Football, or soccer as we call it in the U.S., is on the world stage right now. Mozambique is not exactly the # 1 spot to watch this great sport. While I am surrounded by football players in the villages, the average crowd where I live is peopled with South African expatriates who love..Rugby. That’s right.
Today I make the case for Football. Well, how can you not love a game that prizes itself on fancy footwork that is about strength, perserverance –Sorry, D. Hurling and Rugby are not the only sports that use those two. Although I’m sure. (I know.) the Irish are tough– strategy, and teamwork. Some footballers might have a great attacker in the likes of Robben, Rooney, Ronaldo… but you can’t win football properly at the professional level without your goal-keeper, mid fielder, and defensive team. One of the reasons I still enjoy watching football, especially under the international pressure at the World Cup (WC) level is that it has to be won by the complete team.
Other sports I respect like diving, martial arts, gymnastics and tennis all have strong or fast players but they also have balance and agility. This is not to be undervalued.This Nike commercial says it nicely about football. The art of the video is in showing off all that nice jumping around, headers, and the all-important …
Balance.
They also have a few clever quips that remind me of 1990s action flicks with Mel Gibson and Keanu Reeves, where exciting moments are cut with one-liners on the side. There’s a second where a free kick is being shot and the guys famously line up to hopefully stop it from going in, and one abruptly stops it with his forehead. The player who is supposed to be on the field – it flashes to him calmly perched in the stands as if watching himself in the stadium – while he states that it looks like it hurt.
“Nice header, though.”
I will admit that I love the Dutch Oranje. My ancestors on the mother’s side introduced my family to the WORLD’S SPORT. When Robin Van Persie and Arjan Robben decided to make Netherlands the destroyer of Spain on their W.C. opener (some would say as retribution for four years ago) in the first World Cup game it was so exciting. It brought me back to the great stand-off between Brazil and Netherlands making the ORANJE a leading contender and pushing for the cup with a 2-1 lead in the 2010 World Cup (See below.)
Now that Brazil and Netherlands are both leaders in Group A and Group B after their recent wins against Chile and Cameroon, they are gearing up for another stand-off probably very soon…Although should I mention that the Oranje Team have the most points in the WC standings? Oh yes. I think I should. Tune in next time.
P.S. This sport is beautiful.
T R A V E L | Mozambique 