Brazil, you say? They know how to play football over there, don't they? But it's a long way for one so middle aged as I to travel.

So instead, I shall slouch into my leather armchair and view the tournament from this side of the Atlantic. I shall try and watch every game and will definitely make wildly inaccurate predictions too.

I do solemnly vow to give you a real sense of what it's like to not be at the World Cup. This is the blog where all the colour and atmosphere and passion of watching the world's greatest sporting tournament on a wall mounted widescreen really comes to life.

Sunday 6 July 2014

Q-FINAL: France 0-1 Germany

Fools whoever thought France would win this.  Of course it was close, not much between the teams, but to bet against Germany at this stage of the tournament is foolhardy.

Talk in the run up was all about the 1982 World Cup semi-final, where Harald Schumacher scythed through Patrick Battiston. No repeat here of that assault of course, the Germans are way too cool and balanced and confident for that. They did what was needed. An early powerful header and now they head into their fourth straight World Cup semi-final.