Football World Cup 2010

I'm a huge football fan.
Football as in that strange sport where your foot kicks a ball... not American football. Not soccer. Foot-Ball. Just so we're clear.

With the 2010 World Cup almost over and my country in the Finals for the first time since 1978 and only the third time ever (we made it to the finals in '74 as well), I figured it was about time to write about my love for this sport.

It's 22 people on a field, 20 of whom run around after a ball, kicking it and often each other, and 2 who stand in front of a huge goal and perform the strangest acrobatics to try and keep this small round ball out of said goal.

It's a reasonably simple game with simple rules. Well ok - the rules are simple when you grow up with them. They're probably ridiculously complicated and silly when you're learning them for the first time.
It's also an entertaining and fun game, one we obsess over and one where the players make absolutely ridiculous amounts of money. No matter what we don't like so much about this amazing sport - the things we do like will always, and yes I do mean always, be more important.

No matter what you think of this wonderful sport or if you even care about it - it's times like now - when we reach the finals - that the whole country becomes uber-enthused about the whole thing.

There are orange flags everywhere, trees are wrapped in orange crepe paper, many people wear orange, there are Dutch flags hanging in windows, cars have orange flags, stickers and accessories...
And best of all - everyone is united.
We are one country with one team and one mission - to win, to enjoy, to stand behind our boys 200%.

And really - whether we win or not - it doesn't matter all that much anymore.
Yes - winning would be amazing.
However just making it this far is also amazing, and while winning would be the icing on the cake - we already have the cake, and it's delicious with or without the icing on it !!!