Posted by Ignacio Estefanell 

I can't believe the World Cup has gone by so fast.  For the past month it has been my privilege to share my experiences on this blog.  I only hope that you've enjoyed the journey. Here are a few of my favorite memories:

The first comes from Café Caco. It was inside this haven of soccer that my request for a photo got turned down, not once but twice on the same day. In both cases the fans had called in sick and didn't want to risk their employers discovering their true whereabouts as they watched Portugal take on Brazil.

One of my favorite moments happened at the Community Cup. During the tournament's opening ceremonies, the main tent was packed but it took a few minutes for the guest speakers to catch on to the fact that the cheers and applause were not for them but for the match being shown on the big screen behind them.

In the building where I work, staff have been assigned a random country and encouraged to cheer on their adopted team whenever they play. Email greetings in German have been followed up with Nigerian songs, invitations to English tea and samplings of Ghanaian goat stew and Mexican taquitos.  All of this will cumulate in one large potluck featuring dishes from each of the 32 nations involved in the tournament. 

Even if Canada does not qualify for the next World Cup Ottawa should do what countless cities around the world have done and set-up a pavilion for fans to gather, not in the hundreds, but in the thousands. I've seen how the World Cup has affected many of us; my only regret is that our experiences have been separate. We're already celebrating our differences; the least we can do is celebrate them together.

Posted by Alex Hughes

Not all of the entertainment in the 2010 World Cup has come from the action on the pitch.  Soccer fans are a hard-core legion unto themselves.

Over the course of the past few weeks I've learned that all true soccer fans are required to wear a team jersey, or at least a jersey that's the same colour as the team they're cheering for.  My favourite jersey of the 2010 World Cup?  Kaka by a mile.

Be they draped over shoulders, painted on faces or held out of windows of honking cars driving up and down Elgin Street, Queen Elizabeth/Colonel By, Preston Street or one of Ottawa's other fan stomping grounds - flags are another sign of a true World Cup fan.  My favourite flag waving moment was a guy in an orange shirt with the flag of the Netherlands running down Bank Street by himself yelling "Woooooo!!!!!!" to an otherwise oblivious café crowd in the Glebe.  Hats off to you!  

But what makes fan-watching a little bit more fun are the extras that people add to really prove their loyalty and support to their team.  From knowing all the words and hand motions to a national soccer chant,  or bringing a pair of wooden clogs (or clog-like slippers) to watch a game, to the Mexican fans' elaborate costumes or the Ghanaian fans' energy - the spirit of fans adds an undeniable extra element to the experience.

But probably the best part about watching the beautiful game is getting together with friends, and making new ones, while sharing the highs and lows of the match.  I have met people from all around the world while watching these games, people who have chosen to make Ottawa their home.  From the small in number, but large in spirit Uruguay supporters, proudly wearing their colours in the midst of a sea of Holland orange; to a random conversation I started up with a man named  Jimmy who played soccer for Tunisia during the 1978 World Cup and now runs a soccer academy here in Ottawa; my World Cup journey has been as much about the fans as it has been about the games.  It has been a lot of fun - and the best is yet to come!
 

Posted by Ignacio Estefanell

It was hard being a fan of Argentina this weekend. In less than three minutes Germany had won the match. It was a devastating end to a dream that had been building for four years. A dream that had itself started out of defeat and now must, once again, start anew.

I expected to find more of this sour beat as I turned to newspapers in Buenos Aires; what I found instead was inspirational. Nearly every article congratulated the Germans for being the better team and applauded their use of tactics. But rather than see the loss as a humiliation, the newspapers argued that it should be viewed as a learning opportunity. So long as lessons are learned then there is nothing to be ashamed about.

Fans across the world would seem to agree. In Brazil, a crowd of hundreds greeted the national team as it arrived. Goal Keeper Júlio César was overwhelmed by the reactions, breaking down in tears as he tried to thank the people for their support.

In a wonderful display of camaraderie the Paraguayan team defended teammate Oscar Cardozo, who missed a crucial penalty kick, stating that he has suffered enough and does not deserve any blame or criticism. They urged their fans to celebrate the team's quarter-final appearance- the best in the nation's history.

Ghana, like Paraguay, missed a crucial penalty kick that would have seen them advance, but they too have chosen to rejoice. They visited Nelson Mandela and have been warmly celebrated across Africa.

And what about Argentina? Well, thousands of fans greeted them upon their return, welcoming them back with flags and even a few vuvuzelas.

Even in defeat, there is much to be proud of.

Posted by Ignacio Estefanell

In the 2006 World Cup, I was convinced that the best team was Argentina. But they didn't win. In their quarter-final match against Germany, the Albiceleste were controlling the game, but with 20 minutes to go the team changed tactics. Their coach began substituting off their best players as they gambled on their ability to hold off the Germans and defend their one goal lead. They failed.

Spurred on by a packed stadium in Berlin, the Germans pressed for an equalizer and were rewarded in the dying minutes. With their creative players no longer on the pitch, the Argentines struggled to restart their offense and the match was ultimately settled, in the Germans' favor, on penalties.

Statistics show that Spain is the best team in this year's World Cup, but like Argentina in 2006 they might not win. Why? Because now that we are in the knockout stages of the tournament, where one loss is all it takes to be eliminated, luck and good fortune matter just as much as a team's ability.  

Players will have bad games, or possibly even get injured or suspended. Referees will interpret fouls in different ways. Some may even be called upon to make controversial decisions that will affect the outcome of the match.

Now that we have our final eight teams I'm excited, but I'm not convinced that the best team will win. The unpredictability is what makes the World Cup interesting. It's also what keeps me watching, otherwise FIFA may as well just hand the trophy over to Spain.

Posted by Alex Hughes

I was sitting around at a sports pub with my soccer team, enjoying a beverage and some food after the game, when the Mexico vs. Argentina match came on.  I was cheering for the underdog Mexicans because I thought they needed all the help they could get.  Argentina was awarded their first goal on what was clearly an offside play and I was reminded of several conversations I've had about why soccer is not as popular in Canada and the US as it is in other countries.  In my opinion, the Mexico-Argentina game was a good illustration of why.

I'm a hockey fan.  I'm used to seeing instant replays of goals from every angle imaginable.  Getting a second opinion on the validity of a goal comes as a group effort, not just from the officials, but sometimes from video review.  The intent is to get the call that best reflects what actually happened and to judge that accordingly against the rules.  Still, mistakes are made and bad calls happen.  But where goals are concerned, the league is using technology to make the game more fair for the teams, and ultimately more enjoyable for me as a viewer.

Maybe the lack of certainty, the whims of the refs and the follies of fate are part of what makes soccer an attractive sport for some.  From my vantage point, the game might be beautiful, but it is definitely hard to take seriously when the replays are on display for everyone but the referees.