Germany Takes Third While Uruguay Maintains Their Pride

Well, I should have gotten round to this sooner, I suppose, but I'm at a friend's house cat sitting, and I couldn't get my new netbook to their wireless router. I could have sworn that they didn't have it set up with any security, but... ah, well, as long as I can hook up directly to their modem, I'm in, so let's get to it, shall we?

Today's (soon to be yesterday's) World Cup match was entertaining enough, with both Uruguay and Germany playing rather relaxed, attacking futbol. Just as in their Semifinal, Uruguay fell to a 3-2 score line, and had a last minute chance when the Germans gave up a freekick just outside of their penalty area. This time, however, Diego Forlan couldn't find the net.

I was really hoping for Uruguay to pick up third place, but, again, no reason not to feel good about themselves. It's not like they let the Germans run riot all over them, blowing them out 4-0, or anything like that.

Truth is, the only time I enjoyed much of this match up was when the South Americans scored. I'm not sure why I dislike the Germans so much (hmmm... they faced Argentina in the Final back in 1986 and 1990, losing the first, winning the rematch... and then there is that little fact of them knocking Argentina out in the Quarterfinals for two World Cups in a row now.) Thing is, I actually have some German ancestry, so you'd think that I'd enjoy seeing them do well.

When it comes to national sides, Argentina, which is where I learned to love the game, the USA, which is where I was born and have spent most of my life, and Wales, as I have Welsh heritage on both my mother and father's side of the family (though I also have at least one sibling who insists that it's English.)

Argentina have won two World Cups before, and will certainly go on to win more. The USA are still a long wa

ys from lift the cup, but I'm certain that they will eventually do so. Wales, on the other hand, would need a miracle. In fact it might take one just for them to qualify. In fact, they have only reached one so far, the year prior to my birth, in fact. If they do manage to reach the Finals with in my life time, knowing my luck, they'll be drawn into a group with both the USA and Argentina, and then will see where my loyalties really lie.

And that brings us to tomorrow's Final with Spain facing the Netherlands. I'm to sure where I really stand on this one. I'm thinking I'd like to see the Dutch take the Cup, this being their third trip into the last match of a World Cup. For Spain, it's their first Final. Surely it would be asking far too much to expect them to ruin it for the Netherlands.

Surely they will do their best to do so.