An All Europe Affair

The World cup fiesta winds up in an all European finals

By Emma Maduabuchi

As the World Cup marble was claimed yesterday, it turned out that the top four teams that slugged it out through the semi finals, were all Europeans, a development which has led many into explaining it as a reflection of the high football development in Europe, compared to other continents.

When the tournament started, Saturday, June 16, 2006, with the host nation, Germany playing the opening game against Costa Rica, the world cup held a lot of promises for many teams. Notable amongst them were Brazil, five-time winner, defending champions, and the number one football playing nation according to Football International Federations Associations (FIFA) ranking; Czech Republic, the second seed United States of America (USA), forth seed, and Argentina, a two-time winner coming closely.

Across the world, many bookmakers did not give the European teams much chance, despite the fact that the greatest football leagues in the world are played in Europe.

Notwithstanding, many of the less informed in Nigeria, in terms of the history of the game, rated Brazil so highly as a result of its outstanding players scattered across Europe. They failed to take into cognisance, the fact that apart from Sweden in 1958 when Brazil won it, no South American team had won the cup in Europe.

But the reality dawned after the second round games when four European teams squared up for the semi finals Germany emerged by humbling Argentina via penalty shoot-out, while the eventual conquerors at the semi, Italy, qualified by silencing Australia via a controversial penalty.

France, on its part, silenced the Brazilians through 1-0 win in which veteran Zinedine Zidane took command of the mid-field. On the contest between boisterous England and Portugal, the Portuguese edged out the English in a penalty shoot-out in which the Anglos lost three kicks.

With the stage set for the semis, the European press showed how much Europeans appreciated the fact that head or tail, the cup would remain in their continent.

The first game which was between the host Germany and Italy, a third time winner, ended after a gruelling 120 minute encounter in which the Azuries went home with a dramatic 2-0 win secured in the last two minutes of the game.

The second game which witnessed France, the 1998 champions squaring it out with Portugal, saw France winning through a Thiery Henry secured penalty and which Zinedine Zidane converted .

Following this development, football analysts who spoke to The Source , felt it would be necessary to find out the reasons why it was so easy for European teams to take the first four positions of the world cup.

The Source's findings revealed that the reasons boiled down to three factors: the weather; the fact that Europe had more representatives, and the issue of the development of the game.

Mitched Obi, a veteran sports journalist for instance, said, "there is nothing really wrong in a world cup in which Europe has dominated. If you look at the arrangement, you will see why Europe is dominant. They have 13 representatives out of a 32 team world- they have almost half. So they have far more opportunities to dominate the world cup more than any other continent."

Obi equally contended that the support which European teams received far outweighs that which any other team outside Europe would receive. He equally asserted that the refereeing could also have a hand in determining who goes through.

Incidentally, the next World cup is to be hosted by South Africa in 2010, and it is the belief of most Nigerians that the continental teams, and country should make the best of these advantages to clinch the cup.

Obi supports this thinking. His words: "... we organise our game and tactically as well as technically." He believes that since the weather would be in Africa's favour and they would have the support, success might crown the effort.