Ushering in the football World Cup

All eyes of the football world are now on Brazil, where the 20th FIFA (Federation of International Football Associations) World Cup is going to kick off on June 12. The gala event will run until July 13, 2014. Thirty-two nations are participating in the extravaganza divided into eight groups consisting of four teams each. It is the second time Brazil is hosting the competition. The first one was held in 1950.

For the first time in the history of World Cup football finals, the matches will use goal-line technology (GLT). The electronic device will help determine when the ball has completely crossed the goal line and thus assist the referee in deciding on awarding a goal. It is like the electronic devices used in a cricket match helping umpires decide on declaring a batsman out or not out.

In 1904, the FIFA was formed in Paris, France. Only seven countries-Belgium, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland-were its first founding representative members.

Football fans have started predicting about the next World Cup champions.

Brazil alone has won the football World Cup five times. No other nation has won the cup more than  four times.

Edson Arantes do Nascimento alias Pele of Brazil remains the greatest football player in the world. He played in World Cup four times-in 1958, 1962, 1966 and 1970. He was ranked 4th with 12 World Cup goals. Besides, he is the first footballer to score over 1,000 goals.

It is Pele who helped the US in making football more popular. In 1975 he signed a $3.5 million contract with New York's Cosmos Club and in 1977 the Cosmos became champions in North American Football League (NASL). Pele was behind it.

Brazil's Ronaldo was ranked 1st with 15 World Cup goals.

The Netherlands people are also known as Dutch people. The Dutch are credited with inventing in 1970 'total football'. Total football demands physical strength and a high level of technical power, because each footballer in this system must adapt to the situation. Anyone can be an attacker and anyone a defender in this system.

In the 1974 World Cup, the Dutch playing total football beat both Brazil and Argentina in the second group to reach the final for the first time. Unfortunately, they lost in the final to the then West Germany 0-1.

A Japanese game called Kemari, similar to Chinese kicking game Tsu Chu, was played in the same era. Tsu Chu was developed as early as 2500 BC.

A match between Chinese Tsu Chu and Japanese Kemari was played approximately in 50 AD.  Perhaps it was the first international football match.

Though England is the modern football's birth place, it is not a founding member of FIFA. England joined the World Cup in 1950. In the 1950 World Cup, the USA lost 3-1 to Spain, but stunned the world by beating England 1-0. It is considered one of the greatest upsets in football history.

On the other hand, Rome is the capital of Italy and one of the world's great historic cities. Harpastum, a rugby style-football, was played by Julius Caesar (100 BC-44 BC), the Roman emperor and his generals. It was a physical fitness programme for the Roman army.

The Romans, when they had a growing empire, took Harpastum to the British Isles. History says that Harpastum matches were played between the Romans and the British natives. Later, the English developed football.

Lionel Messi of Argentina is commonly known as the best football player in the world at the moment and he is the captain of his national football team.

Gerd Muller, a German player, is ranked the 2nd highest goal-scorer in World Cup football. He scored 14 World Cup goals. He is the only footballer to score World Cup hat-tricks twice in 1970.

...................................................

The writer is based in the USA

Email: iftuahmed@sbcglobal.net