Memories of a beautiful tournament

My life revolves around 3 elements: my friends, football and music. if any one of these elements was to be mysteriously taken away from me, i would surely perish! Football for me isn't just a game, it's my religion. And like any other soccerholic, i was eagerly anticipating the start of Euro 2008, and wow!, what a fucking awesome tournament it turned out to be!!!(for me at least :p) because the team which i was backing to lift the trophy ended up doing just that!, and fulfilled one of my oh so many wishes! And to add to my joy, my second favourite team, Turkey, ended up in the semis, much to everyones disbelief. Life during those 20 days was hard, waking up early morning for college the following day, after barely sleeping for 2-3 hours. I remember how i used to go into the kitchen at half time and make a light snack at 1am(i love u maggi!! those 2 minute noodles are real life savers!). I was the half dead, dopey looking thing in college the next morning, and all the footie fans would ask me the score of last night's game. And while the lecturers would go blah blah blah in the classroom, I would just sit there and daydream and digest what happened at last night's game. But the memories that the tournament has inscribed in me , made every lack-of-sleep day worthwhile!! for these memories will remain with me forever. I don't even know what the name of the damn song for Euro 08 was, and i wasn't too bothered about it either as i never dreamt that Enrique Iglesias would be able to compose a nice football song.

What really got me cracking was Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes. Each guitar riff would send a charge of excitement rushing through my veins and overall, it was just a fabulous song that everyone could enjoy. "Samba de Janeiro"by Bellini was also played every time a goal was scored. I feel that it is the best football anthem ever!. Such was my obsession for the song, that i put it onto my cell, and whenever Spain scored a goal, i would play it aloud, much to the disappointment of my dad.(my dad, like every typical Goan was rooting for Spain's arch rivals...the Portuguese, and thus wanted Spain to lose every game!)

With every major tournament, come the delightful fans!!(when i say fans, i'm mostly referring to the female ones!! :p.. and wowiee!!,there were plenty!!. The Swedes were pretty boring and didn't play any eye-catching football to grab my interest , but those lovely Swedish lasses really got my attention! The Spanish and Germans entertained on as well as off the pitch, slick passing, and quick counter attacking football mixed with the adorable sight of the senoritas....a treat for every footie fan! Oh, and not forgetting to mention Russia , who were one of the surprise packages of the tournament, delighting us with their soccer as well as their dames! Ah, i could go on and on about the fans......but i shall move on and focus on the football now.

One night which i won't be forgetting in a hurry was when i went to Richard's place to watch the Turkey-Czech Republic game. I was supporting the Turks, while he was backing the Czechs...... Surprisingly all the footie games I've watched at his place have been classics, and the teams that i have backed have always ended up winning . And this one was no different. The Turks were down 2-0 and Richard couldn't stop celebrating, and taunting me. The Turks looked dead and buried, but I had faith in the Turks. The main reason i favor them is because of their attitude towards football. They may not boast of big name star players, but as a unit, they are like warriors on a field, who fight till the end, and if they go down..... they go down swinging! And their fans are the most passionate bunch that i have ever seen. So while Richard kept making all the noise, i just sat there silently, and gave him a wry smile. With 20 minutes left on the clock , the Czechs were favorites to win the game and progress to the quarters. Then came the 75th minute, and Turkey had pulled one back through the brilliant Arda Turan. Richard was starting to worry....I cheered, and kept believing.....then the 85th minute.....EQUALIZER!!.... I went mad with all the excitement, while Richard was pounding the sofa with his fist. Then in the 89th minute......BANG!....the winning goal was slammed in by Turkey's Nihat Kahveci (our birthdays are on the same day!) and the Turks were through to the semis at the expence of the Czechs. And then the roles had reversed as I started the victory chants and taunts, while Richard would try and hide his face!

Then came the big game, the final of Euro 2oo8. Germany vs Spain. All my life i have waited for Spain to lift a major trophy, and this was their best shot at it. "Please lift the trophy" i would keep saying, "So i can finally see you as champions before i die". With major competitions like these coming every 4 years, you can't help but wonder if you'll be alive by the time the next one comes by. I called my pals over to watch the big game, but it started raining heavily 10 minutes before the match and my cable went, and I started freaking out. So i just packed my bag, and hurried over to my best pal, Richard's place. So it was me and David(Richard's younger bro) rooting for Spain. While Richard and another pal Noel were siding the Germans. Well, as I said earlier, I've always enjoyed games at Richard's place, and this one was no different!! Yes, Spain were champions,I was happy, David was happy, and now i said to myself...."I can finally rest in peace!!!"