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World Cup 2006 Preview: Group G (and H, kind of)
*This post comes from Austinist Special World Cup Correspondent Ben Gardner, Co-Host of KOOP’s SoccerMad, who is in Germany for this year’s Cup.*
World Cup 2006 will be the final stage for one of the greatest players of all time. After a brilliant career, in which he has won everything possible, Frenchman Zinedine Zidane has decided to call it a day. For nearly twenty years Zidane has dominated the center of midfield with his perfect balance and control (highlight package of Zidane). He will captain the French team in their quest for a second world title. Joining them in Group G will be Switzerland, South Korea, and Togo.
Eight years ago, France captured the eyes of the world as they lifted the world cup trophy for the first time. Millions danced and sang through the streets of Paris, as their hero, Zidane was projected onto the Arc de Triumph. Their emphatic 3-0 win over Brazil in the final, and their subsequent European cup victory two years later, put France on top of the soccer world. Since then, things have not been so good. They crashed out of the 2002 World Cup without scoring a single goal, and then struggled through qualifying to get to Germany. 
The current squad will rely heavily on their aging stars and on the brilliance of the great artist, Thierry Henry. Henry is a footballing genius (check it out for yourself). He moves like a Thompson’s gazelle and attacks like a mongoose. With flawless control and outrageous speed, he is the greatest striker on the planet. You will find yourself wishing you never saw him, as he toys with your perceptions of time and space. Then you will wonder which came first, yin or yang? Finally, you will seek the fifty-year storm and ride its waves to salvation.
Switzerland is filled with beautiful mountains, incredible chocolate, and nameless bank accounts. What a place. They are not known for great soccer, but their current team may surprise you. After failing to qualify for the last two world cups, the Swiss went through qualifying, undefeated, to book a place in Germany. Like their country, their team is well organized. They are led by the talented striker, Alexander Frei, who unlike their army, will be a threat to any defense.
South Korea shocked the world when they beat Spain to claim a semifinal spot in World Cup 2002. That may have been largely due to the fanatical support of their home fans, who cheered their team into the history books, as the first Asian team to reach that stage of a world cup. Their current squad struggled through qualification, losing twice to Saudi Arabia, and drawing against minnows, Uzbekistan and the Maldives. However, returning stars such as Park Ji Sung and Lee Young Pyo are on excellent form. Regardless of their results, the Koreans play an entertaining style that is well worth your time.
If you study a globe carefully, you are bound to find such things as the Pacific Ocean and Canada, but you may struggle in your search for the diminutive African nation of Togo. Located just east of world cup participants, Ghana and the Ivory Coast, Togo has never before reached a world cup. They have never even come close. Their remarkable run started off slowly with a 1-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea, but finished strong with a string of victories, most notably a 3-1 win over 2002 World Cup quarterfinalists, Senegal. They are led by their young striker, Emmanuel Adebayor, who finished as the top scorer in African qualifiying, with 11 goals.
Addendum: Group H containing Spain, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and the Ukraine is a sweet group. We have opted to leave this group unpreviewed, so that you may watch this group without bias. It’s a bit like a litmus test, whatever that means.
Enjoy the World Cup!!
*Programming Note: Soccer Mad moves to Mondays on KOOP.*
If you love soccer, or would like to learn more about it, check out Ben Gardner and Chris Gaffney on Soccer Mad, every Monday at 2:30 pm on 91.7 fm KOOP or online.
