Lights on, let's go!

Referring to my last post, I was utterly anxious and impatiently waiting for time to pass by faster for the Korean game to begin. Sooner than I expected the clock stroke 2:00 am. I quickly put on my Korean uniform over my white shirt, slipped into my shoes, and went to wake up the other two girls -- Tiara and Hariettou. Faster than saying "go" we were up and about, meeting Anthony outside our dorms, and getting inside a cab hoping that "Daejeon World Cup Stadium" would be Korean-ish enough for our cab driver to understand our destination. He looked at our red jerseys, smiled, and began to drive. Whew, one Korean barrier down.. and don't know how many left throughout the night.

As we were all jumping inside the cab, we noticed -- uh oh Tiara was wearing a Green shirt. Let me remind you, Korea (the reds) were playing Nigeria (the buffed-up green team). Good thing she brought her hoodie to hide her true colors in the middle of the Korean crowd.

The cab kept driving and soon we saw the lights. Bright lights, complex architecture structure, big letters saying "Daejeon World Cup Stadium" -- yup, we had arrived. The stadium was beautiful. The architecture, the lights, the flags. It was too much to capture while my mind was so concentrated on how the outcome if this game would [proportionally] influence the Korean's admission to the second round of the World Cup at South Africa. I mean, the South Africanians have already been kicked out of their own world cup... Korea can't have the same fate as them.

To our surprise there were a lot of vendors outside selling red shirts (guess who bought a red shirt), lit-up horns, squid, hot dogs, food, more food, and some weird cooked up dark shells as popcorn? Then, we entered the gates, were shown to the locker rooms, dressed up, and entered the field to play the wonderful game. Ha no just kidding, I wish. We entered the gates, crowded with people selling red air cheer sticks. I bought on a red cheer stick, but a couple of seconds later I notice that there are people giving out white ones for free.

The game was intense every second of it. Great game, but very fearsome for Korea. In the first minute Korea had a shot that looked like goal. And Nigeria did not give up until the game was over. Both teams played well, although Nigeria missed some goals that.. a 4-year old could have made. Right in front of goal, no goalie... and you tap to the left of the goal?!?! How? That's okay, good for Korea. Man we missed some good shots, but it was the same on both sides.







Quick futbol Chat
I was just thinking about some of the amazing soccer players in the leagues. They skills begin to show very early in their youth. There's this little 6-year old called "Madin Mohammad" on youtube that is very famous now due to his dribbling skills and more. He is good, but he is so young and he is already being exposed to the limelight. So it spurred my thinking, what does it mean to be a great footballist? Sure there's the general categories about speed, heading, passing, etc. But, what differs a great footballist from a great, well respected person? They should both be the same, right? When you look at C Ronaldo, what are your first thoughts? Amazing player, great dribbler, all time favorite hottie, fighter, and sometimes haughty. Yes, you might say he has the rights to be conceited and proud because he's one of the greatest football players. Still, he's usually in the news for a new hot scandal of who he 'flirted' with last week.
Now, think of Messi. Absolutely marvelous, intelligent in making plays, simple, and always concentrated. He doesn't play for himself, to bring glory to himself, but to play for his own team. He is more humble than a lot of other players. I found this clip on youtube that absolutely amazed me. His skills as a child are easily spotted in the entire video, but after the match is over and Messi's team begins to celebrate together, Messi notices that a player on the other team (that lost) is on the ground crying. He runs over to the kid on the ground to cheer him up, while his whole team follows Messi. That is a display of the a true great footballist from the start. Not only that but, Messi's history consists of him being casted out by recruiters from other clubs because of his growing hormone problem. This kind of kindness and caring display really sets an example, especially for me, to follow.

I love football.

- Allie R.