| It seems quite appropriate to write something about | | | | accommodation in London and tickets for the |
| soccer's greatest event, the one now taking place in | | | | quarter-final, semi-final and World Cup final itself. I |
| Germany from June through July, 2006. It is a | | | | was absolutely flabbergasted. You can also image my |
| culmination of four year's work for the 32 teams | | | | happiness when my home country actually won the |
| that have qualified to play in this tournament.We all | | | | trophy in front of its home crowd. What a day!Yet, |
| know the effect soccer - or football - as I prefer to | | | | of all the memories of that sunny Saturday in July |
| call it, has on the lives of so many people. You only | | | | 1966, the soccer oddly became only part of my thrill. |
| have to see the television pictures of people who | | | | Sure, it was wonderful to cheer the team to victory, |
| are lucky enough to be able to attend and even | | | | but my memories still linger to the day itself. Not so |
| luckier, if they have tickets for the games they hope | | | | much the game, more the friendship of everyone in |
| to see. Yes, it is a fact that many of the supporters | | | | the stadium. Folk from different countries all there for |
| visiting Germany this summer will not actually see a | | | | one reason - to see the spectacle of a worldwide |
| game, except on the public screens dotted around | | | | sporting event. The sport in the past has been |
| outside the stadiums in the country. So in that | | | | criticised for encouraging violence from the "hooligan |
| respect I guess those of us who will be watching | | | | element" within society and I am not going to discuss |
| intently on our televisions in the comfort of our own | | | | that here.But this event, now in 2006 in common |
| homes, will be better off. Or will we?Judging by some | | | | with 1966 and all between, encourages friendship. |
| of the pictures coming from the tournament, it | | | | This I have found from my own personal |
| appears that these folk at the venues seem very | | | | experiences, certainly exists. My own lasting memory |
| happy just to be there just to soak up the | | | | of my lucky visit to the soccer World Cup final was |
| tournament atmosphere. I remember as a younger | | | | to be walking down the street outside that London |
| man being lucky enough to attend a World Cup | | | | stadium, with three other people I had never met |
| tournament myself. I will explain if I may.I was 21 | | | | before or since - from Belgium, Holland and Portugal, |
| years old and living in England at the time. I followed | | | | singing at the top of my voice. If you were to ask |
| my local football team with a great deal of pride and | | | | me why we did that, I could in all honesty not |
| attended a couple of the preliminary matches at my | | | | answer, save for happiness and a little euphoria with |
| team's stadium before the "business end" of the | | | | the occasion.It is something I remember with a great |
| tournament got underway.Imagine my joy when I | | | | deal of affection from my early life, totally attributed |
| found for a 21st birthday gift, I was given | | | | in my opinion to the wonderful sport of Soccer. |