What did you say about my mom? Honestly, put yourself in Zinedine Zidane shoes, I mean cleats. What would you do? We don’t have exact details on what was said, but you can imagine. “Your mom likes French champagne!” Or something of that nature.
Italian defender Marco Materazzi has denied insulting the French midfielder’s mother, but you can’t trust the Azzuri, anyone familiar with Roberto Baggio’s mullet, or Mussolini knows that.
The point is I hope that people remember more about this World Cup, then Zidane’s farewell head butt. Because there was much more to it than that.
I hope people – Americans in particular – remember that for the better part of a summer, soccer was pretty damn cool.
I want to see soccer become a major sport, in this country. But the stars follow the money, and until there is major interest here, we will only get to see soccer at it’s highest level every four years, that’s a shame.
This Cup should be remembered as Zidane’s farewell tour. The Cup where the best player of his generation led an overachieving team past the vaunted Brazilians.
The Italians are a story by themselves, nobody, with the exception of every optimistic Italian I know, picked them to even get to the finals, much less win the Cup.
It was also very intriguing to see the Germans embrace their history while not running from it. The stadium in Berlin was the sight of many a massive Nazi rally. It was also the sight of Jesse Owens greatest triumph in the 1936 Olympics. I applaud the Germans for their integrity.
There was no shortage of star power in the 2006 Cup either. If you think about it, that is what the cup is about anyway, a giant All-Star game, a showcase of the best of the best in the world’s most popular sport.
Brazilian striker Ronaldo, though often criticized for being out of shape, still managed to score three goals en route to becoming the all-time leading goal scorer in the history of the World Cup.
Zidane making one last run, playing brilliantly with the weight of an entire country on his back. He looked 24 not 34, I’m glad I got to see his last hurrah.
David Beckham is probably the most recognizable face of soccer in America, albeit for all the wrong reasons.
Beckham is in his 30s, so this may be his final World Cup. The fact that he resigned as captain of England does not bode well for a return performance. Beckham’s goal in elimination play was awesome, bending it (pun intended) around a wall of defenders to the upper V.
I’m sorry it’s over, but I can’t wait to see what happens in South Africa in 2010.