It felt good, even just to watch it on TV. That’s what sport should be all about.

Germany beat Turkey 3-2 with a goal in the 90th minute and is through to the final of the European football championship.

I didn’t watch it live – 3am is such an ungodly hour – but from the highlights I saw this morning, it must have been a thriller game. Germany will either play Russia or Spain in the final on Sunday… afterwards heart rates in Europe will hopefully be back to normal.

I am not much of a sports spectator, but I enjoyed following the world cup last year when I was in Berlin, and this year’s European tournament seems to be just as much fun.

EDIT: This made me laugh out loud.

I just don’t know what my favorite flavor is, herbs or orange-ginger… lychee and elderberry aren’t bad either. Want to bet how long it takes until one of the biggies buys them out? Gosh, I wish they were listed.

PS: Fireworks are going off… England 1 … Germany 2. What’s wrong Beckham? Don’t know how to bend it ? ;)

PPS: Thank you for the “Danke for 2006”, that was sweet. Next time you win. You deserve it.

Someone just found out what Materazzi said to Zidane.

A big thank you to lecram for the link (I’m still smiling ear to ear!).

tags: world cup, materazzi, zidane

Against the advise of everyone, I went by car, which worked out fine because everyone else did the sensible thing and came by public transport. To my surprise I found a legal parking space a stone’s throw away from Brandenburg Gate. But when I arrived at the entrance directly at the Gate it was closed, because the area in front of the stage was already full with people.

Me and thousand of others walked a mile or two to the entrances further up the Fanmile.

Made first friendships along the way.

And then we waited (not long) to get a body check and bag control. That was the only Chinese fan, I encountered.

First glance at the Fanmile, which was relatively empty there. I did what everyone else did, and walked back a mile towards the Brandenburg Gate. By then, I regretted my choice of strappy sandals. Everyone else was wearing comfortable flip-flops or sneakers.

The audience was incredibly diverse from all corners of the world.

Very nice people from Japan…

Australia…

All over Europe: Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Poland, England, Sweden …

…and Brazil.

When it got to full to walk any further, I stopped. The second display in the distance was above the stage at the Brandenburg Gate. In front was a group of Italian fans…

Directly behind me were French boys.

And then we were treated to a view of the green grass at the Berlin stadium. Which was built for the 1936 Olympic Games under Nazi rule, and extensively renovated for the World Cup. The granddaughter of African-American sprinter Jesse Owens, who won four gold medals at the 1936 games, ran a celebratory lap at the inauguration of the renovated stadium.

La Marseillaise…

See my videos of the fan reaction to the kick-off, to Zidane’s penalty shoot, and to Materazzi’s goal.

During the half-time break, I received a call from my young son to come home, and since I am an even more passionate mommy than football fan, I made my way to my car.

Last view at the Brandenburg Gate and the Fanmile stage.

My blistered feet. To hell with those strappy sandals…

Driving through the nearly empty city during the second half was very eerie. Beautiful lights at Friedrichstrasse…

…these gals used the empty street to get some work-out.

Friedrichstrasse runs from former East to West Berlin. And has a memorial and museum at former Checkpoint Charlie.

At home, I saw the dramatic end to the game. What exactly did Materazzi say to Zidane? Something involving Zidane’s mother, wife, religion? Anyway, Zidane’s reaction was the wrong one. How can you loose your cool in such an important game? The World Cup final… the last international game of your career.

I don’t want to suggest intent, but Materazzi’s provocation came certainly at a very opportune time. The Italians didn’t look so fresh anymore. And Zidane, usually a very calm fellow, had a few sudden spurts of violence before. Both of them should stand in the corner like small school boys.

Sort of leaves a bitter taste to Italy’s win, even if they probably deserved it. I was glad, I only saw the first half at the Fanmile and not the “Zidane incident”.

Anyway, even this cannot spoil the fun the whole of Germany had during the World Cup. One banner during the Germany-Portugal match summed it up so nicely:
“Thank you so much for having been our guests!”

tags: world cup, fanmile, berlin, italy, france, zidane, materazzi

Watch the video

Fireworks, car horns, chanting. The noise in front of my window is deafening. Yet nothing against watching the party on TV in Stuttgart.

Germany 3:1 Portugal

I will try to get to the Fanmile in front of the Brandenburg Gate for the final tomorrow. Wish me luck!

tags: world cup, germany, portugal

I saw my World Cup predictions unravel in a bar on a beautiful stretch of Adriatic coast. Italy fully deserved to win against Germany. I just wish they had scored earlier. It was kind of boring to see a game mostly played in the middle of the field.

I just have one final World Cup wish:

Dear Mr. Lippi,
Please let Luca Toni play the whole ninety minutes in the final. Girls world-wide will be forever in your debt.

Hugs and kisses
Cosima

PS: Portugal was playing against France, as I was speeding along the Bavarian Autobahn. Right and left the fields were full of hops. Surely, these hops aren’t only for German beer production?!? We export some of the stuff?!?

Penalty shoot for France. Toooooooooooooooooooooor!

tags: world cup, girlie stuff

So, no points for guessing on which side I was in yesterday’s game Brazil vs. France. First of all, it just feels better to support the underdog. Although to divide teams into underdogs and favorites at this point in the tournament feels slightly odd. Everyone still in it is certainly among the world’s best. But Brazil out before the final, who would have guessed.

Secondly, Zinedine Zidane, who has declared that he will stop playing professional football after the World Cup, deserves a fitting finale to his distinguished career. After the last game, regardless of what happens next, he got just that.

My dream final would be Germany vs. France. I could feel joy for the winner, whoever it is.

photo: AP

tags: world cup, zidane, france

Thank you Klose and thank you Lehmann.

OLE! OLE! OLE! OLE!