World Cup 2006

Okay, since almost everyone has done a post on the World Cup recently, I thought I would do one as well, haha. As usual, I prefer a trip down nostalgia lane, as enough have been said about this year's edition anyway.

1986 was the first time I got to know about World Cup. I was in Form 3 then, and Benson & Hedges with its CGI gold tigers and flutists ads (remember them?) was the kind sponsor who brought us the broadcasts. The match that stuck in my mind to this day was Brazil vs Fance in the quarterfinals. Both teams played brilliantly that day, but it ended in a 1-1 draw and had to be decided on penalties. The World Cup was hosted in Mexico that year, so the 12 hour time difference meant getting up at 3 am, 4 am in the morning to catch the matches.

1990, I was in college, and had no access to the tv as I was renting a room. So, I caught some matches on BBC radio (caught the infamous Cameroon-Argentina opening match), at a friend's house in Melaka (Italy vs I can't remember who), and another friend's landlady's son's (who kept swearing every few minutes) tv. 1990 was a really forgettable year, everyone played very negatively, and all the goalies have at least 50% of the possession in the matches (back pass rules were different in those days). Thank goodness they changed the back pass rules after that year.

1994, I was in uni in UK. My mind wasn't really on the matches, it was on a girl, and as a result, to this day I just can't recall a single thing about that year's world cup, except that Brazil won it. Oh, just in case you're curious, I didn't get the girl. Should've paid attention to the football after all :)

1998, I was working in PJ. Matches were caught at a friend's boss' house (who had Astro). I supported Holland, and was frustrated when they fell to an obviously inferior Brazil on penalties in the semis. That was the era of Marc Overmars and a young Dennis Bergkamp, both of whom, of course, played for a gentleman called Arsene Wenger at Arsenal :)

2002, I was struggling to finish a project (which in the end never got finished). Matches were caught on the web (thank goodness for minute by minute reports), at Fraser's Hill, and at home (yeah, finally got the Astro installed). I remember going for dinner in SS2, andsaw people just standing mesmerised at the sidewalks, taking in matches that for the first time, are all not after 12 midnight, as they were held in Korea and Japan. Sadly, 2002 was also the year too many people I knew got caught in the web of football betting and lost fortunes.

2006, so far I've only followed the Japan (all heart but no stamina) matches and the England (all ego but no heart) matches. Too early for me to predict the winner now, but I can guarantee 100% it will not be England (sorry England fans out there). They have looked very ordinary so far.