I'm not going to South Africa. So instead I'm gonna try and watch a bit if not all of every game at work, or at home or in a bar or wherever. On the telly. With a beer. And I'm gonna predict who I think is gonna win. And talk about football stuff. So there.

Saturday 3 July 2010

Q-F: Brazil 1-2 Holland

A bad time to be putting on what looked on paper the best of the quarter finals.

But from what I saw from my desk, this wasn't exactly a cracker. Brazil looked the better team for great swathes of the match, with Kaka coming close a couple of times. Brazil's goal reminded me a lot of a goal England conceded against Germany last weekend - a long ball splitting the defence down the middle and a sweeping finish from Robinho.

But I've tipped the Dutch to win this, and I was cheering them on and cheering in the own goal and the Sneijder header that followed. I think it was Cruyff who said this week that Brazil have lost their magic, and this game proved it. The Europeanisation of football has meant Brazil have lost their individuality, their identity, and now their place in this year's World Cup.