2 Jul 2012

Football Fever hits a HIGH in Spain!

During the month of June temperatures were slowly increasing throughout Spain, and I don't just mean the ones measured by an atmospheric thermometer (although I'm glad that particular heat wave finally cracked!). There has been a wave of RED spreading across the country... It started out on June 10th with an immediate impact on all segments of the population, including its youngest members:


The intensity increased over the next couple of weeks, invading our supermarkets...


and even taking over the streets at times during the Hogueras:


The climax hit us last night, on July 1st, as we prepared for the possibility of entering the history books...



We were worried, but I knew we had our secret weapon:


Although the original might have died 18 months ago, his spirit continues on in my little Pol!

Well, that and I knew we could count on our amazing captain "San" Iker Casillas! ;o)


The coin was tossed, the match started... beautiful footwork and precise passing... and goal by goal spirits across the nation soared, marked by firecrackers/fireworks of course! 

14' 1 - 0 goooooooooool de SILVA!!!
41' 2 - 0 GOOOOOOOOL de JORDI ALBA!!!
84' 3 - 0 WOW!!! de FERNANDO TORRES!!! (just minutes after he stepped onto the pitch)
88' 4 - 0 LA LECHE!!! MATA la remata!

Arrivederci Italia!!! :o)

our Captain gets his medal
and joyously raises the trophy once more!

All month the TV has been reminding us "No hay dos sin tres" (there aren't two without a third, odd Spanish saying), referring to our team's (including most of these same players) victories 4 (in Vienna) and then 2 (Johannesburg) years ago... and last night we fulfilled the saying! Spain won a third major international title IN A ROW!!! FIRST to do it in history (for football)! No defending European Champion has managed to retain its crown, they've always lost it to another country. And then there's the fact that we're still World Champions for another two years! Oh, and 10 Spanish players got chosen as part of the "dream team", the best 23 players of the tournament! Plus Fernando Torres got the "Golden Boot" (best scorer) and Andrés Iniesta (who scored the championship goal in South Africa 2 years ago) was selected as "Player of the Tournament"! :o)

CAMPEONES! 
CAMPEONES!  
OHÉ OHÉ OHÉÉÉÉÉÉ!!! 

European CHAMPIONS once more!!!

Now, bring on 2014 and Brasil! :o)

Ed 21h50: There's a MAJOR fiesta going on in Madrid right now! It's taken over the TV! :p All the fabulous players on a huge stage in front of a roaring crowd in the Plaza Cibeles, jumping and dancing around with the trophy, famous pop singers up playing for them and the crowd... including David Bisbal singing his song "No Hay Dos Sin Tres" (that saying I referred to above). Wouldn't I LOVE to be there! ;o)



For those unfamiliar with European football, Spain just won the UEFA Euro2012 which took place in Poland and the Ukraine, after having beaten Italy 4-0 in the final! Coincidentally our first match in the tournament was also against Italy (in the round robin portion) and we tied 1-1... MUCH better result this time! :o)

3 comments:

  1. Wow! Double Wow! Congratulations to all of you, and I join you in celebration of this fantastic victory! Yayy!!!

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  2. My boss is Spanish, so he's been in a super good mood today! Maybe I should ask for a raise...

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  3. Thanks guys! Was LOTS of fun! :o)

    And Dive Girl, how did that request for a raise go? ;o)

    ReplyDelete

Hey there! Yes you! The quiet one in the back... I'd love it if you hung out for a bit and shared your thoughts!

I might stop by your place with an answer, but I'm more likely to reply right here so click on "email follow up comments" if you'd like to see what I and others have to say and come continue the conversation! ;o)