July 8, 2006	Saturday	Jumadi-ul-Sani 11, 1427

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BERLIN, July 7: “Football is a gentleman's game played by thugs while rugby is a thugs’ game played by gentlemen,” — this World Cup has not quite proven that oft cited maxim but at times it has come close.

The worst example was what has become known as the battle of Nuremberg, the second round match between the Netherlands and Portugal which yielded a finals record of 20 cards, 16 yellow and four red.

There was also the skirmish of Berlin when the Argentinians decided that having failed to beat Germany over 120 minutes and a penalty shootout they would kick them off the pitch instead.

Inquiries are ongoing but non-playing substitute Leandro Cufre managed the singular feat of emulating compatriot Claudio Caniggia in 2002 by being red carded without kicking a ball.

Needless to say FIFA president Sepp Blatter was less than pleased that his event should be tarnished by such a show.

“There was really no need,” said the Swiss.

“After 120 minutes football is a drama and then you have to go to penalty kicks and then football becomes a tragedy, but one is the winner and one is the loser.

“What I always said is in football you learn to win, but you also have to learn to lose.”

Portugal may not have reached the final but they presently top the standings of the hall of shame for cards handed out – 21 of the yellow hue and two reds.

Africa have as yet failed to fulfil Pele's prediction they will win the World Cup — and that was meant to be in the 90's — but Ghana look set to finish second in the cards table with 18 yellow and one red.

Their talented striker Asamoah Gyan also looks like finishing top of the individual standings having accrued four yellow cards and one red in just four matches.

He would have been challenged by Croatia's Josip Simunic had English whistleblower Graham Poll had his way with the defender receiving three yellow cards and finally a red one in the group match with Australia.

While laughable it could have turned out to be extremely embarrassing for FIFA had Simunic scored and got the win that would have seen them progress and Australia lose out.

As it was it was embarrassing enough for Blatter as this was the first World Cup where the referee, his two linesmen and the fourth official were linked by microphone — none of the other three intervening to tell Poll about his error.

“An error of this kind should not happen when there are four people in the team,” said a bemused Blatter.

“What is incomprehensible is that no-one intervened. I cannot understand it, it is like a blackout.

Poll, a one-time candidate for the final like his compatriots in the England team destined for an early plane home, took his error with admirable frankness and retired as an international referee.

However while referees did get some things wrong, the players also were at times to blame, several of them play-acting to earn their side that extra edge.

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo comes top of that list and while there is no doubting his talent, his diving as he did in the French penalty area in the semi-final was blatant.

Not that the French were averse to acting, Thierry Henry's claim after the Champions League final that he would never cheat disappeared in one moment of the second round match against Spain as he fell to the ground clutching his face when not even touched by Carles Puyol.

From the resulting freekick Patrick Vieira was on hand to make it 2-1 and change the course of the match and perhaps the tournament.

At least some influential people have noticed.

“Players are simulating and doing whatever they can to make it difficult for the referee,” said Franz Beckenbauer.

“This is something we need to look at after the World Cup.”—AFP