Soccer Fans of the World, Unite! (& Take Over)

by: Anya Parampil

Writer, All About Business

Well, everyone…

Quite the endeavor it is, to match a cliché introduction line to a piece on the World Cup.

It isn’t quite “that time of year again!” if it only takes place every 4. It’s not “that season again!” when, say, Australian fans cheer in winter while their German counterparts celebrate in summer.  Hey, when it’s the whole world we’re talking about, everyone from Father Time to Mother Nature is varying just a little. But between attempts to put my finger on a universal time frame, I think I’ve got it.

It’s that odd reasoning that makes it almost sensible to spot Mick Jagger in the same frame as Bill Clinton while surveying the audience of a knock-out match between the US and Ghana. Suddenly it’s really not so prodigious that Archbishop Desmond Tutu is dancing a little jig in the stands of a soccer stadium as South Africa scores the first goal of the tournament, and your game viewing partners are saying “Wait, is that Joe Biden sitting behind him?”. When you know the Irish Pub downtown is packed just because everyone wanted to see France lose on the big screens, and appreciate why. When a woman with an actual vuvuzuela sits with a group in that same pub, allowed to buzz at every goal. But most of all it’s the reason your heart sinks for the two guys with powdered white hair and faces, red cross clad cheeks, white bed sheets tied to their backs, clenching white megaphones as the hope in their eyes fade with the last minute of the UK’s knock-out against match with Germany.

While usually for a summer I am glued to some newsmagazine or enthralled in the pot of global affairs- it’s nice to take a break and watch some exceptional soccer matches. I’ve sat through enough conversations discussing Diego Maradona and the history of soccer, not to mention observed present teams to know what I am talking about to some degree.

First, I have to mention the fact that I am saddened over the fact that Germany and Argentina are scheduled to meet in the quarterfinals- they are arguably the two best teams in the tournament and would have put on a beautiful final match. The Saturday morning game scheduled between the two will be one contest you don’t want to miss. After all, talk apropos the striking comparisons between Argentine winger Lionel Messi and his legendary coach. On the German side, lacking their captain and standard star Michael Ballack, it has been up to other headliners such as Miroslav Klose and Bastian Schweinsteiger to carry the team. They’ve been able to pull it off as well, despite both players having to sit out the same game (against Ghana) to due suspension. The victory against Ghana proves this German team is strong as a whole; if Ballack’s injury did not stand in the way of him playing I would almost say that Germany has Saturday in the bag. I am willing to predict, however, that the winner of this Saturday’s game will fight until finals and a likely win.

Brazil and the Netherlands will be another quarterfinal to watch. Since the 1970s the Dutch have always put on an impressive show; finaling twice and able to defeat old favorites such as Brazil and Argentina to get there. However, despite the trend of making it out of group stages and quarterfinals, not once have they won the cup. With the sport displayed hitherto, however, one shouldn’t be stunned if they face one of the other two teams I mentioned before in finals. While Brazil is a typical favorite, the new defensive route coach Dunga is taking made close games with teams such as North Korea (2-1). Excluding the match with Mexico, we have not seen an extraordinary Brazilian win- take the draw against Portugal for example. It’s teams of that caliber Kaka and company will face as finals draws nearer.

Finally, keep and eye on Spain. After most likely defeating Paraguay in quarterfinals the so called “favorites” of the tournament also have a proficient shot at taking home the cup with their scoring machine David Villa (who has led the tournament so far in goals with German striker Klose).

Well, everyone, it’s just that time. While clocks vary, time is universal between continents. When my uncle in Doha calls being 8 hours ahead, but is watching the same soccer match I’ve got on in Michigan. What time is it? Game time.

Anya Parampil is an AAB student writer and producer living in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She can be reached with questions and comments at anyaparampil@gmail.com.