sure, but is it the ideal location for a World Cup? There are already warnings from disgruntled elements that it will be too dangerous for fans and indeed the country has a high crime rate. I guess we'll see how things progress.

Rumor has it that Brazil will get 2014. Attending a World Cup in Brazil, the football Mecca. Nope, that can't be beat.

There is one place that deserves a bid, though. West Gate Park in Valley Stream. There was talk of having the 1999 Women's World Cup there, but the infrastructure proved an achilles heel. Nonsense I say. If we pick up those fallen branches and the odd broken glass shard, it's perfect for World Cup 2018, which is when the Cup should return to North America if I'm not mistaken. Ole!

ULTIMA BLOG POST: GERMANY 2006 ROUNDUP

WORLD CUP GERMANY 2006

Well, it's all over now. Actually it ended a week ago today but any proper retrospective needs the benefit of proper hindsight, which is why I've waited a week to offer any final assessment of this tournament. How will the 2006 World Cup be remembered? I read and heard some wildy divergent views on this question: Some say it was a horror-show, others the best World Cup ever. For me it was in the middle, an ok tournament that had its moments but failed to deliver on many promises. After the first few group matches it looked set to become a spectacular finals, with the large footballing countries advancing and some looking downright spectacular: Spain, Argentina, and Germany come to find. However, some refereeing fiascos and a dearth of goals in the later rounds kept it from becoming truly great. Looking back over my match reports I don't think there were many games I gave 5 out of 5. To top it all off the greatest player of our generation left after a moment of sheer madness and the last game was decided on penalty kicks.

Mexico 1970 is generally regarded as the greatest World Cup ever. The football was free-flowing and attacking, not one red card was brandished(yes, there were NO RED CARDS at the entire tournament), and the Brazilian team that won that year tops everyone's list of the greatest teams ever assembled. Hard to argue with that. On the other end of the spectrum, we have Italy 90. In the land of catenaccio defenses were predictably stifling; this tournament produced the least goals ever, with perhaps the dullest and most savage game of all being the final, a 1-0 for West Germany over Maradona's tearful Argentina. So dire was this tourney that FIFA briefly considered changing the rules of the game, with larger goals and fewer players among the more ambitious suggestions. Since then it's been a mixed bag. There was much anxiety before USA 94: Would a soccer-averse nation put on a good World Cup? The answer was yes, as attendence records were smashed. Unfortunately the final game was decided on penalties for the first time ever and the winners were considered pedestrian by Brazilian standards. To that I say two things: Romario and Bebeto were superb(btw Romario is still playing football and scoring in abundance right here in the US for USSL team Miami FC), and that side both ended the Brazil drought(1970-1994) and inaugurated another golden age for Brazilian football(3 straight Final appearances and two trophies). The tournament was marred by Maradona's drug expulsion, but you can't beat Ireland 1 Italy 0 at Giants Stadium, no you can't. France 98 was generally a crowd pleaser, and Korea/Japan 2002 was frowned upon for some suspect referee decisions(all in favor of hosts Korea) and the advancement of minnows such as Turkey, USA, Korea, and Senegal, not to mention the unspectacular form of eventual finalists Germany and Brazil. To World Cup 2002 haters I say two things: I was there, it was awesome. Case closed. But back to Germany 2006, an average tournament. Let's look at the good, the bad, and the ugly.

THE GOOD

The Hosts: By all accounts Germany proved to be the best host nation ever. The country was gripped by euphoria for an entire month, the beer flowed like never before, and an overall atmosphere of fun prevailed. The Germans managed to shed their stereotypical dour demeanor just long enough to put on a great, fan-friendly spectacle. Everywhere you turned there was football madness: Museum exhibits, giant murals on the ceilings of train stations, and everybody's favorite, the Fan Miles: huge outdoor viewing expos with giant screens, refreshments, and atmospheres that sometimes exceeded those within the stadiums. The recipe for a great World Cup host is as follows: a football-mad country, good performance by host team(very important), and a nation interesting enough to be a good tourist destination outside of the football matches. Germany provided all of these things.

As I mentioned, I was in Japan for the 2002 World Cup. There was a general level of enthusiasm for the event, but it always seemed guarded, as if the hosts were saying: "Let's see how this foreign thingy turns out, good I hope." Interest appeared to wane palpably after Japan's dismal 1-0 loss to Turkey in the round-of-16, all of the first-round success and excitement replaced by an I-told-you-so cynicism. A couple of Englishman who had just popped over to Tokyo from Korea told me that the Koreans were much more into it, and the footage of millions lining the streets across the water didn't lie: the Koreans fell head over hells for the World Cup. Still, Japan was a solid host in my mind: they lent a few thousand fans to each participant(scores of locals turned up in Ireland jerseys to cheer on the boys in green), the stadiums were amazing, and you can't beat taking the bullet train to Northwest Japan for a World Cup match, the beatiful Japanese countryside rolling by and people talking football along the way. Top notch. But Germany, according to many accounts, were the perfect hosts.

The Big Boys Advancing: Take a quick glance at the 8 quarterfinalists. Every group from A-H had a representative, and outside of Ukraine they were all accomplished footballing nations, though many picked Ukraine to reach the quarters anyway.

New Blood: Four of the five African representatives were debutants, which bodes well for South Africa 2010 as it means fierce competition for places and progress for African football, which many people believe will one day knock Europe and South America from their ascendant perches. Ivory Coast were tremendous but couldn't crack the group of death, Ghana were similarly spectacular and with any luck might have beaten Brazil(yes, I mean that, I still can't get over the 3-0 score, the better team lost I feel). Australia returned for the first time since 1974 and were outstanding, displaying a Korea and Irelandesque never-say-die attitude and going out to Italy on a bullshit penalty.

Ronaldo's Goal Record: We saw history made, and what a way to go out on top. Ronaldo mostly played like the lumbering heap he's become but that stepover against Ghana, I can't get enough of it. Awesome.

