It is a truth universally acknowledged that good guys finish last.
But in the World Cup soccer final just concluded Sunday in South Africa, the good guys (Spain) came out on top and the bad guys (the Netherlands) lost -- and they lost badly, by playing "the beautiful game" dirty.
The final didn't start out as a morality play. On the field, Spain, favored to win but not heavily so, began to play its usual elegant and patient game of passing and staying in possession of the ball. The Netherlands, with its formidable scorers Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben, could have made it a close match.
But when, in what seemed a team decision, the Dutch turned thuggish and began fouling, and fouling spectacularly, they turned themselves into the villains of the piece and, by default, they cast Spain as the good guys. Spain committed its own fouls, to be sure, but in contrast to the vicious ones of the Dutch -- the most egregious coming early in the game, when Nigel de Jong planted his cleats in the chest of Xabi Alonso -- Spain's fouls looked like rightful self-defense, an impression reinforced the more frequently de Jong's cleated foul was replayed in slow-motion.
Ascension came in the 117th minute of a 120-minute overtime game, til then a non-scoring, nil-nil slugfest, when Andres Iniesta, reputed the epitome of the good guy, received a bouncing ball and, with exquisite poise, found the proper angle from which to fire the notoriously unpredictable Jabulani where the Dutch goalkeeper wasn't. Goalllll!!! In reaction, and as benediction, Iniesta pulled off his jersey to reveal... an homage to a dead teammate. Were my eyes deceiving me, or was that a halo encircling the Spaniard's head?
By contrast, members of the Dutch team, by then the game's meanies, were seen at the final whistle, along with their coach, arguing vehemently with the referees, trying to paint lipstick on a pig of their own making. And some, again including their coach, were seen removing their second-place blue ribbons upon walking off the awards platform -- bad form, very. In plain view, a "We was robbed" attitude -- misplaced -- was taking root.
In the immediate aftermath, the more critical among the Dutch tried to block that reality-defying attitude. Ruud Gullit, former star of the Dutch national team and a talking head in this World Cup, declared that the game for him was "a torture" (he looked it) and flatly stated that "the Dutch can blame no-one but themselves." And now the grand old man of Dutch soccer, Johan Cruyff, who (in a twist) went on to coach F.C. Barcelona where he was credited with inculcating Spain's beautiful style of play, admonishes his native countrymen for their "ugly, vulgar, hardly eye-catching style," concluding it was "anti-football."
For me though, more powerful than the bad form of the Dutch is the final image of the team from Spain -- the good guys and, it can be said, the artists of the tournament -- up on the podium, with goalkeeper Iker Cassilas kissing the Cup and hoisting it above his head, with the rest of the team pumping their fists in joy, a tableau worthy of Leonardo da Vinci in, say, "The Last Supper," or less Biblical, Delacroix' "Liberty Leading the People," or, to keep it Spanish, a masterpiece by Velazquez.
O.K., maybe I'm overdoing it, as only a new devotee of the game might. But, at a time when the anti-hero still generally holds sway -- with Wall Street's unethical types remaining largely unreformed and the media hyping its latest bad boy, the so-called "Barefoot Bandit," to cite two examples -- it is such a pleasure, and such a relief, when the good guy -- a whole team of them -- beats the bad.
If only for a few days, Justice scores!
Carla Seaquist, a playwright, is at work on a play titled "Prodigal" and authored "Who Cares?: The Washington-Sarajevo Talks." Her book, "Manufacturing Hope: Post-9/11 Notes on Politics, Culture, Torture, and the American Character," a collection of op-eds, essays, and dialogues, is now out (www.carlaseaquist.com).
The Dutch were complaining at the end of the game because a blantant corner was denied to them near the end that might have affected the game, and because they lost - if you witnessed Barca losing to Inter in the Champions league (and that's over half the Spanish team) you would have seen that they also don't take defeat very well.
I wouldn't argue that Spain played a better game and a cleaner game than the Dutch in the finals -because I think violence is worse than simulation - but the good vs. evil narrative is ridiculous. If you look at the whole World Cup final, it becomes clear that the Spain is hardly deserving of the FIFA fair play trophy. For Villa's slap of the Honduran player alone, let alone the theatrics. The Asian teams and even the US team would be far more deserving.
there were overly physical tackles and overly dramatic dives throughout this game, mistakes in officiating that both benefitted and cost each side, and missed opportunities at what seemed to have been certain goals for each. the popular notion seems to be that the Spanish are the beautiful artists and that their opponents should be on the field but not do anything that could prevent the Spaniards from possibly creating football magic-- in a Washington Generals vs. Harlem Globetrotters sort of way. i can't believe that a person who has any understanding of competitive athletics, even if they may happen to be new to soccer, would find that a reasonable view for any contest, let alone the final game of the largest and most prestigious sporting event in the world.
Great article.
De Jong's "tackle" (I use that term loosely) on Alonso was like something from Mortal Kombat. He should have been sent off, and Van Bommel was constantly fouling too. The Dutch have got nothing to complain about, which makes their whining about the ref (who I thought did a great job and actually could have sent many of them off).
Spain were worthy winners. I love their pass and move play. They'll be a serious threat again at EURO 2012
And never far out of sight of Seaquist's rapier radar screen is Wall Street. Even though article is a celebration of sportive grace and superb athletism, Seaquist manages to insert an aptly placed dagger thrust at those overpaid bad guys we love to hate.......Goldman Sachs and the other TARP bandits.
Viva Carla ! You're our girl...ooops! ...I mean our woman !
Sam Oglesby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEcpxzPSJfg&feature=related
The rest played Italian calcio. Even Brasil did. Shame for Dunga...
9 PLAYER BEHIND THE BALL. That's calcio.
It's sad team with Van Bommel and De Jong got to play the final.
This is a defeat for all calcistas (Bilardo, Maradona, Mourinho, Capello, Van Marwijk, etc...)
It's a victory for Football lovers (Guardiola, Del Bosque, Low, Menotti, etc...)
One was for time-wasting. Another was given when Iniesta tore off his shirt after the goal. Another was for what re-plays showed was a completely unintentional handball (which did nothing at all to advance the game) by a player who didn't realize the ball was flying towards his arm.
But the article makes an important point. By the time Puyol obviously fouled Robben, I was past caring. The game had been so filthy, I couldn't believe the Dutch weren't down to 9 men at half-time. I realize the officials were trying to keep the game going, but my only complaint about the officiating was that it wasn't strict enough - not that it was over-strict, as the Dutch players and fans are now claiming to whoever will listen.