The Ugly Bits Of The World Cup!

  In South Africa 2010, the ugliest memory was the infamous disharmony and feud within the Les Bleus camp, when the then captain, Manchester United’s left-back; Patrice Evra led perhaps one of the worst football mutinies. The then coach, Raymond Domenech was literally roasted by a section of his players and as expected the team embarrassingly bowed out in the group stages. The coup by the players was so glaring and ugly such that Nicholas Anelka, Samir Nasri and Frank Ribery bore the brunt of a miffed up Federation Francaise de Football (FFF). The lengthy bans that took special interventions for Nasri and Ribery simply told it all. Africans too will forever hate Uruguay’s Luis Suarez, for his hand of hand that denied Ghana’s Black Stars an historic place in the World cup semis! He blocked a goal-bound header with his arm, and it, Ghana’s prospects of a semi-final place were vanquished.

  At Germany 2006, the infamous head butt Italian defender, Marco Materazzi by the French football genius cum captain, Zinedine ‘Zizou’ Zidane will forever remain etched in our football minds. Zidane alleged afterwards that the defender had said some not so kind words to his ears and that is why he took him down with the thunderous headbutt, that had moments earlier came close to netting the winning goal for France, only for Gianluigi ‘Gigi’ Buffon to keep it out with perhaps one of the greatest reflex saves in the history of world cup finals. Materazzi and Zidane dominated the football talk for some time. The subsequent red card to the glorious France No 10, simply took the gas out of Les Bleus and The Azzuris went onto win the Jules Rimet Trophy on spot-kicks. The enduring memory from Germany 06 was the infamous Zizou head butt on Materazzi!

  Fast- forward to Brazil 2014, and perhaps we have already gotten the lasting memoir from the land of football. Uruguay’s football gem, Luiz Suarez dug his teeth into Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini during their penultimate match of Group D at Dunas Arena in Natal. For his cannibalistic habit, the dreaded Uruguay talisman was hit with the heaviest sanction in the word cup history. A staggering fine of Sh9.7 million and a lengthy four-month ban were slapped on the striker. But to those who know this potent striker, his mouth has landed him into trouble in the past. In November 2010, while at Ajax Amsterdam he sunk his teeth into PSV Eindhoven player, Otman Bakkal.  He racially abused Manchester United defender, Patrice Evra on October 20 in a Premier League match. Then in April 2013, Suarez was at it again, when he bit Chelsea defender, Bransilav Ivanovic on the arm. Suarez is never far away from controversy! 

  A local newspaper in Brazil branded him a man-eater after the Chiellini incident, and yes, Suarez has an equally potent mouth that has now given the 2014 World Cup, a major talking point and infamously so. The penalty meted on him by the world football governing body, has elicited a polarized debate from all football minds.