Sorry that Argentina made it through, not sorry that Brazil got knocked out. What we needed in this World Cup was a nasty, ill-tempered, niggly game - and we got that and some (in baseball parlance - as the American commentators liked to point out - the benches cleared multiple times). And who were the antagonists? Naturally, Argentina. If England don't win this World Cup, then I only have one wish. And that is that Argentina does not win it. I don't like them one bit. I don't like their fans. I don't their dirty and cynical way of playing. I don't like their lack of class. I don't like De Paul and Di Maria (easily in consideration for players I would most like to punch). I don't like the pandering adulation of Messi (something the American coverage is particularly guilty of, but I don't think it's alone). I don't like the ugly jail-type tattoos that many of the Argentinian players seem to have. And, if I'm going to be honest, I still don't forgive them for either the Falkland Islands or for getting Beckham sent off in 1998. I was happy that Brazil got knocked out earlier (and a note on this game - I don't think enough credit was given to just how good Croatia were at frustrating both the Brazilian players and their fans, and I think they deserved to win. And let's just say it was some welcome karma for the Brazilians annoying and disrespectful dancing in the previous round). But after the Argentinian game, I was actually a bit disappointed that it wasn't a Brazil-Argentina semi-final, which would have been very, very tasty indeed. Instead, Argentina are probably favorites to make the final (despite having lost to Saudi Arabia, of all teams, earlier in the tournament) and we are going to have endless coverage of Messi's pursuit of the only trophy to elude him so far. Yawn.
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