Argentina: 6 goals against Serbia, and every goal seemed better than the last. Maxi Rodriguez had the goal of the tournament to elimate Mexico. A real shame Messi wasn't given a chance against Germany, and that Riquelme was taken off. For my money Argentina were as good if not better than Italy and France and I think they will go down in history as beloved losers, much like Brazil 82. Except that they assaulted the German team after the shootout loss, nothing too endearing about that really.

THE BAD

England and Brazil: The two most hyped teams and the two biggest disappointments. All you heard pre-tournament was: Can England knock off mighty Brazil to avenge 2002? During the tournament the more pressing questions were: Can you stay awake for an entire England game? When will Brazil's lacklustre form prove their undoing? Answers: No, and when they play an organized team. Ronaldinho, Rooney, Lampard, Beckham, Adriano & co. sold lots of magazines and merchandise prior to a ball being kicked, but on the field they were shite, the old great-on-paper-crap-on-grass scenario.

Holland & Czech Republic: Watch a replay of Holland-Serbia, then watch Holland-Portugal. Scratch your head. Watch a replay of Czech-USA and then Czech-Ghana or Italy. Scratch your head. It's a good idea to go from 0-60; these early tournament favorites went from 60-brick wall.

Where's the Goals: Germany 2006 produced the second-lowest goal tally in history behind the abysmal Italia 90. It was also the first without a hat trick performance(Schweinsteiger came close for Germany against Portugal but no cigar). Why no goals? I'm interested to hear some theories. Mine is the Greece effect: At Euro 2004 Greece proved that a bunch of also-rans can win a major tournamet as long as they don't concede. It makes sense. The joy of scoring is offset by the fear of conceding. What is to be done? A 3-second rule for defenders inside the penalty area, a midfield(aka backcourt) violation for defensive ballhogging, a shot clock to punish defensive keepaway? It was so disheartening to see the final ended on penalties. Remember the early MLS shootout method of NHL-style penalties where the shooter dribbles from outside the penalty area and the goalie can come to meet him? That was fun while it lasted. I've heard the following suggestions: Reduce player numbers in extra-time, so 7-0n-7 for example; play till someone scores or you drop. Any further suggestions? Anyway, no surprise that the best player of the tournament was a defender, and an Italian one at that.

ESPN Coverage: In other countries(the UK at least) viewers are allowed to hear the American commentators for American sports, so you get legends like Marv Albert for basketball and Madden for football. But in typical American fashion the Yanks believe they could do a better job so we were subjected to atrocious coverage of the World Cup. There were no pre-game shows, the national anthems weren't shown, Monday Night Football style player lineups covered the screen to temporarily obscure the actual action on the field. Ironically, the duo chosen for the most high profile games, O'Brien - Balboa, were far and away the worst offenders. No wonder viewers turned to Univision in droves. I found a bar with UK commentator for the final game and it made all the difference. My friends actually found a beautiful little pub next door where we had the perfect table and a nice big screen right in front of us. I looked up at the screen and upon seeing Eric Wynalda's mug I dragged them all next door.

Portugal's Antics: And the academy award goes to... Have you ever been losing at a sports videogame like Winning Eleven and you can't get the ball from your opponent, much less score an equaliser? Think of that fury you feel, then imagine how Portugal's opponents felt when they feigned injury at every opportunity to run out the clock, and you get the idea. Then Ronaldo had the audacity to say that the refs screwed Portugal against France.

THE UGLY

Cards: Haven't checked the official statistics but I'm pretty sure this tournament had the most cards given out by a mile. USA-Italy and Portugal-Holland were two glaring examples, the latter being the ugliest, most malicious game I have ever seen in any sport. People say the ref did a bad job, but what about the players? The right thing to do would have been to kick both teams out of the tournament.

Zidane: A brilliant farewell tainted by a moment of absolute madness. I offer you Act III of the Play: Por quoi Zizou?

(Materazzi grabs Z's shirt to keep him from getting another header, the last having nearly ended the game."

Zizou: (With supreme arrogance) If you really want my shirt I'll give it to you after the game.

Mazza: (with bile) I'd rather have your sister, she's a whore just like your mother.

(Both player walk stage left)

BOOM!

Fin

Some lip-readers have said that Mazza called Zizou the "son of a dirty terrorist." Whatever the insult, Zizou lost his mind, although it wasn't the first time. Remember France 98: he was given a 2-game ban for stomping a player from Saudi Arabia, and his career is replete with similar temperamental moments. Lost in the aura of cool professionalism surrounding Zidane's career is the fact that he grew up in a poverty-stricken tower block in Marseilles and used football to escape the rough streets. One of his most enduring quotes is the following, said earlier in his career: "I will never, ever stop fighting." Anyway, one thing is for certain: What a rock n' roll exit. However, he shouldn't be remembered for that. If you want to remember the real Zidane, watch the following:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhcM4WP2cTc&search=zidane%20scientist

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkMWSWhtmFg&search=zidane%20god

So there you have it. World Cup Germany 2006, a tournament that started out with a bang and ended with a headbutt. I've had a great time with this blog and thanks to all the loyal readers(Jeetan, Collins, and an occasional Ulla cameo) This tournament saw an explosion in World Cup blogs. Even Henry Kissinger had one for crying out loud. At the risk of being arrogant, having checked out quite a few I honestly think mine was among the better ones. Already looking forward to Euro 2008(c'mon Ireland). My television screen now shows players in helmets sprinting along sidelines at extreme temperature summer training sessions, and the old NFL preseason excitement comes to my stomach. And by the time the Giants and Jets have played a handful of games, the Mets could be in the World Series. Yes, it could happen, I hope it does and I hope following World Cup South Africa 2010 will be as fun as this was.

Ciao.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

THE STARS OF GERMANY 2006

If you were to go back in time with my all-tournament squad or anybody else's and show it to somebody on the eve of the Germany-Costa Rica opener, you'd have gotten some strange looks, and some questions: "Where's Ronaldinho? Frank Lampard? Rooney? Ballack? Shevchenko? Petr Cech?" World Cup 2006 will be remembered as a tournament when several superstars failed to make an impact. There is no doubt that football is a young man's game but in Germany many of the headliners were older, well-established stars considered too old to make an impact. Without further adu(what a horrible pun), I present my all-tournament team for World Cup 2006, the players that really shined on the grandest stage of all.

Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Buffon - Italy. What more can you say about this veteran? He was outstanding for a team that let up two goals total(an own-goal and a penalty) and if you need any convincing check the replay of his save on Zidane's header in overtime during the final. That's called saving your defense's, and entire country's, collective ass.

Honorable Mention: Jens Lehmann - Germany, Ricardo - Portugal, Shaka Hislop - Trinidad

Defenders: Fabio Cannavaro - Italy. The best player of the entire tournament and deserved winner of the Ballon D' Or which was given to Zidane more as a token of his career accomplishments, though Zizou did have a great tourney. Cannavaro was untouchable, however, and he's 32-years-old, not to mention short.

Rafael Marquez - Mexico. Indispensible for a team that gave Argentina all they could handle. A dynamo in the tackle and going forward.

Phillip Lahm - Germany. This blond-haired left-back scored the first goal(and what a goal) of the tournament and was brilliant throughout, especially attacking down the flanks.

Lilian Thuram - One of the all-time greats, who came out of retirement with Zidane. Moved to the centre to compensate for a loss of pace, he anchored the stout French resistance, barring that stupid penalty he conceded against Spain.

Honorable Mention: Miguel - Portugal, Ashley Cole - England, Trabelsi - Tunisia, Materazzi/Zambrotta - Italy, Juan Pablo Sorin - Argentina

Midfield: Zidane - France. There's no denying that Zizou had a tremendous tournament. He almost singlehandedly dismantled Brazil and if his header had gone either side of Buffon in extra-time at the final, his name would be ineffable. As it is he's just one of the three greatest players of all time.

Andrea Pirlo - Italy. Basically did everything for Italy that Zidane did for France.

Cristiano Ronaldo - Portugal. Those who fail to include him on any all-tournament squad are having a laugh. He was the best player on a team that made the semi-finals, morality be damned. He also should have won best young player. Podolski? C'mon Fifa. At least pick Messi or Torres of Spain.

Torsten Frings - Germany. The best player on the German team, his tenacious defensive coverage being the only reason they could afford to play such attacking football.

Honorable Mention: Riquelme/Rodriguez - Argentina, Joe Cole/Hargreaves - England, Figo-Portugal, Stephen Appiah - Ghana, Viera/Ribery - France, Xabi Alonso - Spain

Forwards: Miroslav Klose - Germany. He won the Golden Boot. Nuff said.

Thierry Henry - France. Finally put to rest all that "can't play well for France" talk. Left alone up front, yet still extremely dangerous.

Honorable Mention: Hernan Crespo -Argentina, Luca Toni - Italy, Ronaldo - Brazil(for that one stepover goal that broke the record), Torres - Spain, Tim Cahill - Australia, Didier Drogba - Ivory Coast

Supersubs: Messi - Argentina, Odonkor - Germany, Lennon - England, Simao Sabrosa - Portugal, Robinho - Brazil

There you have it, my all-tournament team.

Starters broken down by country:

Italy - 3

Germany - 3

France - 3

Portugal - 1

Mexico - 1

Entire team(40, admittedly very large) broken down by country:

Italy - 6

France - 5

Germany - 5

Portugal - 5

Argentina - 5

England - 4

Spain - 2

Brazil - 2

Mexico - 1

Ghana - 1

Australia - 1

Ivory Coast - 1

Tunisia - 1

Trinidad & Tobago - 1

FINAL MATCH: ITALY - FRANCE

ITALY BEAT FRANCE, INAUGURATE FOUR YEARS

OF GUIDO ARROGANCE; ZIDANE

HEADS FOR RETIREMENT

The Lowdown: Italy are World Cup champions, and who can argue with the manner in which they accomplished it? Normally a cursed side from the penalty spot, the Azzurri converted all five of their spot kicks to win the country's fourth World Cup trophy, putting them firmly atop the European hierarchy and just behind Brazil for world supremacy. These were undoubtedly the two best teams at the tournament and a close, even battle was expected from the outset. Things started out quite physically and France almost had an early nightmare after the clash between superstars Cannavaro and Henry which left the French striker dazed and confused. Luckily for France he returned and played a stellar match as well. It was always expected and perhaps feared that this would turn into a defensive stalemate, so who could have guessed that the first goal would come 7 minutes in? Malouda made a daring run into the Italy penalty area only to be clipped down from behind. The replay looked highly dubious but once again Zidane was given the task from the spot. Buffon no doubt remembered his lovely penalty against Portugal and dove right, but the crafty Zidane chipped high-centre; the ball bounced off the top crossbar and straight down over the line. It didn't rattle the net but it didn't matter as France took another 1-0 lead and Italy found themselves trailing for the first time in this whole tournament. Les Bleus had been able to shut down opponents with those previous 1-0 leads but today they were facing a team of a very different caliber; it wasn't long before Materazzi rose to beautifully head home a Pirlo corner, levelling the scores and setting the stage for a legendary final. Italy dominated until the interval and at half-time it seemed France were very fortunate to be in the game at all. The second half was a different story, however, as the French took the game to Italy by dominating for long stretches with Henry terrorizing the Italian defense on more than one occasion. France maintained this dominance into extra-time and only for a superb Buffon save of a Zidane header, Zizou would have went out in a blaze of glory. The reality was far different and the French legend left the field in disgrace after uncharacteristically headbutting Materazzi in the chest. Spectators around the world no doubt did a double-take to see that they weren't dreaming: alas, Zidane actually did end his incomporably brilliant career with a disgraceful red card. Unfortunately the game had to go to penalties. Unfortunately for France they were without star penalty man Zidane as well as likely takers Henry and Ribery who had been subbed. Italy defied the odds and history by making all five of their kicks to avenge past French defeats and send Italians everywhere into euphoria.

Match Rating: 5 out of 5. Hate to see a World Cup final or any game decided on penalties but overall this was a great final, certainly the best I've seen. A tale of two halves really though it's a shame Italy retreated into their old defensive tactics after the break. Perhaps we have to credit the French for that, though, as without defending in numbers they probably would have conceded a goal to the likes of Henry, Malouda, or Ribery.

