I’ve never been a fan of football.... so it’s no biggie that the on-going World Cup does not affect me. For instance, you won’t find me staying up to watch the matches (why, even the 7.30 pm matches also I don’t really watch) – and that will definitely include the final.
That doesn’t mean I do not follow the goings –on of the matches. Being a perpetual couch potato, more often than not, I found myself veering off to the sports channels just to keep up with the latest score. Yeah, I love all those trivia things and I guess learning, as an example, about France’s spectacular exit from this year’s tournament is rather thrilling.
What astonished me the most, however, is the fact that my two oldest girls are into this World Cup. Naturally, they are rooting for Argentina, or to be more precise Lionel Messi (whom I only realise existed when he was used by Astro in that World Cup ad where he uttered “in HD” to that young girl and her parents).
Speaking of rooting, I still do not have a team to support although I am really leaning to see a new nation to win the World Cup this year. So it means, I’m definitely not supporting Germany, Brazil (am still heart broken when they were ousted by Italy in 1982), Argentina (sorry, girls), Italy (still cannot forgive you guys for that 1982 turn of event) and good old England (still think, they are the most over rated team this year). Somehow, I’m okay if Uruguay wins their third trophy this year, though).
See, I’m big on trivial and useless information – I can remember all those historical (if you can call it that la) facts and figures – like that 1982 Brazilian tragedy. Although, I’ve never once stayed up to watch any of the World Cup finals in its entirety, I can still recalled the heroic Mario Kempes in the 1978 final, the entertaining Dutch team led by Johann Cruyff in 1974 and the hugely tedious 1990 final between Argentina and Germany, because I did watch highlights of those matches, and many more, countless times.
Anyway, because this time around there’re two ladies who are following it more closely than their Bapak, the World Cup do creeps into our conversations at home and we have had some good laugh at that...
Conversation One:
The Two New Fans (aka Alia and Asma): Yeah Argentina won!!!!!
Bapak: (Looking bewildered)
Mak: Mak tak tahu la nak sokong siapa this World Cup ni.
Alia: Sokong Argentina la....
Mak: Ha dah tahu.... Mak nak sokong Turkey!!!!
Bapak: (dah gelak guling2 with the girls) err Turki tak masuk final la this time...
Mak: Laaaaa... tapi orang Turki handsome2.... and then dia orang pulak tu Islam.
(So, How?)
Conversation Two:
(this during a chat session over FB between me and my friend Hazel (with apology ya Puan!)
Mior: .... tu la kan..... masa Argentina lawan Greece yesterday.....
Hazel: Wait! Greece ada masuk World Cup????? Bukan negara dia orang dah bankrupt ka? Apasal dia orang main?
(Mior then gulling2 jatuh ke lantai again)
Conversation Three:
(This was when the girls were watching the replay of Argentina Vs Greece)
Mak: Heyyy... ni dia mamat yang kat dalam iklan tu (obviously referring to Messi)
The Two New Fans: Ha betul la Mak... tu lah Messi!!!
Mak: Haaaa... Maxis?
(And I rest my case!)
