| It seems quite appropriate to write something about | | | | the quarter-final, semi-final and World Cup final itself. I |
| soccer's greatest event, the one now taking place in | | | | was absolutely flabbergasted. You can also image my |
| Germany from June through July, 2006. It is a | | | | happiness when my home country actually won the |
| culmination of four year's work for the 32 teams that | | | | trophy in front of its home crowd. What a day! |
| have qualified to play in this tournament. | | | | Yet, of all the memories of that sunny Saturday in July |
| We all know the effect soccer - or football - as I | | | | 1966, the soccer oddly became only part of my thrill. |
| prefer to call it, has on the lives of so many people. | | | | Sure, it was wonderful to cheer the team to victory, |
| You only have to see the television pictures of people | | | | but my memories still linger to the day itself. Not so |
| who are lucky enough to be able to attend and even | | | | much the game, more the friendship of everyone in |
| luckier, if they have tickets for the games they hope to | | | | the stadium. Folk from different countries all there for |
| see. Yes, it is a fact that many of the supporters | | | | one reason - to see the spectacle of a worldwide |
| visiting Germany this summer will not actually see a | | | | sporting event. The sport in the past has been |
| game, except on the public screens dotted around | | | | criticised for encouraging violence from the "hooligan |
| outside the stadiums in the country. So in that respect I | | | | element" within society and I am not going to discuss |
| guess those of us who will be watching intently on our | | | | that here. |
| televisions in the comfort of our own homes, will be | | | | But this event, now in 2006 in common with 1966 and |
| better off. Or will we? | | | | all between, encourages friendship. This I have found |
| Judging by some of the pictures coming from the | | | | from my own personal experiences, certainly exists. |
| tournament, it appears that these folk at the venues | | | | My own lasting memory of my lucky visit to the |
| seem very happy just to be there just to soak up the | | | | soccer World Cup final was to be walking down the |
| tournament atmosphere. I remember as a younger | | | | street outside that London stadium, with three other |
| man being lucky enough to attend a World Cup | | | | people I had never met before or since - from Belgium, |
| tournament myself. I will explain if I may. | | | | Holland and Portugal, singing at the top of my voice. If |
| I was 21 years old and living in England at the time. I | | | | you were to ask me why we did that, I could in all |
| followed my local football team with a great deal of | | | | honesty not answer, save for happiness and a little |
| pride and attended a couple of the preliminary | | | | euphoria with the occasion. |
| matches at my team's stadium before the "business | | | | It is something I remember with a great deal of |
| end" of the tournament got underway. | | | | affection from my early life, totally attributed in my |
| Imagine my joy when I found for a 21st birthday gift, I | | | | opinion to the wonderful sport of Soccer. |
| was given accommodation in London and tickets for | | | | |