Fútbolita

Marca would like you to note that it’s the fifth consecutive month that the Spanish selección are at the top of FIFA’s international team rankings, largely thanks to their successful Euro 2008 campaign. We are not surprised. But we still think the ranking system is a little weird.

FIFA RANKINGS & POINTS

Spain – 1657
Germany – 1413
Italy – 1356
Holland – 1306
Brasil – 1286
Argentina – 1181
Croatia – 1158
Russia – 1079
Czech Republic – 1062

SPAIN. Deserved campeons of Europe… I must say. Nothing else justifies the 44-year drought better than this sweet win. It was unbelievable to see Iker lifting up the trophy man… Spain have fought hard for the last six years and you can see it in the way they’ve played at every single International match. They were unlucky in Korea, unlucky again in Portugal.. but this time, they really got it!

About the match, everyone is saying Torres goal didn’t do justice to the “huge” celebration. Well, admittedly, Germany dominated in the opening ten minutes and the Spaniards looked beside themselves. It must’ve been the nerves because later, Ramos managed to execute his flank runs (again) and although Fabregas was clamped in midfield, he did deliver the balls that Torres needed, no matter how fast they were. Everything about yesterday’s game wasn’t in Germany’s favour… and it’s pretty obvious (well I’d put it this way) that Spain were meant to win it. The referee was a little dodgy I must admit… but the odds were never against Spain throughout the 90 minutes. Germany fought long and hard but in the end, they couldn’t match up to us. I’d give them credit in that they’re fighters and when you’re 0-1 down, that’s all that matters.

The Man of the Match award went to Torres, but I think we must all give credit to David Silva, Ramos, Casillas and Senna for their outstanding performance throughout the game. Ramos even paid tribute to his Sevilla team-mate and good friend, Puerta who died last year. Overall, I think Spanish football deserved what it has gotten. We truly are the best league in the world (the next time someone tells me about the deft and swiftness of the EPL, I will stuff a cow into their mouth).

Viva La Espana!

WE’RE IN THE FINALS!

WHAT A MATCH. Fabulous Fabregas came in and totally changed the pace of the game when Aragones fielded him. Spain’s strength throughout the tournament has been their slick passing (omg have you seen that). And they’ve continued this run. It’s like magic. Ramos was constantly running up and down the flanks, pulling a Real-Madrid-Brasil Roberto Carlos in his prime years. David Silva and Marcos Senna were at right place at the right time. Casillas did some of the most incredulous saves I have ever seen in my frickin’ history of watching him play. You know all that matters is that Spain deserve to be where they are right now. They were always good on paper, but luck has never been on our side.

We meet Germany in the finals, and we’re going to need a whole lot more than just luck. They will always be the best team in Europe, with the best football. You’d better believe the Spanish play the best in that continent.

Yes, I did it. I ditched the second half of Germany-Turkey to finish up some work. That’s some boring shit right there… where’s the excitement we got from the quarter-finals? Or maybe it’s just an unfair hatred towards the Germans. They are really cunts.

Thanks to procrastination, I am not at the stage I’d like to be right now. Also, RecycloFashion got invited to give a talk next Friday at a cool event called Pecha Kucha and there’s free beer (not that I care), so we’re preparing the slides now. Except that the format’s straying away from your conventional 6p and we’re going to make it image intensive. Do come and say ola! Also, there’s an eco-launch this Friday we’re supposed to attend and the dress code is ‘Design Chic’. Interesting… so you can come with a vintage stool over your head and everyone’s going to smile at you and say that it looks completely natural.

Work on the fashion show has started officially, after a month and a half of throwing ideas around. The school wants us to do one as well except the people handling the event we’re featuring in are complete idiots with their utter unprofessionalism etc.

I don’t want Spain to get killed off by Russia. Arshavin, you look like you can be Russia’s Next Top High Fashion Model. Please go and live that dream. All that guy needs is a shitload of face powder and he can be the face of Dior Homme. VIVA LA ESPANA. And Ramos better defend to his death tomorrow.

Helloooooooooo there.

So Portugal’s Euro 2008 dream is effectively over. And as Brazil’s former colonial brothers, it was almost like seeing the Selecao themselves eliminated from a championship. Portugal had a hundred chances but didn’t make use of it like they should’ve. Germany only had three chances and converted all three of them into goals. And in the end, you wonder why the Germans had so much space at the flanks to roam. Deco’s run-ins came too late, and Scolari decided to field Gomes as the lone striker at such a crucial time.

The Germans are known for their incredibly boring defensive tactics and relying on 1) Corner kicks 2) Tap in goals 3) Man-marking to death. They did just that last night. Playing the most boring football in the world as usual, just like England. Scolari could’ve at least fielded Nani from the very first minute. Gomes is like Portugal’s answer to Luca Toni. Both have been firing blanks and making the midfielders do all the work for them. I’ve never seen Deco and Ronaldo create more perfect through-balls than yesterday.

You know what’s funny was I had the longest sleep after that and dreamt that Portugal won 5-4 on penalties. Deco scored the winning goal. In my dream, he was actually running real fast and the commentator had gone absolutely berserk. Waking up was a bitch.