Man of the Match: Should be Materazzi for his sublime goal but you have to wonder what he said or did to provoke the normally ice-cool Zidane, and he was also responsible for France's penalty. Could also be Buffon for some key saves and Henry also played superbly for France but for all that, it's Fabio Cannavaro. Very fitting that Italy's captain lifted the trophy because he was the best player at this tournament and was all over the field today.

Disappointment of the Match: This is an absolute no-brainer. Why, Zizou? We'll certainly get an explanation in the coming days but for now we can only scratch our heads and wonder why the most talented player of his generation would do what he did. There is no doubt that the Italians were very rough with Zizou throughout the match and perhaps the headbutt was the result of frustration that built up throughout the match.

Extra: Saw this match with some friends at an Irish pub in Sunnyside and the Irish showed their old affinity for the French as there were few smiles after the final whistle. Took part in a raffle: 10 bucks to pick a player's name from a hat with all the spoils if that player scored first. I smelled a fix from the moment a short, shady Englishman approached me with the bag of names and it was no surprise to find that the bartender had Zidane. Go figure. Mind you I wasn't so disappointed with my pick(any French sub) as Trezeguet broke Italian hearts at the Euro 2000 final.

Extra: I was initially partial to Italy because I felt they were the best team of World Cup 2006 but with their second-half and extra-time performance the French were perhaps unlucky not to come away with the trophy. Then again their only goal came on quite a dubious penalty. However, I now rue their victory as I will have to endure four years of Italian-American braggadocio. On my drive home alone I heard two Italian songs on the radio, numerous dee-jays yukking it up, and apparently Brooklyn became one big street party. Still, from start to finish of this tournament Italy were the most consistent team in my opinion. US fans can take heart that with the exception of France they gave the Azzurri the best challenge of the cup. France are a more athletic team than Italy and the Italians showed signs of exhaustion late in the game. Who would have guessed that Italy would put away all their spot kicks? I think this was the best final in quite a while, the best one I've seen anyway though I'm not so sure about the tournament as a whole(that's another post). The question of this game, and maybe the whole tournament is this: What bearing did Zidane's red have on the outcome? Certainly we could have expected him to bury his spot kick, and maybe his sending off demoralized the French but you can't argue with 5 out of 5 spot kicks for Italy.

Fun Facts: Before he left in shame Zidane became the 4th player in history to score 3 goals in World Cup final games, along with Hurst of England and Vava and Pele of Brazil.

Italy have now appeared at the final game of the World Cup every 12 years since 1970.

De Rossi of Italy, in his first game back since viciously elbowing McBride in the group stages, got one in return during this game.

Question: Did Totti play in this match? I don't remember him touching the ball, much less creating anything. Andreas Pirlo picked up his slack with an amazing performance though.

What effect will Zidane's headbutt have on his legacy? To my mind, he'll always be regarded as one of the all-time greats and a very classy player, but the metion of his name will always conjure the above image. It's just indelible.

Adios Copa Mundial: Hate to see the tournament end and this blog along with it but I promise two more posts: my all-tournament team and a final assessment of World Cup Germany 2006.

ITALY - FRANCE PREVIEW

IN THE YEAR 2000....

Conan: France and Italy will play each other for the European Football Championship. France will win with a goal in extra time. They'll meet again in 2006 at the World Cup Final. The loser will be sent to Mars. In the year 2000....

It looks to me like Italy have to face the one team they didn't want to face, a team that bears quite a resemblance to their own: world-class players at every position, seasoned veterans of the international scene, a watertight defense, great tactical knowledge, a superstar forward, no discernible weaknesses, and currently in top form. Let's face it, these are the two best teams at the World Cup, at least two of the 3 best if you include Argentina. Brazil were flat from start to finish and coach Parreira was too stubborn in his tactics, England were overrated again and also managerially inept, Germany and Portugal overachieved, Holland abandoned their typical flair for butchery, and Spain once again showed they can't handle the favorites tag. So here we are with a most appropriate final, though I would have LOVED an Argentina-Italy semi-final, the result of which I couldn't predict. Anyway, both France and Italy deserve to be here without question. Unfortunately for Italy France are something of a recent nemesis, having knocked the Azzuri out of France 98 on penalties and beaten them dramatically in the final at Euro 2000. Further back, they also beat them at the 1986 World Cup. This time however I predict a different result, for the simple reason that the current Italy squad is better than the 98 and 00 outfits, while the French squad is not as good as those former, glorious championship sides. Let's break them down piece by piece.

Form: France struggled in a weak group but have since beaten three high quality sides: Spain, Brazil, Portual. They have 8 goals for, 2 against. The only two conceded were a late cracker by Korea and a stupid penalty against Spain.

Italy came out of a pretty tough group, although they did struggle against a desperate USA squad. Their first two knockout opponents were not nearly as difficult as France's(Australia and Ukraine), but they did beat the Aussies with 10 men, however dubiously, crushed Ukraine and saw off the mighty hosts in style. They have 11 goals for, 1 against, and that 1 was an own-goal.

Edge: Tie. Want to give it to Italy but have to call it a tie due to the quality of France's knockout opponents and the relative ease with which they handled them.

Attack: Henry has played alone up front for France in every game except the Togo match when they paired him with Trezeguet in a quest for goals. He's done pretty well considering his lone status with three goals and winning a penalty that won the semi-final. He is also, quite simply, the most complete striker in the entire world. Trezeguet is not likely to see time unless France need an equaliser and Saha has been suspended on two yellow cards. Viera has shown a willingness to push forward from midfield and is deadly in the air, Zidane is back to his old quarterback role and Ribery loves to run at people.

Luca Toni only has two goals but the Sicilian could have a lot more and his physical presence and powerful shot inspire fear in defenders. Gilardino was initially a starter but came off the bench against Germany along with Del Piero, Totti looks just about back to full form, and the fullbacks have surged forward with Grosso and Zambrotta scoring key goals in the knockout rounds.

Edge: Italy. Very close but this Italian team's willingness to push forward gives them the edge over France's slightly more conservative approach, though maybe that will suit the French just fine.

