5 4 3 2 1………….Gooooooooooooooooooollllllllll

                                        

Just a couple of hrs away from a historic event the most awaited and the most watched show. Things are moving faster than ever. India itself has a 30million population who will be glued to television and enjoy the Football World Cup 2006.

They face Costa Rica in the opening game of the tournament at 1700 BST at the 59,000-capacity Allianz Arena. More than one-and-a-half billion people are expected to watch the opening of the tournament on television. England, who faces Paraguay on Saturday, is among the favourites to win. The winners of this tournament will be crowned after a final on 9th July at Berlin.The first match will be preceded by an opening ceremony at 1520 BST in which more than 150 players who have won the World Cup, including Pele and Diego Maradona, will be on display. Pele, a World Cup winner with Brazil in 1958, 1962 and 1970, will carry the trophy on to the pitch of the futuristic Munich stadium, and he will be accompanied by German supermodel Claudia Schiffer.

World Cup organizers are expecting about one million people to visit Germany for the tournament, with as many as 100,000 of those from England. More than one billion people worldwide watched the last World Cup final in Yokohama, Japan in 2002, where Brazil beat Germany 2-0. The cumulative worldwide television viewing figures for the tournament are expected to top 30 billion.English fans have an official allocation of about 5,300 tickets for the opening game with another 14,000 likely to have bought tickets on the internet. But Frankfurt mayor Petra Rogh expects about 30,000 supporters in all to flood the city, with many hoping to buy tickets off touts or watch on big screens. All police leave has been cancelled across Germany as security forces brace themselves for a massive operation.
Frankfurt’s police chief Achium Thiel insists their hope is for fans to be happy and said that exuberant England supporters singing songs about World War II will not face action from his officers. Rogh added: “We are ready for our British guests. I am certain we will commemorate a great and peaceful party in the best English tradition.”

Five-time winners Brazil – the only team to play in all 17 of the previous World Cups – are the favourites to win again this time round. They will need to emulate their cup-winning side of 1958, who lifted the trophy by beating Sweden – the only time a non-European team has won the competition in Europe.England, captained by David Beckham, are many people’s second favourites and are expected to perform well. But Argentina, Holland, Italy, Spain are among the other fancied teams, while the hosts have an excellent World Cup pedigree and can never be discounted.

Well to this the English fans have one more reason to celebrate; Rooney is fit and will be playing in the opening match against Paraguay. Stevan Gerrard is also fine to open against Paraguay. Ballack has made himself available despite a calf strain picked up in the friendly against Colombia on 2 June – but is expected to be rested.Tim Borowski is likely to replace Ballack in central midfield, with Bastian Schweinsteiger on the left. Costa Rica have doubts over keeper Jose Francisco Porras, midfielder Mauricio Solis and defender Gilberto MartinezBallack’s absence is a blow for Germany, as the midfielder is considered to be their one true world-class star. Despite beginning training on Wednesday, the 29-year-old was forced to end the session early. Germany coach Klinsmann has previously insisted he will not play anyone who is not fit 48 hours before a match. The Germans are likely to play with an attacking 4-4-2 formation as they attempt to avoid the fate of Argentina in 1990 and France in 2002 by losing the opening game to unfancied opponents.

Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski will not be isolated up front as Schweinsteiger and Bernt Schneider will push forward on the flanks. Costa Rica is likely to pack their midfield in a 3-5-2 formation and wait for their chance to counter-attack. They have been boosted by the return to fitness of star striker Paolo Wanchope, who had been struggling with a knee injury.
 
Now about the venue, one of five new stadia built for the World Cup, the 59,000 capacity Allianz Arena cost the most at £190m. The three-tiered ground north of Munich will host the tournament’s first match. It is quite a sight, both inside and out where a spectacular translucent facade, made up of 2,874 panels, is lit up at night in a variety of colours.

I am falling short of words to describe this hyper event; I guess I will be writing more about this in coming days  as we move on with the game. Till the enjoy have a nice time and cheer your team and help people enjoy the game.

                                                
 

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