Once in 4 years, comes an event that captivates......an event that spawns hysteria through the globe.........an event that adults and children alike sit up and watch with their hearts in their mouths.......an event that unites generations, cultures, traditions and peoples.....an event that gives boyfriends/husbands the sole and undisputed authority over access to the remote control.......and 4 years on since Fabio Cannavaro lifted the Jules Rimet trophy aloft in joy and ecstasy at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, the 2010 edition of the FIFA World Cup is finally here!!
The favourites tag this time around is firmly rooted on the men from Spain, with the Argentines, Brazilians, Germans and English following behind. The reigning champs, the Italians, seem to have few backers, with many citing an aging squad as the reason for not backing them. They may want to look back at the 2006 World Cup, where a supposedly "aging" French team beat Brazil during a remarkable run to the finals. They may also want to note that both England and Brazil, two of the favourites to lift the trophy this time, have average ages higher than that of the Italians (28.7 and 28.6 respectively, compared to 28.2). Discount the Italians once again at your own peril!
I will be religiously supporting Spain. With a midfield boasting the likes of Xavi, Iniesta, Fabregas, Alonso, Busquets, Pedro etc. and an attack led by Villa and Torres, how can one not enjoy and be mesmerised by the style and panache in their game! If my predictions come true, it'll be semis line-up of France vs Netherlands and Argentina vs Spain, with the Dutch and the Spanish clashing in the mega-final. Viva la Español!!!
Another 7 days to go before I leave for WIMWI, and it's slowly beginning to dawn on me that I am going to experience something completely new - a new environment where the stakes are higher than ever before. I'm just hoping that I'm at least psychologically prepared to handle it. A combination of excitement and nervousness is flowing through my body right now, as I begin preparations to leave the place I've called "home" for the last 10 years. One thing for sure.....it'll be great fun to watch the World Cup with a huge bunch of football fans (provided I get the time to watch matches)!!! :P
Anyway, I suppose my next post will be from within the red brick walls of WIMWI....so cheers!
P.S: For those confused by the term "WIMWI", it stands for "Well-known Institute of Management in Western India".....a.k.a Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad!
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