Choose England...?

Well,
that’s that. Possibly the worst World Cup of all time – certainly in my life
time – ended with me unsurprisingly winning eight whole pounds on the two I put
down on Spain to win; the world’s best - Messi and Ronaldo - barely showing
up in the same way they had for their clubs last season…but surely the biggest, ahem, shock of all? England failing and yet again not
even coming close to winning the tournament they are constantly expected to win
by our ignorant media.

As all my
besotted readers have no doubt realised, I took some well earnt time off from
the blogersphere during the tournament (don’t worry mum, I’m back now!!).
Partly to watch the copious amounts of football, but also largely
due to the fact that I wasn’t going to blog about a brand of football I’m not
passionate about.

I support
Manchester United, through and through, and am therefore NOT an England fan. I
never want England to lose, but as opposed to questioning the point of my
existence when the team full of Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham players got
completely shat on by the Germans – the way I did, say, after the Champions
League final in 2009 – I merely shrugged my shoulders and sniggered at how
ridiculous a team with that much talent can sink so low and only beat Slovenia
in a group that also included Algeria. There is nothing more to say on the
matter, especially as it has been so perfectly stated by Scott here: Choose England.

But, as I
mentioned, the tournament was at the end of the day still a festival of football. And
although the overall standard of football was horrific considering the
expectations (the might of Messi, Ronaldo, Rooney and Kaka scoring only 1 goal
between them), there were still some highs.

So here are
my highlights, while purposely throwing in as MUCH bias towards my team as possible.

Hero.

Forlan. Any true, Liverpool-despising red surely still has love for this man
(who is still doing us proud by making the Scouser’s cry while in the red of Athletico). Joint
top-scorer with 5 – with scorcher’s against the Dutch and Germany in the
later stages – and deservedly beat away opposition from Villa, Iniesta and
Sneijder to win the Golden Ball.

Villain.

De Jong.
Genuinely an absolute twat for that challenge in the final. Yes, ok, it WAS
against Alonso, but at least he left the Scum a year ago, whereas De Jong is
still playing for our ‘massive’ neighbours. He epitomised the Dutch demise from
Total Football to anti-football.

Goal.

Forlan’s
couple that I mentioned were special, and the non-united connection goal
must surely go to Quagliarella’s
90th minute chip against Slovakia,
but not even the most self-loathing Citeh fan can't deny Hernandez’s strike for Mexico against Argentina was a peach. The turn and
bullet by the 22 year old was truly divine…Fergie, what have you discovered!?

Not like
that at United!?

Forlan’s
the obvious choice, but did anyone see the masterful display by Argentina’s bald headed maestro against Greece? Although
Veron’s  genius in midfield that game sent my home nation, umm, home, I couldn’t help but cheer and gush at every
superb pass he completed. And how much ground did the sprightly 35 year old he
cover?? What a player.

Nice to see
back in red.

Ronaldo.
Does anyone else still miss him every day?...No?...Just me then.