Midfield: Zidane is going out with a bang, Ribery is a constant menace on the wing, Viera has been tremedous going forward but especially in marking and tackling, and Makelele is just amazing in the stopper's role.

Pirlo has been outstanding in the 'Zidane' role for Italy, Gattuso is his usual bullish self, Camoranesi has impressed and Totti seems to be improving every game.

Edge: France. Want to call it even but this is Zidane's last game and he'll probably play his huge heart out.

Defense: France have world-class Gallas, the athletic Abidal, Former World's best defender and still quite good Thuram, and energetic Sagnol, not to mention the cover of midfield defensive stalwarts Viera and Makelele.

Italy have the incomporable Cannavaro which is really all they need but they also call on the attack-minded Grosso and Zambrotta, and bad-boy Materazzi who got sent off against Australia. Also helps to have Gattuso running around like a nutter.

Edge: Even. In strictly defensive terms it's even, but Italy's forward-minded fullbacks give them an extra dimension.

Goalie: Barthez is short, has poor hands, nearly blew the Portugal game, and is frankly a liability.

Buffon is arguably the best goalie in the world.

Edge: Italy by a mile, and this difference could prove France's undoing because Toni will certainly get off a bullet or two in Barthez's direction, something which Portugal only did once.

Intangibles: Italy did not want to meet France in my opinion. The country is currently embroiled in a domestic football scandal that involves clubs of many of these national team players, and they'll feel a huge amount of pressure to come good against their European rivals. Like the English, Italy don't handle pressure well. See Baggio at USA 94. France have defied most expectations in getting here, know the formula for beating Italy, seem to be having fun, and will be bidding farewell to Zidane and other members of their greatest ever generation(Makelele and Thuram too will retire I think, as should Barthez).

Edge: France.

Overall Edge: Italy. This is almost too close to call but I really feel that Italy are the best team at this tournament. France's 3 knockout opponents were impressive but the Italians have no weaknesses they can exploit. I see it going 1-0 to Italy on a Luca Toni header, possibly 2-0 if Barthez produces another of his patented "saves." Unless of course the game goes to penalties, in which case Italy will certainly choke. I have no real preference for who wins. Normally I hate Italy but their classy players and offensive style have really impressed me at this tournament. Farewell to Zizou, the greatest player of our generation. Very soon they'll be calling young midfield maestros "the next Zidane" and we'll all know why.

FRANCE - PORTUGAL

ZIDANE PROLONGS FRENCH REVOLUTION

FRANCE 1 PORTUGAL 0

The Lowdown: The French squad continued their unprecedented resurgence at World Cup 2006 by seeing off a disappointing Portugal courtesy of a Zidane penalty to book a place in the final against Italy. It must be said that France were the more fancied side entering this match due to their outstanding performances against Spain and Brazil, but Portugal were no slouch either having beaten an impressive lineup of opponents: Mexico, Holland, England. However, the way they accomplished these victories(with no small amount of play-acting, time-wasting, and other beguiling tactics) didn't win them many fans and there were surely many smiles around the world when France deservedly topped them here, especially in England. Nevertheless, the quality of their side is unquestionable and for my money(not that I have any) they deserved to be here. It's just a shame that they have to resort to such negativity because with their array of attacking talent(Pauleta exluded, he's shite) you feel they really don't need to, and with playmaker Deco back in the lineup a victory for France was no sure thing. Things were pretty cagey early on with both sides trading possession. Everything turned in favor of France after Henry received a ball in the penalty area around the 33rd minute and tipped it around defeder Carvalho only to be tripped as he went to retrieve. Now, let me set the record straight about this penalty. Yes, Henry could have avoided Carvalho's sweeping leg and stayed on his feet, but that's not the point. The point is that he was fouled, plain and simple, and Zidane coolly fired the ensuing penalty past Ricardo even though the Portuguese player dove in the right direction. From that point on Portugal sought in vain for the equaliser and as the match wore on you got the feeling it wasn't going to happen as they appeared tired and utterly uncreative with the exception of Ronaldo. Scolari took off the useless Pauleta(had he actually stayed on his feet instead of fake-diving on a couple of occasions he might actually have gotten a shot off) and replaced him with Simao late in the second half, a move which should have been done much earlier. Figo looked like the tired old man he is, Deco disappeared, Miguel got injured, and it was all over. France's one real scare came after Barthez spilled a high shot into the air in front of goal only for Figo to scandalously send the header awry. To be fair France were the better team and always looked more likely to add a second than Scolari's men did to equalize.

Match Rating: 3 out of 5. Quite disappointing for a semi-final. Portugal showed little verve in attack, but credit must go to France's forbidding defense as they have now bedeviled three offensive juggernauts in succession(Spain, Brazil, Portugal).

Man of the Match: The best player on the pitch was Ronaldo who used the incessant booing whenever he touched the ball as motivation to go on some dangerous, high-flying runs deep into the heart of the French defense and at one point he laid a beautiful backheel pass that Maniche fired just over the crossbar. Zidane was not as spectacular as in the prior two games but he did put away a superb penalty. I suppose it has to be Henry whose deadly turn in the box forced the foul on Carvalho and who nearly scored himself in the second half when his shot was saved by Ricardo but spun ominously near the goalpost.

Disappointment of the Match: Deco, no question. I can't recall one good thing he did this whole match as Viera completely shut him down, and Pauleta is a close second. Portugal's whole team(Ronnie excepted) looked bereft of ideas but again, all credit to the French and their stellar defense. Ronaldo was tearful after the game and complained that the ref did them in; he's in for a rude awakening when he returns to the Premiership where he will surely be persona non grata throughout the league. Big Phil Scolari lost his first ever World Cup game and apparently didn't know what to do so he decided to abuse the ref and some officials. He later came to his senses and admitted that the better team won.

The Fallout: Portugal's cinderella story is over and the World Cup will again be won by a large footballing power, Italy or France. Scolari's incredible, record-setting World Cup managerial run has ended. He had won eleven straight World Cup matches before the draw against England(penalty shootout wins aren't technically counted as losses or wins) and this was his first ever loss. I predict it will be a long, long time before this is repeated and it probably won't be in our lifetime as more and more nations become adept at football.

