Canada Wins Bronze in Soccer! Yes, you read that right!

If you have been following my blog, first, I want to thank you for reading it.  As you have probably figured out by now, I am a huge fan of soccer.

I am borderline fanatic.

Since the 1982 World Cup, I have not missed a WC final, going even as far as renting out a hotel room because there was no cable TV at the lake, and I couldn't take my children to the sports bar (1998, France 3 Brazil 0).

I lived in Brazil for close to ten years and I immersed myself in the culture of the love for soccer. People there are so passionate for the game, it is something that is unrivalled anywhere else in the world. My ex husbands uncle is so crazy for his team Fluminense, that if you were invited to go to a match with him and Flu lost, you were permanently banned from ever going to the stadium with him again. You were considered bad luck. The closest thing we in Canada can relate to is our love of hockey.

Hockey is the most popular sport in Canada, but I am sensing a change.

More and more kids (both boys and girls) are playing soccer and our Canadian Women's National Team (CWNT) just won the Bronze medal in the London Olympics. After a heartbreaking loss to the USA in the semi finals, Canada pulled it together in the Bronze medal game and scored the winning goal against France in the 91st minute.

They lost all of their games in the World Cup last year. The women's team have regrouped, changed their coach, turned it around and are now considered a strong team. The captain, Christine Sinclair, is a hero and a national treasure. She is our Ronaldo, our Pele, our Michel Platini!

Soccer Canada is maybe finally getting it. We need more investment and opportunity for our kids to have the dream and opportunity to play for Canada, and for Canada to succeed at an international level in both mens and womens soccer. They have started the movement by bringing in the new coach, John Herdman, for Canada. Now they need to do the same for the men.

I am looking forward to the day where I will see both the men's and women's teams in the World Cup and the Olympics.

Hopefully that day will come sooner, rather than later.......

Pass the Ball

This is a great video that CNN asked the public to send in their footie skills....

COUNTDOWN TO THE CUP!!!!

Apparently the video I posted is no longer available. Two weeks until my month long obsession of soccer begins!!! I have already sussed out the local bars that will open at 5 am and that accept kids. Breakfast, footie and then school. How perfect is that???
Hopefully one day, Canada will be in the World Cup. They got thrashed by Argentina 5-0 this weekend...Not good!

Soccer result Brazil 3 Canada 2

For the first time in history, the Brazilian National team actually BEAT Canada. Until now, the main Brazilian National Team has only been able to tie with Canada.
Canada put up a good game and I believe that Canada will eventually get to the World Cup and be a strong contender...hopefully before I become a senior citizen....

FRANCE BRAZIL 1/4 FINAL WORLD CUP 1986

PROBABLY THE GREATEST FOOTBALL GAME EVER PLAYED...

Football in Brazil...Part One-Introduction

I admit it. I love soccer. Ever since I watched the World Cup in 1982 with my German cousins, I was hooked. I had never seen such passion for a game that basically consists of 22 players running around after a leather sphere, trying to shoot it into a goal the size of a double garage door.
I witnessed Brazil's agonizing defeat at the hands of the French. World Cup quarter finals, 1986, Brazil vs. France. On one side the French, Platini, Fernandez, Tigana and Giresse. Brazil on the opposite side with idols such as Zico, Socrates and Junior. What a game!!!! Both teams playing with such finesse. Tied after 90 minutes of play, it was into overtime. Still no winner. The result had to be played out by penalty kicks. In the end, the French went on to the next round only to be beaten by the Germans in the semi's.
This was the first time I had seen Brazilian fans. They put the Red Mile in Calgary to shame.
But it wasn't until the 1994 World Cup that I really saw the insanity that soccer can cause to any normal person. Watching the final in a Franco Brazilian restaurant, Felix, in Soho New York, full of Brazilians, across the street another restaurant( Cincocento) full of Italians and Argentinians. Brazil vs. Italy. Penalty shoot out. If Brazil got it right, 'my'restaurant went nuts. When Italy scored, the other 'restaurant went nuts. Finally when Roberto "whats-up-with-the mullet-ponytail?" Biaggio kicked the final ball over the goalpost, the Brazilian fans went nuts. Tables in the restaurant suddenly became bongo drums, people were chanting, crying, hugging, kissing. Brazil had won its fourth World Cup after a 24 year drought. The party poured out into the street. It was so nuts that NYPD had to close the intersection of West Broadway and Grand.
Not even an imprompto street party prepared me for the Brazilian soccer fan IN Brazil.