And the winner is...

SPAIN
I made those flags :D

Since both Zol and Mum were rooting for Spain, I followed suit :) and Spain won...WOOHOO...however, trying to get to a place to watch the game was not easy, especially on College Street, i.e. Little Italy...It was packed with Spanish fans in all the good posts to watch the game and there were lines ups!

It was a nerve-racking game as the score was 0-0 for 90mins with Spain finally scoring within the extra 6mins they got in lost time. There was a big celebration at Yonge and Dundas Square and College Street.

It is a big deal since it is Spain’s first time to win the World Cup, however a much bigger disappoint for the Netherlands as they have managed to make it to the final stage for 3 times now only to lose; 1974 to West Germany and 1978 to Argentina.

However, being able to hold the score for 0-0 that long proves that they were playing good.

FIFA World Cup 2010

June 11, 2010 marked the arrival of an international sport event ‘the FIFA World Cup 2010,’ taking place in South Africa and it last took place 4 years ago i.e.2006 which was an awesome and fun summer, so it got me reminiscing back to so many times and people. I would not have known then that in 4 years I will be in Toronto and have gone through all the experiences that I had which makes me all that much grateful.

During the FIFA 2006, Dubai opened its first time FIFA World cup Fan Park in the trade centre and that is where I, along with my sisters and friends, have worked for the whole month. It was my first summer as a university student and it was a summer where relationships were built and good times were made. The FIFA is a big event back home; when we were young my parents would host nights at our place to watch the game.

Along with looking through the photos, here are some thoughts I was reminiscing with:

-Getting ready to go to work with Razan and Satanay and playing the FIFA world cup song in the car while driving to work

-People : Razan :( I miss her so much. Satanay, Ghaith, Mazen, Riad, Arsineh, Bibo and Natasha.


-The Brazilian community in Dubai and their devotion to the team.

-Mum and dad getting us and all of our friends takeout food :D and then staying to watch the game with Bibo

Isn't she adorable!!

So in the beginning I felt disconnected from the game as no one around me was following the game, but I soon started seeing the jerseys on people, the flags on the cars/ houses and the “watch the FIFA game here” sings in many restaurants/pubs and I thought to myself of course…this is Toronto and this is one of the reasons I love this place, its multiculturalism reminds me of back home, there are people from everywhere, people who care about the outside world! So I got excited and decided that it was time that I let out that enthusiasm that has been suppressed and get out to participate.

Here is the first game I watched. It was the Italy / New Zealand one and luckily it was showing on a Sunday AND it was the Taste of Little Italy Festival (There is a district in Toronto that is called Little Italy, filled with Italian restaurants/business) so it was great going then…. I felt very happy for being around a cheering crowd just like the old days. However, There is an advantage back home as with the time difference the games start in the evening, whereas they start at 10 am here :p

So I was with Italy until they came out. Their game with Slovakia was BAD....Then I was with Germany, until today :( , they lost to Spain 0/1 at the semifinals, however they played some good games. They won 4/1 to England and 4/0 to Australia; they are the first team to score more than 3 goals in the semifinals since 1978 and the first team to score 3+ goals in both the round of 16 and quarter-finals.

I am really excited for Sunday’s final game; I haven’t decided who I am going to be with yet

And, if you want to be in the FIFA world cup mood, then you gotta know the official FIFA song and the official Coca-Cola FIFA song. Shakira has gotten famous for singing them now as she sang the 2006 one as well, but I like this year’s much better, makes me want to get up and dance!! I also like the Coca-Cola song; it is by K’naan, a Somalian born/ Canadian based singer. Do listen to them!! And Enjoy :)

<