Third place play-off: Germany 3 – 1 Portugal
I’m sure I’m not alone in wondering whether there’s really any need for a third place play-off match at all. Both teams are beaten semi-finalists, physically spent and in mental anguish over what might have been. The penultimate match of the World Cup mini-season often seems like a needlessly masochistic act of deliberate tedium in order to make us appreciate the final.
If FIFA do intend to continue with this tradition, I think it needs a few tweaks. Listeners to the Guardian’s World Cup podcast have been making suggestions, of which I quite liked the idea of a charity gala, with a match featuring a selection of the best players who didn’t make the final. My suggestion would be to copy the Olympic approach to match-based sports… introduce a Gold/Silver/Bronze medal system, so the beaten semi-finalists have something to play for. The finalists already receive medals (for winning or losing) so it wouldn’t be a major adjustment to the current system.
Even with the current system, while many teams do indeed grit their teeth and go through the motions for the sake of FIFA regulations, there is another way. Take pride in your top-four position in world football and take advantage of the opportunity for a stress-free exhibition match. That’s how Germany played this evening, providing an almost-perfect climax to their World Cup run. They played quick attacking football, taking chances and demonstrating (to England especially) that this stodgy Portugal side can easily be beaten with this approach.
Portugal simply continued as before, suggesting that Cristiano Ronaldo (or indeed the entire Portugal camp) has never encountered the concept of PR. Given the perfect opportunity to redeem himself amid a good-natured atmosphere, he dived spectacularly on at least two occasions. In return, the mostly German crowd dutifully jeered every time he touched the ball. It seems young Ronnie is keen to leave Manchester United, but is there really anywhere outside Portugal where he can be sure of avoiding the backlash? Could he really not see the opportunity to build bridges and heal wounds in tonight’s match?
On the other hand, the German team has recognised, and grabbed, the opportunities presented by this whole competition. Few people expected them to get much further than the second round, but they’ve pulled together, made the most of their strengths and given their fans something to be proud of. With the general sense of goodwill that has grown up in Germany over the past few weeks, things are looking rosy for German football.