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 When the World Series comes around each year the 96% of humanity residing beyond the borders of the United States raises an amusedly resigned eyebrow. There's a little overstatement here, surely, is the thought. That adjective 'World' seems a tad exaggerated, does it not, for a final head-to-head shoot-out between the top teams of just America's two premier baseball leagues….? Indeed, I've long been surprised that some enterprising combination of sponsor and television tycoon (the all-American Rupert Murdoch springs to mind) has not as yet boldly gone so far as to put together a genuinely international baseball tournament. While Nationaland American Leagues are on furlough a (mini-) round robin competition might be staged wherein a native-born national American team took on Cuba, naturally, a pan-Central American squad, Japan and, perhaps, Australia. Too close to call, or not? In time the event could be expanded to embrace Sweden…Singapore…Switzerland….
We must abide the event. In the meantime, beginning May 31st., a genuine 'World' series kicks off. The 2002 staging of soccer's World Cup will take place in Korea and Japan. As the list of its heavy-hitting sponsor giants bear witness to, forget the Olympics. Soccer's quadrennial World Cup is by far the biggest, by far the most (tv) spectated upon sporting event in the globe's sporting calendar. To the far earth'simagined corners -America's included - absenteeism will soar. Over the past four years some two hundred countries have been slugging their way through a slew of zonally-based qualifying competitions - round-robin leagues topped off for borderline achievers in sudden death play-offs. Now thirty-two teams have made it to the Far East where in the course of June thirty-one will be found wanting. Initially eight leagues of four will eliminate half (the bottom two) of these finalists. Then, in its second phase the competition will pit the remaining sixteen in a tennis-style knock-out tournament. The (single) final game will be played in the International Stadium, Yokohama on the last day of June. Just three nations have been exempted from the gruelling process of qualifying - the two host countries and France, the current holders of the Cup. Box office and advertising dictate the inclusion of the host nation(s) and, indeed, over the years home advantage has played a massive role in deciding the eventual winner. Uruguay, Brazil,Germany, England, Argentina and France have all won in their own backyards since the competition's modest inception in 1930. While venue alternated regularly between Europe and South America only one side managed a win in the alien continent. This time around, however, the hosts, Korea and Japan are likely to prove literally too lightweight to go the distance. They would be doing extremely well to make, at best, the last eight. Who will win, then? France have swept all before them these past six years and still have a team of all the talents and most of the flair that reminds me of Landry's Cowboys when all was going well for them. It's a team, however, that's just beginning to show its age. They might have to give best to the favorites, the Argentinians who, tempering superb technique and vision with Prussian pragmatism (now where did they get that from?) swept all before them in their South American qualifying campaign. Certain little local difficulties back home, though, might make Argentina less than a team you could bank on. The Brazilians, for so long samba kings of the 'beautiful game' have regressed - qualifying only via the play-off back door. Soccer politics seem to have left their squad less than a happy bunch of campers. The Italians are Europe's answer to Argentina - all flair, technique and a cynical interpretation of the rules to suit their immediate ends. They can never be ruled out. A rebuilding Germany probably can be once the going gets tough: while England whose star, like their ability to speak their native tongue, is slowly rising under their Swedish manager (they trounced Germany in qualifying) almost certainly lack the depth of personnel to string together a sustained series of wins. Their being leagued with Argentina, Sweden and Nigeria at the outset of the tournament definitely constitutes the 'Group of Death'. In continental terms only Africa has got near to rivalling old-hands Europe and Latin America. Its Arab sides are useful and Nigeria and Cameroun are capable of fielding teams packed with wonderfully athletic, ball-juggling wizards. They both probably lack enough collective discipline and drill to go all the way. Historically the great underchievers have always been Spain and the former Yugoslavia. The latter (sic) consistently produced players kissed by genius: but as Serb would not pass to Croat or Muslim to Christian the sum of their individual parts… Spain, currently home of the world's best club sides, is a mystery. Tournament after tournament their nerve deserts them. Portugal, as gifted in maestros at the top are traditionally far more graceful under pressure. In 1994 the USA 'qualified' for the finals by virtue of being host nation. To the rest of the world's surprise they acquitted themselves with style and honor, hanging in there until the tournament's second phase. This go-around they have done even better, qualifying by right - just! - after topsy-turvy results in the North-Central America and Caribbean zone. The alliance of that minority of native players who persist with the game beyond their first school days and those from 'huddled masses' immigrated tradition for whom soccer is akin to religion, in fact, gives America some formidable firepower. The US team has an outside chance of finishing second in their first phase league and so proceeding through to the knock-out stage. So. Who's going to win? Billions are already rooting and disputing. I won't be mealy-mouthed. I'll cite Ireland - know-how, passion,cunning - as the best genuine (i.e. minnow) outsiders. But as an unreconstructable fan of Charlton Athletic F. C. I have to opt for Portugal - Jorge Costa heading home ten minutes from time in the final against France to provide the game's only and hence winning goal. Something like that. |
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