Celebrations in Zagreb: Croatia beat Brazil and advanced to the semi-finals (Twitter)
1.
First of all, let's start with the obvious, which is not obvious at all: what fun.
Friday night, two quarter-finals, one after the other.
Brazil, Argentina, comebacks in overtime, penalties.
Sitting with the family and watching football.
Meeting with friends and watching social media.
Everything is so festive.
So much is at stake.
A man alone in the living room, stood up alertly.
A light pan atmosphere, combined with psychic tension.
Fates are decided.
Life stories are being written before our eyes.
Historical circles open and close.
Even those who didn't like the final results, understand: it was the best day in the World Cup.
And beyond that: just a good day.
A perfect moment, a heartbreaking moment.
Football (Photo: Reuters)
2.
All the charms and failures of football were revealed in Brazil's victory over Croatia.
On the one hand, the game is mostly boring, uneventful, without goals.
At times, it is hard to understand how this is the most popular game in the world.
How does such a demanding and prestigious position produce such poor performance.
On the other hand, the awakening of the last quarter of an hour, which makes you forget everything.
The tears of happiness and the tears, the volatile, unpredictable game where a fighting Croatian team eliminates all the talent in front of them.
And then the penalties, the cruelest and most perfect decision-making method, whose dramatic quality shows how distorted and unfair it is.
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Neymar equaled Pele (Photo: Reuters)
3.
But if we talk about fun, too bad.
With all due respect to the Croats, it's a shame they went up.
With all the admiration for the idol Modric, it's a shame we were denied Brazil-Argentina in the half.
It's a shame that bunkering (sorry, tactical standing) pays off.
It was nice to see a Brazilian team disintegrate in classic fashion: a display in the eighth, dancing, a perfect advantage goal by Neymar, and then a traditional defensive irresponsibility (who the hell concedes a goal in a surprise passing attack in the 117th minute of the World Cup quarter-final?).
But it's a bad loss.
He illustrates the depressing side of football.
A team that only defends, that goes up a stage again without winning, that advances only thanks to the penalties.
You don't have to make everything romantic.
Sometimes something comes in football, and it's not necessarily the great Modric (Photo: GettyImages, GABRIEL BOUYS)
4.
The evolving trend of football statistics has always been jarring, mainly due to the fact that it has no real meaning.
A team can have the ball 80 percent of the time, make thousands of passes, and lose.
The purpose of some statistics is comparative, to give validity to the quality of players and their historical greatness.
And so, for example, the jarring and unfathomable sentence "Neymar will be equal to Pele" has been repeatedly said in recent days.
Of course, the reference is to the number of goals in the national team's uniform, but can Neymar match Pele?
Who cares about the number of goals in the team?
How is it possible for this sentence to be said from the mouth of a broadcaster?
What should be celebrated and praised for such a lovable but marginal achievement?
And it's great that Messi passed Maradona in number of goals in the World Cup.
But did Messi pass Maradona?
come on.
Every such statistic illustrates the wretched and glorious superficiality of the game, where the only thing that matters is the trophy.
5.
And if we're talking about statistics, when will we be able to get an accurate segmentation of the population's habits when it comes to dozing off while watching the 9:00 p.m. games?
How many of us survive 120 minutes straight, without pecking even once?
How many men over the age of 35 collapse in the extension, and wake up in panic, in embarrassment?
It must be admitted that in these moments, the shouts of Nadav Jacobi and Amichai are a blessing.
Sometimes a fan can afford to let his eyes widen for a minute or two, knowing that if something interesting happens the broadcaster will wake him up.
The problem is the "wolf, wolf" effect that develops, since our broadcasters sometimes tend to argue and raise the volume already when a player crosses the half and a tiny running space opens up for him, and thus they lose credibility.
Where is their responsibility towards the pecking public?
6.
What can be said about the tens of thousands who gathered courage this week, and took advantage of the two-day break from the World Cup to go to the Toto Cup game?
How can one explain their longing for Israeli football, without offending anyone?
Anyway, stay strong and embrace friends.
It is not clear why you are addicted, but it is doubtful if it is football.
If Ronaldo behaved like this?
Messi (Photo: Reuters)
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7.
The energies surrounding Leo Messi at the World Cup in Qatar cannot be ignored.
There is an obsession around him at this tournament, with an international longing for the final picture of him crying with the trophy.
It is a global project, for all game lovers.
Each of his gates is historical, legendary, genius.
In every game he was voted outstanding.
At the end, the opponents also want to take a picture with him.
The Polish player who received a shirt from him was crowned the "big winner of the tournament".
Here and there he also receives concessions from the judges.
Against Holland he had a scandalous hand touch, which did not lead to a yellow.
It is possible that the disturbed attitude towards him is getting a little to his head.
that he feels he is allowed what others are not allowed.
Against Holland he didn't stop talking to the referee.
The climax came at the end of the game, when he cursed an opposing player live, in front of the cameras.
Before that, he approached Louis Van Halen, and also made a "peke peke" gesture towards him.
Why?
What did Van Gaal already say?
And let's say he was a little teased in Argentina, where is the respect for an opposing coach, for an older person?
There's nothing wrong with trash talk, on the contrary, it's fun.
But the feeling is that it was a breakdown after a victory, which illustrates how much pressure there is on Messi in this tournament, how much tension and stress is released from him after such a qualification.
But there is also a fear that with all the energies around him, he is somewhat losing touch with the ground, or trying to be something he is not.
It would be better for everyone if he would only focus on the ball again.
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Lionel Messi
Argentina national team
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