I am probably the least sports minded person one can find. And yet, there’s something about the World Cup that seems to compel me to at least follow along when it arrives every four years, even if I don’t watch all of the games. Actually, the only game that I actually sat down and watched this year was the final.
Part of the appeal is being able to pick a team and root for them just because you like the country. I mean, no one really cheers for the Leafs just because they really like Toronto. South Korea doesn’t have to have really good players for me to like them; I just like them because I’m Asian and they actually have a shot at the World Cup, or at least they did in 2002.
So I watched the final between Italy and France. I chose Italy, because I like France less. I found the first minute hilarious because Henry runs smack into another guy and gets like a concussion or something. I thought that first goal that Zidane got from the penalty was really cool. He shoots it off the crossbar and it goes straight down, just crossing the line.
I’d say that Italy had a really good first half, especially after Materazzi heading the goal in from the corner and almost doing it again. After that though, I thought that France was almost scoring a lot, while Italy was really having trouble getting over to France and getting into a good position to score. Some interesting moments were the almost goals. One by Italy, when that guy flew a bit and kicked it in but was offside, and one by Zidane with an awesome save by Italy’s goalkeeper.
The most random moment was the one I think a lot of people will be remembering. That crazy Zidane’s headbutt, out of nowhere, almost as if for no reason at all. If I were a France fan, I’d be like “wtf zidane”. The headbutt itself looked pretty funny. I mean, Zidane just jogged a bit past the guy and it seems like everything’s fine. He turns around and out of nowhere, rams into the guy with his head. And it was going so well for them too.
To my disappointment, there was no supermagic comeback like there was for Italy against Germany, which would have been really exciting, and the whole thing was decided by penalty shootout, which I think is kind of anticlimactic.
Anyway, I thought both sides played well, so good job Italia.
Materazzi got the goal in only by first pushing the defender in the neck and down. If he DIDNT do that, he wouldn’t have gotten to the ball at all.
Also, I dont know if you saw it or not, but the guy Zidane headbutted was the same guy who injured his shoulder. Also, there was conversation exchanged, followed by the EYE-talian walking away while mouthing off. This is why you saw Zidane JOG in front and essentially “Eff him up”.