ONE!

photo by Carol

The 1994 Football World Cup was decided when Roberto Baggio, an Italian Buddhist, missed a penalty kick and handed the trophy to Brazil.

I hope his religion helped him deal with the disappointment quite a few people dropped on his shoulders.

Andi Rogenhagen, on the other hand, is German, I think.

In 1994 he collected film of the finals from the TV companies of different nations and edited it together to make one of the best football documentaries ever – The Final Kick.

The film shows very little of the game itself – sequences that are used are supported by a multitude of linguistic commentary – and instead concentrates on the people watching, ranging from a few Bolivian peasants in/on the altiplano to thousands of Chinese in a square in Beijing, taking in a harem in Africa and monks in a monastery somewhere else along the way.

The film finally settles on the unsettled emotions among the patrons of an Italian bar and those watching on a beach in Brazil.

But the abiding memory for me is that of a young Italian boy watching with his family at home. We see him pray, we see the family get up as one as the penalty is missed and go to make tea (or spaghetti), and we see him abandoned, alone and suddenly a faithless Catholic in a godless world.

In 1998 I sat down in front of my own television, with my own son (aged 7) to watch the final between Brazil and France.

We were living in France, still are in fact, and before the competition had begun knew very little about French football and the French team.

As the competition had unfolded it became clear to my eyes that France was a team that wanted to win this more than anyone, that played with a passionate determination allied to a collective will and with a fair degree of exceptional talent.

However, they played in blue and white.

Brazil played, still do actually, in yellow and green and their flag is so much more beautiful to look at.

And ever since I was a son, myself, of about 7 I had been hypnotized by Pelé- the only man to win three World Cup Winner medals – even though he only played one game in 1962.

So it doesn’t matter what my head says I always want Brazil to win the World Cup.

My son, being seven, didn’t really have an opinion so joined me in cheering Ronaldo.

When Zidane scored the first goal we were a little disappointed but it’s only a game eh?

Come on Brazil!

When Zidane scored his second goal there was a moment of silence in Copacabana that reached our living room.

My son turned to me, big blue eyes questioning.

“Is it OK if I support France now?”

I’m glad I hadn’t brought him up to believe in God.