Jul 01 2006
Brazil vs. France
It was kind of funny that I was posting an entry bitching soccer in the middle of the best game in this World Cup, Brazil vs. France.
It was a pure attack football: both sides launched beautiful attacks and counter-attacks, each only ended in the box area. Zidane was spectacular. The Brazilian dance wasn’t bad either. After watching the England/Portugal game, this game felt like a thunderstorm in a muggy summer afternoon.
I stayed up till 5am to finish watching, never once felt bored or sleepy. It was a déjà vu experience: 20 years ago, when I was in highschool, I woke up at 3am to watch the same teams played in a world cup quarter final which ended in the same: the favored Brazilians were eliminated by a heroic French team after a game of constant fast attacks.
I always questioned whether European sportsmen had the same kind of desire to win as those touted in America. Here is one glimpse:
真正了解齐达内的是罗纳尔多，交手前，他不忘在《世界报》的专栏中向大师致敬：“齐达内是真正伟大的球员。……几个月前一次商业活动[sic]，我们一起到了柏林，下榻酒店的人说，这家酒店将为参加决赛的球队预留房间，当时，我和齐达内情不自禁的对视了一下。”