Sad day for Brazil, good for football

I don’t know if I am sad for the Brazil defeat or the England’s, or for both. Brazil has always been a team which I supported from young and over the years I have come to cheer the English too.

Coming into the World Cup, I didn’t rate England as a potential World Cup winner – even if they had had a fully fit Wayne Rooney from the start. I just thought that they were overrated and overhyped.

As for Brazil, it was the way they played the beautiful game but I said to myself at the beginning of the World Cup that it would be bad for world football if they were to retain their title.

I was determined to watch both the quarterfinals today as a neutral supporter, wishing that the better team will progress to the semis.

But still, there was a tinge of sadness when England first lost out on penalties to Portugal. Then came the second quarter final involving Brazil and France and even when the French scored first, I thought Brazil will conjure some magic to pull level.

As the time went off, I realized that my heartbeat was beating a little faster and at the end of the play Brazil was truly and fully beaten.

To think about it, I think both the results today were obtained on merit. Portugal did play better than England although their victory was a result of a penalty lottery. And as for France, they were simply magnificent and deserved to win.

As such, I guess, its only fair to be happy as a football fan for two better teams on the day are in the semis now and they can only improve the level of the game and its entertainment.

As for England and Brazil, it is back to the drawing board again and a fresh preparation for the future.

So now, I have my hopes high on Italy to win the trophy. They will play the much-improved Germany in the first semis on Tuesday and the following day, France will play Portugal.

I just hope we get to see some highly entertaining matches in the run up to the finals on July 9.