Tor! Tor! Tor! Tor!!!!! The World of Soccer

[Pipedream]

BOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Nothing personal....I had to root for my native country.   

Juan

Awe, Juan! I'm sure as hell sorry, you know I am!! 

[Pipedream]

You met any of the players yet? 

Not from Ecuador. One of my work mates went there when they arrived last week and had their first public training.

But I've met the national team of Croatia. They stay in Bad Brückenau (even closer to my house than Bad Kissingen, about 15 minutes drive). There was a huge welcome party on monday. I had the chance to interview some of the guys, for example Nico Kovac who has once played for Bayern Munich and speaks perfect German:



Fredi Bobic is a former German national player with Croatian roots. Very nice guy, and good looking! He doesn't belong to the team, though, but was just there as a guest.



And there's the Croatian fans, of course, who are unbelievable. Very friendly, very easygoing party people!



Here's another picture of the crowd:



Yeah, even if you don't like football, somehow you get hooked anyway in an event like this!

 

[JennyC]

Oh Anke, you bring back memories!

I can not say I am still a devoted football fan (or soccer as they call it in US), but I used to be one growing up.  I always root for Germany as long as it’s not against China (Hell I even root for Germany if it’s against China since I know there is just NO HOPE what-so-ever to wish for a different outcome  ).  The very first football game I ever watched was 82 World Cup final, West Germany against Italy.  I was just a young kid and had been dragged out of bed by my dad at 3:00am just to watch the game.  That was some game!  

So I fell in love with the game and kept waiting for one day they find some 20 Chinese men among 1.3 billion populations that can play some football.  Needless to say, my dream was crushed.  For more than 15 years, and who knows how many games, I finally reached a point that I just could not care for Chinese men’s football team any more.  Talking about the feeling when enough is enough.  Since then, I don’t follow football games and its players that close any more.  

I still have a few favorite teams.  So if their games are on TV, I might catch a few.  Mostly, I think I will get the report from here.

Go Germany!

[Lumière]

Wow...great pix!  Cheers Anke! 

Ok..In the World Cup of 2002, I supported Germany for one big reason:  Miroslav Klose
(Love him!)

[Pipedream]

So I fell in love with the game and kept waiting for one day they find some 20 Chinese men among 1.3 billion populations that can play some football.  Needless to say, my dream was crushed.  For more than 15 years, and who knows how many games, I finally reached a point that I just could not care for Chinese men’s football team any more. Talking about the feeling when enough is enough.  Since then, I don’t follow football games and its players that close any more. 

How funny that you mention that, Jenny! Actually, there was an ambitious project kicked off in my area a while ago, and I reported about it. They established a German-Chinese Football Academy in Bad Kissingen in order to prepare a team for the Olympic Games 2008 in Beijing. These young guys were welcomed in Bad Kissingen in December 2004 and spent some time here with a very renowned German trainer, made test games throughout Europe, etc.
At the moment, however, it looks like the whole thing has to be given up again because the main sponsor retreated and new ones are not yet in sight. The young talents haven't been seen in town for months, now, I'm afraid to say. I wonder what will become of it...

I've digged up two pictures from the welcome party outside the Bad Kissingen Town Council:




And check out this link! 

http://www.badkissingen2006.de/en/welcome/dcfa/index.html?fCMS=b3aa57581fc54390bb9ee2ecb86cad43

[Giancarlo]

I'm really hoping for Italy to win this world cup. But then again, Spain is always on my wishlist... and I feel they deserve it the most. Spain has some of the best players, but they have not won a world cup.

[Pipedream]

Ecuador just beat Poland!

2:0 !

[Lumière]

Ecuador just beat Poland!

2:0 !

Woohoo!! 

Next up tomorrow:

Paraguay Vs England! 

Who are you cheering for? 

[Pipedream]

Woohoo!! 

Next up tomorrow:

Paraguay Vs England! 

Who are you cheering for? 

Hmmm. That's difficult. England, I guess. Kick it like Beckham!!

[Lumière]

Hmmm. That's difficult. England, I guess. Kick it like Beckham!!

You got it!   England all the way!