Mine is not a unique experience.
A lawyer friend from Manila confided that for the last few weeks, he has been sleeping not earlier than 4 a.m.
In my case, I watch the first televised game live, and content myself with the replay of the second game, so I can sleep at 4 a.m. and still be productive the next day. Otherwise, the whole of the next day would all be to naught.
Well the reason is something every sportsman knows.
It’s the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, touted as the biggest sporting event in the world. Maybe not.
The Olympics is much bigger because it involves all the hundreds of nations on Earth. The World Cup of football is for only among the thirty two (32) elite countries of the sport.
Football fans are however the loudest, the rowdiest and the most emotion filled in any sport.
Watching a football game requires full attention, because anything can happen in a split second.
Going to the fridge or the rest room has to be scheduled, otherwise you would have missed the last minute goal of Messi, the spectacular goal of the potential Golden Boot from Colombia James Rodriguez or the pinpoint cross by Ronaldo, his only piece of glory, considering that he is the player of the year.
This has been a World Cup of redemption for Lionel Messi, arguably, the best player in the planet today.
In the past, he has been criticized in his native Argentina, for lacking the nationalis, the desire and the passion for his home team. He has lived most of his years in Barcelona, Spain when his future brilliance was spotted even at that early age.
The investment has been proven fruitful, and he has given Barcelona hundreds of goals and accompanying championships.
Messi has never won the World Cup for Argentina, which the Argentines compare to the exploits of another football great, Diego Maradona.
Nobody can fault Messi’s play in the current World Cup. Without the support that he gets from his teammates in Barcelona, Messi is ganged up by the opposition, sometimes up to three defenders in pursuit. I therefore bet that Messi would finally shut the mouths of his critics and open the hearts of all Argentinians, once the 2014 World Cup ends.
The 2014 World Cup has been very successful and beneficial to Brazil.
Prior to the event, critics mostly Brazilians, were saying that hosting the World Cup was a losing proposition, especially for a country that still has a significant number of poor people.
After the event, Brazil would have several world class football stadia, and might just spur Brazilian football to greater heights. The more if Brazil wins another championship. Maybe not, without Neymar and Tiago Silva.
This we will know after July 13. (Brazil lost to Germany, 7-1 in their semifinal battle yesterday –– Editor)
Do not call me early on Monday July 14, unless it is a matter of life or death. For I will be spending another sleepless night, thanks to the 2014 World Cup.
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