Who would have thought this Caribbean gal would have been cheering for Germany in the World Cup final?

Having done a sweepstake at work, at great risk, as games of chance are haram in Islam, I pulled Germany. My only concern at that time was that Ghana was in the same group and my loyalties would be a bit pulled in opposite directions. After all no European team had ever won in the Americas.

Well Germany has made me 350 riyals richer – which of course I’m going to follow the guidance I gave Kwame for his birthday money – Donate, Save, Spend … hmmm… easier to say than do…

Germany also taught me a few lessons:

Football is a team game – though most of us had heard of Balotelli (Italy), Ronaldo (Portugal), Messi (Argentina) and Neymar (Brazil), many of us would have been hard pressed to name a German team player.

Planning is almost everything – there are no overnight successes. When Germany  were knocked out in the group stages of the Euros in 2000, they did a root and branch review and put in place an extensive talent development program. Some of the guys who won last night were between the ages of seven and eleven  in 2000.  Gives you shivers, doesn’t it?

Humble celebrating – it is possible to celebrate your win without rubbing it in the face of your opponents and hosts. So witness their restrained celebrations after thrashing Brazil.

We’re all God’s favourites  –so I was convinced that Brazil or Argentina would win thinking that there would be lots of masses and novenas said and candles lit in those very Catholic of countries.  After all Western European countries are largely Postmodern read Post or even Anti Christian in their outlook. However, when Gotze scored, he looked heavenwards.

So maybe it’s time we all channel our inner German!

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