Recommendations of the Editorial team
At my first World Cup, Germany won the tournament in 1974 after bumpy games, a water fight and a defeat against the GDR. The Dutch were also better and Bernd Hölzenbein dropped in the penalty area. None of that mattered when Franz Beckenbauer lifted the trophy.
Four years later, Udo Jürgens sang: “Buenos días Argentina, it was long, my way to you / But now I wave the sombrero / I am here!” Beckenbauer and Gerd Müller had emigrated to the USA and the defeat against Austria was an insult. This Hans Krankl! I didn’t eat Mozartkugeln for years. The national coach resigned, Udo Jürgens sang: “The man with the cap has to go.”
Perhaps Udo Jürgens should have taken over the team that fought its way through the tournament in Spain in 1982 under Jupp Derwall, led by the grumbling Paul Breitner.
From the emperor cult to a summer fairy tale
Franz Beckenbauer was back at the World Cup in Mexico, now as team boss. He didn’t have a trainer’s license. As emperor and figure of light, he didn’t need it. The second goalkeeper Uli Stein called him “Soupkasper” and had to leave. It was difficult to get to the final, in which Maradona was successful. At that time, breakfast television was invented because the games took place during the German night.
It was the same in the USA in 1994, when the hapless Berti Vogts’ team was eliminated early. In between there was the triumph in Rome in 1990, when some claimed that the united national team would be unbeatable for years to come. It was then about two years. Then there was a summer fairy tale, Beckenbauer in the helicopter, Germans happy.
The XL World Cup is all about soccer, Trump and Curaçao
Now the World Cup is returning to the American continent. There are so many teams taking part in the tournament that the venues are spread across three countries that are not necessarily considered football-loving countries. We know that the Canadians can play ice hockey very well. It is not known whether they have a national football team. Maybe a college team.
In the United States, there are at least four sports that are much more popular than soccer, although the women’s team is one of the best in the world. The Mexicans, on the other hand, are overjoyed, but their teams often act erratically.
That brings us to Donald Trump, who last year was awarded a peace eumel invented by FIFA President Gianni Infantino in a kind of warm-up event. Trump immediately grabbed the award before Infantino’s eulogy was finished. It was clear that Trump wasn’t interested in soccer at all and was wondering why all these Europeans and South Americans were acting so consecrated. It’s not the Super Bowl.
Nevertheless, in addition to Infantino’s official price for the finale of a moderate $10,000, there is also an unofficial offer of two million dollars. We at “Cash for Rares” know that not all offers reflect the actual market value. But you can try it.
Many games take place late in the European night, for example Australia against Türkiye, and it’s already morning. But Germany is lucky. The classic against Curaçao will kick off at 7 p.m. Central European Time in Houston and the preliminary round games against the Ivory Coast in Toronto and Ecuador, either in New York or New Jersey, at 10 p.m. Gianni Infantino did that well!
Traditionally, the rented quarters are assessed as well as the performance of the German team. In 1974 there was a mutiny at the Malente sports school. Today, a camera is usually present when the comrades are sworn in. There’s always a great movie!