One of the more predictable features of the current World Cup is that there have been plenty of tears from players and fans alike. After scraping past Chile, half the Brazilian team were blubbing away like babies. And they were the winners. All a bit silly really, but perhaps an indication of what pressure the hosts are under.
Losers are of course permitted the odd sob or two, as long as they don’t start bawling their eyes out. It’s only a game after all. Mind you, when Paul Gascoigne burst into tears back at the 1990 tournament, he became an instant English hero.
Away from the whimpering, perhaps the biggest complement you could give the current gripping tournament, is that after the second round was completed, no really clear front-runner had emerged.
None of the pre-tournament favourites have been particularly convincing, but that may well have changed following last night’s potentially mouth-watering quarter-finals featuring France v Germany and Brazil v Colombia.
There weren’t any real shocks in the round of 16 and for the first time ever, the eight group winners all advanced. But that doesn’t mean to say it was a stroll in the park for the big teams. Far from it, with five of the eight matches going into extra time two finishing in penalties.
Nearly all the games were closely fought, with the possible exception of impressive Colombia’s relatively comfortable 2-0 win over Uruguay.
There were some heroic efforts by the losers, particularly Algeria who put up a great fight against Germany. The fact they made Germany look quite ordinary is a credit to the African side.
Germany knew they had dodged a bullet, reflected by the Suddtsche Zeitung headline: “Salvation by Backheel” — a reference to Andre Schuerrles’s clever opening goal.
Other losers who can hold their heads high are Switzerland, who were only seconds from forcing Argentina into a penalty shoot-out. Even Argentine star Lionel Messi, who set up the last-gasp winner, admitted his side were lucky.
Chile performed with flair against Brazil and were unfortunate to go out at such an early stage. The nervous hosts are still far from their best and you wonder if they might crack up. Brazil were literally saved by their keeper, Julio Cesar, prompting worldwide headlines of “Hail Cesar!”
The most contentious match was the clash between the Netherlands and Mexico, highlighted by the theatrics of Dutch striker Arjen Robben. Everyone has their views on Robben, a gifted player but with an annoying habit of going down far too easily.
Opinion seems split on whether Robben deserved that last minute penalty, but he certainly made the most of it with his flamboyant dying swan routine.
“Floppage Time” was Metro newspaper’s verdict. The moment Robben got the ball in the area you just knew how it would end.
His melodramatics are particularly annoying as he is such a good player and doesn’t need to do it. Many players are guilty of diving, of course, but it is only Robben who looks like he’s auditioning for an opera or ballet.
The USA finally bit the dust, but they put up a worthy fight with Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard emerging as a true American hero against a talented Belgium side. It has taken a long time, but it looks like football is finally making its mark in the USA.
Over 25 million watched their match on TV in the US. Admittedly the friendly viewing times might have made a difference in the American interest. They didn’t have to stay up all night to watch the games.
On the morning of the match the New York Post had emblazoned on its front page: “Go Kick Some Ass!”, not the most subtle of headlines, but at least it showed they are taking interest.
Trivia buffs might be interested in two records at this World Cup. Sokratis Papastathopoulous became the player with the longest surname to score in the World Cup finals. At the other extreme, Brazilian striker Jo has the shortest name. Jo, however, has looked like he couldn’t hit the proverbial cow’s backside with a banjo, but maybe last night his luck might have changed.
Spare a thought for the returning South Korean team who were pelted with sweets by disappointed fans at the airport in Seoul. At least it wasn’t rotten tomatoes. And they fared better than the England team who were greeted by no fans at all.
Fabio Capello also came under fire after Russia’s early exit, with one leading Moscow politician calling him a “thief”, claiming he was only in it for the money, hardly a revelation. More damaging was the accusation: “He looks like a schoolteacher.”
As for tonight’s games, the Argentina-Belgium clash is definitely a toss-up. Argentina have been quite underwhelming and will be relying as always on Messi’s magic to make the difference. Belgium possess enough flair to create problems for the South Americans.
On paper, the Netherlands ought to breeze past Costa Rica, but in this tournament who knows? The Costa Ricans are clearly a lot more accomplished than was first thought. However, they will be hard-pushed to hold back Robin van Persie, who hopefully will stay on his feet.
All that’s left is to sit back and watch, or perhaps doze off, as the winners celebrate and the losers despair. And losing at this stage of the tournament can be even more painful than going out in the first round. Expect a few more tears from grown men.