Extra: Portugal were the most polarizing team at this World Cup and they made quite a few enemies. I was always pulling for them only because they have never won the tournament and their attacking spirit is both impressive and fun to watch. However, their cynical tactics really were reprehensible at times. Still, I think they deserved to be at this semi-final. Holland can cry all they want but they were an equally dirty team and they started the whole ugly affair by trying to kick Ronaldo off the field, although Figo should have been disciplined for the headbutt on Van Bommel; the fact that Frings of Germany was suspended for a post-match incident really makes FIFA look hypocritical, but Van Bommel is known as a dirty player anyway and the cameras showed his hand firmly entrenched in Figo's chest to provoke reaction. As for England, well Rooney's sending off was unfortunate and was undoubtedly spurred by Ronaldo's furious protest to the referee. Nevertheless, if England want to blame somebody for another four years of heartbreak it should be Sven for his lame tactics(Walcott was a great idea, ditto leaving Lennon on the bench until late in games) and Frank Lampard for going awol, not to mention the lacklustre performance of Steven Gerrard. Kind of ironic that the only English players who showed fight were the less-hyped likes of Lennon, Crouch, and the previously ridiculed Hargreaves. Can anyone honestly say that for all of the spirit they showed in the Portugal game that England deserved to be in the semi-final instead of Portugal? So English fans should stop the Ronaldo hatefest: they are actually using a mass-email campaign to ensure that the Young Player Award goes to Ecuador's Valencia instead of Ronaldo. Well here's some British hilarity: there's a counter, pro-Ronaldo campaign in Scotland to get Ronnie the award. No disrespect to Valencia who played a great tournament but this decision is a no-brainer and for all his immaturity it should go to Ronaldo without question, though Carlos Tevez should be in with a shout(I don't quite know the age requirement) and Messi surely would have won it if given half a chance.

Extra: Zidane has one last game left in his career. Be sure to savor it because there will never be another like him.

ITALY - GERMANY

LATE ITALIAN BLITZ STUNS HOSTS

ITALY 2 GERMANY 0

The Lowdown: Before this World Cup began Germany were extremely anxious to not only put on a great World Cup, but to field a competitive team as well. Talent-wise they were certainly not one of the more favored sides and some dreadful results(including a 4-1 friendly loss to Italy) and coach Klinsmann's perceived naivety did little to quell the typical doom-and-gloom attitude of the German press and populace. Some even said that Germany would struggle to escape their first round group. Italy, on the other hand, with a side that compares favorably to just about any team in the world, were among the pre-tournament favorites, though not without some personal demons of their own(recent tournament performances and the domestic scandal). However, since the opening kickoff of this tournament against Costa Rica the Germans surprised the world with their highly energetic and offensive style of play. Gone were the uber-athletic, tactically supreme German sides of yore. Here was a young team full of dynamic players and spurred by a level of support bordering on hysteria. When they hosted in 74 there wasn't a whole lot of flag waving, but this World Cup brought out a level of nationalism in Germany unprecedented in the post-war years. By all accounts the Germans have been spectacular hosts, winning fans with both their hospitality and attractive football. In the days leading up to this match some English fans even admitted the unthinkable, that they were willing to cheer for the old, hated enemy. Indeed, after their demolition of Sweden and fightback against heavily fancied Argentina, the Germans looked well-nigh unstoppable. Well, to make a long story short......it's over now. Italy continued their well-oiled(no pun intended) World Cup run with a performance that left no doubt. Home advantage and extreme emotion can carry a team far, but there is no substitute for quality and Italy showed that by scoring two late, beautiful goals to break the heart of an entire nation. It looked like this tie was headed to penalty shootouts, which would surely be a boon to the Germans who historically may be the best penalty-taking nation in cup history, while Italy join England on the opposite end of that spectrum. The Germans had actually scouted Argentina's penalty takers prior to the quarterfinals, with the goalkeeping coach handing Lehmann a slip of paper before each kick in that game. So the Italians had reason to fear but their superior talent finally came good when Pirlo laid a beatiful pass on for Grosso to sublimely curl past a desperate Lehmann. Euphoria ensued, and just as Germany mounted a fierce assault for the equalizer, Del Piero curled another lovely shot around the German keeper and it was all over for Deutschland.

Match Rating: 4 out of 5. A quality encounter between two tournament favorites that ended dramatically, though I couldn't fully enjoy it because I was in a dive bar in Brooklyn.

Man of the Match: Tie: Pirlo and Cannavaro, Italy. Pirlo was tremendous and his pass for Grosso fooled the entire German defense as they thought he was going to shoot. Cannavaro is simply from another planet. Italy have not let up a true goal at this final yet and their diminutive, bald-headed centreback is a huge reason for this. I've never seen anybody read the game like him, just a rock back there and the MVP of this entire tournament so far.

Disappointment of the Match: Can't really say that anybody disappointed in particular as this match went according to script in my opinion. Torsten Frings's suspension was very significant and without his stifling presence Italy were able to control much of the match in the middle of the pitch. It didn't help that his suspension was blamed on the Italian media, who supposedly provided FIFA with footage of the post-Argentina match brawl that showed him throwing a punch. The German fans reacted by vociferously booing the Italian squad, which was unfortunate. Ballack looked lethargic at times and broke down in tears after the match in resolving that it is just not his destiny to play in a World Cup final(he missed the 02 final on a yellow card).

The Fallout: Italy are on to the final for the first time since 1994 and will be looking for their 4th WC title, which would put them second to Brazil and first among Eurpean sides ahead of Germany's 3. Germany are rightly devastated but they simply did not have the class to match Italy. For my money they were fortunate to beat a superior Argentina in the quarters. Not undeserving, but fortunate. Their lack of quality finally caught up to them and they really should be happy with a semi-final appearance.

