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Watching the FIFA World Cup in the U.S. Versus Germany

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WATCHING THE FIFA WORLD CUP IN THE U.S. VERSUS GERMANY

After four years of drought, the time has finally come again: The FIFA World Cup is back.  Even though Germany didn’t showcase its best performance in the first game against Mexico, I do have high hopes for the team.

While I was living in Germany, I never was a really big soccer fan, nor did I have a favorite team I rooted for.  But when it was time for the European and World Cup, I did a whole 180 and turned into a soccer maniac– including dressing up with accessories and attending public viewings.

One might think that I am a major bandwagon, and I have no problem to admit that.  But before you judge me, I would love to explain my reasoning behind my transformation: I just love the energy that is going on during a World Cup.  It feels like the whole country becomes a union where everyone is welcomed and we celebrate together as a team.

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Germany’s Christoph Kramer Comments About Concussion During World Cup Final

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Germany_lifts_the_2014_FIFA_World_Cup

17 minutes into the World Cup Final against Argentina on Sunday, Germany’s Christoph Kramer took a nasty blow to the head when he collided with Argentina’s Ezequiel Garay, leaving him laying on the field looking dazed and confused. Looking at the replays and Kramer’s own physical display, there was no doubt that he should have been taken off the field right away, but to the surprise of many watching the game, in a few minutes the midfielder was back at it.

It turns out Kramer himself was surprised that he got back in the game considering he has no recollection of it. In an interview with Die Welt, Kramer told the German paper, “I don’t know anything at all about the first half. I thought later that I left the game immediately after the tackle. I have no idea how I got to the changing rooms.”

Kramer continued playing against Argentina for an additional 15 minutes before being helped off the field by two aides, and having Andre Schurrl take his place in the game.

“I can’t really remember much of the game,” Kramer went on to tell Die Welt. “I don’t know anything else. In my head, the game starts from the second half.”

The fact that the medical teams allowed Kramer to continue playing with an obvious concussion has led to some criticism over FIFA’s lack of policy for such a common occurrence. In this last World Cup alone, three players suffered from serious head injuries. Some are arguing for at least relaxing the rules on substations for cases like Kramer’s.

Still, despite the setback in Sunday’s game, Germany was able to keep the team in sync, beating Argentina 1-0 to take claim the World Cup for the fourth time.

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Sources: Die Welt, Forbes; GermanPulse
Photo: Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0-br via Wikimedia Commons

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Soccer World Cup 2010 and Paul The Octopus

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Still under shock over Germany’s loss when playing against Spain this Wednesday, I am writing these lines hoping that Germany’s national team will secure third place tomorrow.

Following the German news though and now even the world news I can only wonder what all this fuss is about Paul, the world-renowned octopus at Aquarium Sea Life in Oberhausen, Germany. The press loves to claim him the psychic octopus. Sure enough his apparent predictions for this year’s world cup have been faultless, so far. He has been given the choice of picking food from two different plastic containers each featuring the opposing team’s flag. Paul has kept a 100% record so far by  correctly predicting the winner!

Paul, the Nostradamus of the Soccer World Cup? Haven’t we long , long ago moved away from medieval superstitious predictions? I guess it is part of human nature wanting to find out what lies in the future and get answers ahead of time.

So what was it on Wednesday making the German team seem stunned and appear paralyzed? We definitely didn’t see the same team play that just had won the game over Argentina. Was it Paul’s fatal prediction that made the Germans not even want to try to put on a fight against Spain, or was it the sudden realization of a young German team having to fight a more senior Spanish team and European Champion that intimidated them?

Whatever it was, for tomorrow I have to admit, I am sympathizing with everyone believing in the ‘oracle’ Paul. Paul the octopus has predicted Germany’s win over Uruguay and therefor the securing of third place in the World Cup 2010! 🙂

Go Germany! 🙂

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SOCCER – Ready For Germany’s First Match Of Elimination Round

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Tomorrow all German soccer fans will be up early (and so will the English of course  🙂 ) Germany will play England, promising an extra intense game. It’s the first match of the elimination round and Germany has to win or will have to follow France and Italy to go back home to Europe…

For everyone anxious to see the game and looking for some German company to hype up the experience, go to the Goethe Institute Los Angeles. They are hosting a public viewing! Doors open at 6:30 am !!!

Read below the note they sent out:

“Important…VERY important: we could not win a beer sponsor for this WM.
So all the games shown are Beer Potluck, bring your own Herrenhandtasche (sixpack) if you’re so inclined.Further matches depending on the results of the group playoffs will be announced on our website, through this list and on our facebook page.”

Free parking in the building on the weekend!

Goethe-Institut Los Angeles
5750 Wilshire Blvd.
Suite 100, Los Angeles
CA 90036
Free of charge
Info: +1 323 5253388

Soccer World Cup 2010
Public viewings at the Goethe-Institut L.A.

Other places to watch the German game tomorrow are: