Qualifiers over, Stage set for FIFA World Cup 2010

Phew. At last the line up is complete. Even a Jeffrey Archer or Dan Brown could not have scripted it better. What a journey it has been for the teams and their countrymen. While Teams like Brazil sailed through the qualifications its neighbour Argentina, coached by the maverick genius Maradona, with the likes of Messi and Tevez in the line up ,just about managed it by the skin of their teeth promting an explitive loaded outburst from its much criticized coach. This guy keeps finding new ways of getting himself banned on and off the field. Egypt and Algeria seemed to be meeting on a battlefield instead of a playground. Blood spilled when the teams met for first playoff. The Hand of God Copy act by Thiery Henry had the Irish fuming. FIFA’a rejection of a rematch ensures there will not be any love lost between the two countries any time soon for sure. Giving an entirely new dimension to the the phrase ‘ Lickin’ the Shoe’, The Solvenian PM kept his promise of cleaning the boots of the players as his team edged out the Russians for a place in the finals. Fans of Cristiano can now resume normal breathing as Portugal somehow put one across Bosnia to secure its berth. No such luck for Croatia and Czech Republic though. They will be licking there wounds when the draw for Finals take place on 4th Dec and its decided which teams have come in the way of Spanish Armada. Who will challenge the flamboyant Brazilians, the clinical German Mean machine , the Dangerous Africans, the talented Argentinians and the self proclaimed unlucky underachievers England.

In India the football fever will kick in only when the real action kicks off in South Africa next year. Till then we can pursue our single minded obsession with Sachin’s 20 years on field,MSD’s captaincy and another IPL. Atleast the two perrennial favourites of Indian poulation, Brazil and Argentina has ensured we can maintain our loyalities for one more world cup. Lets hope this world cup does not turn out to be as drab an affair as the last one. If the finals pack even half of the drama of the qualifiers it would be one cracker of a world cup. Get your flags and jersey’s out. Be ready When the Tournament kicks off on 11th June 2010. The Adrenalin rush will last a month.