With the gritty Americans bowing out the eight teams that remain represent some of the finest pedigrees in world football. Germany, France, Holland, Argentina, Brazil. Storied histories and global superstars will collide in four epic games over two days. Appropriate then to turn the page from the working class streets of Salvador to the glamour of Rio De Janeiro. And where better to start than the ritzy Hotel Fasano, perched on that glorious golden ribbon of sand they call Ipanema. Welcome to Gisele's table.
Let's not get distracted by supermodels and celebrities, there's a game to be played team.
Coach Rock walks through the formations at the daily team meeting. Guys, I want us to stick to the 4-4-2 that's worked so well for us. We'll start off defensively with four Skols, then I want us to open up the middle with 4 caipirinhas. And up front we'll strike decisively with 2 rum shots. Let's do this!
Christ the Redeemer is going to need to do a lot of redeeming a week from now, after a certain infamous semifinal. But that's in the future, today he's keeping his usual benevolent eye on Rio.
Rio, like her bronzed citizens strutting their stuff along Copacabana, can rightly claim to be the most beautiful in all the world.
The fabled Maracana. One of the greatest venues in all of sports lies silent today, on the eve of a cataclysmic clash between two of Europe's fiercest rivals, the mighty German machine versus the mercurial flair of the French.
If you're going to stand in a giant queue you might as well do it with a view.
Sugarloaf lies far below, rising out of the morning haze. Since no one these days knows what a sugarloaf looks like we'll assume it was a big mound of sugar shaped thus, a throwback from an age when a box had something other than a WOD inside and carb wasn't a four letter word.
The afternoon is too hot for anything other than a dip at Ipanema. It will get even hotter when you see the size of the bikinis around here. Why the straps on the ubiquitous Havaianas are wider.
You don't really appreciate how much football means to Brazil until you take an afternoon stroll along Ipanema. As far as the eye can see footballs are bouncing in the air, a mesmerizing juggling act that stretches along the entire beach.
The entire team is reunited on the eve of the big game for a bit of fine dining overlooking Ipanema's magnificent curves. To clarify, we mean the beach.
Game day dawns like every day does in Rio: spectacularly. There's just enough time for a quick warm up on Copacabana before it's time to kit up and head to the Maracana.
A good excuse for a low angle shot of those butt implants. Apparently it's the most popular plastic surgery in Brazil. Hey, you've got to do whatever it takes to catch Neymar's attention.
The 2015 Women's World Cup is in Canada. Let's see, Copacabana versus suburban Edmonton. That's what the dodgy old men in the FIFA suite call equality.
The Fan Zone is already filling up, and kickoff is still hours away.
All roads lead to the Maracana. Except of course for the one the Brazilian team is on, but more on that later.
Luckily for those not among the jet-setting celebrity crowd all subways do too.
Most of the neutrals have chosen the green and gold of the hosts. Or is that an Australian in disguise?
The French are out in force, hoping a moment or two of brilliance will overcome the precision German passing machine. Failing that, their flag conveniently comes with a built-in white section.
It's not often Gisele's afterparty is only the second hottest ticket in town.
It seems no one has any assets to protect in this team.
This chap looks suspiciously French for a German supporter. There's only one way put this to rest, someone pass me the Freedom Fries!
The crowd roars. The ground shakes. This is the Maracana. This is what it's all about.
The Maginot Line is outflanked for the second time in history, this time by a hard-running Mats Hummels who slips in behind and hammers home the decisive header. Just like last time, the French have no answers and capitulate rather easily.
Thanks to Klinsmann's fine work with the U.S. squad anyone with the Stars and Stripes is firmly in the German corner.
Game one down, but there's still another game to go. There's just enough time between them to rush back to the beach to find a spot to catch the hosts in action against Columbia. With the kick off minutes away, you'll never see a beach in Brazil this empty again.
Gooooooaaaaaaaal! Brazil advances to the semifinals on the back of one of the sweetest free kicks you'll ever see. But the victory comes at a heavy price as Neymar goes down hard. Just how heavy a price won't be truly revealed until that fateful day in Belo Horizonte.
It doubles as a football when empty.
The Girl(s) from Ipanema.
No comments:
Post a Comment