On hindsight, many things have changed about this Portuguese squad. Ronaldo, four years ago, was like the 18-year-old Kaka in Korea/Japan. He’d cry or blame the referee for every small decision that was made. But yesterday, he played the role of a very composed young captain, even when Portugal was two goals down. Very impressive for a player I loathed for his utter arrogance. And yes, if the reports are true and he does come to Real Madrid to play for his ‘childhood dream club’, I may actually not harbour such hatred for Cristiano Ronaldo. Every player knows they need to get the hell out of Manchester United at some point of their professional careers. Ronaldo wants to come to Spain because they have Ibiza and Club Pacha where he can carry out all his dodgy activities there. Who cares, just win us titles man!

Spain’s next and we have a lot to look forward to in their match against Italy, whose key players will not be playing due to suspension. Oh well, the sexiest team in Europe better work it! I’d be really sad if they were out. Euro has never been a better tournament.

VILLA VS TORRES MID-THIGH AIR SHOWDOWN

---

I’m working on a few sports scripts at the mo and went to the library today in an attempt to find a book that would’ve helped me in my pursuit. Fail! Even the librarian couldn’t help me. Had to make do with one measly find. I’m going to the main branch in town although the books I want are marked as reference, and the security guard there’s a major bitch. Whatevs, go jerk off!

This is the BEST football song and video ever EVER. I love it that she walked out wearing her country’s colours. That’s beyond awesome.

Another football-filled post is coming your way. Pretty unvoidable because we watched the World Cup Qualifiers between Singapore and Saudi today. Ok, we’ve been going for all the Lions matches as of late (this year), but I beg to differ from those who think they’re underperforming or ‘wasted their money’ on tickets. Why the hell even bother to turn up in the first place, then? You should just stay at home and rot next to your Maggi pot. STFU if you don’t even know our starting line-up. Quite honestly though, it isn’t all about winning in football.

Saudi played against the likes of Brazil and Germany at the World Cup, got thrashed 8-0 and 11-0 respectively and we merely lost by a two goal margin to them. What’s the big deal? That’s bloody good for us! Although it looked like complete a mess on the field, how our defenders were all over the place trying to pull off a “total defence/attack ala Dutch army” scenario and how our strikers were firing total blanks (hello old men like Duric, it’s time for tea and biscuits). We expected total humiliation. But losing out like that wasn’t so bad after all. All we need to do now is to play more teams like these so we can work on our weaknesses. At the mo, it’s the striker support which we’re not getting much of and our defense… which has been a problem of course.

There was some eye-candy at the game as well and it all got a little exciting I must add, although it’s impossible for me to actually look presentable at a football game. Either hurling vulgarities or screaming my fucking head off.. which really counts as a no/no. But who cares. It’s all for football. Which comes first. All the time.

My fascination with Spain has resurfaced again ala 2002. Goodness, those Raul and Morientes days! Resa is making LOL again with her exciting post-match commentary and she’s currently arguing AT FULL FORCE with a Swedish fan. Euro is making everyone go absolutely insane. The Swedes were totally going for legs out on the field today. Elmander went for Villa’s legs in penalty box, Cesc was man-marked like there was no tomorrow and Ramos made some tricky decisions. He tried to help the defensive midfielders but had to drop back when he was needed and didn’t necessarily execute all this smoothly. But VILAAAAAA‘s goal in extra time…absolutely genius!!!

All this talk of football has reminded me that the to-do list is going mad! An impending sports TV script, new corporate site to work on, articles to craft and our RecycloFashion show to plan for and execute…. GAH. I put football before all these. Honestly though, watching football takes away all the pain, heartache and problems in life even if it’s just for 90 minutes. It’s the best therapy in the world, by far.

I sign off with a picture of a fit who may have betrayed Atletico to join the lamest league in the world, but will always be Espana’s boy. Mi encanta Torres! HAIR TWINS FOREVZ.

YES PLZ.

Euro is fucking up my procrasination level. It really is making everything a lot worst, but you know you can’t say no to really good football action. And as much as I hate Pussynaldo a.k.a MoonFace, he really did manage to break the Czech wall of defence a few times today. I think even Petr Cech was surprised. Deco had great first touches when he got the ball and managed to tease his markers. Pepe was quiet (after that opening goal, c’mon man!) but top marks go to Simao for dropping back time and time again. Great counter-attacking by Portugal too, although I think they’re second behind Spain in this one (they aced that against Russia!). Honestly though, the Czechs were pretty rough today and our guys were rolling in pain half the time. Can’t attribute that to fine-acting. And Nuno Gomes has been relatively quiet the past two matches. Maybe that’s why he gets subbed and snubbed by Scholari. He’s fit but the equivalent of a himbo out there (sorry Bek!).

Back to Spain, I hope that with Raul out of the squad, they’ll actually manage to get somewhere in the tournament this year. Let’s face it, Raul has been instrumental in the whole I’m-captain-please-respect-me shit, but the best thing Aragones did was to drop him. He performs however he wants to and his goals are too infrequent! No no, David Villa is rocking the field so hard right now and so is Torres who needs to book a hair treatment appointment with me PRONTO. Casillas was solid last night too, reaching for goals from mid-air and heart-stopping corner kicks.

Ok, the end. I need to catch-up on my unfinished work now. Argh!