WORLD CUP FEVER HERE WITH US AGAIN!!

Story by Patrick Kamanga (pgkamanga73@gmail.com)

WORLD CUP FEVER HERE WITH US AGAIN!!

There are few exhilarating emotional experiences known to man than the excitement generated by the world football extravaganza, better known as the “F.I.F.A World Cup”. I’ll even further reveal that to me, the coming of the World Cup every four years marks the passage of time, a sort of personal chronological marker that indicates the natural progression through life.

 My earliest experience with this global sports phenomenon was during the “Espana ’82” edition held in Spain. As a nine year old kid then, this marked a sort of “rite of passage” which meant that I mentally and emotionally graduated from simply kicking balls or plastic cans aimlessly and childishly playing in the open dusty fields in school and around the neighbourhood, to viewing this game with an almost religious reverence!

Glued to the black and white TV sets then, it was mersmerizing to watch the stars that emerged from that tournament especially the Italian Paolo Rossi and German Karl-Heinz Rummenigge both of whom played for their respective countries in the final match, exhibit jaw-dropping skills and get instantly transformed into “gods”!

Africa was represented at that tournament by Cameroon and Algeria who gave a good account of themselves. Cameroon who fell short of qualifying for the elimination round, managed 3 draws and in their opening match actually matched eventual champions Italy every step of the way holding them to a one all draw. Led by their mercurial captain Rabah Madjer, the Algerians actually did one better than their Cameroonian counterparts and actually beat the mighty Germans, the losing finalists, 2-1 in the tournament’s curtain raiser. Other wizards that emerged were the Argentine Diego Maradona, Zico from Brazil, Frenchman Michelle Platini to name a few.

The countdown to this year’s edition in Brazil is now only days away from commencement and I must say the anticipation is near numbing! Apart from my natural enthusiasm for the game, what excites me most about “Brazil 2014” first and foremost is that the game has in a metaphoric sense come "home” or has returned to its “spiritual home”. This analogy holds true because even though the Britons are rightly credited with inventing the game and even spreading it globally within their “Empire” and beyond in the late 19^th and early 20^th century, the Brazilians are rightfully the modern games’ true custodians or its “true ambassadors!”

 Another reason why I cannot contain my almost childlike excitement for this year’s competition is the fact that “attacking football” is back! Yeah attacking football! Why I reiterate attacking football with such gusto is that since “Italia ’90”, “defense first” became the new mantra and the game progressively became very closed and dull; a style espoused most by the Europeans particularly the Italians.

“Mexico ’86” was the last great World Cup where the game was played in an entertaining free flowing manner with carefree abundance where pure attacking instincts reigned supreme!

Most teams at that tournament and tournaments prior had a “true number ten” around whom the team was built and who usually was the most technically gifted and creative player in the squad. Argentina the eventual winners had Diego Maradona, West Germany- Rummenigge, Brazil- Zico, France-Platini, Mexico- Hugo Sanchez, Poland-Boniek, Denmark-Laudrup, Algeria-Madjer, Morocco-Belloumi  etc.
For the millions of fans who watched Mexico '86, the one lasting memory deeply etched in their minds was the site of Maradona at the height of his powers, who two minutes after scoring the most controversial goal in football history where he cunningly fisted a high ball with blinding speed fooling the referee and everyone watching, later justifying his action as "the hand of God", scored arguably the best goal in World cup history! 
On picking a loose ball a few paces from the center circle, he made a 360^o spin and with one move wiggled through three England midfielders and left them heaving. He then made an audacious 40-50 meter dribble with the ball seemingly stuck to his boots where he hopped, skipped and jumped over three more advancing defenders evading heavy tackles and finally slotting the ball under the sliding Peter Shilton in goal for Argentina's winning goal! Exquisite! Unbelievable! Pure magic! I personally never tire telling the Maradona story and I doubt we shall witness such magic ever again. 
The French national team "Le Bleu" briefly gave fans something to think about at the turn of the century but it wasn't quite the same.
Creativity, spontaneity, ball artistry, technique were all sacrificed at the altar of tactics, “safety” and winning at any cost. The end justified the means as most teams became more concerned with not conceding goals rather than progressively moving the ball forward and trying to outscore the opponent while also entertaining the fans. To illustrate this point, though tactically astute, by their own standards the World cup winning Brazilian side at “U.S.A ‘94” was the most boring ever seen prior to that tournament.

