I have never cheered for a German team or athlete in any competition... until now. They are playing some great football. While I still prefer Netherlands or Spain, I think Germany is the team to beat. Klose is only one goal behind (fat) Ronaldo for most goals scored at the world cup.

u r gay or pa r gay?

I find it impossible to cheer central and south american teams. I hate how they play.

Netherlands v Spain in the final would probably be the most entertaining as they are both very attacking but a bit shaky at the back.

Netherlands v Germany could be pretty great too, but I think their styles would allow Germany to run right over the Netherlands. Maybe some historical tie in could be found there, I'm not sure.

Anybody but Uraguay and Paraguay and I'll be happy.

Uraguay should be proud of the way they cheated their way into quarter finals. If this was Rugby there would have been a penalty score allowed AND a red card. How can any game at a world cup level allow blatent and purposeful cheating allow a team to advance. Soccer is broken.

Wrong. I don't like the player, the team, or the result but everything happened within the laws of the game. The player knew if he handled the ball 3 things would happen: 1) Ghana would not score at that moment, 2) He would receive a red card and 1-3 game suspension if his team were to progress, 3) Ghana would receive a penalty kick which almost always results in a goal. He handled the ball, preventing a goal, he received a red card, and Ghana missed their penalty kick sending the game into PK's. Uraguay prevailed.

That is not the way I want my players to approach the game but everything he did was within the laws of the game. Application of laws sometimes results in unjust outcomes. The game is far from broken.

let's go Netherlands!

I thought Argentina were pretty good against Germany; controlled but attacking, with a lot of possession in the German half. Until they got steamrolled.
Germany are looking favourites. Klose is in form at finishing, but Muller has been important for their attack and he is out for the next game. I suspect they'll get through. Despite my part-German ancestry, I would rather someone else won it.

I've been looking for The Fast Show's take-off of the World Cup (which was being held in America at the time). Can't find it sadly. It was a light-hearted poke on the fact that the rest of the world was focussed on the event, while Americans living in the various cities seemed distinctly underwhelmed. And the fact the US pronounces some country names in a distinctly different way to Britain.

The one which stuck in our minds (talking my brother and me here) was Your-ugga-way for Uraguay. So that in fact this world cup has delighted us with the amount of time we've been able to bring it up. Don't worry, we still find lines from Spitting Image funny too (Lancashire, la-la-la-laaaa - a cricket related sketch from the 80's).

Yup, and nothing better than Diego's "Hand of God".
Its all the part of game. Human Game.

What about the Hand of Henri that kept Ireland out this year?

actually, Ireland's lack of quality kept them out. Their inability to do anything with the ball for the other 89 minutes and 58 seconds might have something to do with it. Henry was wrong to do it as was Suarez. He never claimed he didn't use his hand, the ref simply didn't see it.

Well, there's another sporting event final I won't have to care about watching ...

Who won?

Spain 1 Germany 0.

Spain to play Netherlands in the final.

I'm glad we'll have a first time winner.