Andrew Muchineripi World Cup
Seventy years after Frenchman Jules Rimet “sold” the idea of a quadrennial football championship to a surprisingly sceptical world, the country of his birth has reached the final for the first time.
Semi-finalists in 1958, 1982 and 1986, Les Bleus finally realised the dream by coming from behind this week to defeat gallant Croatia 2-1 with two goals from fullback Lilian Thuram.
A more unlikely matchwinner it would be hard to imagine – the tall defender of Caribbean origin, who once contemplated becoming a monk, had not scored before in more then 30 national appearances. The prayers of a nation gripped by football fever had been answered by probably the last man coach Aime Jacquet thought would solve a scoring crisis that has dogged him throughout his reign.
Come Sunday at 9pm, it will be hosts France against holders Brazil at the magnificent 80 000-seat Stade de France on the northern outskirts of Paris for a trophy that symbolises world supremacy.
The Boys from Brazil would probably start favourites anywhere else in the world, but dare one discount perennial underachievers France before a crowd where blue, white and red will be the dominant colours?
It is a dream showdown, a pairing worthy of the occasion, a stage with so many wonderful footballing artists. All the ingredients are there for a classic finale to a cup that has often overflowed with joy.
French defensive colossus Marcel Desailly against twice world footballer of the year Ronaldo; Zinedine Zidane against Dunga; Thuram against Roberto Carlos; Bixente Lizarazu against Cafu. Roll on Sunday!
Football is an extremely funny game. The Muchineripi household was certainly not alone in believing that Brazil and Holland would produce an orgy of goals in the semi-finals while France and Croatia would slug it out.
There was a glut of goals in the Brazil-Holland showdown, but they came in the post-match penalty shoot-out after an early second-half strike from Ronaldo was cancelled by the excellent Patrick Kluivert.
When Davor Suker gave Croatia a shock early second-half lead over France, he unleashed a furious comeback that saw Thuram level within one minute and place his winning shot into the corner with expertise Ronaldo would have appreciated. Having established that football and logic are strange bedfellows at the best of times, I can do no more than shift through the evidence provided this week, make my prediction, and prepare to be mocked next week.
France appear to have an advantage between the posts where Fabien Barthez has consistently looked more impressive than Claudio Taffarel, semi-final heroics notwithstanding.
Suker was the only player to beat the bald Barthez (who insists each team- mate kisses his pate before kick-off) from play and his last-minute acrobatics robbed Croatia of a dramatic equaliser.
Taffarel has been the butt of many jokes and at times during France 98 has looked decidedly suspect through ill-judged advances, indecision at crosses, and slow reactions.
However, last Tuesday evening in the Mediterranean port city of Marseille it was the Turkey-bound veteran goalkeeper who became a national hero by saving two penalties in succession.
France also appear to have an advantage at the back with Thuram, Frank Leboeuf (the likely replacement for suspended Laurent Blanc), Desailly and Lizarazu an impressive unit.
They are good on the ground and in the air, show discipline when springing the offside trap, and Thuram and Lizarazu can overlap to effect as Croatia discovered to their horror.
The Achilles heel of Brazil lies in the heart of defence where Aldair and Junior Baiano are far too casual for my liking and were spectators when Kluivert headed his late equaliser.
Perhaps it is just as well that Brazil are suspect in the middle because if they possessed defenders like Thuram and Desailly, the World Cup would be over before it began.
The jury is still out on fullbacks Cafu (returning from suspension in place of former watermelon seller Ze Carlos) and Roberto Carlos. Undoubtedly superb going forward, they have yet to be severely tested as defenders.
Midfield pits stars like French captain Didier Deschamps, Zidane and the muscular Emmanuel Petit against “golden oldie” Dunga, Leonardo, Rivaldo and Cesar Sampaio (the man who reduced Dennis Bergkamp to a spectator).
Let us hope space becomes available for these magicians to do justice to their talents because there is nothing more pleasing than watching France or Brazil in full flow with crisp, accurate passing and intelligent running.
If midfield looks delicately balanced, Brazil hold a distinct advantage up front thanks to Ronaldo, who is having a much more impressive World Cup than some critics are prepared to give him credit for.
Marked (often literally) by some of the hardest men in the business, he has still scored four goals and, equally important, created many others. His pace, power and finishing represent the single biggest threat to Les Bleus.
The two goals against Croatia were a welcome relief for French coach Jacquet, who had seen his team take 114 minutes to put one past Paraguay and failed to achieve even that paltry return in 120 minutes against Italy.
Time for the mandatory prediction then: Brazil to lift the cup a fifth time, possibly in normal time but probably in extra time or after a penalty shootout.
More important, though, is that the great feast ends with a sumptuous meal.