My 2010 World Cup Diary : The Aftermath of the World Cup Final

At 2.30am yesterday, I was part of the crowd at Chong Pang CC , hoping to witness history in the making of a new World Cup winner in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Finale. The final game, however didn't do justice to the world most beautiful game. Howard Webb, the English referee made history first by dishing out the most yellow/red cards ever for a Cup final. Once again, a football game has been marred by this referee, never failing to cause controversy especially during big games. The Cup Final was a negative one, football shouldn't be play and officiate in such manner. It doesn't deserve a mention in my personal blog as I wish to remember the positive side of the first ever World Cup tournament held in African continent.

Shakira sang at the closing ceremony with hot number Waka Waka, This Time to Africa. Will always remember this World Cup song, very sporting song.

Here's a list of Golden Ball (Player of the World Cup tournament nominees:

And the Golden Ball goes to Diego Forlan of Uruguay. He has been voted by the football world as the best player in South Africa 2010 World Cup. For me, he thoroughly deserve the award. The former Man United flop has found a new lease of life in the La Liga and has displayed his talent & goalscoring power in the biggest football tournament. Bear in mind, he's playing in a team that is consider weaker than the other big boys. With Forlan, they progress till the semi-final, a remarkable 4th place finish.

For 2010 World Cup, I also remember the beautiful Paraguayan model who became the most popular World Cup fan in this year competition. She definitely enjoying all the media attention but there are plenty of beautiful babes out there from different nations, beautifying the South Africa 2010.

While pretty babes are common sight on the television screen during world cup matches, there are some crazy fans too. Remember during Slovenia vs Algeria game, there is this Algerian fan that climb to the top of the stadium lighting. How did he get up there in the first place ?

Denmark was the team that I wanted to support for the tournament but the once mighty Danish dynamite didn't have the best of luck with injuries to key players. Age has caught up with the once dangerous Martin Jorgensen and Tomasson. They were eliminated in the group stage after losing to surprise package Japan. The Japanese surprised me and played very well in the tournament. No more Nakamura, this is the times of Keisuke Honda and Tulio.

The team that I enjoyed watching the most is USA. Well, the Americans is no longer weak in soccer. They are fast, skillful , talented and has great fighting spirit. Really enjoyed their draw with England and fightback against Slovenia. Great future for USA football.

Let's relax and enjoy some of the greats goals of South Africa 2010 World Cup.

Finally, this is the biggest star of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Paul the Octopus who holds the 100% record of right predictions for all Germany matches. He also correctly predicted that Spain will win the World Cup. A retired legend now.

My 2010 World Cup Diary : My Thoughts about South Africa 2010 on Cup Final Day

Today is World Cup Final day, the final game of the 2010 FIFA World Cup will be play at Soccer City, Johannesburg, South Africa. It will feature the Orange army of Holland, the country that invented Total Football back in the 1970s against the Red army of Spain, the most recent holder of the European football crown.

The widely percieved divine Octopus Paul , who has correctly predicted results of Germany matches, made its final prediction of this year tournament that it will be Spaniards that will be crowned World Champions in the football world tonight. From a statistical point of view, it would take a miracle for Holland to win going against the divine prediction of the octopus.

On the football pundits side, Singapore Pool is offering the following odds which makes Spain the favourite to lift the World Cup @ odds of 1.95. A Dutch victory is @ 3.15.

I have not place any bets for this World Cup Final as all my winnings has been exhausted by AVA. In addition, I've not won any bets on Spain matches so far. So its good that I learn to be contented with what I have already won.

On the football world, football experts or professionals like Johan Cryuff, himself , a Dutchman has say that it is Spain's title to lose. My Dutch friend called him a traitor. Maybe Mr Cryuff, who lives in Spain these days, is using psychological tactics to make Holland looks like underdog. Actually, there is no need to do that as the football world & the football pundits are already listing Holland as the underdog. Many has predicted Spain will dominate possession by keeping the ball with their passing. Once again, the team Barcelona has been taken reference with. My Dutch fan friend sms me that 7 out of 11 Spain players are from Barcelona. So what? Football is play on the football field with 11 men vs 11men. Don't have to think or pay respect to this Barcelona myth. Ok, it is not a myth but Barcelona is not invincible. They didn't make it to the European cup final.

