Kurdistan to hold 2012 World Cup (a bit unofficial)
Perhaps we should just get one little thing straight first off. The second “F” in FIFA stands for football so perhaps it would be reasonable for the “whole” world to call this sport football although one inventive (or condescending – still not quite sure which) American friend of mine came up with the notion that it could be called kickball although I didn’t hear him suggest the Americans could by way of two-sided compromise offer to change their sport’s name, for example, to bruteball.
I had heard that Cost Ricans were mad about football although a swift periscope-like peek around the world right now and it does beg the question as to where people are not mad about football. I tried scouring the planet -not with a periscope I might add, that would have taken me a very long time indeed- and came up with a short list. Not only are they not mad about it in these countries they did not even bother to enter or turn up for the pre-qualifying events in spite of being members of FIFA. Bhutan, Central African Republic, Eritrea, Guam, São Tomé and Príncipe, Brunei, Philippines and Papua New Guinea are the culprits.
As is usual there are those that spurn their opportunities in life and there are those that hanker after that which those that spurn have. By easy reference I refer to my Kurdistani hairdresser. Yes, mad about football and he is convinced that Kurdistan will be competing in the next World Cup. He said that Iraq will have to give back the Kurdish members of its team. At that point in the conversation my mind had too many things to consider politico-logistically but I did investigate later and discovered there is a very vibrant non-FIFA World Cup which Kurdistan hopes to host in 2012 and a whole stream of regional associations, unrecognised states, autonomous regions and minorities that would love, just like Kurdistan, to be participating in the official World Cup. Shame on you Bhutan, Central African Republic, Eritrea, Guam, São Tomé and Príncipe, Brunei, Philippines and Papua New Guinea.
The photograph below was outside a very ordinary store at about 9 am in a San Jose shopping street where I was surprised to find that the Ticos (male Costa Ricans) were not watching anything remotely live but a rehash of an important World Cup qualifying match that had taken place the day before. In fact, in the 94th minute (usually of a 90 minute contest don’t forget) of their all-important encounter that unforgettable night before with the USA they conceded a goal which prevented what had been looking like their direct entry to the South African world party. They had one more chance, in fact two more chances, through two very lively and hard fought games with Uruguay. In spite of the millions of Ticos and Ticas glued this time to live television sets urging their team on, the presumed at least equal urging going on in Uruguay held sway and Uruguay by the margin of another slender goal went through to South Africa.
Ticos are football mad. Photographic evidence suggests Ticas less so!
A quick look at the calibre and ranking of the two teams who barred their way indicates that Costa Rica are absolutely no push overs. Uruguay have actually won the World Cup in the past, though it be quite a distant past, and are currently ranked 16 in the world, the USA are ranked number 14 and both have started this year’s tournament very solidly and that my friends is precisely how Costa Rica have so narrowly failed to win the World Cup on this occasion.
Add A Comment