Forza Azzurri!
8 July 2006 - Germany has won over Portugal (3-1) today for the 3rd place of the 2006 World Cup. Tomorrow, the Italian national team goes against France for the premier title in the world of football, or soccer - as it is called in the US.
When France won against Portugal in the semi finals last Wednesday, Joy was quick to email me. "Vive les blues," she noted understandably accepting that she and I will be cheering for opposite sides of the field. Hey, I love the French as much as they have embraced me when I came to visit last year but my heart beats for team Azzurri.
I had never really been a fan of football back in Manila. I only remember probably once, when I couldn't sleep and turned the TV on at 3AM to watch the game between Brazil and another team (Brazil won so I remembered). I found it exciting but without much knowledge of the rules of the game, it was nothing more than entertainment for me.
Here in New York where I am surrounded mostly by Europeans who live and breathe football during the World Cup season, I am suddenly drawn to the game. It is exciting and I can imagine, quite exhilirating for players to be running back and forth across a huge field kicking and jumping in 80 degree weather. When I get lost in the rules of the game it is easy to turn to the person next to me and ask what is going on. It is amazing that it is acceptable for the preliminary games to end in a draw - when no team wins due to a tie or a nil-nil score. But from the qualifying round leading to the quarterfinals, the rules change. There are extensions to the game and if no winner comes out from it still, each team gets the chance to score from the penalty kicks. A brief 101 from someone who is still getting familiar with the game as well.
Last 4th of July before heading to the fireworks display along the East River, my friends and I met up at a bar in midtown to watch the game amidst platefuls of fries, sausages and beer. It was a long game with both Italy and Germany playing their best and so it was scoreless through the regular game and almost through the extension period. Until in the last 2 minutes, Italy scored two goals - one after the other and it brought the house down. The enthusiasm was contagious as people jumped up and cheered for the team in blue.
I called up Marco who was home in Italy. I knew he would be awake and he told me that he was watching the game with his friends. I could feel the electricity in the air - he was so happy and as always, joked that he was going to send to our German friend Karl his condolences. The thing about Marco that I truly appreciate is that his sense of humor is never amiss. It seems that nothing in the world can ruffle his feathers and when there is cause for joy (such as his country making it to the finals of the World Cup), he is child-like. "There are celebrations in the street," he told me. "I will go down in a few minutes with my friends and celebrate with the people!"
Cheer for the hunks, Joy said to me from France, in her email. My favorite player right now is Alessandro del Piero from Team Juventus. This game should be his swan song as he is planning to retire soon because at age 32, he is already too old for the league.
Of course tomorrow I will cheer for team ITALIA. I have no jersey to show off my colours, I am not Italian by birth nor decree. I am, however, Italian by heart.
When France won against Portugal in the semi finals last Wednesday, Joy was quick to email me. "Vive les blues," she noted understandably accepting that she and I will be cheering for opposite sides of the field. Hey, I love the French as much as they have embraced me when I came to visit last year but my heart beats for team Azzurri.
I had never really been a fan of football back in Manila. I only remember probably once, when I couldn't sleep and turned the TV on at 3AM to watch the game between Brazil and another team (Brazil won so I remembered). I found it exciting but without much knowledge of the rules of the game, it was nothing more than entertainment for me.
Here in New York where I am surrounded mostly by Europeans who live and breathe football during the World Cup season, I am suddenly drawn to the game. It is exciting and I can imagine, quite exhilirating for players to be running back and forth across a huge field kicking and jumping in 80 degree weather. When I get lost in the rules of the game it is easy to turn to the person next to me and ask what is going on. It is amazing that it is acceptable for the preliminary games to end in a draw - when no team wins due to a tie or a nil-nil score. But from the qualifying round leading to the quarterfinals, the rules change. There are extensions to the game and if no winner comes out from it still, each team gets the chance to score from the penalty kicks. A brief 101 from someone who is still getting familiar with the game as well.
Last 4th of July before heading to the fireworks display along the East River, my friends and I met up at a bar in midtown to watch the game amidst platefuls of fries, sausages and beer. It was a long game with both Italy and Germany playing their best and so it was scoreless through the regular game and almost through the extension period. Until in the last 2 minutes, Italy scored two goals - one after the other and it brought the house down. The enthusiasm was contagious as people jumped up and cheered for the team in blue.
I called up Marco who was home in Italy. I knew he would be awake and he told me that he was watching the game with his friends. I could feel the electricity in the air - he was so happy and as always, joked that he was going to send to our German friend Karl his condolences. The thing about Marco that I truly appreciate is that his sense of humor is never amiss. It seems that nothing in the world can ruffle his feathers and when there is cause for joy (such as his country making it to the finals of the World Cup), he is child-like. "There are celebrations in the street," he told me. "I will go down in a few minutes with my friends and celebrate with the people!"
Cheer for the hunks, Joy said to me from France, in her email. My favorite player right now is Alessandro del Piero from Team Juventus. This game should be his swan song as he is planning to retire soon because at age 32, he is already too old for the league.
Of course tomorrow I will cheer for team ITALIA. I have no jersey to show off my colours, I am not Italian by birth nor decree. I am, however, Italian by heart.
Viva Italia! Forza Azzurri!