World Cup Fever!

Those of you who know me, know how exciting this WorldCup will be to me! For a little of my W.Cup history, I have started watching the world's most popular tournament since 1982. I was about 12 years old then and I never enjoyed it until I was more into football a few years later. I was more into going out and playing outside then! Then I started watching Liverpool play on Saturday mornings on TV and started becoming more familar with some of the players.
In 1986, our family used to have a trailer at Fanshawe Lake and we used to go there on the weekends and in the summer we'd stay there the whole time. We watched the WorldCup final there with West Germany and Argentina. Argentina won that game and that was Maradona's tournament. While we were watching the game outside, my brother and I were kicking the ball around and watching the game, like kids do!!

Since then, I was hooked. I started playing when I was 9 or 10. Actually, I think my cousins in Holland got me first interested in the sport and I used to collect all the soccer stickers and the World Cup books too when we went to visit them! We used to play with bricks! Each of us had a brick, and we had to knock it down with the ball.

Then came 1990. The WorldCup was in Italy named "ITALIA '90". Holland tied all their games but went through on a home and away rule in the first round. They had to play West Germany in the 2nd round and back then it was a big rivalry. Frank Rijkaard and Rudi Voeller were red carded in that game for spitting on each other. So childish! I've never done anything like that! Anyways, they lost to them and Germany eventually won that WorldCup. It was a very unexciting game too!

1994 Detroit. The first game I went to in the WorldCup was Sweden vs. Russia. I was able to see one of the best goals scored in that tournament by Martin Dahlin, a diving header! The atmosphere wasn't too great. Back then most of the people that went to watch the game weren't familar with soccer fans and kept telling us to be quiet. All we were doing was shouting and singing! What are you supposed to do? It wasn't an opera!!

Then came 1998. Dennis Bergkamp. He single handedly beat the Argentines. He set up the first goal against Kluivert and scored an AMAZING goal to win it!! I still get shivers down my back when I think of that goal! They lost however, to Brazil.... again!! Same as in 1994.

2002 was a little different. I was able to get tickets to 5 games. Above I met a Holland supporter at the Brazil vs. Turkey game. Middle: Met some Danish supporters at the Denmark vs. Uruguay game and some drunk Brazil supporters at the same Brazil Turkey game. I felt a little out of place sometimes wearing my orange shirt but it was great to see all these guys here (below) at the Germany vs. Paraguay game in Cheju Island. They were there in spirit even though the Dutch were not there.

So there you have it. Even though I won't be watching any games live in Germany, I will be sure to watch as many as I can on TV here. And I will be sure to watch every game of the only team who made it to the Finals twice in the 70s. NETHERLANDS!! They lost to the host teams in both those finals by the way!!

So that is why this year's World Cup is special to me. Of course I would love to see them win it all, but 3 games will be fantastic! Any more would be a bonus indeed!