SaudiSphere

Materazzi: “I don’t know what the word (terrorist) means”

Italy won the world cup. And I really didn’t care that much if either France or Italy won. I personally wanted an underdog to win for a change. However, other than some speculations about Italy’s questionable training practices, the world is wondering about the verbal exchange between Materazzi and Zidane which prompted Zidane to give him the headbutt of his life. Some say that he said something bad about his mother, others say that he called him a terrorist.

Zidane appeared to react to something that was said and was dismissed for his violent charge into his opponent.

"He told me Materazzi said something very serious to him but he wouldn't tell me what," agent Alain Migliaccio told BBC Five Live Sport.

Sources in France say it is believed Materazzi insulted Zidane's family.

Materazzi himself has not spoken publicly about the incident except to deny a claim by Paris-based anti-racism group SOS Racism, made on Monday, that he had called Zidane "a dirty terrorist".

"It is absolutely not true, I did not call him a terrorist. I'm ignorant. I don't even know what the word means," the Italian news agency Ansa quoted Materazzi as saying after the Italian team returned to Rome.

"The whole world saw what happened on live TV," he added.

Yes, exactly, we all saw you shout something and grab the guy from his chest!

Whether Materazzi is a nasty player who used the mother of all insults (a mother’s insult), or accused Zidane of being a terrorist solely based on his background, the fact is, I don’t think we will ever know.

Is Soccer an un-American Game?

It is quite interesting to observe the search terms that bring visitors to this blog (Thanks Google Analytics). And lately I have been receiving World Cup related inquires. Those searches vary from the normal: looking for details related to the games (sorry no help on this one – go to the experts for that: Yazeed’s blog), to the bizarre: World Cup porn (quite specific in their demands aren’t they?) However, I was surprised to discover that many are searching for an answer to the question: “Is soccer an un-American game?”

I am not an American, therefore, I don’t know if Soccer qualifies as un-American. However, I do know that the driving force behind this game is passion and dedication, both are key for its global following.

“If this can be termed the century of the common man, then soccer, of all sports, is surely his game.... In a world haunted by the hydrogen and napalm bomb, the football field is a place where sanity and hope are still left unmolested.” 

~Stanley Rous, 1952

“To say that these men paid their shillings to watch twenty-two hirelings kick a ball is merely to say that a violin is wood and catgut, that Hamlet is so much paper and ink.”  ~J.B. Priestley, The Good Companions, 1928

Today’s game

I am not going to talk about today's Saudi -Ukraine game. We got beaten really bad although some other Saudi bloggers had high hopes. Was it expected? 

(Cartoon: Alen Lauzan Falcon from Chile)

It is a tie!

Saudi Arabia 2 – Tunisia 2

Great game and spectacular goals

And you can find a review of the game at Yazeed's blog.

                  

                     

                  

                           

                      

It’s a World Cup World!

                     

Allan McDonald (Honduras)

             

Patrick Chappatte (Switzerland)

             

Hasan Bleibel (Lebanon)

            

Godfrey Mwampembwa (Kenya)

               

Alen Lauzan Falcon (Chile)

               

Derkaoui Abdellah (Morocco)

            

Turner (UK)

            

Stephane Peray (Thailand)

World Cup Bits

- No Booze or Porn for Saudi team:

The whole cultural sensitivity thing is great, but why the need for parental control? Can’t they refrain from alcohol or sex without any direct guidance?

               

- If you are into the world cup, don’t miss Yazeed’s blog: World Cup Fever.

About to Begin: World Cup Mania!

I am no football devotee (I did watch the European champions league finale if that counts for anything). However, World Cup is another story, and I will try not to miss the important games. Obviously, I will be rooting for my own country’s team. And I am hoping that this time around, they will not embarrass us again.

At least we know that they will play these games:

Match	Date	Venue	Teams			Time
16	14-Jun-06	Munich		TUN:KSA		18:00
32	19-Jun-06	Hamburg		KSA:UKR		18:00
47	23-Jun-06	Kaiserslautern		KSA:ESP		16:00

And this is what Arabnews has to say about the Saudi team:

Saudi Arabia has every reason to be confident. The team sailed through the qualifying matches, re-establishing its form after the disappointment of the Asian Cup performance two years ago. Under Brazilian coach Marcos Paqueta, the team has become a cohesive squad with an attacking style that not only impresses but delivers as well.

That said, none of the other teams in Group H — Spain, Ukraine and Tunisia— will be a walkover. Alarm bells will be ringing after Ukraine’s 4-0 defeat of Costa Rica in a friendly match on Sunday. The Tunisians too are going to be on top form. Spain may be an easier proposition, despite making it through to the quarterfinals four years ago; some of their best players have been sidelined by injuries and their disappointing 0-0 draw in the friendly game against Russia on Saturday brought the observation from the Russian coach that although the Spanish players have great technical ability, they lack “a winning mentality.” We shall see but be aware at the same time that disappointment because of the draw with Russia will have sharpened the Spaniards’ wits and determination.

Experts out there, what do you think? What are your predictions?