BERLIN 鈥 I was going to call this pre-final blog 鈥淪ome people are on the pitch鈥 in homage to Kenneth Wolstenholme鈥檚 immortal commentary.
In the end, I shied away from any reference to anything to do with England, for fear of any more accusations of unwarranted nationalism.
Instead, I thought I鈥檇 quote Martin O鈥橬eill quoting the at the end of last night鈥檚 3rd place play-off show...
Continue reading "Nobody knows anything"
The World Cup final was the 16th match I鈥檝e covered in 31 days at 11 different locations travelling around Germany on my own.
From the very first game between Germany and Costa Rica the atmosphere created by the host nation and all the other countries has been amazing.
Continue reading "First beer and final blog"
OLYMPIC STADIUM BERLIN - World Cup finals are special events in the sporting calendar - each one is unique.
And already, after attending the 2002 final between Brazil and Germany in Yokohama, I can detect a different atmosphere in Berlin this afternoon.
Continue reading "A different sense of occasion"
BERLIN - After sleeping in 24 different places in 33 days chasing the World Cup - its stories, its atmosphere, its way of life - we come to the end of the road.
In just a few hours time the 64th and will take place at the - two stops away on the S-bahn from our now crowded campsite.
Continue reading "The last hurrah"
BERLIN - It's World Cup final day, but you could be forgiven for thinking the main event took place last night, such were the scenes after Germany's in the third/fourth place play-off.
Traffic came to a standstill along Kurfuerstendamm as hordes of supporters spilled onto the streets, people were standing up out of the sunroof of their cars waving the German flag and beeping their horns.
Continue reading "Third place celebrations"
LONDON - Academics at the have devised an alternative set of world rankings - and guess who is top?
Continue reading "Formula that shows which countries are under-performing"