World Cup 2006 2006年世界盃

The best places to experience the World Cup were at the local bars and the Fan Park (area for public viewing). In a normal local bar where I watched Germany v. Italy (5 July), the German fans were all very excited at the start, cheering and chanting all the time. But as the match progressed, the fans became more tense as the local team was not making much inroads. Italy’s 2 goals in the last 2 minutes sank everyone’s hearts as the locals sat stunned in disbelief. Many fans were only in a mood to return home early. The next day I watched France v. Portugal at a Portuguese bar. Although Portugal lost, some of its fans were not too bothered and continued chatting and drinking after the game. What a contrast in the fans’ reactions. I watched the final at the Fan Park. No surprise that the Italian fans were the most jubilant after the win, but the poor Germans were disappointed once again because they mostly supported France and hoped that France would deliver the just revenge.

So why did Italy win this year? One of my colleagues theorised that the exit of Silvio Berlusconi (and all that chaos associated with him) in this year’s general election might have brought about a change in fortunes Italy and its football team really needed. The politics of football is just too fascinating to resist, it seems.

Now that the World Cup is over, I have one fewer excuse to slack off and postpone all the things I need to do, including preparing a publication for my PhD supervisor in Australia. He will only be too happy that this World Cup distraction is over. Time to settle down again!

在眾多的酒吧及球迷公園看世界盃，最能感受到球迷的情緒和氣氛。德國對意大利的準決賽那天（7月5日），酒吧內本地球迷起初都很興奮，不斷歡呼打氣，但眼見主隊久攻不下，球迷都越見緊張，臨完場連輸兩球後，更是全場木訥，沒精打采，不少人都馬上歸家。第二日到一家葡萄牙酒吧看法國對葡萄牙，葡萄牙雖落敗，但也不致影響所有球迷的心情，完場後仍有好些球迷聚集談天對飲，跟德國落敗的氣氛很不同。決賽那天到球迷公園觀賽，事後最興奮的當然是意大利球迷，一般德國球迷轉而支持法國隊報準決賽之仇，結果再次失望而回。

意大利捧盃有何秘訣？有同事說今年意大利人在大選中趕走前總理貝盧斯科尼，一洗意大利的污煙瘴氣，帶來新氣象，還為意大利足球隊轉運云云。可見足球和政治，永遠都能扯上關係。

世界盃落幕後，少了一個躲懶的藉口，我在澳洲的博士導師，也恨不得世界盃早日收場，好讓我趕快處理拖了幾個月的研究文獻。是時候收拾心情了。

5 July 2006 - Germany v. Italy at Fürstenegger Bar
7月5日 - 德國對意大利(Fürstenegger酒吧)

6 July 2006 - France v. Protugal at Lisboã Bar
7月6日 - 法國對葡萄牙(里斯本酒吧)

9 July 2006 - France v. Italy (World Cup Final) at Fan Park
7月9日 - 法國對意大利決賽(球迷公園)

The Fan Park - the screen (left) and spectator area (right)
球迷公園的銀幕(左)及觀眾席(右)

The anxious moment (left) and the ruptuous celebrations afterwards (right)
緊張的一刻(左)及之後的亢奮(右)

Listen to the Italian fans in the video clip at the site below!
還有一段意大利球迷慶祝的短片在下列網址：
http://geoffreykong.sinatown.com/Italia2006.html

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