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A fantastic month of soccer ended today,  Congratulations to Spain, the 2010 FIFA World Cup champions.

I enjoyed the final right where I started on Day 1, the Duke of Duckworth in St. John's.  They cemented their reputation as the place to watch big time soccer over the last month.

It was a scorcher in St. John's for CBC's Soccer Day in Canada.  I have the sunburn to prove it.

The crew and I had a blast working the half-time show.  19-year-old Vince Hearn, in my opinion, stole the show with some of the most impressive soccer ball tricks I've ever seen.  

Well, the end of the World Cup is nearing... but we're going out with a bang.

CBC's Soccer Day in Canada is coming to St. John's today (Saturday, July 10) at King George V Park, on Quidi Vidi Lake.

The Duke was overwhelmed with German fans again yesterday. But for the first time, they had nothing to cheer about.

The offensive machine that had been Germany throughout the World Cup was stifled by a superior Spanish side. They were never really in the game.

The Netherlands guaranteed themselves a spot in the 2010 World Cup finals with a 3-2 over Uruguay today. 

The match will be remembered for some beautiful goals. It was another impressive performance from a Dutch side that hasn't lost in 26 games now.

Boy oh boy, the Germans looked good this morning, didn't they?

Fans in St, John's thought so. Since eliminating England, Germany has taken over as fan favorite in this neck of the woods.

Congratulations Asamoah Gyan.  You're (in)famous.

The stars were aligned. There was no time left on the clock.  A handball in the box resulted in a red card and a penalty kick for Ghana. At that point, it was simple.  Score, you're a national hero. Miss, and be remembered forever, around the world, as the guy who missed that shot.

After two days off, the quarter finals finally start tomorrow. For the remaining teams, the magic number is three.  Win your next three games and you win the World Cup.  

Seeing sides like Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Spain and The Netherlands in the mix shouldn't surprise anyone. But other three, Uruguay, Paraguay and Ghana, have exceeded all expectations.

Ghana in particular is a great story.

Throughout this World Cup, The Duke of Duckworth has been the home for soccer fans in St. John's. There's really no close second.

The best business, however, is done when England is playing.  If you've been to any games, or if you've been following my blog, you know what I'm talking about.

What a difference four years can make.

The date was July 9, 2006. Deadlocked at 1-1 after extra time, Italy beat France 5-3 in the penalty shootout to capture their fourth World Cup title.

Shades of France in 2002.

What started as a fun, optomisitic morning at Christian's Bar ended in silence this morning.

What a morning at the Duke.

For the favourites, England and USA, the way out Group C was simple. Win and you're in.

And win they did, but not without drama.

For the first time in this World Cup, there's a do or die buzz in the air in St. John's.

Sure, you can find the odd fan from other countries... but this is an England town. 

And England has to win today.

I caught up with Guido Del Rizzo for the Italy/New Zealand match this afternoon.

I watched the England/Algeria game with a fan named Denis Parker, lead man of the Denis Parker Band.

Parker moved to St. John's from Fulham in 1971 and he's been watching games here at the Duke for over 20 years.

Good afternoon from the Duke of Duckworth in St. John's.

England/Algeria is just underway.  Great crowd here.  The Duke always has a crowd, but England games are special. 

You can't go very long working on the Newfoundland soccer beat without making the trip to St. Lawrence to learn about the Laurentians.

I made my first journey today, and what a day it was.   

Guido Del Rizzo left Italy for St. John's 45 years ago today.

That's right, June 14 1965. And he's been at home ever since.

Well, so much for trying to change it up.

I had plans to hit Christian's Bar on George Street, but a fire earlier today left the downtown core almost empty. Christian's was locked up.

Shortly before the France/Uruguay game started, Patrick Savard-Walsh walked into the Duke of Duckworth in St. John's decked out in a France jersey.

France fans are a tough find in this town.  Believe me, I've been looking.

Good day from the Duke of Duckworth in downtown St. John's.

I just had a chat with a fellow named Peter Wilkins.  He's been living in St. John's for 12 years, but he comes from Leicestershire, England. 

And he told me with a straight face that England will win the World Cup. It was a tone so convincing that I'm starting to question my very existence on this planet.

The Refugee and Immigrant Advisory Council, or RIAC, are doing their part to get ready for the World Cup.

The RIAC is a non-profit organization that helps immigrants and refugees settle into life in Canada. Stuff like language and job hunting are the council's specialties.

It's been a long two months. 

With some Stanley Cup Playoff games starting as late as 11:30 pm local time, sports fans in St. John's and around the Island have been running on short sleep for a while now. 

I'll just watch the first period, I always say. But I can never step away.  Watching a game, especially when I care about the result, is a full time commitment.

And that's why St. John's is the best city in the country to watch the World Cup this year.