As they say, there is many a slip between the cup and the lip. Whoever remembers the losers?

The loser takes it all

As they say, there is many a slip between the cup and the lip. Whoever remembers the losers? I heard that as a kid, newly initiated into the world of football, after having watched a Federation Cup final that my team Mohun Bagan lost. After being morose for an exact 10 minutes (the time it took to get me a chocolate bar and an ice cream from the neighbourhood shop), I was given 'the speech' on how the world of sports runs. Forget the Olympics mantra, winners take it all, as everywhere, as in life, so in sports.

Seriously, whoever remembers the losers? Does anyone remember who was the runner-up at, say, the 1986 World Cup? Or the 1962 World Cup? Perhaps none, save statisticians and football journalists. And yes, fans who were wildly rooting for their team and went back heartbroken.

I am not one to go with losers either. Yet, in this World Cup, in spite of supporting Spain (as back-up after my usual faves Argentina crashed out. I always believe in the importance of back-ups in life, you see), my heart went out to the Oranje when they fell to a 116-th minute beauty from Spaniard Andres Iniesta. The remaining minutes that followed were a tale of struggle, power play (which saw 15 cards being dished out by the referee, Howard Webb, in the course of the marathon final in Jo'Berg's Soccer City Stadium) and tears.

In cricket, South Africa remain chokers. In soccer, the Dutch remained a choker in South Africa.

It was a night of mixed feelings. On one hand, there was jubilation that my team won, on the other hand, the feeling that it was the case of so-near-yet-so-far yet again for The Netherlands. When Iker Casillas, Spain goalkeeper and captain, couldn't stop shedding tears of joy (despite the hugs that he was constantly getting from teammates), coach Vincent del Bosque was lifted up in the air by a clearly ecstatic team, tears of grief flowed down the cheeks of many a Dutch player, who helplessly watched the entire Spanish team celebrate with the Cup. And that's when my heart went out to them.

In the 80s, football fanatic that I am, I grew up on names like Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten and even earlier heroes like Johan Cruyff. And always these would be followed by the lament about how the Dutch, even after enthralling football lovers the world over with their 'Total football', could never stake a claim on the Cup, having lost twice in a row in 1974 and 1978.

History repeated itself once again, in another continent, at the hands of a team who till some time back, were known as chokers. In cricket, South Africa remain chokers. In soccer, the Dutch remained a choker in South Africa. There is indeed many a slip between the cup and the lip.

Promita Mukherjee is Senior Sub-Editor cum Reporter, MiD DAY, Delhi