I LOVE football (soccer). I follow my local team (Adelaide United) avidly, as well as the Adelaide Sensation (women's team). I've barely slept over the past fortnight, either getting up at crazy hours or retiring at ridiculous hours, and I'm having so much fun. As for Australia's performance - we were happy (read ecstatic) that we made it to the first cut, and then scored the first goals ever in a World Cup series. But after beating Croatia to the final 16 last night, well, we're okay if we don't win any more (although Italy shouldn't feel too relaxed come Monday night). Soccer is the largest participant sport for young people (mixed) in Australia, just behind netball/basketball (primarily women). But as players get older, depending on which state they're in, they generally have to play with the dominant codes (Rugby League/Union in Queensland and New South Wales, Australian Rules Football in South Australia, Victoria and West Australia). Australia's performance in this competition is being seen a real breakthrough for the World Game in this country, as the only football code that is played nationally, and of course internationally, unlike AFL. Which is all kind of weird, considering that the majority of our population comes from (or is descended from) soccer playing nations such as the UK and just about every country in Europe (there were three Australian born footballers in the Croation team against Australia). Oh, this is a bit long - but I am a bit of a tragic, and it's just fantastic to see football getting the coverage it deserves for a change!
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