The World’s Viewing Party
A few kilometres away from where I am typing this people are already starting to gather for today’s semifinal between Italy and Germany even though kickoff doesn’t start for another six hours. By some estimates, close to one million people will watch the game together at the Fan Fest in Berlin. One million people.
If ever you need to be reminded of the enormity of the world and the small role you play in the grand scheme of things, try standing in a crowd of one million strangers.
Even when you don’t have the opportunity to watch the World Cup in such a crowd, you are still part of a special global event. Tonight’s game will be watched by hundreds of millions, if not more than a billion worldwide.
For 90 minutes today, people with no common language, no common history and no knowledge of one another will all be doing the same thing, whether they are gathering around a small black and white television in their village, sitting in a living room watching on high definition or in a pub.
It is not often in life that you can say that at any one time you can say with certainty that you know what one billion of our planet’s inhabitants are doing.
If you get a chance during the game, say during a corner kick, take a moment to think about the number of people at that moment whose eyes are on Lucas Podolski or who now know the name Luca Toni. Think about the number of languages that are being used to describe the action and the number of hearts that are beating as fast as yours when a dramatic play occurs.
By its very nature, football is a divisive creation. It plays people on one side or the other, often bringing out the worst in humanity.
Yet, it is also our world’s lingua franca. It is our historical reference when something special happens. People may not remember where they were on their birthday five years ago, but they will always remember where they were when Maradona scored the Hand of God or the first time they saw Pele play.
Hopefully there will be some more magic tonight and 20 years from niw when you run into a stranger from a foreign land you can both talk about that special moment in the 2006 World Cup semifinal between Italy and Germany. I know I will be tuning in to find out. I know you will too.
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Comments
By Ronaldo | July 4th, 2006 at 3:48 pm 
The Germans are in trouble tonight, they just don’t know it yet.
To the German fans, I acknowledge that your team has played wonderful games; some of the games I’ll be going back to watch in the future from this championship have your team in them.
But I’m pretty sure we’re looking at a shutout to Germany with 4 goals to Italy.
Look for it: Italy pulling the Germans all the way down to the 18 yard line, then taking the ball and 2 passes later Toni has it.
Gattuso for man of the tournament!
By Bobbio | July 4th, 2006 at 4:31 pm Four goals? That’s a bit optimistic! Someone’d think you haven’t been watching the tournament so far! If Italy indeed wins it will be by one goal, or at the very most, two.
Posted from 
Netherlands
By ETucker | July 4th, 2006 at 4:32 pm I predict another 1-1 borefest (both teams will play cautious and nervous) that culminates in a German victory via penalties, the reslt of A) Lehman heroics, and B) Italians caving int to the pressure.
Posted from 
Dominican Republic
By Turkish Pride | July 4th, 2006 at 5:12 pm I hope Italy wins over the racist Germans!
C’mon Italy all the way!
Posted from 
United States
By justus orori | July 4th, 2006 at 5:22 pm What makes you thinks Italians arenot racists? Let us enjoy the beautiful game and leave the rest of the stuff alone.
Posted from United States
By Michael | July 4th, 2006 at 5:35 pm Yes, we’re all racists and Nazis here in Germany. In fact we’re only pretending to be good hosts and being friendly to everyone. See, we even managed to convince our old “Arch-Nemesis” England that we are fun-loving people and not out to become the dominant “race” in Europe once again (check the BBC forums for comments, e.g. English fans consider this World Cup to have a perfect atomsphere and the most frienly host ever) which is of course what this World Cup is all about - World Domination and spreading Nazi ideology.
While everyone is concentrating on the World Cup we’re slowly building up a massive Invasion Force (did you really believe we’re sending the biggest European contigent of soldier to supervise the Congo elections? pfft 
), using a EU disguise, and will use it to invade Turkey, Austria and whatever backward country didn’t qualify for this years World Cup.
