World Cup Memories

Today is the one year anniversary of one of the most historic goals in the history of Spanish football. Andres Iniesta with the world watching him takes a pass from Cesc Fabregas and slots it past the diving keeper. Look past that he might have been offside. Forget that kiss between Iker and Sara or Pepe Reina´s show afterwards. They are all great memories to have, but go back to that goal. Remember Iniesta finding space where there was no space. Remember that the initial pass had deflected off a Dutch defender and had miraculously fallen at Cesc´s feet who saw Iniesta´s run and veered it towards the spindly striker from Fuentealbilla, Albacete, La Mancha, España. A goal to remember. Maybe not as great a finish as Zidane´s volley against Bayer Leverkeusen, or Carlos Alberto´s goal in World Cup 1970, but easily the most memorable. Find that video, look at him afterwards as he runs to the corner flag and pulls off his shirt. Dani Jarque siempre con nosotros. Dani Jarque, always with us.

It is the one thing I´ll remember most from that World Cup. Not the goal that preceded it, nor anything afterwards. The idea that on the greatest day of your lives, the day when you win the World Cup for your country, you and your mates aren´t thinking of yourselves but about your mutual friend, the one who passed away and couldn´t be there to share it with you. That´s all anyone wants for in this life; that when you are gone you are remembered.

Celebrate the anniversary of Spain´s victory. It is a historic win, putting them in the same breath as any of the small group of nations that have won a World Cup, but take a moment. Reflect on those that inspired that win. I know Andrés Iniesta is thinking about it.

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