The bitter-sweet chalice of the World Cup

The first World Cup I have vivid memories of is the 1982 edition in Spain when I was 10 years old. It was the first time I realised and felt the passion of football, watching Kevin Keegan's vain attempts to put a goal past the Spanish goalkeeper to qualify to the second round when Spain were already out. England's sad elimination was too much for my father to stomach, literally, and at home we did not have curried rice for over five years.

I also remember Schumacher's (German goalkeeper) karate strike on French defender Battiston, who was taken out of the pitch unconscious on a stretcher. Schumacher was not shown the red card and France was not awarded a penalty. Germany advanced to the final to be beaten by Italy, spurred by their Italian President-first supporter Sandro Pertini.

The rest is history, as they say, but Maradona's 'hand of God' in Mexico 1986 still haunts me to this day. As they say in Maltese, God does not pay every Saturday and Maradona's life is a mess.

I envy my uncle who emigrated to England in the early 1960's and was present in Wembley Stadium when England beat Germany in the World Cup Final in 1966. Maybe 40 years and much suffering later the cup could return to England.

From these few lines you have realised which foreign team I support in the absence of Malta playing.

A few days before the start of the World Cup in Germany I spoke to Antoine Busuttil, the editor of maltafootball.com, part of the MaltedMedia OnLine Network, on the influence of technology in today's football game.

Mobile calls of high-ranking officials intercepted by police, football matches on mobiles, slow-motion replays on the pitch, footballs with sensors that indicate whether it's a goal or not. Is football becoming too technology-driven?
The use of technology could definitely help referees a lot in taking better decisions whenever they are not hundred per cent sure. Something which has already been adopted by other sports. This is mainly the result of sports becoming more of a business rather than a game. However the fact that football could be getting too technology-driven means that it could no longer be considered as just being just a sport.


The first World Cup we experienced through internet in Malta was in 1998. Does Internet affect in any way the Maltese fans' experience of football and the World Cup?
Internet is helping Maltese fans by getting any kind of information related to football and the World Cup, in particular, at the click of a button. The internet also provides message boards and forums where they could express themselves about the latest news and rumours and have their say on the tactics adopted by coaches.

A forecast of this year's World Cup? Who will win?
Brasil start as firm favourites considering the several world class players in their squad. Italy would have been another hot favourite but the scandals and allegations which hit the Italian game will definitely leave their mark on the performance of the Italian team.