Brick-by-brick fussball: World Cup Final: Holland 0-1 Spain
A recreation of the 2010 World Cup final "in which Spain kept all their pieces together despite dirty play from the Dutch" from the brilliant and sadder-but-wiser mates staffing the Guardian sports desk.
One of a suite of their riveting marriages of stop frame animation Legos and actual match audio.
WATCH to relive the yellow cards held high – and Iniesta's ball finding the back of the net.
Link to all the videos, including a painful recreation of Rob Green's 'awful moment in the USA-England match, featured earlier on Goal 2010!.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
The Golden Cup
Finally South Africa said "Spain", and red and yellow shined from the eye of the all-knowing German octopus.
Netherlands-Spain was an intense game, played with muscles and nerves. Nerves have been the leitmotif of the whole competition, the constant theme of these games.
Nerves, psychological concentration, self-awareness made the tangible difference among competitors. Nerves were missing, or maybe overwhelming, in teams like Italy and France. Nerves cracked for England, Ghana and then for Brazil. Brazilians played well, but were not used to difficulties: with the first tempest they disappeared from the horizon.
This was the World Cup of Maradona, his return as a trainer, with many people (me included) hoping to see him raising the cup in front of the president of FIFA Mr. Blatter. The Hand of God raising the Golden Cup...only Michelangelo could imagine something more harmonic.
Uruguay hypnotized Ghana, Argentina hypnotized Mexico, Germany hypnotized Argentina, Spain and the octopus hypnotized Germany. Then Germany-Uruguay, the most beautiful game, a game from the 50's, heart and legs under the lights of the African night.
Then Maradona left, Lippi left, Domenec left, Capello is too expensive to be replaced, Del Bosque (Super Mario trainer) became a national hero.
The last game, untouched nets. Suddenly the flash of Iniesta. And boom, it's history, the first World Championship in Africa, the first one with freezing weather. Africa is also this, the warm, freezing mother.
See you Spain, Princess of Europe and Queen of the World, see you in four years, in the land where soccer is played...dancing.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Let the [2014] games begin.
"SPAIN are 6/1 to defend the World Cup in 2014 following their last-gasp extra time victory over the Netherlands.
The Dutch are 9/1 to go one better, whilst hosts Brazil are the 4/1 favourites."
Latest Betting
World Cup 2014
* Brazil 4/1
* Argentina 6/1
* Spain 6/1
* Germany 8/1
* Netherlands 9/1
* England 12/1
* Italy 12/1
* France 20/1
* Portugal 20/1
* Chile 33/1
* Uruguay 33/1
* Ghana 40/1
* U.S.A 66/1
* Mexico 66/1
* Paraguay 66/1
* Russia 66/1
* Colombia 66/1
* Denmark 66/1
* Ecuador 66/1
* Croatia 66/1
* Ivory Coast 80/1
* Greece 100/1
* Nigeria 100/1
* Czech Republic 100/1
* Rep.Of Ireland 200/1
* Scotland 500/1
[graphic from image search for 'betting shops'.]
The Dutch are 9/1 to go one better, whilst hosts Brazil are the 4/1 favourites."
Latest Betting
World Cup 2014
* Brazil 4/1
* Argentina 6/1
* Spain 6/1
* Germany 8/1
* Netherlands 9/1
* England 12/1
* Italy 12/1
* France 20/1
* Portugal 20/1
* Chile 33/1
* Uruguay 33/1
* Ghana 40/1
* U.S.A 66/1
* Mexico 66/1
* Paraguay 66/1
* Russia 66/1
* Colombia 66/1
* Denmark 66/1
* Ecuador 66/1
* Croatia 66/1
* Ivory Coast 80/1
* Greece 100/1
* Nigeria 100/1
* Czech Republic 100/1
* Rep.Of Ireland 200/1
* Scotland 500/1
[graphic from image search for 'betting shops'.]
Goal 2010! Goal 2014!
With the smoke just now beginning to clear in South Africa and Spain, we want to thank all the contributors –in the U.S., Germany, South Africa, Croatia, Italy, Mexico and England - to our modest project.
We'll continue to publish articles, and we're happy to announce the launch of "Goal 2014 Brasil!, " as we look ahead to the next World Cup extravaganza.
We'll continue to publish articles, and we're happy to announce the launch of "Goal 2014 Brasil!, " as we look ahead to the next World Cup extravaganza.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Spain
Spain
Population: 40,548,753
Median age: 41.5 years
Infant mortality rate: 4.16 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: 80.18 years
Religions: Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%
Ethnic Groups: composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types
Literacy: 97.9%
School life expectancy: 16 years
GDP: [per capita] $33,700
[Selected information from CIA World Factbook]
Population: 40,548,753
Median age: 41.5 years
Infant mortality rate: 4.16 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: 80.18 years
Religions: Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%
Ethnic Groups: composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types
Literacy: 97.9%
School life expectancy: 16 years
GDP: [per capita] $33,700
[Selected information from CIA World Factbook]
Friday, July 9, 2010
Anti-Racism World Cup 2010
Anti-Racism World Cup 2010
July 16-18
Donegal Celtic FC
Suffolk Road
Belfast Northern Ireland BT17
"For the last three years teams have traveled from across the world to play against teams from various ethnic minority groups and from local communities in Belfast and across Ireland.
Last years tournament involved over 500 local people and 100 international guests and was a showcase for Anti-Racism against a backdrop of an upsurge of racist attacks in Belfast.
This year we intend to bring more teams to Belfast, including for the first time a Palestinian youth team, and we intend to make the tournament the largest anti-racist event in Ireland in 2010."
[Text and graphic from ARWC website. Thanks to AH in northern England–phone interview below. Cross-posted to Signal Fire.]
July 16-18
Donegal Celtic FC
Suffolk Road
Belfast Northern Ireland BT17
"For the last three years teams have traveled from across the world to play against teams from various ethnic minority groups and from local communities in Belfast and across Ireland.
Last years tournament involved over 500 local people and 100 international guests and was a showcase for Anti-Racism against a backdrop of an upsurge of racist attacks in Belfast.
This year we intend to bring more teams to Belfast, including for the first time a Palestinian youth team, and we intend to make the tournament the largest anti-racist event in Ireland in 2010."
[Text and graphic from ARWC website. Thanks to AH in northern England–phone interview below. Cross-posted to Signal Fire.]
Andy Hudson
Earlier today I was lucky enough to have a Skype chat with soccer-enthusiast|activist Andy Hudson in Newcastle Upon Tyne. It was our first opportunity to catch up since the beginning of the World Cup and my first chance to get his impressions of England's performance and local reaction, the World Cup, broader social issues and linked progressive fan-based initiatives.*
Below is an unedited .mp3 of our 1/2 hour or so-long conversation.* Apologies for the occasional technical|audio glitches–and the awkwardness of the interviewer.
July 9, 2010 - Andy Hudson
* Around 2/3rds of the way into the chat, Andy discusses his participation in international anti-racism soccer organizations. Related posts to follow.
[Graphic from Andy's Facebook page. Caption: "Family - St. James Park." Click to enlarge.]
Below is an unedited .mp3 of our 1/2 hour or so-long conversation.* Apologies for the occasional technical|audio glitches–and the awkwardness of the interviewer.
July 9, 2010 - Andy Hudson
* Around 2/3rds of the way into the chat, Andy discusses his participation in international anti-racism soccer organizations. Related posts to follow.
[Graphic from Andy's Facebook page. Caption: "Family - St. James Park." Click to enlarge.]
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