Its not the magnitude of the Dutch win over the holders, Spain, last night that is amazing. Nor that Australia lost to Chile, which everyone except the most devoted or drunk (or both, as is normally the case) Aussie knew was inevitable. Not even that Brasil (note that I spell it the ‘proper’ way, like a native… of Hackney; but in my heart I’m Brazilian) won their first match after a shaky start and needed a very dodgy penalty award to do so.

No.

What’s amazing is just how quickly the World Cup has simply taken over life, as we know it. The newspapers lead with it, every conversation starts with it and every appointment has to be cleared with the fixtures before agreement. And after just a few games, its so fantastically exciting.

The word on the street is that Spain are finished. Defeated. Dead, done, dusted, disgraced and destined to depart for de homeland devoid of delay, discussion or de… oh bollox, enough ‘d’s. Because even if they win two of their group matches (surely even Spain can beat Australia), they now have a shitty goal difference and in all likelihood Holland and Chile will go through. Assuming Spain don’t just do ‘a France’ when they were champions and failed to score one single goal in their group matches. Leaving lots of questions unanswered. The main one being: ‘where do I get the next plane to Paris?’

Spain simply crumbled after a good start. And with all that talent. Whereas Holland, who lost to Spain in the last World Cup final, just played the dream for the entire second half. Robin van Persie’s first goal was that rarest of things: a header that everyone is talking about. Because it came from a breathtaking 60-odd yard pass and was pure genius in its execution. There are very few players that could actually head a ball in that manner, let alone have the presence of mind to work out what needed to be done. Only Van Persie, probably Pele, me and Alan Gilzean…

And that, normally, would have been ‘the best goal of *******’ (fill in yourself: match, group, tournament, whatever) but Arjen Robben scored a couple himself and the second was a thing of incredible beauty. Better than Maradona’s against England in 1986, I feel, for 2 reasons. Firstly because it wasn’t against England. And secondly because Robben may be a cry-baby at times and diver extraordinaire but he’s not a dirty, greasy, cheating, handballing, coke-snorting little shit.

And so tonight. Eng-er-land. We can do it. WE CAN DO IT. WE CAN REALLY DO ITTTTT!!!!!!! And we just need to beat Italy as a start.

Happy 3rd Day (of the World Cup)

A xxxx