Forza Azzurri !!!

There are many beautiful things about being an American fan of men's World Cup soccer- foremost among them is ignorance. The community in which you were raised did not gather around the television set every four years for a solid, breathless month. Your country has never won. You can pick whatever team you like best and root for it without shame or fear of reprisal. You have not been indoctrinated into unwanted-yet-inescapable tribal allegiances by your soccer-crazed countrymen. You are an amateur, in the purest sense of the word. So with the World Cup taking place this month in Germany-and the World Cup is the only truly international sporting event on the planet ( no, the Olympics, with their overwhelming clutter of boutique athletics, do not matter in the same way)-you can expect to spend the month in paradise. This introduction was by Sean Wilsey. I agree with him and beleive that soccer is truly the greatest and most beautiful game on earth. Here in The Gambia people love soccer or Football!! Everywhere you go there are signs with the names of the countries playing and what time they are playing. sometimes 30 to 40 people gather around the only TV in the village to watch the game. It does not matter who is playing but there is an added interest whenever any African team is playing. This is heaven for me because I have followed soccer since I was old enough to kick a ball. I can discuss the matches for hours with people and not even notice the time passing. For anyone who says that soccer doesn't matter I say " What do you thnk the Falklands War was about?" Jorge Luis Borges a writer from Argentina called the Falklands War " A fight between two bald men over a comb." I enjoy his comparison and think he is right on the money!! I will continue to root for Italy and Germany the countries of my ancestors. Sorry USA but I just can't appreciate your style of Football. The difference between the European teams and America is like the difference between the Eagles and Radnor High Schools football team!!! Ciao