Next to golf, my second favorite sport is football or soccer thus the name of my son Bajjio, named after the star player Roberto Baggio of Italian team during the 94 World Cup in USA. Baggio’s canonization as a Saint of football however did not materialize due to injury causing their defeat to the mighty Brazilians bannered by Romario and Bebeto.
I could have named him Jesper, after the Swedish golfer famous for tight pants and colorful shirt and with the bill of his golf cap turned upside but the wife wouldn’t consent. How about Ernie or Jose, both winners of Masters and US Open in 1994? Nah! came the answer with finality thus the name Bajjio.
At the current 2022 World Cup, my teams are longer in contention with the departure of Brazil, Belgium and Germany. Some of the favorites however are following the dictate of the script and playing their hearts out after squeezing into the semis. Argentina, who came down to earth after that wake up call from the Saudis is emerging as the top favorite followed closely by the French after eliminating the Three Dragons of England.
Now ideally, I would love a M&M Finals. Meaning Messi versus Mbappe. Two of the most colorful football names today with contrasting style of play and character. Mbappe the younger one and emerging star on the rise is the heart and soul of France. Messi on the other hand, the elder statesman, needing a World Cup crown for his enshrinement to sainthood and veneration to the football gods, is fast fading and maybe paying his last world cup or even last international.
Mbappe loves to attack using his heavy built and brute force but quick enough to deceived most of his defenders. Messi is small but more precise and clever as a fox that usually evade his much taller and stronger defender and he serves as a good decoy to attract the defense of his opponents.
But here’s the spoiler. Another 2Ms are standing on the path of an ideal World Cup Finals. Morocco and Moldric of Croatia. Luca Moldric is the team captain of Croatia who beats all the pundits by slaying the heavyweight Brazil in the quarters and now emerging also as the Penalty Shootout Kings.
Morocco meanwhile carries on their shoulders the hope and aspirations of the African and Arab world by barging into the semis and destroy the myth of European and Latino football domination. The Moroccans ticket to the Semis dance came at the expense of mighty Spaniards and the demolition of Portugal. They will try to slay another European power ,the French at the Semis while Croatia will try to make the lives of the Argentines “messi”rable.
My dream World Cup of Messi versus Mbappe is now being threatened by another M&M.
Whatever the results of the semis, my prediction still stands. It will be an M&M finals….
