I want videos of the Japanese women celebrating their World Cup since I couldn't see it because I had to watch this other match at the Copa.

An article that looks at football and WC competition through political-identity lens, the meanings these games hold. Let's be honest, as much as some people like to pretend otherwise (mostly European football insiders), this isn't "just a game" devoid of political meaning (leaving aside I don't even think there can exist such a thing, but you get me); it never was, it never will be. After I have seen some of the "shenanigans" between fans of this WC (like in any other football match), no one will tell me otherwise.

World Cup 2010: looking past the diversity storyline

The less diversity-friendly narrative and legacy of this World Cup took place in the officiating. In a tournament with 64 matches, the first World Cup held in Africa, the calls that stood out, the calls that may finally lead FIFA to change its rules and adopt new review processes, were matches that went against the giants of the first world.

Every sport has its infuriating moments, times when it seems physically impossible for the officials to have missed the offense. But Alexi Lalas and Jim McManaman didn’t spend hours discussing the merits of calls of the South Korea-Greece match, but the disallowed US goal in its Slovenia game was egregious enough to warrant an expedited review of that match’s referee and technology-enhanced dissection. The outcry over England’s non-goal in its humiliating loss to Germany was almost enough to make one forget that the final score was 4-1.

[...]

The final match between Spain and the Netherlands could not live up to the excitement of Saturday, even with two teams killing themselves to win their first title. Aside from a few gruesome moments, it just wasn’t terribly suspenseful to watch the European champions play South Africa’s former colonial overlords. Maybe Paul the Octopus picked Spain because it just didn’t feel right. The game’s lone goal came from Spain’s Andres Iniesta after nearly 120 minutes of fierce but personality-free play. After so many heart-stopping finishes, the final score or 1-0 felt like anticlimax.

It was also depressing, but unsurprising, that it took until the last day of the tournament for the American television announcers to bring up the history that the Netherlands and South Africa share. Early rounds of the tournament coverage featured plenty of color pieces on the history of apartheid but managed to omit information that would have placed the policy, and the legacy of institutionalized racism in South Africa, into more context. To hear ESPN tell it, racism is simply a sad chapter in the history books.

[...]

For the fans in the stadium on that Saturday, it wasn’t about colonialism or escaping shame at the hands of the press. It was as simple as revenge, honor, and the joy of simple, all-out, bloodthirsty competition on the field. Like the end of Rocky IV. But now with bonus vuvuzelas

I can admit that in my world football holds a lot of connotations. And even if my political like for Spain is very... dubious, it was just not right for Netherlands to win this one. (Heck, it was just not right for two European Nations to have this final, and people will say, "but the better one win!" and no. The better ones are the ones who have more resources to make better players, better teams.)

(And yes, yes, yes. France, Italy and England were just awful. But you know I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about how European football is the best -heck, you don't see all football players dying to play in Brazilian clubs or something-, and how "African football is just bad right now, we deserve their cup!!" -I'm looking at you, South America- and all the shit going on. And yes, I get inequalities happen in every sport competition out there, doesn't mean I can't talk about this particular one though. I can and I do it probably because I'm fed off with this one.)

First of all, thank you for all your comments. You are great people. I'm sorry for not answering, I don't feel so good, wanted to talk more about what happened, but then I was just like... meh. More frustrated than anything. But thank you so much. It meant a lot for me.

Second, I have been withdrawing from this World Cup because I didn't have the energy to talk about some the racist shit going on (ignoring them would be impossible), but you know. I want to say something:

Mr. Mick Jagger. I made my homework, and now I think you should remember that once you made use of Holland's tax haven. I think you can't go and forget about them at this moment in the tournament. Go, support them!



(Yeah, I know I supported Ghana. But Uruguay, honey, we are all fine again. Good luck, wish you the best! And yes. Entry is all about this. The guy even supported Argentina today. Go figure.)

Way to go, Ghana!

I'm sorry, Uruguay, but it's Ghana all the way. When we get out (because we will eventually, sorry, Ly), I'm so all for Ghana.

Wasn't it epic when even USA's goalkeeper went to look for that last corner for his team? Seriously, that jump for the ball, Goalkeeper vs Goalkeeper at Ghana's area was kinda awesome.


-Someone who is not watching every match out there instead of studying. And also not watching ESPN and Fox Sports comments after the matches. And then not complaining about Fox Sports and ESPN reporters.

Que mal se jugó. Pero bueno, somos primeros. Eso es lo que importa. Ja'e chupe de nuevo.

Dude, way to go, Slovakia.

Este mundial.

Dude. Red-haired Argentinian Fox Sports reporter. Dude. Please stop. doing. "enlightening" comments about South African people. Please.

Also, to every Sports "Latin American" channels on cable? I know Argentina plays tomorrow. It's the only thing you have been talking about all week. (I think, not sure, they are supposed to be Latin American - ESPN, Fox Sports, etc? But since most of these reporters are Argentinian anyway...)

Still on hiatus. Dear God, World Cup, if you only let me study.

ETA: Also, this is the most disgusting kind of thing I have seen around in this cup. There is this attempt by European (mostly British, because that's what I've seen) audience/press to humiliate and mock a group of people under a totalitarian dictatorship. Dude, you aren't being progressive, you are just showing your whitey ass because you want to appear superior, oh, you can talk shit and your life isn't in danger! (And yes, this is why I call you "whitey.")

Y. Se jugó bien, eso es lo que importa.

Ja'e chupe.

Anyway, people, I can't answer comments even if I want to. I feel bad for some reason when I don't answer comments, or entries. But I can't. :(

ontd_feminism was discussing that Shakira's song for World Cup, and even if that discussion made me damn tired (seriously, what the fuck is this shit?), it also made me glad that song wasn't the official one (I heard it was going to be or something?) because I'm not going to hear it over and over again on TV (well, yes, I'm going to hear it over and over, but not that much at least). So I decided to google the lyrics of K'naan song, "Wavin' Flag," that I'm sure most of you have heard already. A lot, probably. So, even if of course the song talks about struggle and poverty, I loved this:

So many wars, settling scores,
Bringing us promises, leaving us poor,
I heard them say, 'Love is the way,'
'Love is the answer,' that's what they say

But look how they treat us, make us believers,
We fight their battles, then they deceive us,
Try to control us, they couldn't hold us,
'Cause we just move forward like Buffalo Soldiers.

So much for romanticism. I'm so not going to mind hearing that song all over this month.