South Korea’s 2-1 win over Italy in 2002 and 2-0 win over Germany in 2018 got many of us cheering on “Korea Hwaiting”. In 2002, the quick Japanese also ran their socks off getting into the round of 16, a feat repeated in 2010 and 2018, while the Chinese made their one and only appearance and were unceremoniously dumped out with three defeats — a dismal result for the world’s most populous nation that is often blamed on corruption in its domestic league. This is also a problem that is also alleged at the highest levels in Fifa although this has not stopped the sport from growing in commercial value and popularity.
I grew up watching the World Cup. In 1982, as a teenager, I saw how Paulo Rossi picked up the Italian Golden Boot and Michel Platini missed his penalty, and, of course, in 1986, I saw how Diego Maradona beat goalkeeper Peter Shilton with his “Hand of God” and broke English hearts, again.
Dubbed the Greatest Show on Earth, the World Cup has given nations full of hope, inspiring young boys and now girls as well in the developing world. Fans rally for the underdogs and are mesmerised by the total football of the Dutch Orange even though they somehow never make it past the quarter-finals. Alas, the Teutonic Germans or the Brazilians will somehow blitz and samba their way to the finals respectively.