In my home country Singapore, I can see many red shirt Spanish dressing fans this week. Read from papers that apart from England, Spain is the most popular team in Singapore for this world cup. The Dutch only has 2% of the Singapore fans. I think this is understated by the media. I know of a number of fans or neutral who prefer Holland.

So which side do I support? Easy question. If I were Harry Redknapp, there's not a single player that I would sign from the Spanish team for my beloved Spurs. While on the Dutch side, only Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben interests me. Honestly, both teams aren't my cup of tea for this World Cup final. I think they're way too boring, with exception to Brazil vs Holland game in the quarter-final.

If I can't really find many players that I like in the teams now, I have to look back to the past. This is where the Dutch has my heart. Players like the Milan trio of Marco Van Basten, Ruud Guillit, Frank Rijkaard, Philip Cocu, Dennis Bergkamp,Edgar Davids etc excites me when they play football. On the Spaniard side, there are two players over the past 20 years that I have interest. First is Fernando Hierro, their former captain and Nayim, once played for my beloved Spurs and make us happy by scoring in the last minute of Cup Winner Cup Final against the Gooners way back in 1995. That is victory for Real Zaragoza but make every Tottenham Hotspur fan super proud. Nayim from the half way line is the song that they use to sing.

Dutch or Spanish players? In the past and right now, I always prefer Dutch. I'm not the type that has the impression that the Spanish are the king of passing football. I think they're king of non-threatening passing football. A pretty boys team. "Ho Kua Boh Ho Jar" sums up my opinion of them. Before the 2010 South Africa FIFA World Cup Final get underway, I declare my support for Holland just for one night. It is a very important night. A night where the world will witness a New World Champion in the game of football. I hope it will be Oranje.

My 2010 World Cup Diary : Germany secures 3rd place with exciting 3-2 victory over brave Uruguay

This should have been the World Cup final. Credit to both teams who treated 3rd place as a prestigious position. Thomas Mueller scored for Germany first before Cavani equalised for Uruguay and it was 1-1 at the break. Uruguay grow in confidence and taken the lead through Diego Forlan with his 5th goal of the tournament early in the 2nd half. Germany came back quickly with a headed Jansen goal. Germany got the winner from a corner in the 82min, a swinger was missed by everyone and took a richochet off an Uruguayan defender, Khedira gave a looping header into goal. Uruguay never gave up until the very last kick of the game with Forlan hitting the Germany upright with a brilliant freekick. The whistle blew right after and Germany win the 3rd World Cup placing with this 3-2 victory. I was very impressed with Uruguay, possibly the most exciting team of the tournament. Good game.

Believe it or not, Octopus Paul has completed all his Germany team 2010 World Cup predictions with a 100% accurate prediction.Truly amazing.

My 2010 World Cup Diary: The forgettable 3rd/4th Placing Match

As all the attention is focused on tomorrow World Cup final, nobody is talking about the 3rd & 4th placing game between Germany and Uruguay. For the past few days, I spotted quite a few football fans wearing red Spanish jerseys in my workplace canteen, Old Airport Road food centre, Sembawang neighbourhood areas and Sun Plaza. Surprisingly, I didn't notice anyone wearing Dutch jersey for the past 3 days. Has the fickle-minded fans switch their allegiance to Spain after the German Octopus predicted Spain to lift the World Cup ? Octopus Paul is certainly feeling the makan threats of the German community and has wisely predicted Germany to beat Uruguay today to clinch the 3rd spot of the 2010 World Cup. I beg to differ with the 100% record Octopus because the twin terrors of Suarez and Forlan & the Uruguayans to salvage South American pride may enable it to overpower the mighty Germans, who has a stronger team on paper. Granted, youngster Thomas Muller, who has been badly missed in the semi-final defeat against the Spaniards will make his return and would definitely want to finish the tournament on a high note. Well, looks like both side have quite a bit at stakes and we may be in for a thrilling 3rd/4th place which may be more exciting than tomorrow final between the two boring boring finalists.