The last decade, however, has seen a reemergence of the attacking style of yore. The team I credit for this tidal shift is Barcelona F.C of Spain who under the tutelage of Dutchman Frank Rijkaard built a virtually invisible outfit that literally “suffocated” and “terrorized” opponents into submission with their offensive and possession based brand of “total football”.
 Off the ball, when possession was lost, they played a “Pressing game” which meant having every outfield player quickly close down opponents thus denying them space and time on the ball to think or play and thereby quickly regaining possession.
 His midfield boasted an array of weapons led by the gifted Brazilian Ronaldinho, Argentine Lionel Messi, Brazilian born naturalized Portuguese Deco and the Spanish duo of Xavi and Iniesta. At the back they had the rugged, take no prisoners captain Carlos Puyol "the cave man" as he was popularly known and uncompromising Mexican Juan Marquez. Upfront they relied on the speed and precision of their diminutive forwards, Cameroonian Samuel Eto’o and Frenchman Ludovic Giuly. This was an outfit that was solid from the ground up!

Rijkaard’s departure opened the door for the Catalan son Pep Guardiola who further refined on his predecessor’s style creating a brand of total football that was not only based on ball possession but ball possession and pressing done almost entirely within their opponent’s half. Ball possession meant controlling the tempo of the game while playing a high defensive line and virtually shutting opponents in their own half! In his 3 year reign Guardiola guided his charges to an unprecedented 14 titles.

 This style of play was replicated by the Spanish national coach Vicente Del Bosque whose tenure commenced in 2008, with ruthless efficiency! Hitherto considered perennial underachievers, Del Bosque has since led the “La Rojas” to back to back European Championship titles in 2008, and 2012 and the last World Cup, played in South Africa in 2010.

 Del Bosque took this attacking acumen a degree higher, creating a system of play which he christened “the False Striker” at the “Euro ‘12”. This system negates the need for an outright central striker and relies on a pool of gifted attacking midfielders whose roving runs and constant movement into and around the opposing side’s box creates confusion among the defenders. The confounded defenders are thereby unable to pick individual players to man mark. This state of confusion allows one of the attackers or even an overlapping defender to take advantage of lapses to pop up and score. The effectiveness of this system was witnessed at the Euro ’12 final match where Spain whitewashed a shell-shocked Italian side 4-0!

Currently Spain as a nation holds the World and European titles, while Real Madrid F.C hold the UEFA Champions league winning their 10^th title after beating city rivals Atletico Madrid in the recent final, to illustrate Spain’s current dominance.
The sheer power that Barcelona and the Spanish national team have exhibited in recent seasons has convinced even the diehard Italians and Germans to abandon their traditional rigid styles and incorporate some attacking flair into their play.

During the final of last year’s Confederation cup in Brazil, a dress rehearsal to this year’s World cup competition, the “Spanish armada” finally met their match in the “Selecao” of Brazil who humbled them 3-0. These two plus many other richly talented teams vying for the title, sets up the stage for a mouth watering tournament with a smorgasbord of enticing battles that will keep fans at the edge of their seats throughout.

Will the Brazilians live up to their reputation and the huge expectations of their passionate fans and keep the trophy home for their sixth title? Will the skillful Spaniards reproduce the form that has captured the soccer world’s imagination and seen them rule the footballing roost or will they falter like most defending champions have since the Pele led star studded Brazilian team retained the trophy in 1962?

 With the renaissance of attacking football, I therefore have no doubt that Brazil ’14 will not only scale but may even surpass the heights seen at Mexico ’86, so join me and let us take this incredible journey and enjoy this beautiful game!