2010 FIFA World Cup-What Time Changes

The passage of time has many effects. Our views and attitudes change. Our interests or focus in life's pursuits change. And, sometimes our rooting interests in athletic teams change. (I have a long standing rule with my close "sports" friends that once you pick a team, that is it-no changing. We'll come back to that)

Twenty years ago I was a bright eyed 20 something awaiting the World Cup Final to played in Rome, Italy. I had two very close friends, at the time, that had spent a couple of weeks in Italy watching a few matches. Soccer was my life at the time. I watched every game I could. I both played and coached year around. It was everything. Maybe only my great obsession with the Irish band U2 could move soccer into the back of my mind, at that time anyway. 

So, why write all that-well it is twenty years on now and I'm forty-something and Germany are a game away again from a World Cup Final. In 1990 they were to play Argentina in that final with Diego Maradona in the side. At that time I knew every German player, their club team, and probably every substitute on the bench and the coaches. I knew everything about there was to know about German soccer, I loved it. I would tell the players I coached all about how Germany was the best at the time. (Yes, I still had Brasil in my heart, being born in Brasil, that is who I will always want to win and YES, I'm still upset over the recent loss to Holland but that is for another time.)

The Germans were lead by Captain Lothar Mattheus and Franz Beckenbaur was the coach. They were a machine of efficiency. When they beat Argentina, I was ecstatic. I wore German gear proudly and did for some years after. What changed? Time: simple really: Time. I had time to go visit a pen pal in England, Time to go to English Premiership games on that trip and others to follow, Time to watch that German team begin to fall apart and Brasil to rise again. Time to witness Brasil win both the 1994 and 2002 World Cups, beating the Germans in 2002. Time to see changes in TV coverage of the world soccer. You see German soccer was it back then on American TV. (You could Mexican soccer on local Spanish stations, which I did as well) From the late 70's through the mid-80's PBS ran a show called  "Soccer Made in Germany" every Sunday at 4:00 PM where I lived. I watched religiously. First on my own and then with friends that became my closest friends ever. I still have a few of the magazines called "Globe Kicker" that accompanied the show. German soccer was the center of my soccer universe. Today I know every English players name and club, etc. (As I have always known Brasil's 11 and subs).  Time has changed what I watch and the new friends I have in England that are so important to me have changed me. The experiences of being in Highbury and following Arsenal have forever left me with with England as the team I'll go to after Brasil or even the USA are out of a World Cup. (Can't wait to get to the Emirates Stadium for another Arsenal match)
So to the present and the Final Four of this World Cup.  We have two of the final four that have never won the World Cup (Spain and Holland) and a third not since 1950 (and Uruguay have not been important players on the world scene since a semi final in 1970) along with Germany. Many neutral fans want that new champion, the unexpected to happen. It seems as if one team is always the surprise team in the semi finals or one team the neutral fans look to for hope; this time we've got three!
Well, I'm not going to say I hope the Germans win this World Cup for sentimental reasons of nostalgia but watching them destroy Argentina is still loads of fun. No, there is no changing your allegiances in sports, at least not around my circle of friends, but Time does change your views. The Germans look fantastic right now and I would love to see an attractive, well played game as a Final-so my hopes do lie in their camp along with the Dutch who broke my heart a few days ago. Thinking back, I did meet a Dutch soccer player back in 1988 when they won the European Championship over Germany, maybe
. . . Peace.