Vamos Espagña!!

20 years ago, the defending champions lost their opening fixture to an unheralded side, but the genius of Diego, once again inspired the Albiçeleste (who can forget that 2nd round match against the Seleçao  where they were effectively outplayed for 89 minutes, but Diego unlocks the Brazilian defence as only he can, fashions a pass to Caniggia who dispatches the ball with aplomb) to the final where De Mannschaft fashioned a win.

So to Ilker, Piqué, Puyol, Busquets, Xabi, Xavi, David Villa, David Silva, Cesc (if you play), Nando et al, please don't despair - just play the beautiful game that so enchanted us in Euro 2008.

Vamos Espagña!!

A bad workman quarrels with his tools

which makes all those players complaining about Jabulani bad workmen. After all, if Leo can run with the ball like it's glued to his feet, I don't see why the rest can't do the same and if Vincent Enyeama can catch the ball like a human Venus fly-trap, I really don't see what the likes of Ilker Casillas, Gianluigi Buffon, David James, Mark Schwarzer etc are on about.

Depsite Jabulani having been made available by Adidas since last December, the English only got round to using it in May whereas the likes of Leo have been using since February - apparently Don Fabio made the decision not to practise with it.