The big show is on
SOME CALL it the greatest show on Earth, but to me, it is next to the Summer Olympic Games, the grand showpiece of almost every sport on Earth.
The World Cup of football, which got under way in Russia on Thursday, however, is a grand spectacle. It is undoubtedly the greatest single sport event in the whole wide world, bar none.
From 1954 when, as a young boy just in my teens, I first heard about the World Cup, about teams like Hungary, West Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and Brazil; and about players like Ferenc Puskas and Kocsis of Hungary; and then like Vava, Didi, Garrincha, and the immortal Pelé of Brazil; about Alberto Di Stefano of Argentina, Bobby Charlton of England, Franz Beckenbauer of West Germany, and Eusebio of Portugal, I have been hooked.
And there were others – players like Just Fontaine of France, Gerd Muller of West Germany, Johan Cruyff, and Johan Neeskens of Holland, Roger Milla of Cameroon, Paolo Rossi of Italy, Socrates and Zico of Brazil, and J.J. Okacha of Nigeria.
There was also Diego Maradona of Argentina, the one with the ‘Hand of God’ move and the man famous for a thrilling masterpiece, a brilliant dribble in a mesmeric, winding run against England in 1986, not to mention the acrobatics of goalkeepers like the legendary Lev Yashin of Russia, Gordon Banks of England, and Dino Zoff of Italy.
I have seen, on television, the many great teams, including Brazil of 1970, which included Carlos Alberto, Gerson, Jairzinho, Tostao, and Pelé; the many great matches, and many, many great players, including Toto Schillaci of Italy and Ronaldinho of Brazil who have thrilled billions around the world with their creative skill, their dazzling dribbles, their precise and timely tackles, and their glorious and accurate shots every four years since 1954.
I can still remember, with joy and satisfaction, things like the precision tackling of Bobby Moore of England, Cabrini of Italy, and Beckenbauer of West Germany; the “banana” kicks of Pelé; and the ‘keeping of Banks’ against Brazil in 1970.
And I can also remember the goal scored by skipper Carlos Alberto in the final of 1970 while racing down the right wing, from right back and on to a pass from Pelé; the impressive display of “total football” by Johan Cruyff and Holland in 1974; the dazzling and entertaining play of Denmark in 1986; and that unbelievably darting run by Maradona in 1986.
I remember also, this time with deep regret, the 7-1 drubbing of Brazil by Germany in the semi-finals of 2014.
As the teams parade their skills in Russia this time around, however, the question on everyone’s lips is: Who will win the cup?
Although it should be between two teams, the two teams that have won it the most times, Brazil, who have never missed qualification, and Germany who have only missed one, and Brazil, who have won it five times and Germany four times (tied with Italy, who have also won it four times), the contest promises to be close, very close, and exciting.
Brazil, the people’ favourite and the betting favourites, who boast Neymar, are good, very good, and are gunning, along with their host of supporters, to erase the devastating memory of 2014.
Germany are also good. In contrast to the colourful Brazilians, the Germans are solid, they are usually consistent, and they are fighters to the end.
FIRST FINAL
Remembering the first final in 1930 when Uruguay upset the odds and beat Brazil in the final, however, and remembering the final of 1966 when England clipped West Germany, there has been many a slip between the lip and the cup.
There are 32 teams officially in the hunt. There are a total of 64 matches to be played in a month or so, and while Brazil and Germany are the hot favourites, Argentina, with Lionel Messi, must be in the hunt.
So, too, are France with the likes of Kilian Mbappe, Antoine Greizman, and Paul Pogba, and although they will be parading under a late, new coach, so, too, will Spain, with the likes of Sergio Ramos, Marco Asensio, and Isco.
With Italy not around, and England with Harry Kane and company, and Uruguay, with Luis Suárez and Edison Cavani, not really in contention, only Belgium, looking for their first win and led by an ambitious set of players headed by Vincent Kompany, Kevin Du Bruyne, and Eden Hazard, and Portugal, the European champions who are led by Cristiano Ronaldo, are expected to be in the hunt – but only just.
The other question is, Who ill come away as the player of the World Cup?
Will it be Messi or Ronaldo? Will it be Neymar, or will it be an outsider?
One thing is certain.
If Messi is really to be crowned a better player than Ronaldo, as I believe he is, and if Argentina are to win the Cup, as I believe they can, Messi, will have to play as well as Maradona did some years ago and as brilliantly as Pelé did many years ago.
And if Ronaldo wants to move ahead of Messi, in my book, he has to lead Portugal to a surprise title, or go near to it – very, very near to it.
For Neymar to enter into the illustrious company of Messi and Ronaldo as the world’s best footballer, not to mention Maradona and Pelé as the greatest ever, his target must be to win the cup for Brazil.
The Italians and the Dutch are missing in action. The twinkling feet of one like Georgie Best have never twinkled at the World Cup; Asamoah Gyan, the Ghanaian master will be absent, and the amazing skill of one like Gareth Bale will be missing.
There are enough guns around, however, especially in the persons of Kane, De Bruyne, Pogba, Gabriel Jesus of Brazil, Sadio Mane of Senegal, Christian Ericson of Denmark, and Mo Salah of Egypt who, if they turn up ready to rumble, could make this World Cup a glittering showpiece of the “beautiful” game and a tournament to remember.
Come July 15, could it be Brazil and Argentina, the teams of Pelé and Maradona, the teams led by Neymar and Messi, in what would be a memorable final and a fitting shoot-out for the cup?