Extra: Italy truly look formidable. They started off this tournament with a characteristically impenetrable defense held down by Cannavaro and Buffon, but the forward line of Toni, Gilardino, Totti, Del Piero et al. failed to impress. They've since overcome those offensive woes and now have absolutely no weaknesses, anywhere. Interestingly, the Italian papers reported this historic victory right next to other headlines about the current corruption scanal embroiling Italian domestic football. It was recently recommended that certain clubs be relegated to Serie B, Serie A staples Lazio and Fiorentina among them. Most shocking of all was the recommendation that mightly Juventus, giants of the Italian and world scene, the iconic "Old Lady," be sent down to the third division. The last time Italian football had such dark clouds overhead was in 1982, when Paolo Rossi was banned from the game and morale was at an all-time low. Rossi came back for the World Cup and led them to unexpected glory. The signs look good for another Italian triumph, but with France standing the way it's just too close to call.

Extra Extra: Grosso wears number 3 for Italy, which is the equivalent of a Chicago Bulls player wearing number 23. 3 was Paolo Maldini's number and he is only the most capped player in Italy's history and probably the greatest defender in the history of the game. Grosso did the number justice on this day with that superb strike in extra-time.

FRANCE - BRAZIL

98 FINAL REDUX

FRANCE BLANK BRAZIL, AGAIN

FRANCE 1 BRAZIL 0

The Lowdown: It seems unthinkable now, but France nearly failed to qualify for this World Cup. Zidane and Thuram had retired and they looked inept in taking few points from their early qualifying matches. Then the turning point: Zizou decided to come out of international retirement for a curtain-call on the stage he had once conquered, and Thuram and another veteran or two joined him. This gave les bleus the spark they needed, and how well I remember their pivotal 1-0 victory in Dublin courtesy of a brilliant Henry strike that effectively ended Ireland's qualification hopes while bolstering France's. Yet in the early rounds in Germany the ghosts of the disastrous 2002 campaign had not been exorcised as the French struggled to top what was arguably the weakest group in the tournament. As a result, everybody wrote them off, including me it must be said. Big mistake. They bamboozled an overconfident Spain with a deserved 3-1 victory and shocked favored Brazil in a match they always looked in control of. Brazil were criticized for lacklustre performances throughout this tournament and many felt they flattered to deceive against Ghana in the round of 16. On this day their weak defending on aerial balls caught up with them when Henry found himself all alone on the end of a brilliantly curved Zidane free-kick on 57 minutes, and he wasted no time in deftly leaping to one-time it into the roof of the net for a 1-0 lead that France never looked like relinquishing. Brazil fought back with desperation, but nothing could save them; not some vintage dribbling in the box by Il Phenomeno(and subsequent diving), not Ronaldinho's oh-so-close free kick, not the introduction of Robinho, not the referees letting late fouls go uncalled in a final effort to will everybody's favorite team and FIFA's darling to victory. It wasn't to be.

Match Rating: 4 out of 5. Epic rematch of the 98 Final, but could have used more goals and it's always disappointing when the champions go out with a whimper.

Man of the Match: Henry was very effective and scored a wonderful goal but let's not kid around here, Zizou aka God was man of the match. He seems back to his old self, putting some brilliant touches on the ball and delivering perfectly for teammates, including the kick that Henry finished. At one point he volleyed the ball over an opponent's head and headed it on the fly to another French player, and he also took in a pass and eluded two defenders simultaneously with his famed foot roll-over spinaround technique that I can't adequately describe and which led me to exlaim out loud, "Wow." He is the greatest player I have ever seen in my lifetime. I can't speak for Maradona and Pele because outside of highlights I haven't seen them play but for my money he belongs in their company as one the three greatest players ever. If he lifts the trophy again he may even merit consideration as the new king.

Disappointment of the Match: A surprising number of pundits tipped France to upset Brazil and Brazil's weaknesses showed today, particularly the defending on aerial balls. Henry was scandalously left alone to slot home the winner with the nearest player being about 3 yards away and another Frenchman at that. There was another occasion where Viera leaped unchallenged to head a ball wide. How you can leave players of that caliber so unmarked on set pieces is unbelievable. France could have put in another 2 goals with a little bit of luck. Back home in Brazil all of the blame is being put on two people: Coach Parreira and Ronaldinho. Even though he won them the 94 tournament Parreira's pragmatic approach has always been vilified. Ronaldinho entered this tournament the undisputed king of world football but exited without scoring a goal(I think) and having failed to do anything of note. I think his problem may actually be his selfless nature. There is no doubting his quality and he is always willing to lay passes off to teammates. However, today he should have played ballhog. He's the best player on the team and in the world but he failed to take the game by the reins. It's not easy when you are double-teamed every time you touch the ball but great players have to expect and overcome that. The Brazilian papers rightly lamented that Zidane and France played like "the real Brazil."

Huh? Went to Bohemia Beer Garden in Astoria, Queens the night after the match and it was filled with Brazilian fans decked out in team colors and flags. They must have been a sorry sight, right? Wrong. They were cheering and carrying on as if they had won the game complete with booming drums and "Ole, ole, ole, ole, Brazil...Brazil" chants. One patron shouted out, "You lost." The retort was "so what?" Seriously, nothing gets a Brazilian down. Not inflation, not rampant crime, not another loss to France. Life's a neverending carnivale, apparently.

The Fallout: It's unthinkable that mighty Brazil could have a footballing nemesis, a bete noire that they can't overcome, but France are it for the samba boys. Les bleus have now knocked them out of World Cup 86, 98, and 06, and the last two held them scoreless. Interestingly, some other football nemeses(is that proper plural, I love the word nemesis btw) have emerged at this cup. Portugal appear to have replaced Argentina for England, and Germany are now Argentina's nemesis. Maradona told the Argentines before Saturday's game that Germany had made the whole nation cry at World Cup 90. Well, they did it again. France to play Portugal for a place in the final.

Extra: France look very good indeed. I had pegged them as too old after their earlier performances but they looked very classy on this day and thoroughly in control for most of the match. Portugal-France should be epic. I hope we don't see an Italy-France final, aka Euro 2000 revisited, because it would surely end on penalties. Poor Nike. Their Joga Bonita campaign was heavily invested in Brazil and only yesterday they released a new commercial featuring a Ronaldo retrospective. Another recent release stars Wayne Rooney. Whoops. At least they still have the street-ball ad where Henry does that ridiculous move(seriously, is that real?) to roll the ball into the net. In other news, although I initially liked Adidas' Jose +10 ads they are now completely played out.

