3) and the same happened with the portugiese: no goals no final. what a boring game. i had more faith in the portugiese, and i have to say that on the last minutes of that game last night in the fan mile in Berlin tiergarten the many many french supporters were quiet – and some of us were hoping that the portugiese (such as their goal keeper ricardo) would put the ball into the net to ensure last exciting 30 minutes of extra time. it didn’t happen – but if the germans can be bothered (!) to put their normal (not the reserve team!) into the saturday’s match it will be a good one.
the football fever is wearing off a bit here in berlin, though one can see more italian and french shirts already. the fan zone was not overcrowded even if it was the third last match of the tournament.
also, the neonazis are apparently upset about the raise in german nationalism – basically this multi-kulti german nationalism is not their cup-of-tea and anyways alternative ways of channelling national feeling are a threat to their movement. so it seems like hard core lefties were wrong about looking at flag-waving with a bad eye.
yesterday i wore a t-shirt “es ist liebe” – the football world cup slogan by die taz, the left newspaper – trying to make the point that football was the main thing in the world cup not victory. i don’t know how many people actually got my point…
meanwhile my italian former flatmate and friend replied that he cannot make the final but will be here by chance next week. looking forward to a reunion!
also, it’s time to start thinking about life without or at least beyond football. there are so many other things to do, such as the open-air cinemas, the open-air concert hall next to my workplace on gendarmenmarkt. these, similarily to the open air football venues are gated areas, where only the few can go in – or where there are vip-stands and all other kinds of imposed hierarchies.
but you might say it’s not over yet – well, of course in finland, when i go there end of july, there’s still football season. i should go and see my team KuPS play – live! – in Kuopio, my birth town.
