The last 8 minutes that literally punctuate the 'World Cup fever' - A 2nd parter.

Music: Rubicks - Midas (click to download)


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Like music ("...indie is the new pop", Nor Azan), shunned teams are the new 'in-thing'. I remembered growing up in the '90s to traditional jeers and sarcasms of people having to rely on their teams chasing for only 2nd place in their domestic league. My penchant for the Red Devils at the time, some mock it as merely being a "fairweather Johnson".

Which fans are we talking about? Liverpool's for one. Chelsea's, notwithstanding their club's current financial stronghold, for two. Nowadays, I guess the table has clearly turned and I find my favourite football team muscling it out between the other four teams down the top of the table.

World Cup 2006 has been no different too. Take Italy for example; widely regarded as dark horses this time around, resulting from their domestic league issues. They've been shunned right from the very beginning as a team that would surely be in the fray for the competitions 'best runner-up' and not 'champions'.

Perhaps drama will always play a pivotal role in every World Cup not to mention politics as well. To win 5-3 on penalties is not bad an achievement for both sets of teams that are obviously defensive-minded but having said that, it does feel like that were some politiking behind the scenes. Deny all that you will but most people would never have claimed that Brazil would walk off with their sixth title in European soil. Sure, favourites by default - but like I said, "indie is the new pop". The French team were regarded as perennial underachievers - on par with Spain. The Italians have always had their internal issues. So mash them up together and you get an explosive match punctuated 8 minutes from the end of extra-time.

Plus, now, you get to sell-out Azzuri kits faster than you can say "$&^# your madre".