ENGLAND - PORTUGAL

NEW ENGLAND, SAME OLD STORY

DEJA-VU PENALTY HEARTBREAK FOR SVEN'S MEN

PORTUGAL 0 ENGLAND 0

PENALTIES: 3-1

The Lowdown: Another big tournament with high expectations for England, another penalty shootout loss. This was supposed to be the most talented England squad since 1966, but from the beginning of the group stages in Germany they failed to impress and many considered Portugal to be the first tough team they encountered at this World Cup. This game was eerily reminiscent of the France 98 loss to Argentina. Once again a young, hotheaded superstar was shown a red card, and once again England were abysmal on spot kicks. They have now gone out on penalties at three of the last four World Cups, and they also went out this way at Euro 2004 to the same Portugal team coached by the same coach, Phil Scolari, who has now knocked Sven's England out of three straight tournaments dating back to Japan/Korea 2002. In fact, I think England also went out on penalties at Euro 96. They are well and truly a cursed team when it comes to penalty kicks, with even superstars like Lampard and Gerrard coming up blank from the spot. In the early stages of the match things looked even, with both teams trading possession and the chances about even. Wayne Rooney had a frustrating afternoon as once again he was left as the lone striker with few opportunities. A physcial challlenge by a couple of Portuguese players around the 60th minute brought out the worst in him and he was sent off for stomping Carvalho in the groin. After this disaster England played desperately and as a result played their most courageous football of the tournament. Beckham leaving with an injury was a blessing, enabling the much more useful and dangerous Aaron Lennon to cause havoc for Portugal. Both teams had a couple of golden chances in extra time but when it came to penalty kicks it was the same old story for England. The contrast between the super-confident Cristiano Ronaldo before his kick and the hesitant, lame efforts by Lampard and Gerrard told the whole story. England are out and a euphoric Portugal and Scolari became their official nemesis and have a date with destiny, and France, in the semi-finals.

Match Rating: 4 out of 5. It was very tight, much like many games in the latter stages of World Cups so there wasn't much scoring. However it was played at a very high caliber with some superb defending from both sides.

Man of the Match: For my money Cristiano Ronaldo looked like the most dangerous man on the pitch, with England's Aaron Lennon running him a close second. It has to be Ronaldo for the way he confidently nailed the decisive penalty kick, not to mention the role he played in getting Manchester United teammate Rooney sent off. Honorable mention to Portugal goalie Ricardo, who once again snuffed English dreams, and England's Owen Hargreaves, who finally silenced his critics with the most inspired performance of his career and the best of any English player at this tournament. At one point I did a double take to make sure it was actually Hargreaves making those amazing runs at the Portugal defense and playing like an all-around nutter. Also, Portugal's Miguel is a fullback in the classic Brazilian mode who seems to be all over the field.

Disappointment of the Match: England waited so long for Rooney to regain fitness in the weeks prior to the tournament. Good thing the English love irony because there was nothing more ironic and painful than their savior sealing their fate with a horrendous stomp right in front of the referee. To be honest I didn't get a real good look at it and the jury is still out on its severity. The most amazing thing about the whole episode was Cristiano Ronaldo rushing across the field and urging the ref to book Rooney. It looked like Ronaldo's pleading had the intended effect, and the idiotic Marcelo Balboa of ESPN actually thought Rooney had been sent off for his shove on Ronaldo. Ronaldo will have to leave Manchester United now. He'll be vilified by the fans throughout England and how can he share the same dressing room with Rooney now? Flash back to France 98, when another young England superstar named David Beckham saw red in the quarterfinals for a kick on the provocative Diego Simeone of Argentina, during a game which England ultimately lost on penalties. Beckham was reviled back home for quite a while but eventually became team captain and world football icon. Hopefully Rooney can recover from this debacle.

Huh? The Spanish channel commentator momentarily switching over to English, saying "It's Crouch time" to announce the England sub. Hilarious.

The Fallout: Sven had already retired as England coach before the tournament and despite his relatively successful record in charge, his legacy will be defined by these big game losses to nemesis Scolari as well as an inability to change tactics on the fly. Portugal deserve a lot of credit. Say what you want about their cheating antics. They were without a couple of key players for this match, including perhaps their most dynamic, Deco. Yet they are now through to the semi-finals for the first time since the renowned 66 squad led by the legendary Eusebio. Interestingly, I think they may have set some kind of record for getting opponents sent off at this World Cup. It seems like it's happened at all of their games: Mexico, 2 against Holland I think, now England. Have to look that one up.

Extra: Beckham was in tears on the sideline after his injury and tearfully stepped down from the captaincy after the match. He may never start for England again. Aaron Lennon proved to be a much more dangerous and effective player whenever he was on the pitch and the next coach will surely start him over Beckham. His only hope now might be to start as a defensive midfielder but Hargreaves looks to have wrapped up that spot with this performance. There is no question that Beckham has given England some big goals in the past, including the free-kick against Greece that got England to the 2002 World Cup. He has always been the consummate sportsman, a very classy guy who gives 100% for the team. However, his reputation was always bigger than his game. He's great from set-pieces, maybe the best in the world, but outside of that skill he offers little. He has absolutely no pace whatsover which is unforgiveable for somebody playing on the wing, and the goals he scores from set-pieces are few and far between. With Beckham and Lennon there is a paradox. Beckham is the set-piece master, but he could never win a set-piece if his life depended on it. Lennon, on the other hand, constantly goes by defenders and may have been unlucky not to get a penalty in the final minutes of this game. He'll win you several corners and free kicks every game, and had he started on the wing England would have been a much more formidable opponent at this World Cup. An English TV pundit(and former coach I believe) said it best: "If I had to mark Beckham in an upcoming match, I wouldn't lost any sleep over it." The truth is out: Becks is a one-trick pony.