fun
Ruud Gullit
So far, so very good. I have been impressed with this World Cup to date. These are early days and not all the teams have played yet, but I like the positive attitude so many are showing.
There have been a few draws, but lots of goals too, and I think it is already fair to say that teams are looking more adventurous than we have become used to at this stage in the competition.
This is true of the smaller nations, and in particular the joy that Cameroon and Morocco have already brought to their play. We’ve seen the unexpected: football with fun.
There is so much pressure on teams to play inspired, beautiful football. That is why I was so taken by Cameroon, who still have the freedom to express themselves.
Yet Austria found out they are seriously hard to break down nowadays. Cameroon, though, retain that typically African element in their game, that desire to play to the gallery, to do something just for the joy of it.
You need to watch a team like Cameroon to be reminded that football is great fun to play and fun to watch. In Europe you aren’t allowed to indulge in that part of the game. Fun doesn’t earn points or bring home any championships.
European coaches all more or less forbid fun to the extent that players no longer even think about it. They are asked to play no-risk, no-frills football, and that is what they learn.
But frills are part of the great attraction – the fact that it can be open and entertaining is what makes football a joy to watch.
I know jobs are at stake and people want to see winning teams, but we should be careful of taking self-expression out of the game. Otherwise it just becomes routine.
It is a good thing, surely, that world cups remind us that the game is seen differently throughout the world. The emerging nations are also learning. Nowadays, all the teams can defend competently and, from that platform, they are prepared to show just what they can do.
Cameroon are not alone. Morocco displayed great skill as they surprised Norway on the opening night, and Chile showed great flair against Italy. Paraguay continued the theme with their display against Bulgaria.
Yet the burden to entertain, always, is a heavy one for even the greatest of sides. Brazil came in for some criticism after their opener.
But try being in Brazil’s shoes. You are the universal favourites, the cup holders, and everyone is looking at you to perform the nearest thing to magic on a football pitch. To fulfil all that expectation is not easy.
Especially when your opponents are Scotland, well-known for their determination and their fighting qualities.
I thought Scotland played very well in the opening game – they lost because Brazil happened to play better. I don’t imagine that many Scots will have a problem with that.
But were Brazil supporters happy that their team had come through a potentially difficult fixture with maximum points? No, they thought that it wasn’t impressive enough. And Ronaldo didn’t score.
I think they did well enough. Now that Brazil have established this foundation, they, and Ronaldo, have nothing at all to worry about.
I would have been very happy with that as my first World Cup game. When Holland won the European Championships 10 years ago, we lost our first match. Brazil will be looking to get into their rhythm for this tournament, and they have started in just the right way.
Remember, too, that Italy didn’t win, Norway didn’t win, and even Cameroon didn’t win, but they played beautifully against Austria. Better lucky than good, I always say, and I know those first three points in the bag are a weight off any team’s mind. Even Brazil. Perhaps especially Brazil.
I would like to congratulate the referees. They are doing the right thing and staying in the background.
The players deserve credit too, for defending sensibly and not making the referees reach for their cards.
After all the talk of multiple dismissals, it is a relief to know that referees are not trying to impose themselves on this World Cup in the way that has sometimes happened in the past.
I can remember several world cups which didn’t start as promisingly as this one. I certainly don’t think France 98 is going to be boring.