One week, one long stretched week. That is what it takes to go through the protracted orgasmic upheaval of seeing the Brazilians win a fifth World Cup. Oh, yes, Phil Scolari did require from his 23 players to refrain from any sexual indiscretion for 40 days until the final. But as Ronaldo put it: ? Lifting the Cup is certainly better than sex.? An orgasm that may last four years.
It is still difficult to incorporate this victory in the frame of reality: the Auriverde, once again, are on the roof of the world. Once again, they are the untouchable magicians. Four years ago, they lost by 0-3, the heaviest defeat they have ever registered. Not even a year ago, they were losing to? Honduras (0-2). No one gave a penny of their carcass before this Cup started. Now we know for sure, once the ball rolls, it is round for everyone, magicians indeed love anything that rolls?
Then there was one. In March 2000, 197 nations (from A to Z, Australia to Zanzibar) started the competition. After 777 games and 2,542 goals, only 32 were left. It took 64 more games and 161 more gooooooooals to determine a champion, ONE champion under God, indivisible, the champion of the only, the sole, the unique real worldwide shared social phenomenon, the World Cup. Even more meaningful this time around, this champion can surely consider itself the champion of all champions and of all times.
Pentacampeaos! Congrats! Sorry Mr. Felipao Scolari for all the names we called you. Sorry Mr. Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima for our meanness (sorry, even if Oliver Khan won the Most Valuable Player award).
When everything will be said and done about this 2002 World Cup, when the memories of Uruguay-Denmark and South Africa-Spain forever fade away, we will all be left with the reminiscences that Senegal, the ?weakest link?, eliminated the World Champions, that an Asian team for the first time made it into the final four, that the U.S has earned itself marks and respect, that Japan and South Korea were the first co-hosts.
But above and beyond these facts written in gold and bold, we will remember that we collectively did away with Brazil and Germany, the most successful nations in the history of the most popular sport. Our naivety came back to haunt us. We should learn not to guess the future. The future belongs to the magicians? And magic happens every four years. See you in 2006? in Germany.
http://www.jeanlouie.com/
(Odler Robert Jeanlouie, Sunday, June 7, 2002)
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