BERLIN - There's no need to buy the World Cup highlight DVD after this wacky
final. The one game mirrored the entire month: Ugly play, despicable behavior,
penalty kicks, shootouts, a head-shaking call by a referee, and fans who, while
rowdy, were surprisingly well-behaved.
Well, maybe their behavior was worth watching. The soccer rarely was.
Italy won its fourth title Sunday night, beating France 5-3 in a penalty
shootout after a 1-1 draw and bringing to a close a World Cup whose best
memories came off the field.
"The strength of this squad is that we have always been very sincere with
each other and all worked together for this one objective," Italy's Mauro
Camoranesi said. "Maybe we have not been the prettiest, but we were eleven men
on the field."
Soccer is supposed to be the beautiful game. But it rarely was at this World
Cup, and the final was no different.
Italian and French players alike dived and flopped, sprawling across the
field as if they'd been mortally wounded. Players were chirping at each other
and whining all night. Four yellow cards and one red were issued, bringing the
total for the tournament to a whopping 345 yellows and 28 ejections, both
records.
But theatrics and misbehaving are one thing. What Zinedine Zidane did in
extra time was thuggish. France's captain left his last game before retirement
in disgrace, sent off after giving Marco Materazzi a vicious head butt to the
chest.
"I have not seen the replays, but if it's voluntary then there's nothing you
can say," France coach Raymond Domenech said. "But it's a shame. It's sad. ...
"It's regrettable," Domenech said. "We regret it, he regrets it."
The action on the field was equally ugly. France got its goal on what sure
looked like a blown call. The game was only seven minutes old when France's
Florent Malouda ran between Fabio Cannavaro and Materazzi and promptly took a
dive so obvious all it was missing was a splash of water.
But the French were awarded a penalty kick, and Zidane converted it.
There was little offense in the game and, worse, even less creativity. It was
the third game since the quarterfinals to go to a shootout, and the fourth
overall.
"We didn't lose," Domenech said. "You don't lose when a game goes to
penalties. In the World Cup, this happens."
In this World Cup, everything happened.
There weren't supposed to be many surprises in Germany. Brazil was so loaded
with talent, it was a lock to win its sixth title. With five teams in the
tournament, Africa would finally emerge as a force in soccer. The United States
would take another step forward. Aging megastars like David Beckham, Ronaldo and
Zidane would make way for kids like Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel
Messi.
Hooligans were sure to be a problem. And if they weren't, police would have
the country locked up so tight no one would have any fun.
Boy, that was all wrong.
The Americans imploded in the first round, limping away without a win and
with one measly goal from a player in the red, white and blue. The only stir the
Africans made was Togo's temper tantrum about its bonuses.
The Brazilians never worked up much of a rhythm, let alone the "samba soccer"
that makes them such a treat. Ronaldo was puffy, Ronaldinho a bust, and Brazil
was booted in the quarterfinals, the first time since 1990 it had failed to at
least reach the semifinals.
After not even scoring a goal in its only other World Cup appearance,
Australia made it to the second round. And if not for a late questionable call,
the Socceroos might have made it to the quarterfinals.
The Germans went farther than anyone would have expected, finishing third and
inspiring an entire nation in the process. After 60 years of hiding their
patriotism, Germans let loose with a passion, flying flags from any space they
could find, wearing team jerseys and painting the country black, red and gold.
And all those fears of hooliganism or racially motivated violence? Never
happened. Police kept a close eye on the whereabouts of known thugs and moved in
quickly at the first signs of trouble.
Besides, people were too busy partying to cause trouble. Every game was sold
out, and millions more crammed into "Fan Fests" around Germany. The train
stations were party central, and streets in every city were filled with
boisterous, singing, cheering fans.
"I had a great expectation, but not at this level," FIFA president Sepp
Blatter said. "I'm a happy president of FIFA today."
Of course, he said that before the final.
