Home »

[Odler]

Order is back.

In the purest tradition of World Cup 2002, the title game on Sunday would have been between the United States and Senegal, or at least between South Korea and Turkey, the two surprise semifinalists.

But the buck had to stop somewhere, so were the Korean and Turk stamina. Koreans and Turks can leave with pride; they lost with honor to only more experienced than them. As order is reestablished, the two rookie republics, were put back were they belong, and more traditional powers will henceforth share the stage of the first World Cup final of the 21st Century A.D.

This air of tradition of this last and biggest game of this 17th World Cup is only an illusion since there is nothing traditional about it. Indeed no one (aside from Der Bomber- Gerd Mueller) could have predicted that two moribund squads, Germany and Brazil, would have made it all the way to the final. By anyone?s account, these teams were supposed to go home before the phase of eight.

Sunday?s game is inasmuch unprecedented that Brazil and Germany have never met in a World Cup game, never in the 72-year history of the competition, despite the fact that both teams are the most titled on the planet (along with Italy), both teams played 10 semi finals, both teams will play their 7th final on Sunday (Brazil won four times, Germany three times, so did Italy).

This final is therefore more than a final; it is the final of the all the finals. The traditionally two best soccer nations in the world are playing the title of Best Soccer Nation of the last Century.

Brazil?s prolific offense is opposed to the defense that has conceded only one goal so far in the tournament. The ball down, short passes of samba-ball will go against the long, high balls of the Manschaft. The artists will play the athletes. The whimsical Auriverde will affront the disciplined Black-and-Whites.

Whoever walks out with the Cup on Sunday, will walk out with the bragging rights on how a soccer game should be played and won.

Out of the 64 games, only two are left. (The silver game is on Saturday). Who will be on the push side of the new crumbling Berlin Wall? Your guess is as good as mine.

Remember to keep your prediction secret. This is the World Cup where the ball has been the roundest for everyone. This is still the World Cup of minnows, Cinderellas, upsets and surprises. What about a score in the range of a 5-2?

http://www.jeanlouie.com/

(OdlerRobert Jeanlouie, Thursday, June 27, 2002)