This, Panama's first (football/soccer) World Cup, was quite exciting for them, I'm sure. What will linger in the English memory (and let's be honest, the World Cup section of the English memory is far from full) is that Panama graciously let England score five goals to lead 5-0 at half-time. Coupled with the 6-1 final score it makes England seem vaguely significant. Perhaps its unthinkableness even inspired the unthinkable victory on penalties this evening.
Panama is a small nation and have a valid second excuse in that football is not their most popular sport. That is baseball.
Panama is a small nation and have a valid second excuse in that football is not their most popular sport. That is baseball.
Now if there was a Baseball World Cup . . .
In fact, from 1938 until 2011 (with various gaps) there was a Baseball World Cup. Panama never did manage to win it.
What is, I imagine, really irritating is that England (or rather Britain) did. They won it in 1938 against the United States.
There are few enough ways in which England resembles God, but at least they do in this frustrating way of appearing to have always been involved in everything and somehow doing very well.
No comments:
Post a Comment