World Cup memories
I'm not crazy football fanatic. I don't paint my face or travel the world following my team. But I love to watch football, the skill of the players and the emotions that follow whenever there is a major cup competition. And they don't come any bigger than the World Cup, and since happens only once every 4 years, I think its pretty understandable that I don't wanna do anything else during this time.
I thought it would be good to gather my memories of World Cups past, and the significant events of the current World Cup.
Mexico, 1986. My first World Cup. I was only 6 at the time, and I don't think I watched that many games. At 6, I couldn't stay up so late to watch anyway. I don't remember any of the games, so I don't recall Maradona's wonder goal or Hand of God. What I did remember was this funny thing they did at the stadiums. They would get different sections of the stands to stand up and wave their hands in sequence, creating a human wave around the stadium. It was damn cool, and it was there that the 'Mexican wave' was born.
Italia, 1990. I was 10, in Primary 5. I watched more games this time, but still only the significant ones from quarter-finals onwards. It was then I started to hate Germany as a team. Anyhow play also can win. Through penalties, or 1-0 scorelines. The finals was Argentina vs West Germany, pitting Diego Maradona and Lotthar Mathaus, argueably 2 of the best players in their position at the time. And West Germany won through a disputed penalty. What the hell.
USA, 1994. I was 15, in Sec 3. This is really when the World Cup addiction started. Late nights watching the games, discussing the games with classmates, reading magazines and papers during class, and replaying the matches over and over in my head. My schoolwork really suffered then, but I didn't really care. I remembered USA 94 for the great strikers. Roberto Baggio of Italy, Romario and Bebeto from Brazil, Klinnsman of Germany and Bergkamp of the Netherlands. The best goal of the tournament was the wonder goal by Bergkamp in the quarterfinals against Argentina. (edit: this goal was in 98. my bad.)
Bergkamp scoring that wonder goal
The other significant event was the Final. Italy vs Brazil. I remember anxiously wanting the game to end, because I was already late for school, and they had gone into extra and penalty kicks. If I'm not wrong, it was the first Finals to be decided by penalty kicks, and it was quite a disappointing end to a good tournament. I wanted to see a great goal, or a moment of magic. But in the end, Brazil won when Baggio skied his penalty over the bar.
Roberto Baggio in his prime
France, 1998. I couldn't watch many of the games because I was stuck in army. But I was desperate because I wanted to see my favorite player, Alan Shearer. So I decided to buy a handheld TV so that I could watch the England games. I remembered waking up in the middle of the night to watch England vs Argentina, desperately adjusting the antenna to get the clearest picture. It was still fuzzy, but I could see all the action. Saw Michael Owen's wonder goal, saw Argentina's ingenious free kick, then saw David Beckham stupidly get sent off.
Owen celebrating after That goal
6 am was revelie time, but the game was just going into penalty kicks. I remembered a group of 10 of us gathered around the tiny screen, trying to see what happened next. As usual, England disappointed and I lost interest in the rest of the matches. Saw the Final between Brazil vs France though. Very disappointing as France won easily. It was as if Brazil kelong.
Korea and Japan 2002. This time I caught almost all the matches again. And since it was in Asia, the matches were held at reasonable times. But I felt that this World Cup was disappointing. All the good teams went out early. France and Argentina got knocked out early. Then South Korea amazingly beat Spain and Italy, which I felt was super kelong. Spain had a lot of calls against them, and Italy had 2 goals disallowed, which was quite amazing. In the end, Germany and Brazil met in the finals. Again, it wasn't spectacular but the best team won.
Germany 2006. It isn't over yet. Watched almost all the games. Will review the entire tournament once its over.
I thought it would be good to gather my memories of World Cups past, and the significant events of the current World Cup.
Mexico, 1986. My first World Cup. I was only 6 at the time, and I don't think I watched that many games. At 6, I couldn't stay up so late to watch anyway. I don't remember any of the games, so I don't recall Maradona's wonder goal or Hand of God. What I did remember was this funny thing they did at the stadiums. They would get different sections of the stands to stand up and wave their hands in sequence, creating a human wave around the stadium. It was damn cool, and it was there that the 'Mexican wave' was born.
Italia, 1990. I was 10, in Primary 5. I watched more games this time, but still only the significant ones from quarter-finals onwards. It was then I started to hate Germany as a team. Anyhow play also can win. Through penalties, or 1-0 scorelines. The finals was Argentina vs West Germany, pitting Diego Maradona and Lotthar Mathaus, argueably 2 of the best players in their position at the time. And West Germany won through a disputed penalty. What the hell.
USA, 1994. I was 15, in Sec 3. This is really when the World Cup addiction started. Late nights watching the games, discussing the games with classmates, reading magazines and papers during class, and replaying the matches over and over in my head. My schoolwork really suffered then, but I didn't really care. I remembered USA 94 for the great strikers. Roberto Baggio of Italy, Romario and Bebeto from Brazil, Klinnsman of Germany and Bergkamp of the Netherlands. The best goal of the tournament was the wonder goal by Bergkamp in the quarterfinals against Argentina. (edit: this goal was in 98. my bad.)
Bergkamp scoring that wonder goal
The other significant event was the Final. Italy vs Brazil. I remember anxiously wanting the game to end, because I was already late for school, and they had gone into extra and penalty kicks. If I'm not wrong, it was the first Finals to be decided by penalty kicks, and it was quite a disappointing end to a good tournament. I wanted to see a great goal, or a moment of magic. But in the end, Brazil won when Baggio skied his penalty over the bar.
Roberto Baggio in his prime
France, 1998. I couldn't watch many of the games because I was stuck in army. But I was desperate because I wanted to see my favorite player, Alan Shearer. So I decided to buy a handheld TV so that I could watch the England games. I remembered waking up in the middle of the night to watch England vs Argentina, desperately adjusting the antenna to get the clearest picture. It was still fuzzy, but I could see all the action. Saw Michael Owen's wonder goal, saw Argentina's ingenious free kick, then saw David Beckham stupidly get sent off.
Owen celebrating after That goal
6 am was revelie time, but the game was just going into penalty kicks. I remembered a group of 10 of us gathered around the tiny screen, trying to see what happened next. As usual, England disappointed and I lost interest in the rest of the matches. Saw the Final between Brazil vs France though. Very disappointing as France won easily. It was as if Brazil kelong.
Korea and Japan 2002. This time I caught almost all the matches again. And since it was in Asia, the matches were held at reasonable times. But I felt that this World Cup was disappointing. All the good teams went out early. France and Argentina got knocked out early. Then South Korea amazingly beat Spain and Italy, which I felt was super kelong. Spain had a lot of calls against them, and Italy had 2 goals disallowed, which was quite amazing. In the end, Germany and Brazil met in the finals. Again, it wasn't spectacular but the best team won.
Germany 2006. It isn't over yet. Watched almost all the games. Will review the entire tournament once its over.
posted by Kevin at 6:00 PM
2 Comments:
Eh kevin..bergkamp's goal: 1998 lah!
oops. memories all mixed up. yeah, bergkamp's goal was in 98.
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