The 3rd/4th placing games of the past World Cups has always generated goals. Here's a recap of those matches.

Italia 90 World Cup 3rd & 4th Placing Game: Italy 2 England 1

USA 94 World Cup 3rd & 4th Placing Match: Bulgaria 0 Sweden 4

France 98 World Cup 3rd & 4th Placing: Croatia 2 Holland 1

Korea/Japan 2002 World Cup 3rd & 4th Placing Match:

South Korea 2 Turkey 3

Germany 2006 World Cup 3rd & 4th Placing: Germany 3 Portugal 1

So what will happen tonight between Germany and Uruguay in South Africa 2010 World Cup 3rd & 4th placing game? My gut feeling is with the underdog Uruguay to clinch 3rd place. Has decided to catch the game on RTM1 @ 2.30am. Come on Uruguay!

My 2010 World Cup Diary : The Exciting Semi-Final stage

Sometimes when you expect something exciting to happen, the exact opposite pop up. This was what happen tonight. I often find World Cup semi-final matches to be more exciting than the World Cup final itself. That didn't happen today between Germany and Spain.

Prior to this semi-final, Germany was scoring lots of goals against Argentina & England. I never find German football to be attractive, just very well-organized and tactically sound with emphasis on teamwork. I like to call them efficient football. On Spaniard side, they like to pass the ball , often too much for my liking & without really threatening. I prefer football play at a quicker pace. Still, when these two are schedule to meet in the all important semi-final today, I was expecting a very good game of football between the two sides who are evenly matched. I predicted a draw for the game and expect it to go into extra-time.

As the game progress, it really looks like my prediction is going to be spot-on because both teams play a very tight game with very few openings. It was boredom at its best in the 1st half. The Spainards dominated possession without really threatening. Germany was hardworking as before with Bastian pulling the strings in midfield and nullifying any threat that the Spainards may pose. A stalemate looks on the card. It never came and Bastian in fact, was the German player that conceded the important corner kick of the game in the 70++ mins. When the corner was swing in, Spanish captain Puyol, one of the slowest defender in this world cup, came in and headed Spain into the lead. It was 1-0 Spain and around 15 more mins to go. The Germans didn't panic and continue to gradually up their pace in discrete steps like programming in order to achieve their equaliser goal. They didn't hit the big match tempo to create any excitement. By doing this, they weren't really exposed like what Argentina and England have done when going behind by a goal. Pedro do find a good chance towards the end to score a 2nd goal for Spain but his selfishness or fancy football mind got the better of him and the German defender cleared the danger. Finally, the whistle blown and my pain of watching a boring semi-final was over. Spain has made history by reaching the World Cup final for the very first time after playing one of the most dull semi-final. The German players was expressionless by the 1-0 defeat, consecutive defeat at the hands of Spain in a major tournament. The famous German Octopus Paul is spot-on again with his prediction of a Spain win over his country.

Spain will meet the Netherlands in this coming Sunday World Cup final. Yesterday, the Dutch has beaten Uruguay in a 3-2 victory. I watch the game by juggling between pockets of sleep and watching the TV. Only caught 2 of the 5 goals, which was the 2nd & 3rd goal of Holland scored by Wesley Sneijder (lucky defected shot) and Arjen Robben header. Earlier, fellow 1975 rabbit Giovanni Van Bronckhorst has given Holland the lead which Uruguay equalised through hotshot Diego Forlan. After holland lead 3-1, I dozed off again and miss the injury time Uruguay goal. I suppose this semi-final match was much interesting than the Spain vs Germany match.

So this is it. The stage is set for a new World Cup holder this Sunday. Will it be the boring boring Dutch or the looks good but not as good Spainards? Holland vs Spain in South Africa FIFA 2010 World Cup Final. Hope they do some good for the game of football by playing exciting football this weekend. Time to get to work. QBR con-call in 45 minutes time.