2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa: Miami perspective

MIAMI — The World Cup, the amazing event that has a big portion of the world going crazy for a full month, had its origins in the Olympic football (soccer) tournaments. After the popularity of the sport was noticed, FIFA decided to start its own international football tournament back in 1924. On July 13th, 1930, the first FIFA World Cup took place on the Centenary Stadium in Montevideo, Uruguay. The first World Cup was held in Montevideo because Uruguay had already won the two previous Olympics football tournaments in 1924 and 1928. Uruguay won the first World Cup after an amazing final match against Argentina: the final score was 4 — 2. After the enormous success that the FIFA World Cup brought to the world, the Olympics decided to get rid of their football tournaments. Although they brought the games back in 1936, the ratings weren’t nearly as good as previous years or as good as the FIFA World Cup ratings were, and still are. After that Italy won the following two world cups that took place during the World War II in Europe, where the only South American team willing to travel was Brazil. The FIFA World Cup was cancelled for the next twelve years because of WWII. In 1950, it was restarted, taking place in Brazil, and again Uruguay won its second World Cup in an intense match against Brazil beating them 2 — 1. From that date, countries have been getting together for one month every four years to enjoy of the FIFA World Cup, giving all the support to their corresponding countries people can possibly give.

The Miami Impact

Miami is a city with an abundant, thriving culture, a place where people from all over the world reside and develop an attachment towards their home countries. After a long football season, we are currently down to the quarterfinals: out of the eight countries left, four are from South America. Miami is known to be the capital of Central and South America; therefore this has understandably created a lot of impact. People go crazy in the streets every time a game goes on. One starts to realize not only how many individuals care deeply about football, but also how many want to show the world their pride toward their home countries. It’s a time when neither politics nor teams matter: people are simply from a country no matter what supporting them from wherever they are to be able to take the World Cup home, forgetting about any possible differences. Whether it is by flying a fluttering flag out of the windows of their cars; or the hosting of parties to watch games; going to bars and restaurants serving foods typical of a particular country to have a meal and/or drink to give a stronger support to their fellow brothers who are now in South Africa playing for the World Cup, everyone finds a way to let their rivals know there are there supporting, and also to let their own realize they’re not alone. Living a party.

Now in South Africa

This past week a lot of important games took place: Uruguay beat South Korea 2 — 1; the Netherlands beat Slovakia 2 — 1; Brazil beat Chile 3 — 0; Spain beat Portugal 1 — 0 and Paraguay beat Japan after having to go to penalties 5 — 3. After those games FIFA South Africa 2010 became a battle between South America and the world. The quarterfinals look like this:

Brazil vs. Netherlands

Uruguay vs. Ghana

Argentina vs. Germany

Paraguay vs. Spain

Whoever wins the game of Brazil against Netherlands goes against whenever wins the game of Uruguay against Ghana for the semi-finals, and whoever wins the game of Argentina against Germany goes against whoever wins the game of Paraguay against Spain.

Then, the moment that we’ve all waiting for, the final, the most important game of all, is reached: the game that will define who deserves the World Cup. Although all the countries remaining are already considered the best football players in the world, they are all already winners.

Still, for those who do not know who to cheer for, cheer for Uruguay.