A Salute to the World Cup

I love you New Zealand! I am proud of our boys in All White. Nobody rated them. People thought they didn't deserve to be in the World Cup at all. At best we hoped to not humiliate ourselves too badly.
After all New Zealand is a rugby nation... soccer is way down the list in the sporting codes... isn't it??

Not any more, I'd say!

Because today, our underestimated team put us on the World Football Map with a draw against defending champions, Italy, who are ranked fifth in the world (while NZ is ranked 75th or something).

A draw with Italy is like winning! Our boys played with heart, they put themselves out there and have totally surprised the whole world with this result.

Why am I blogging about the Soccer World Cup??

Because with their performance today, the All Whites have given this mama hope.

You see, my eldest son is bound and determined to be a professional football player.
"HA!" I hear you saying, "Him and 13 million other little boys..."

Yes, but something tells me that if anyone can do it, my kid can!
Do I need to remind you that we are talking about the kid who basically spoke his baby brother into existence??

Always always, my Dash has said, "I'm going to England when I grow up and I'm going to play for Newcastle United..." (Grandma! Contain your jubilation!)

When we were in Newcastle last year, he cried big deep sobs at the pain of having to leave; he couldn't wait to return. (Grandma! Stop jumping up and down on the spot in excitement!)

Last week he said, "Mum when I grow up will you come and live in England with me? Because I think i will miss you when I live there..."

I have resigned myself to the fact. My kid will go to live in England.
Something tells me that he really will do it. (Grandma! stop rubbing those hands together gleefully!)

And if asked, "Are you going to play for New Zealand when you grow up, Dash??" his reply would be "No, England; New Zealand are rubbish."

He couldn't see a future in professional football in New Zealand.

And until today, I had to agree.
But now. A draw with Italy at the World Cup??? A chance to actually make it out of the group round??
New Zealand soccer is no longer a joke!

So, thankyou All Whites! Thankyou Ryan Nelson and Shane Smeltz and Rory Fallon and the awesome Mark Paston! The Portugal team may have all the "talent"... but you guys have all the heart.

Now I can happily send my kid off to his daddy's country of England to play for Newcastle United knowing that at least he can return to represent my little country proudly on the world stage.

Photos from NZ Herald Article HERE