Samba Soccer: Mexican newspaper Razon the bar

After the Irish Times, of course, Mexico's La Razon is proving to be our favourite World Cup newspaper, simply because of its very lovely front pages.

After the national team beat Cameroon in their opening game, they used just one image, a cartoon of goalscorer Oribe Peralta, and just one word, “Hermoso” (beautiful).

After the scoreless draw with Brazil? Just one image, a cartoon of Guillermo Ochoa, and just one word, “Portero” (Goalkeeper). Lovely.

Belgium’s Het Nieuwsblad was a bit pithy too, choosing simply ‘OEF!’. Apparently it means ‘narrow escape’, and not ‘OOOOOOOF’, as we first assumed.

Keeping it in the family

So, have you tried of spot of #persieing yourself?

That’s the Twitter hashtag used by folk posting photos of themselves as they attempt to re-enact Robin van Persie’s landing after his rather useful header against Spain, and Dutch paper Omroep Brabant shared with the world an image of another chap giving #persieing a bash.

And who is he?

Van Persie's 93-year-old grandfather, Wim Ras.

Top man, good effort too.

Angry World Cup Fans

“I suffered a lot - I listened to the first half in the car. There was so much traffic, the car just wasn’t moving. It was the second time I heard a Brazil World Cup match on the radio ... in 1950 and today.”

A Brazilian supporter after missing half his country’s game against Mexico after getting stuck in a traffic jam.

Who is he?

Pele.

World Cup Wikipedia Edit of the Week

Immediately after his clean sheet against Brazil: "Francisco Guillermo Ochoa Magana (born 13 July 1985) is a Mexican goalkeeper and wall who is currently a free agent and a player for the Mexican national team. He is the Mexican Jesus."

No ‘saves like Jesus’ jokes, please.

Commentator Watch

While Eamon Dunphy might have been busy apologising for any offence he caused with his F bomb on RTE on Tuesday night, an Asian nation would probably quite like a sorry from the BBC's Guy Mowbray too.

“Well, the South Koreans are nothing if not a bit weird!”

Um.

Hoax of the Week

That’d be the oft repeated claim that Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa has, well, six fingers on his right hand. Photographic ‘proof’ was tweeted by World Cup Posts while Ochoa was doing his miraculous thing against Brazil, and ended up being re-tweeted almost 3,000 times, while generating a rather heated debate.

“Explains his really good reach when making saves,” replied one Tweeter, while another, as several have done before, claimed it was the cause of a move to Fulham being blocked by the English FA four years ago.

It is, then, always best to read Yahoo’s Dirty Tackle blog, before, maybe, setting out to write 1,500 words on this phenomena: it’s all a yarn, made up by a Fulham fan in 2010.

So, there must be some other reason for his really good reach when making saves.

Twitter Tantrums

“I’d love to see some of the arse holes on here try to compete at the highest level of professional sport. #FatPuddings.” -

Michael Owen addressing people being a touch critical of World Cup participants.

Trap Talk

“The Coach of the Italian national team is like a condemned man who doesn’t know the date of his own execution.”

And Giovanni Trapattoni has been there, so he should know.

Barred!

An Argentinian fan stopped from entering the Maracana to watch his country play Bosnia-Herzegovina: “I was not allowed to go in to the game so I had to return to the hotel to see the second half. I did everything I could but they would not let us in. Someone just said no, it could not happen, so I had to watch it on TV. Hopefully we will get this resolved because I want to go and see Argentina in several more games.”

His name?

Diego Maradona.

Fifa, though, denied he was barred because he’s been hyper critical of football’s governing body: “We are not aware that he was not allowed in to the Maracana, perhaps he just tried the wrong door,” a spokesman told the Guardian.

This one could run and run.