France-Italy Finale May Live In Infamy

"The World Cup is over and once again, we've seen how cruel the game of soccer can be. But at the same time, Sunday's final between Italy and France showed how just it can be.

Unfortunately, this game seems destined to live in infamy when many were hoping - and perhaps expecting - an apotheosis occasion to mark France's Zinedine Zidane's farewell match. And how he started what seemed to be a triumphant march to the Parthenon of the soccer gods. A seventh-minute "cheeky" PK goal was converted by Zidane for a rather needless, if not infantile, foul by Marco Materazzi. That put the French ahead early - maybe too early. Justice would be served soon after as Materazzi would make amends for his foul by heading home a corner kick goal.

Before the game, French legend Michel Platini had remarked that the game was "truly a 50-50 affair." But he also noted France could not win unless Zidane and Henry delivered something special. That never happened and if the frustration of that situation was eventually part of Zidane's violent reaction in the form of a head butt into the chest of Materazzi, only Zidane knows. A player of his caliber, experience, even temperament should not have allowed it to happen - no matter what the Italian might have said to him in the preceding moments. It will be interesting to see how the French will judge Zizou. When it is all said and done, they need to be kind. He has done so much for that nation's team.

So, a last word from me. It has been fun and I hope I have shed a little light on what a World Cup means to some of us "soccer junkies." The countdown to South Africa 2010 has begun and I have to assume I will complete my own "Team of Cups" by making it 11 straight. See you then."

Read Marcos' full report at the Tampa Tribune >>

It's Down To This, So Let The Best Team Win

"Let's start out with some positive "playground" type of perspective on today's final between Italy and France. For starters, Italy and France are the teams that tied and beat my two teams, the United States and Portugal, respectively. Fans of the United States would probably feel a little better if Italy won because the American squad would become the only opponent of Italy, in the tournament, that did not lose to the Italians. With a little better luck - or better officiating - who knows, the boys from the U.S. might have beaten Italy. And if that had happened, I would not be writing about Italy at all but a different team altogether.

I suppose you can swing the history and stats any direction you choose. From my perspective, if you took the Italy and France of the first round, you would be tempted not to even hold the final and declare the title vacant. If you take the progress of both teams since the round of 16, you have extra time and - perish the thought - penalty kicks. On form they are that close and many are predicting a PK ending. Just two weeks ago, these teams were seemingly adrift with little hope of reaching this match. Italy was faltering because, well, it is Italy and all the expectations that go with it. France was looking mediocre because it was, and still is, old, but … look how those old guys are playing now."

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Stuttgart Set For Its Germany-Portugal 'Final'

"Exactly four weeks ago - it seems like ages - I watched the first upset, or so it seemed at the time, as Ecuador began Poland's early packing expedition with a 2-0 win. That followed Germany's official 4-2 thrashing of Costa Rica.

Stuttgart is ready for a game, their residents no doubt preferring any other team to face Portugal later today. But something that two months ago most Germans would gladly have accepted - the third-place game - now smacks of not enough.

I am sure that neither the Germans nor the Portuguese will want to disappoint, especially considering that on Friday no less than eight of the players on view were named by FIFA to the official 23-man all-star squad: Portugal goalkeeper Ricardo, defender Ricardo Carvalho (out with his red card against France), midfielders Maniche and Luis Figo. For Germany, nods went to goalkeeper Jens Lehman, defender Philip Lamm, captain Michael Ballack and likely top scorer Miroslav Klose. The rest come from Argentina, with Hernan Crespo and Roberto Ayala, England's John Terry plus Brazil's Ze Roberto, the only player from the "beautiful game" team. How the mighty have fallen. Out of 23 nominations, 19 grace the final four teams; arbitrary choices of course, but not totally out of whack; at the end, it is still all about players, and the numbers don't lie.

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Third-Place Match Will Be Anticlimactic For German, Portuguese Fans

"It is over. Moral victories count for about 30 minutes, which is small consolation in the general sentiments that it was a very balanced game.

For most of us, the World Cup is practically all over but the shouting. For the supporters of Italy and France, however, it is still about much, much more than just shouting on Sunday. For them, soccer's Holy Grail is there for the taking. I am still trying to figure out what Saturday night will mean for the Portuguese and the 80 million Germans who have to deal with something called the "third-place" playoff match. I suspect the millions of fans of the 28 other teams who have gone home would likely be happy to trade places with those Germans and Portuguese. Maybe.

As I recall my new friend Armin asking me which of my 10 Cups I remember as "the best," I couldn't help but recall an earlier conversation I had with a single friend of mine. He has been to four tournaments and, to him, the best World Cup is always like his girlfriends - "the last one is always best," he says."

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It's Deja Vu All Over Again For Portugal And Its Long-Suffering Fans

As a native of Portugal, I am not going to suggest I am totally impartial. Nevertheless, if Portugal deserves to be playing in the third-place match and France deserves to be in the final against Italy, then I am the proverbial monkey's uncle and pigs will start flying any day now.

It was the kind of call that sends "nouveau" thinkers - myself at the forefront - to believe soccer needs video replays three or four times a game. Why? So crucial decisions by the referee or linesmen do not decide games wrongly. Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda, the same person who refereed the controversial Italy-U.S. match, did not even bother showing a yellow to Carvalho - as sure a sign of a soft foul as you'll ever see.

As ZiZou scored on the PK, the stadium cameras focused on former Portuguese national team defender Abel Xavier in the stands. He was the one who in 2000 was judged to have intentionally touched the ball with his hand. If I felt dejÀ vu, I wondered how he must have felt.

Read Marcos' full report at the Tampa Tribune >>