Recently by Anjali Nayar

FRANKFURT, GERMANY: Scarily ridiculous costumes and drunken fans aside, last night's final game of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup left me shaking - literally. 

Between the flashing lights of cameras, and non-stop cheering, drums, and singing, the atmosphere was charged with adrenaline. The intensity of the game shot up in the opening moments, as each team stepped up to sing their national anthem. 
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During every Women's World Cup game over the last three weeks, the stadiums have been painted with German patriotism: leis, bunny ears, capes, face paint, noisemakers and oh, yes - cowboy hats - everything in black, red and gold.

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Today I stepped into the car for my last drive across Germany, to Frankfurt for Sunday's final game - the United States versus Japan. My odometer now reads nearly 2500 kilometres, the footprint of three weeks of World Cupping.

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I couldn't help but laugh when I first saw Expert electronics' new television commercial. I was pulled in at first by the strobe lights, sweat and soccer moves. It was reminiscent of last year's "Write the Future" Nike campaign, and I anticipated "three minutes of awesome."

But in this commercial, when the play paused, it wasn't for cheeky tangential plotlines or social commentary, but rather so that Germany's loveliest - Fatmire Bajramaj, Kim Kulig, Simone Laudehr und Celia Okoyino da Mbabi - could fix their makeup Read more »

If you thought interest in the World Cup would fade in Germany after the hosts bowed out of the tournament, you didn't watch the Brazil vs. USA game.

With over 25,000 people in the stands (yet another sold-out game), there was never a dull moment. The stadium was swathed in American and Brazilian flags and the clapping - slow at first - soon accelerated into a frenetic blur. I haven't heard such intense static since my 1980s ghetto blaster.

Then there was the jeering and whistling at every wasted opportunity, foul ball, dubious call, or of course - whenever Marta got near the play. Read more »

I met Shahenaz Kureshi as she was limping away from the field at the Willy-Kressmann stadium in Berlin. In one hand, she had an ice pack for her injuries, and in the other a ladoo (an Indian sweet) for sustenance. Read more »

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen," everyone pronounced last year during the World Cup in South Africa, as favourites France and Italy both finished bottom of their groups, losing to Mexico, South Africa and Slovakia.

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Every time Nigeria has stepped on the field this tournament, the crowd has whistled in derision. And tonight, when they take on Canada, it will likely be no different.

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Ever awkward, I managed to cross through the tunnel to the field at Wolfsburg stadium yesterday just as the Brazilian team was walking out. I nearly took out a player with my camera equipment on one side and bumped into a coach on the other. Awkward.

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Anjali Nayar talks to her step-sister, Canadian defender Rhian Wilkinson.

Bochum, Germany - So I've know Rhian Wilkinson forever. We played on the streets in suburban Montreal together, played in the orchestra together, and even climbed the ranks of Canadian soccer together (though she was a year younger). 

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