We’re lucky though most people didn’t find out about this plot yet though - that is after Podolski waved his hand and some of you saw it for what it really was: A Hitler salute with the wrong hand. You’re absolutely right! Poland-born Germans would never, ever celebrate winning a football match. All they do is pretending to be happy while plotting world-domination instead ^^
/Irony & Sarcasm Mode OFF
You Sir (Turkish Pride) seem to be one of the most ignorant idiots ever to grace these Forums, so have a nice day and please continue to entertain us with these most silly theories
Posted from 
Germany
By James | July 4th, 2006 at 5:41 pm I hope it’s a good clean game, those italians can be quite dirty and tricky in the tackles. ZeGermans ‘might’ come unstuck because of it, like the Aussies did. I hope it doesn’t happen and in a cracking game of end to end footbal it’s 2-1 to Germany.
(and Portugal beat them in the final!)
Posted from 
United Kingdom
By James | July 4th, 2006 at 5:45 pm The Germans are a bit like the English and Americans anyway. We all want to rule the world, drink beer and eat sausages!
Posted from United Kingdom
By Ade Lamidi | July 4th, 2006 at 6:04 pm This should be an interesting game to watch. I reckon this one might go to penalties. And with penalties its a lottery.
Posted from United Kingdom
By Bye Bye | July 4th, 2006 at 6:10 pm Bye Bye Germany! You look s h i t when you play anyway.
Italy should be able to send you to drink beer the only thing that you know to do bunch of Alcoholics.
Posted from United States
By spooky | July 4th, 2006 at 6:23 pm bann them please
Posted from United States
By Suzie Q | July 4th, 2006 at 6:32 pm @ Michael from Germany. ich lach mich kaputt. ob die anderen das natuerlich kapieren, ist zweifelhaft. Die meisten, die hier bloggen koennen wahrscheinlich nicht mal ihren eigenen namen schreibe.
Alles Gute, und heute drei Tore fuer Torsten…
Posted from United States
By Suzie Q | July 4th, 2006 at 6:34 pm Lol, James… You got 3 out of my five.. I also want to smoke and drive around in a convertible in the california sun with good music… by Mark Knopfler, Pink Floyd and RS… England surely rocks.
Posted from United States
By Michael | July 4th, 2006 at 6:43 pm Naa, don’t ban them (or just him?), unintentional self-mockery is so much fun 
Posted from Germany
By Nicolas | July 4th, 2006 at 6:57 pm Could one blog please just go un-vandalised by bigots
AND FOR THE RECORD: (not that I really care)
- Nazi’s???? Germany AND Italy were allies in WWII…BOTH countries committed war crimes and engaged in the holocaust….idiots….plus it was like 60yrs ago so I think we can spare all Germans and Italians under 60yrs from such titles….assuming you want to blame the rest for the acts of an unelected totalitarian dictator???
And “Turkish Pride”…as much as I love Turkey, its actions against the Arminians and Kurds were much more recent than Nazi Germany..So how’s about we stop blaming each other for acts committed by others before their birth.
allez les bleus!!
PEace.
Posted from 
Australia
By Suzie Q | July 4th, 2006 at 7:11 pm Very nicely written, Nicolas. Thank you.
Posted from United States
By Suzie Q | July 4th, 2006 at 7:52 pm Bye, Bye: Are you Argentina’s mascot?
Posted from United States
By April | July 4th, 2006 at 8:17 pm @Bye, bye:
“drink beer the only thing that you know to do bunch of Alcoholics.”
this didn’t really make much sense but good try anyway (gold star for you!!)
Anyway’s next to Australia, Sweden and Japan, German’s have the highest standard of living of any of the nations at the cup finals…..my point is clearly they know how to do more than “bunch of Alcoholics”.
(well done again)
Posted from Australia
By armando | July 4th, 2006 at 9:17 pm i think the parties are the most important part of the world cup, the real meaning of this whole thing is letting people from all the world meet and have fun together.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwGBSSgr4XA
Posted from 
Israel
By Ron Passaro | July 8th, 2006 at 11:40 pm I am an American of Italian descent and I LOVE GERMANY
been there many times and no other nation in Europe is greater to visit. leave Politics out of the World Cup
and dont be to envious of the great country called Germany
Ales Gute fuer 3rd Place Great Job in Stutgart you deserve it.
Posted from United States
By Vezaip Lec | July 10th, 2006 at 5:47 am i loved watchin all games here in the u.s.a. i wanted Germany to win the Final game but the most Enjoyable game to me was when France beat Brazil. And I know 2010 Germany will Win the WOrld Cup ! ….
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