The World Cup receives its own countdown, like the number of days till Christmas, on tabloid front pages.
Even England’s triumph against the Aussies in the Ashes couldn’t stop football being referred to as our national game - even though we always lose. It’s football. Groan.
So this is my personal appeal. Can anyone actually offer a decent explanation of what this sport actually is other than: "two teams of 11 players kicking a ball for 90 minutes"? I mean what’s so beautiful about that? Please, don’t tell me that’s the exciting bit? I feel I must be missing some priceless action as the reactions after some of the matches are bewildering - grown men crying. Don’t you agree?
But never let it be said that football doesn’t stimulate debate. I mean, how much media attention is given to David Beckham’s countless hair changes, or Freddie Ljungberg’s dyed red locks.
Afros, extensions, dyes - the good and ugly hair dos - they have all graced the heads of the most influential men in football history. And many of us have adopted their ‘unique’ styles and been enlightened by the styling of a simple strand of hair.
But don’t get me wrong, I don’t quite mind hearing about the antics of players off the pitch, or admiring SOME footballers on the billboards, but as soon as they start running up the tunnel onto that grassy turf or miming our national anthem, I’m gone.
In the media last week there was uproar at Scotland’s First Minister’s revelation that he’d rather support Trinidad & Tobago in the World Cup, given the high number of Scottish-based players in Caribbean team and Scotland’s absence in the competition.
"There are people who think that, as First Minister, I should be supporting England instead," said Mr. McConnell, "but football is not about politics so I will not be."
Oh what a startling revelation from Scotland’s First Minister and one that doesn’t happily resonate in the eardrums of England’s political elite.
Downing Street was allegedly shocked at the fact that our potential rivals would not be supporting us. But given our geography and history, isn’t that fair enough? Hmm. Perhaps things are getting a little too serious for a game which consists of just two halves?
The selection of Theo Walcott onto the England squad equally stunned the sports press, particularly due to the fact that "our favourite England coach", Sven, had never seen the 17-year old player in the flesh and neither had a Premiership team, because he’d never played in one.
This recent squad announcement prompted a fierce paparazzi circus around him and his girlfriend, the latest addition to the footballer’s wives collective, and it made punters forget that Rooney’s metatarsal injury was the potential nail in the coffin to England’s chances of World Cupdom.
But if we don’t win... any guesses who’ll be blamed? Remember 2000, when they turned on Beckham? It will only end in tears, and it could be Theo Walcott’s.
About this article
This story was produced by Annabel McLeod, 19, from our London newsroom. It was published on the Reach for the Sky website.
